Handprint Crab Craft
Turn messy paint time into a seaside masterpiece with this adorable Handprint Crab Craft. Kids love transforming their own handprints into fun ocean animals, and this bright red crab is perfect for summer classroom activities, beach themes, or easy crafts for kids at home. You might also enjoy pairing it with our Florida Blue Crab Handprint for a colorful ocean display.
Supplies
• Newspaper
• Red washable paint
• Black marker
• Yellow construction paper
• Paper plate
• Paint roller or sponge brush, optional
• Smock or old clothes
Instructions
Cover your work surface with newspaper to protect it from paint.
Have children put on old clothes or a paint smock.
If you would like a beach background, print out a beach scene or let kids draw their own ocean scene on the paper before adding the crab.
Pour a small amount of red paint onto a paper plate. Using a roller or sponge brush can help spread the paint evenly and reduce mess.
Help the child coat one hand with red paint. Make sure the entire palm and fingers are covered.
With the thumb pointing upward, press the painted hand firmly onto the paper.
Reapply paint as needed and press the second handprint so that the palms overlap slightly in the center. The thumbs will form the crab claws and the fingers will become the legs.
Allow the paint to dry completely.
Use a black marker to draw two eyes and a smiling mouth on the crab’s body.
Let the artwork dry fully before displaying.
Fun Facts
Crabs are known for their sideways walk, but some species can move forward and backward too. A group of crabs is called a cast. Many crabs live in oceans, but some can also be found in freshwater and even on land.
Source: Science Kids – Fun Crab Facts for Kids
Patterns, Templates and Printables
If you are using a beach background template, click on the pattern to open it in a new window and print at the correct size.
Happy crafting!
Teacher Friendly Educational Extension
This craft works beautifully with an ocean or beach unit.
Have students research different types of crabs and compare their colors and habitats.
For writing practice, ask children to write a short story about their crab’s beach adventure.
You can also turn this into a simple science lesson by discussing ocean ecosystems and the role crabs play in keeping beaches clean.
Create a classroom bulletin board titled “Our Crab Cast” and display all the handprint crabs together for a fun summer showcase.
Supplies
Color Printer
Paint
Black Marker
Paper Plate
White paper
Newspaper
Instructions
Click on Printables and print out the beach themed background or create your own.
Spread newspaper under your work surface for protection.
Put paint on a paper plate and have the children put their hands in palm down.
Using the picture as a reference place the hands to form a crab.
When the paint is dry, add eyes and a mouth.
Patterns, Templates and Printables
Click on a pattern to open it in a new window
Contributor
These projects are created by Terri, Betty, Jamie or one of the talented staff members at MakingFriends.com. They have been created exclusively for publication on FreeKidsCrafts.com with supplies you'll be able to find around your house.
