Flag murals provide a fantastic classroom decoration for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and other patriotic holidays. Not only is it festive, it also allows your kiddos to get involved!

Hand Print American Flag Mural Activity

Activity Preparation

Measure out enough white background paper to fit the entire bulletin board, tape it together and set it out on the classroom floor. [NOTE: You might want to cover the floor with newspaper or a tarp first.] Cut a large rectangle from blue bulletin board paper or fit and tape together sheets of blue construction paper, gluing the rectangle to the top left corner of the white background paper. The American flag has 7 red stripes; starting at the top, use pencil to draw seven lines for your students to use as a guide when completing the activity.

Hand Print Flag Activity

Phase #1: Set out shallow dishes of red craft paint along with a paint brush for each student. Divide students into 7 teams and assign each team a stripe on the flag. Instruct students to use the pencil line as a guide, using the brush to coat their hand with red paint, then press their hand onto the line to create a print. Demonstrate how to place the prints palm to fingertip in order to create a "solid" line. Students in each team should take turns creating hand prints.

Phase #2: After students have had a chance to clean up, swap the dishes of red paint for a shallow dish of white craft paint. Have your kiddos take turns dipping their thumb into the paint and creating a "star" print on the blue rectangle. In all, students should create 50 prints. [NOTE: This equates to a total of 9 rows. The first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth rows should have 6 "stars", while the remaining rows should have 5.]

Hand Print Flag Bulletin Board

When the paint has fully dried, mount the flag mural to the board, add a patriotic bulletin board border {optional}, and you've got yourself a colorful, festive classroom decoration!

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