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There is something about handprint crafts that always makes me want to save them instead of clearing them off the table with the rest of the week’s artwork. A handprint captures an actual moment in time, and turning that little hand shape into a spider makes an especially easy project because the fingers naturally become long, wiggly legs.

I also love that spider crafts don’t need to be reserved for Halloween. They work for rainy afternoons, preschool bug themes, storytime activities, nature units, birthday craft tables, or simply one of those days when the kids want paint and I want a project that doesn’t require buying fifteen new supplies.

For this collection, I wanted to go beyond making the same black painted spider over and over again. I’ve included painting, paper cutting, yarn, watercolor, tissue paper, paper plates, cardboard, salt painting, recycled materials, sensory textures, keepsakes, and crafts kids can actually play with afterward. Some are deliberately simple enough for toddlers and preschoolers with adult help, while others give older children more cutting, weaving, folding, and decorating to do themselves.

Most importantly, I like leaving room for children’s own choices. A spider doesn’t have to be black, the legs don’t have to match, and the eyes definitely don’t have to be perfectly straight. Those slightly strange details are usually what make handmade children’s crafts so much fun.

1. Classic Black Handprint Spider

I always start with the classic version because it’s wonderfully simple and shows exactly why handprints work so well for spider crafts. I brush washable black paint over one palm and four fingers, leaving the thumb clean, then press the hand firmly onto a piece of sturdy white or brightly colored paper. After turning the paper, I make a second print facing the opposite direction so the palm areas overlap. Four fingers on each side give the spider its eight recognizable legs without needing to draw or attach anything separately.

Once the paint dries, this is where I let the child take over. Large paper eyes, painted eyes, or age-appropriate googly eyes can completely change the spider’s expression. A small smile makes it friendly, while several differently sized eyes make it wonderfully silly. I don’t try to straighten uneven legs or cover small smudges because the handprint itself is the whole point. Write the child’s name and date discreetly at the bottom and even this very simple afternoon project becomes something worth keeping.

2. Rainbow Handprint Spider

There is absolutely no rule saying a spider craft needs to be black. For a cheerful version, I paint sections of the hand in different washable colors before making the print. Blue can cover two fingers, pink another, yellow another, with purple or green across the palm. Make the second print using the same arrangement or completely different colors. When the prints overlap, you get a wonderfully bright spider with eight multicolored legs.

This is a good project when I want children to spend more time exploring color than worrying about making something realistic. I put a limited selection of paints on the table and let them decide which colors belong next to each other. Older kids can create repeating color patterns across the legs, while little ones can simply choose their favorites. A plain white background works best because all those colors already provide plenty of visual interest.

3. Traced Paper Handprint Spider

When I don’t feel like dealing with wet paint, tracing hands is my favorite alternative. Place both hands on black or colored construction paper and carefully trace around them with a pencil. Cut out the hand shapes and remove the thumbs if you want exactly four finger-shaped legs on each side. Overlap the palm sections, glue them together, and you have a clean paper spider.

The nice thing about this method is that children can decorate the spider before or after assembly. Markers, crayons, paper dots, stickers, and small scraps of patterned paper all work well. I also gently curl some of the paper fingers around a pencil to make the legs lift away from the page. That one little adjustment makes the spider look as though it’s crawling instead of lying completely flat.

4. Handprint Spider on a Watercolor Web

Watercolor makes a beautiful background for a dark handprint. I start with heavy watercolor paper and let children loosely brush blue, purple, pink, or turquoise washes across the page. There’s no need to cover every inch or blend everything perfectly. In fact, I prefer leaving lighter patches and allowing some colors to run together naturally.

After the watercolor is completely dry, draw a web with a white paint marker or add thin white painted lines. Then place a black handprint spider near the middle or one corner. The dark silhouette against those soft colors gives this project much more depth than an ordinary handprint on plain paper. It’s one I particularly like framing because it still looks unmistakably child-made while having the feel of a little piece of artwork.

5. Paper Plate Spider Web with Handprint Spider

A paper plate makes a surprisingly sturdy web frame. I cut the center from a white paper plate and punch holes around the remaining rim. Children can thread white yarn back and forth between the holes, crossing it through the center until the opening looks web-like. There’s no need to create a scientifically accurate web; irregular strands are much easier for young children and look perfectly convincing.

For the spider, trace two hands onto black cardstock, cut them out, remove the thumbs, and overlap the palms. Attach the spider to one of the yarn strands with glue or a small piece of tape. I like this craft because it combines several skills in one project—tracing, cutting, threading, gluing, and decorating—and the finished web is sturdy enough to hang on a door or wall.

