Hand Print Mayflower Craft

I saw a hand print craft kit, for Columbus Day, at the Oriental Trading Company, and thought maybe we could do something similar for Thanksgiving.

To start with, I drew a wavy line on blue construction paper, for the girls to cut out. After, E cut hers, C just had to cut a straight line below it, and she could use the waves left behind, by E's cutting.

They glued the wavy ocean down, onto yellow construction paper.

Then, added their hand prints, at the water line. I had instructed them to spread their thumbs out, to make the bow of the ship.

When, the paint was dry, they glued on construction paper sails, and flags, and a few clouds overhead. I may yet have them draw a flower on, so they will remember the name of the ship, but then, we might just leave them as is.

C, chose to make her ship purple, because she's four, and she likes purple.

Her color choice afforded opportunity to discuss the fact, that we really don't know what the Mayflower looked like. All, the pictures we see, and even the Mayflower II moored on the east coast, are best guesses, not actual representations.

Speaking of the Mayflower II, here's a link to an old newsreel-type film, of the ship being sailed from England to the United States back in the '50s. It's a pretty good piece of history now, itself.

It's great to be a homeschooler.