Whether or not your winter weather brings snow, you can help your piano students make snowmen with their handprints!
Your students can create this little craft over several weeks as a gift for their parents, the ones who make piano lessons possible. To do this craft, it only takes five minutes or less in each lesson.
Many piano teachers love giving little seasonal gifts at this time of the year. We want gifts that are:
- Affordable
- Simple to make
- Seasonal, yet appropriate for all students regardless of what holiday they celebrate
- And a real bonus: this craft is a keepsake of your student’s hand–what plays the piano
These handprint snowmen check all the boxes, and students love the idea of making a surprise for their parents. Keep reading to find out how!
“Omg i forgot to mention how adorable the hand print ornament was!!! What a great souvenir!! We love it thanks!” ~ Isabelle (piano parent).
“Wow!! What a gift that was. Thank you ❤️” ~ Randy (piano parent).
DIY Handprint Snowman Ornaments
A keepsake of each student’s hand, wrapped up in a gift!
Each handprint is unique, and reflects the age and size of the child who is in piano lessons.
It’s a truly special gift, and one that will give your piano students great joy to give to their parents.
Materials
You’ll need the following:
- Art clay (I used Crayola Model Magic, available in arts and crafts stores)
- Paint (I used Craft Smart acrylic paint in white, blue and black)
- Markers (I used Crayola in black, brown and orange)
- Ribbons or strings
You’ll also need:
- Rolling pin (or long-shaped bottle)
- Toothpick
- Paint brushes
- A nail
A note about ribbons: I didn’t purchase ribbons for this project. Rather, I dipped into my collection of saved ribbons. Whenever a ribbon crosses my path, be it from a gift, a chocolate Easter bunny, a shoelace or a package of some sort, I keep it. I recommend you do the same!
Keep reading to find out how to print these specially-designed snowman gift tags for FREE!
Craft Centre
Set up a craft centre in a place that is accessible to students. I created a little craft corner in the hallway right outside my studio door.
Timeframe
Plan to make the craft over several weeks. You will want to look at a calendar and plan out the following steps over several lesson weeks, to give yourself enough time. For most students, this craft may be done over a period of three to four lessons.
Remember that some children may miss a lesson here or there. Depending on your timeframe (in a pinch), steps four to seven may be done in a single lesson. I say this to let you know that there’s no set make-or-break timeframe. Ideally, it’s spread out. But even in the case of missed lessons, there’s still time. Don’t worry, you can usually get it all done for the final lesson before your break.
I had a student or two who didn’t get it done in December. Their parents still enjoyed receiving it in January!
Step 1
Goal for the first piano lesson: Make the hand print in white clay. Time: About 5 minutes.
First, ask the student to wash their hands. If not washed, some prints can look a little dirty in the white clay. While the student warms up on the piano, I prepare the clay and have them check it on and off for size.
Remove a bit of modelling clay from the package. You’ll need to experiment and learn by trial and error how much you’ll need. As a general rule, the hand size determines how much you’ll need. Smaller hands require less.
Roll the modelling clay into a ball. With your rolling pin, run over the clay lightly from various angles, always attempting to keep the shape as a circle. If it becomes misshapen, roll from a different side to even it out until the circular shape returns.
At first, test the student’s hand without pressing to see if it’s a good fit. If necessary, continue to roll out the clay until it’s big enough for your student’s hand.
Have your student press their hand into the clay. They may use their other hand to give a firm push into each finger and on the heel of their hand.
With a toothpick, write their name in the clay.
Step 2
Between piano lessons: Dry both sides. Time: About one day. (This doesn’t require time during piano lessons.)
Once the hand has been pressed, leave the clay in place to avoid lifting it when it’s still too soft, which may alter the shape.
The day after the first lesson when the top part of the clay has dried, peel it slowly and carefully, and flip it over so the bottom side may also dry.
Step 3
Paint the sky. Time: Approximately 5 minutes.
Mix blue and white paint together until you have a lovely sky colour.
With the paint brush, outline the top of the hand in blue to look like the sky. Try not to outline the bottom of the hand. When the sky is painted too low in the picture, it tends not to look like a snowbank. (I painted too much sky on one of the hands (above) and later had to cover up some of the blue with more white paint.)