6. Handprint Spider Puppet

Turning the spider into a puppet gives children something to do with their craft after the glue dries. I make the spider from two overlapping paper handprints and glue the finished shape to a wide wooden craft stick. Paper eyes are easiest, although children can also draw a face directly onto the palm section.

Once the puppets are ready, I encourage the kids to make them crawl across tables, disappear behind cushions, or star in a simple spider story. If we’re reading a bug-themed picture book, the puppets can become part of storytime afterward. I always appreciate a craft that lasts beyond the ten minutes it takes to make it, and this one often turns into imaginative play without any extra setup.

7. Handprint Spider with Accordion-Folded Legs

For this version, I use the child’s handprint as inspiration for the spider’s body but make the legs separately. Trace or print the palm onto cardstock and cut around the central shape. Then cut eight narrow strips of paper and fold each strip back and forth like an accordion.

Glue four folded legs along each side of the body and add a pair of big paper eyes. The accordion folds give the spider wonderful movement, especially if you pick it up or gently tap the paper. I also like that folding each strip gives children repetitive fine-motor practice without making the activity feel educational. The finished spider looks completely different from a standard flat handprint even though it starts with the same familiar shape.

8. Fingerprint-Dotted Handprint Spider

A handprint and fingerprints work naturally together in one painting. Start by making a dark spider with two overlapping handprints. Once it’s dry, dip fingertips into contrasting washable paint and add dots across the palm and legs. Bright pink on black, yellow on purple, or blue on orange can create a wonderfully playful pattern.

I usually put just two or three paint colors onto small plates so the project doesn’t turn muddy. Kids can make orderly rows of spots, alternate colors, or cover their spider randomly. This is especially satisfying for younger children because fingerprinting is easy to control and gives them a chance to continue painting after an adult has helped create the main handprint.

9. Yarn-Wrapped Handprint Spider

Cardboard gives this spider enough strength for yarn wrapping. Trace two hands onto thin recycled cardboard, cut them out, remove the thumbs, and glue the palm sections together. Once the shape is secure, children can wrap yarn around the body and parts of the legs.

I like using chunky yarn because it builds texture quickly without requiring endless wrapping. Black yarn creates a fuzzy traditional spider, but purple, blue, orange, or multicolored yarn is much more playful. Don’t worry about covering every piece of cardboard. A little showing through is fine, and keeping the wrapping loose enough for children to manage is more important than achieving a perfectly finished surface.

10. Handprint Spider Sun Catcher

For a window craft, I use clear contact paper and tissue paper to create a stained-glass effect. Cut a simple black cardstock spider from overlapping hand silhouettes and place it onto the sticky side of contact paper. Children can fill the surrounding space with small torn pieces of colorful tissue paper.

Seal the design with another piece of clear contact paper and trim around the outside. Tape it to a sunny window and the tissue pieces glow around the dark spider silhouette. I particularly like tearing tissue instead of cutting it because children can participate without needing perfect shapes. The irregular pieces also overlap beautifully and create new shades when sunlight passes through them.

11. Puffy Paint Handprint Spider

Puffy paint is an easy way to add texture to a flat handprint. Make a spider using painted or traced hands and allow the base to dry before decorating. Then children can squeeze raised lines, dots, zigzags, or tiny circles across the body and legs.

The important part is giving the puffy paint plenty of undisturbed drying time. I put the artwork on a tray before decorating so I can move the whole thing afterward without touching it. Once dry, those raised patterns are fun to feel with a fingertip. This is a nice choice for children who have already made ordinary handprint pictures and want a craft with a little more detail.

12. Salt-Painted Web and Paper Handprint Spider

Salt painting makes the web the star of this project. On dark cardstock, draw a large web using white school glue. Pour table salt generously over the wet glue, shake off the excess, and allow it to settle. Once it’s ready, children can lightly touch diluted watercolor onto the salted lines and watch the color spread through the crystals.

I make the spider separately from black paper handprints and glue it onto the page after the web has dried. That keeps wet handprint paint away from the delicate salt texture. Children are often fascinated by how quickly watercolor travels along the salt, so I encourage them to use the tip of the brush rather than scrubbing back and forth. The result has a raised, sparkling quality that ordinary painted web lines can’t quite reproduce.

13. Handprint Spider Garland

One spider is fun, but a whole row can become cheerful handmade room decor. Trace handprints onto several colors of cardstock and assemble each pair into a spider. I like giving every spider a slightly different look—one might have stripes, another dots, another giant eyes, and another a tiny paper smile.

