Red Ted Art - Make crafting with kids easy & fun

Cute & Easy Crafts for Kids

Kids Crafts: Sunflower Thank You Cards

What isn’t there to love about Sunflowers? What better motif for Fingerprint Thank You Cards! This year we decided to take part in Nurture Store’s Sunflower Challenge, which is also linked to raising funds and awareness for the Compton Hospice. And to celebrate the challenge coming to an end at the end of the month, Nurture Store has challenged us to a sunflower craft! Hooray!

I was a little “annoyed” with myself for missing the opportunity to make our Sunshine Flag into a Sunflower Flag… But I didn’t think of it that day. Hey ho. Instead… we made some lovely Sunflower Thank You Cards using our fingerprints (we seemed to be forever saying thank you to people – this time it is Granny and Grandpa again for all their babysitting at the weekend). They were quick. Easy and hopefully “lovely”.

The Book

Camille and the Sunflowers (Anholt's Artists)Well.. one book springs to mind straight away Camille and the Sunflowers, Laurence Anholt... this is the story of Vincent van Gogh through the eyes of a young postman’s son Camille (himself a subject of van Gogh’s paintings) It is indeed a little sad, as van Gogh life itself was one of non-acceptance and only late recognition. But it is beautifully told – bringing to life van Gogh’s paintings, as well as teaching your children about “being different”.

The Craft

Like I said: quick and easy, as we were “late” with out inspirational craft. But I love the result and I know Granny will to: Fingerprint Sunflower Cards!! Materials: Card stock (or paper folded), yellow paint, black or brown paint, green pen. Fingers.

1. Mmh, oh, so you can’t see much on this photo.. but Red Ted is basically putting some yellow blobs on the card. Followed by black little blobs…

fingerpint sunflowers

2. Then I let him do what he wanted… a big “messy” picture for Grandpa…

sunflower thumbprint cards

3. Add the stems and leaves. And FINISHED.

And here is our sunflower – I am pretty certain it isn’t the tallest, so will not win, however, it was the first to bloom! We have more in the backgarden, that are as tall as me – but they are from a different batch of seeds!

sunflower

On the 27th June it is 125cm (49.5″) tall – including petals it is 130cm, but they are starting to wilt… Our “other one” is a whopping 170cm. I am impressed.

Comments

  2. Ross Mannell says

    A simple yet effective idea. I think children would love this activity, especially if they’re allowed to do a messy picture afterwards. 🙂

    Ross Mannell (teacher)
    Australia

    Reply

  5. Red Ted Art says

    My pleasure Cathy – it is great to see the kids get all excited about the beautiful flowers and how big they are getting!

    Reply

  6. se7en says

    Hehe I was waiting for your post to link up!!! We are dying to read that book and it is just not in the library!!! Love your sunny sunflowers!!! Have a good day!!!

    Reply

    • Red Ted Art says

      Ah thanks.. and uhm.. we have posted 3 of them already.. but you know, I am sure I took more photos… will have a dig in the photo file!

      Thanks for all the other lovely comments..

      Reply

  18. Candace @ NaturallyEducational says

    These are so lovely. I’ve been afraid to plant sunflowers because we don’t get much light. Maybe next year…

    Reply

  21. Lindsay says

    I absolutely adore sunflowers. With 6-7 year olds this week we re-told the story of Camille and the Sunflowers and created artworks using paint and pastels. Lovely fun. :))

    Reply

  22. Kristy says

    Very cute! I like how you let him make whatever he wanted afterward, which was a messy picture. We have some fabulous messy creations at our house, too. 🙂 Visiting you from the Read. Explore. Learn Summer Reading Challenge.

    Reply

  24. Fran says

    My girls will love doing these! We did thumbprint chicks at Easter but never thought of Sunflowers, is there a happier flower?
    Found the link on BritMums btw

    Fran x

    Reply

  32. Red Ted Art says

    Aaah thank you! We were really pleased with them… and they were so easy for our little ones to make!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  3. […] Red Ted Art is one of the hottest kids craft blogs out there…not to mention that they have the most book crafts of any blog out there ( which happen to be my favorite.) They pair up this craft with the book Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt which I have not yet read, but her explanation sounds wonderfully beautiful.  I love how simple this craft is, yet it turned out beautiful…I’m sure Granny will love them! You may also like… […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.