If you begin the project early enough and have enough piano lessons to spare, you may be able to let each student paint their own sky. I didn’t have enough time, so I painted all of the skies myself, meaning that my students did Step 1 in the first piano lesson and then Step 4 in the following lesson.
Through trial and error I found that it’s better to leave more of the hand looking white like a snowbank and to paint less sky.
Step 4
Paint black top hats. Time: Approximately 5 minutes.
To make hat brims, dip a flat-bristled paintbrush in black paint. On the hand imprint, place the bristles at the tips of the fingers. While keeping it in place, nudge it a little side-to-side.
To draw and fill the top part of each hat, use the pointy corner of the brush.
Step 5
Draw on the snowmen. Time: Approximately 5 minutes.
With a black marker, draw snowmen on the finger impressions. I thought I’d need to use paint and paintbrushes or paint pens for this part, but markers worked just fine!
It’s best to begin with the snowman’s head and then add the rest of the lower snowballs in order. Black dots make coal buttons, eyes and mouths.
To complete the snowmen, add brown twigs for arms and orange carrots for noses.
Step 6
Add ribbons for hanging.
This step may be completed during a lesson or between lessons, depending on your timeframe. This is a job that I did for my students. Many of them chose the colour of their ribbon.
I chose a nail with a twist because it was easier to use. Carefully (without splitting the clay) insert the nail far enough from the edge that it will be strong enough to hold without breaking.
To add the ribbon, wrap a bit of ribbon over the point of the nail and carefully push it through until the ribbon comes out the other side.
Step 7
If your students are taking their handprint snowmen home as gifts for their parents, wrap them. Time: Approximately 5 minutes. You’ll need:
- Wrapping paper, pre-cut to size
- Scissors
- Marker (for writing To and From)
- Tape
For wrapping, I measured and cut wrapping paper to fit the sizes of the hands. In their lessons, I helped students wrap, tape and tag their craft so they could give a gift to their parents. It’s a little fragile, so I also instructed them to carry it home carefully and put it in a safe place.
Advanced piano student thumbprint heart
Advanced piano students have more work and less play, but I still wanted them to have a gift for parents. For them, I opted to make less-intensive thumbprint ornaments.
Step 1. Measure and roll out 1 tablespoon of clay. Press the thumb in two different angles to make a heart. With a toothpick, mark the student’s initials on it somewhere. Let dry for a week.
Step 2. Paint blue around the edges. You may leave the hearts like this or add red paint, suggested in the following step.
Step 3. Dip thumb into red paint and repeat the thumbprint process in two different angles.
More steps: After all the paint is dry, you may make a hole with a nail and put a ribbon through, and then wrap it as a gift.
Why this is a special gift
People have always loved making hand prints. It’s an ancient practice and a meaningful one.
- It’s a special surprise for kids to make for their parents. Everyone loves surprises — both giving and receiving.
- It’s a unique gift no one else can give. A child’s handprint can’t be bought.
- It’s a keepsake of the hands that bring so much music into their home all year.
How to get your printable gift tags FREE!
Print our “To and From” gift tag for FREE!
This bright, specially-designed snowman gift tag may be printed from any 8 1/2 x 11 home printer, or by your favourite printshop.
With ten tags per sheet, it comes with handy cut lines to help you make them just right.
Your student may want to add a note that says, “This is a keepsake, a handprint of mine. Thank-you for piano lessons!”
Here’s the link to get this FREE Snowman Gift Tag printable!
It’s a joy to give!
I wish you the joy of the season! ~ Rebekah
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Video of the Week
White Drift (Late Intermediate, Level 6). Imagine big white snowflakes swirling through the air. This piece captures the excitement of the first snow or any important day — a white wedding dress, the clean white pages on the first day of school, the feeling of a clean slate or starting over. It’s in C-sharp minor and the black and white key pattern makes it simple to teach and learn by rote! When the thumb tucks on the white keys, the melody falls very naturally under the hands. White Drift is included in the print and studio-licensed eBook, The Color Collection, and as a studio-licensed White Drift eSheet.
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