Fall is in full swing and Thanksgiving isn’t far off now – recently I’ve had fallen leaves and pinecones on my mind, but today’s craft features another fall classic: acorns! Fingerprint art is such a simple way to get kids of all ages involved. Not only is this project a simple decoration for your Thanksgiving table but it also encourages conversation and gets guests thinking about what they’re grateful for this year. You could of course use this same fingerprint acorn idea in lots of ways – stamp them onto the sides of paper cups, onto smaller cards with guests’ names as place cards, or even onto a long paper as a DIY table runner! However you do it, this idea is a simple one that’s sure to add a pop of color to your table decor this year. Keep reading for tips below!

• Cereal box cardboard
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Acrylic Paint (multiple colors)
• Paintbrushes
• Alphabet stamps
• Stamp pad

Step 1
Cut your upcycled cereal box into rectangles about the size of a postcard, or slightly smaller. You can also do this on colored cardstock if you prefer, but the cereal box cardboard gives them a nice weight.

Step 2
Stamp “I am grateful for” onto the top of the card, leaving a bit of space in the corners for the acorn art we’ll be adding later. You can also write out something else, like “Happy Thanksgiving!” or another message. If you don’t have stamps on hand, use a marker to write it instead.

Step 3
Apply acrylic paint onto a scrap paper or paper plate. Dip your finger into a color and do some test stamps on some scrap cardboard until you’re happy with how the fingerprint stamps look. Then stamp a few onto the edges of each card. We used a handful of warm shades for this! Set aside and let dry.

Step 4
Once dry, use the same color palette to paint acorn tops onto each of the stamped fingerprints, using contrasting paint colors to make the acorns pop. Let dry.

Step 5
Set a card on each place setting at your Thanksgiving table with a pen or pencil and encourage your guests to write down what they’re thankful for this year! You can also set these up on a side table or coffee table and have guests leave them out on display for others to look at.

Happy Thanksgiving!