Punch a hole near the top of each spider and string them along yarn or twine. Leave enough distance between them so their finger-shaped legs don’t overlap too much. This is a particularly good group activity because every child can contribute one spider to a shared garland. Hang it across a bookshelf, playroom window, classroom display, or craft area when everyone is finished.

14. Handprint Spider Mobile

A mobile adds movement and makes handprint spiders look as though they’re dangling through the air. I start with a lightweight cardboard or paper-plate ring and wrap a little yarn around it. Then I create several small spiders from traced handprints on sturdy paper.

Tie each spider to the ring using a different length of string so they hang at several levels. Keeping the spiders lightweight is important; heavy decorations can make the ring tilt awkwardly. When the finished mobile catches a gentle draft, the spiders slowly turn and sway. It’s a simple way to transform flat paper crafts into something children can watch move.

15. Handprint Spider Rocking Toy

A folded paper plate provides the base for this little rocking spider. Fold a sturdy plate in half and paint the outside in whatever color the child chooses. Once dry, glue paper handprints along both sides, arranging four finger-shaped legs to extend outward on each side.

Because the plate rests on its curved edge, the finished spider rocks when gently pushed. I keep the eyes and other decorations lightweight so the toy remains balanced. Children can experiment with how hard they need to tap it to make it wobble without tipping over. This project brings a small bit of problem-solving into the craft and gives the finished spider a purpose beyond sitting on a page.

16. Handprint Spider Crown

Some kids would much rather wear their artwork than display it. Cut a long strip of cardstock wide enough to form a comfortable headband, but don’t join the ends yet. Make a small paper handprint spider and glue it to the center of the band.

Let children decorate the rest of the crown with drawn webs, colorful dots, paper shapes, or tiny spider pictures. Measure the band around the child’s head before taping or stapling it closed. I prefer paper eyes for this project because they’re lightweight and don’t fall off easily. Once the crown is finished, it often becomes part of dress-up play long after craft time has ended.

17. Handprint Spider Bookmark

A narrow handprint spider bookmark makes a useful little project for children who enjoy reading. Trace a hand onto cardstock and reduce the shape if necessary so it isn’t wider than the book. Another approach is to use a small palm shape for the body and draw or cut narrow finger-like legs along each side.

Glue the spider to the top of a sturdy rectangular cardstock strip so its legs peek out when the bookmark is inside a book. Children can decorate the strip with patterns or their name. I keep embellishments flat because bulky eyes and thick decorations can damage book pages. It’s a small project, but I like that the finished craft has an everyday use.

18. Handprint Spider Story Stone Scene

For this activity, I combine a handprint background with painted story stones. Make a large handprint spider on sturdy paper or cardboard and add a simple web around it. Separately, paint smooth stones with simple pictures such as a fly, leaf, raindrop, sun, flower, or another tiny spider.

Children can place the stones around the handprint and invent a different story each time. Maybe the spider is looking for its friend, hiding from the rain, or watching a fly near its web. I like open-ended crafts like this because they connect art with storytelling rather than producing something that immediately gets hung up and forgotten. For younger children, use large pieces and supervise according to age.

19. Handprint Spider Collage

A collage lets children explore materials rather than relying only on paint. Start with a traced handprint spider cut from sturdy paper. Put out a small selection of safe collage materials such as tissue paper, paper scraps, felt pieces, yarn snippets, and pre-cut foam shapes.

Children can glue the materials onto the spider’s body and legs however they like. I don’t insist that everything stay inside the outline because overlapping textures make the finished piece much more interesting. Limiting the number of materials on the table helps prevent the activity from becoming overwhelming. Three or four textures are plenty to make every spider look completely different.

20. Cardboard Handprint Spider Sculpture

This version stands up instead of lying flat. Trace two hands onto thin corrugated cardboard and cut them out. Overlap the palms to create eight legs, then gently bend each finger section downward so the spider’s body lifts off the table.

The cardboard gives the legs enough stiffness to support the body if you adjust them carefully. Paint the spider after assembly or leave the cardboard natural and decorate it with marker patterns. I like this project for older children because getting the spider to stand requires some experimenting. If one leg is too high or another too flat, they can bend and reposition it until the spider balances.

21. Handprint Spider Nature Collage

If we’ve collected leaves, tiny twigs, or fallen flower petals outside, I like incorporating a few into a spider picture. Make a paper handprint spider first and glue it onto sturdy cardboard. Then arrange dry natural materials around the spider to create a simple outdoor scene.

