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Patriotic Peacock Handprint

Aug 10, 20124,942 views
Painting
Patriotic Peacock –India’s national bird Save
Patriotic Peacock Handprint Save
Patriotic Peacock Handprint Save

by TurkeyMom in Painting

Ages2–6 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity20 min
Leveleasy
MessHigh
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Paint a child's hand in the saffron, white and green of the Indian flag and press it down with fingers spread to make a tri-color peacock, India's national bird. It's an easy way to talk about the flag's colors around India's Independence Day.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Paint goes directly on skin, so use washable, non-toxic kids' paint. The post doesn't name a paint.
  • Supervise closely so painted hands stay away from mouths and eyes, especially with toddlers.
  • Wash hands right after printing.

Before the kids arrive

  • Set out saffron (or deep orange), white and green paint, plus brushes and a canvas or sheet of heavy paper for each child.

Steps

  1. Talk about the Indian flag and its three colors: saffron on top, white in the middle and green at the bottom.

  2. Paint the child's fingers and top of the palm saffron or deep orange.

  3. Paint a white stripe across the middle of the palm.

  4. Paint the bottom of the palm green.

  5. Press the painted hand onto the canvas with fingers spread wide, like open peacock feathers.

  6. Wash the paint off the hand.

  7. Paint a small blue wheel in the white band, then add dots around the feathers, a head with a crest, and legs to finish the peacock.

  8. Let the painting dry.

Tips

  • Yeah, they may end up looking more like turkeys. That's part of the fun!from the author
  • Get a true saffron if you can. We used deep orange, but the flag's color is actually saffron.from the author
  • Older kids may want their own colors. Ours wasn't happy with the colors I set out, but when she saw her little sister make a tri-color peacock, she HAD to join in.from the author
  • The little one was more than willing to do a flag handprint, even before we turned it into a peacock.from the author

Make it your own

  • Do just a tri-color flag handprint, without turning it into a peacock.
  • Let kids pick their own colors for their own peacock.
  • Paint 'I ♥ India' above the peacocks, as in the finished piece.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · August 2012
Patriotic Peacock Handprint
My intention was to teach Big A about the Indian flag and its colors, but it did not go as per plan. Baby A was more than willing to do a flag handprint: here is her tiny tri-color hand.
1 / 3

Patriotic Peacock Handprint: the original post

Yeah I know, they look more like turkeys. Well, my intention was to teach Big A about the Indian flag, its colors and what it means to be a independent country although the latter might have been a wee bit overboard. Anyways, it did not go as per plan. Baby A was more than willing to do a flag handprint. Here is the little one’s tiny tri-color hand

Here is Big A’s.

While talking to her about the flag, we tried to create a tri-color peacock – India’s national bird. Big A decided that she wanted different colors for her flag and she was not happy with the colors I set out for her! She wanted to make a peacock with her own colors. Finally, when she saw Baby A make a tri color peacock, she HAD to join in. Here is what it turned out to be. By the way, top color is deep orange. I should get a better orange (actually flag’s color is saffron) soon.

Patriotic Peacock –India’s national bird

Jai Hind! If you end up trying one of those handprint tri-color peacocks with open feathers, please comment and post your link here or on the facebook page. Thanks for reading and happy sharing. Shared on Artsy Craftsy Mom

What readers say

💬 3 comments ✍️ 1 answered by the author

🎉 Worked for us

Readers learned about India's national bird

A fellow craft blogger found the peacocks adorable and learned that the peacock is India's national bird.

“I didn't know peacocks were India's national bird. I learn something with each visit!”
maggy, red ted art, Aug 2012

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 3 comments

  1. maggy, red ted art · Aug 2012

    These are adorable! I didn't know peacocks were India's national bird. I learn something with each visit! Thanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty! Maggy

  2. TurkeyMomAuthor · Aug 2012 · replying to maggy, red ted art

    Yeah. The funny thing is I have seen a real one may be once in India- at a zoo. But here in the US, we happen to see a couple of them many times on the street.They are pets. Turkey Mom

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