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US Letter, 8.5 x 11 inches. Print at 100% for craft pieces; use Fit to page if your printer clips the margins. An adult should help with scissors and fitting wearable crafts.
Turn a small handprint into a Thanksgiving keepsake with an original four-line poem. The printable leaves room for a hand outline and a name, making it suitable for a family memory folder or a card for someone special. The poem belongs to this activity; it is not a copy of a publisher’s classroom verse or a well-known handprint poem found on another site.
How to use this printable
- Choose a hand outline or a painted print. Tracing with a pencil is a simple option when you want to avoid paint and drying time.
- Position the hand so there is room for the child’s name and date. An adult can trace gently around the fingers while the child keeps the hand relaxed.
- Turn the thumb into a turkey head and decorate the finger shapes as feathers. Add feet underneath without covering the poem.
- Read the poem together and write one thankful thought on the remaining lines. Let the page dry completely if paint or glue was used.
Make the activity your own
Record the year or the child’s age on the back so the page keeps its meaning later. In a classroom, children can compare the colors and patterns they chose without comparing whose hand is bigger or smaller. A traced handprint can also be cut from colored paper and glued in place. Use materials that are appropriate for the child’s age and follow the product directions if choosing washable paint.
Printing and questions
Print the PDF on US Letter paper in portrait orientation. Start with one copy and check the preview before making a classroom set. Use ordinary paper for a worksheet, or cardstock when the finished piece needs to stand up to handling.
Do I need to use paint?
No. A pencil outline, crayon tracing or colored paper hand shape works well.
Can I change the poem?
Yes. Add the child’s own line or replace the final line with a specific person or memory they want to thank.