Twigs can become web supports, dry leaves can form the ground, and tiny pieces of bark can add texture around the edges. I avoid freshly picked plants and anything sharp, irritating, or unidentified. The goal isn’t to cover the page with nature materials; a few carefully chosen pieces are enough. It creates a nice connection between a craft spider and the places children might actually encounter webs outdoors.

22. Handprint Spider Name Activity

A handprint spider can also become an easy personalized name activity. Make the spider near the top of a large piece of cardstock and attach a long piece of white yarn underneath it to represent a silk strand. Cut paper circles or squares for the letters in the child’s name.

Older children can write one letter on each piece themselves, while younger kids can arrange letters you’ve prepared. Glue them vertically along the strand in the correct order. I like this because the name is integrated naturally into the picture rather than looking like a worksheet. Once finished, it can go on a bedroom door or children’s art wall.

23. Handprint Spider Greeting Card

Fold a piece of sturdy cardstock in half and create a small handprint spider on the front. If a full-size print won’t fit, use traced hand shapes reduced to fit the card or let the spider’s legs extend playfully toward the edges.

Inside, children can draw a picture or write a message to a grandparent, friend, teacher, or family member. I particularly like this as a “just because” card because handmade mail doesn’t need a holiday attached to it. Add the child’s name and year to the back. Relatives often keep handprint cards precisely because the hand size makes them feel more personal than an ordinary drawing.

24. Family Handprint Spider Picture

This is one of my favorite keepsake versions because every person’s spider ends up a different size. Give each family member a paint color and make a double-handprint spider on one large sheet of paper or canvas. Arrange the prints so they don’t overlap and leave enough room for all the legs.

Write each person’s name underneath their spider along with the year. I wouldn’t add too much else to the background because the size differences are what make the artwork interesting. A parent’s huge handprint next to a preschooler’s tiny one tells the story immediately. Bring the picture out again a few years later and those little hands suddenly seem much smaller than you remember.

25. Handprint Spider Keepsake Canvas

A small canvas is perfect when I want one child’s handprint preserved as a more permanent piece of artwork. Paint the canvas background first and let it dry completely. Soft blue, warm cream, pale pink, green, or lavender can all work if you don’t want the finished project to feel tied to one season.

Make the spider using two dark handprints and keep the additional decoration simple. I usually add only eyes, a few thin web lines, the child’s name, and the year. Too many embellishments can distract from the part you’ll care about later—the hand size. Once dry, the canvas can sit on a shelf or become part of a rotating display of children’s artwork.

26. Giant Group Handprint Spider Mural

For a group project, I love making one enormous spider from many children’s handprints rather than having everyone create an individual one. Start with a large paper spider body in the center of mural paper. Each child traces or prints a hand onto colored paper, and those handprints are arranged outward in groups to create oversized, layered legs.

This works especially well for a classroom, playgroup, birthday craft table, or family gathering because everyone contributes to one finished piece. Write children’s names discreetly on their individual handprints if you want them to find their contribution later. The final spider can become huge, colorful, and wonderfully imperfect. More importantly, nobody’s piece has to look like anyone else’s for the mural to work.

Making Handprint Crafts Less Messy

I’ve learned that successful handprint painting is mostly about setting up the table before the first hand gets covered in paint. I put the paper exactly where I want it, open the paint, prepare the brush, and keep a damp cloth or wipes nearby before inviting a child over. Brushing paint onto the palm gives me much more control than dipping an entire hand into a plate of paint, and it usually produces a clearer print too.

I also keep a sheet of scrap paper beside the project. If there’s too much paint on the hand, we make a practice print first. Younger children may need an adult to gently press each finger against the page and lift the hand straight upward. Once the print is finished, washing hands comes before decorating. Trying to glue eyes onto a spider while someone still has black paint on all four fingers is an adventure I don’t need to repeat.

How I Get Better Handprints

More paint doesn’t necessarily mean a better print. A thick coat can pool around the fingers and turn the whole spider into an undefined blob. I prefer brushing on a thin but complete layer, making sure the center of the palm and fingertips aren’t missed. Matte washable children’s paint generally gives me the kind of coverage I need for paper projects.

When pressing the hand down, I try to keep the wrist and fingers still while gently pressing the back of the hand. Then I lift straight upward instead of dragging sideways. Even with careful technique, some prints will have gaps or smudges. I don’t automatically redo them. Once the spider has eyes and decorations, those tiny imperfections often disappear into the design—or become the detail that makes the spider unmistakably handmade.

Choosing Materials for Different Ages

For toddlers and young preschoolers, I keep things big and simple. Washable paint, large sheets of paper, crayons, chunky paper pieces, and adult-assisted handprints are usually enough. Small loose decorations can be inappropriate for children who still put objects in their mouths, so paper eyes are often my first choice. A traced hand is also a perfectly good substitute for children who don’t enjoy wet paint on their skin.

As children get older, I introduce more involved techniques such as yarn threading, accordion folding, careful cutting, watercolor, collage, and simple construction. I don’t choose projects based only on an age printed on a craft supply package, though. Children develop skills at different rates, and an adult should decide which tools and materials are appropriate for the individual child while following product safety guidance.

Turning Spider Crafts Into a Learning Activity

I don’t think every craft needs an educational purpose, but spiders naturally lead to interesting conversations. While we’re making eight legs, we can count them. We can talk about the difference between spiders and insects, observe real spider webs outside, compare different web shapes, or look at pictures of spiders in a child-friendly nature book.

The key for me is keeping the conversation connected to what the child is already curious about. If they’re fascinated by the paint, we talk about mixing colors. If they’re asking why spiders make webs, that’s where the conversation goes. Crafting is much more enjoyable when learning happens naturally around the project rather than turning the table into another lesson they have to complete.

FAQs

How do I make a handprint spider with eight legs?

The easiest method I use is to paint the palm and four fingers while leaving the thumb clean. Press the hand onto paper, then make another print facing in the opposite direction with the palm areas overlapping. The four fingers from each print create eight legs.

You can use exactly the same method with traced paper hands. Trace two hands, cut them out, remove the thumbs, and overlap the palm sections. I actually prefer the paper method for hanging crafts because it’s stronger and easier to attach to yarn or cardboard.

What kind of paint should I use for handprint crafts?

When paint will touch a child’s skin, I use a washable, non-toxic children’s paint that is intended for the activity and appropriate for the child’s age, following the product directions. I wash the paint off promptly after the handprint is finished.

For children with sensitive skin or those who simply hate the sensation of paint on their palms, tracing is an easy alternative. They can still paint the paper hand afterward, which gives them the fun part of decorating without covering their skin in paint.

What can I use if I don’t have googly eyes?

I often prefer paper eyes anyway. Cut circles from white and black paper, draw eyes directly onto the spider, use washable paint, or let older children design their own funny expressions with markers.

Paper pieces also keep the finished craft flatter, which is useful for cards, bookmarks, framed artwork, and anything you plan to store. For younger children, avoiding tiny plastic craft pieces can make the activity easier to manage as well.

Can I make these crafts without paint?

Absolutely. Traced hands can replace painted handprints in almost every project on this list. Construction paper, cardstock, recycled cardboard, felt, and even patterned scrapbook paper can all become hand-shaped spider pieces.

I often choose tracing when I’m crafting somewhere that doesn’t have easy access to a sink. Children can still personalize their spiders with crayons, paper collage, yarn, or age-appropriate stickers, so the project doesn’t feel like a lesser version of the painted craft.

How can I make a handprint craft into a keepsake?

Use sturdy paper or canvas, allow everything to dry thoroughly, and add the child’s name and date somewhere unobtrusive. If you have room, adding their age can be useful too. Years later, that information is often more meaningful than any decorative wording.

For paper artwork, I store important pieces flat in a protective portfolio or frame them behind glass. I try to choose just a few crafts to preserve rather than keeping absolutely everything. A well-labeled handprint from each year can tell a child’s growing-up story surprisingly well.

Why does my handprint keep smudging?

Too much paint is usually the first thing I check. If paint is dripping or pooling, remove a little or make a practice print on scrap paper. Sliding the hand as it touches or leaves the paper can also blur the shape.

I gently press the palm and each finger without moving them sideways, then lift the hand straight up. With very young children, perfect prints still aren’t guaranteed—and that’s completely workable. A missing fingertip can be touched up with a brush if necessary, but most small smudges look perfectly fine once the spider is decorated.

What else can children learn while making spider crafts?

Counting eight legs is the obvious starting point, but there are plenty of other possibilities. Children can practice color patterns, compare hand sizes, work on scissor control, thread yarn, fold paper, sort materials, and tell stories about the spiders they’ve made.

A spider project can also lead naturally into observing webs outdoors or learning basic facts about arachnids. I keep those conversations light and age appropriate. The craft should still feel like creative play rather than an assignment disguised as painting.

Final Thoughts

What I enjoy most about spider handprint crafts is how easily the same basic shape can lead in completely different directions. A pair of handprints can become a painting one day, a puppet the next, and later a yarn-wrapped decoration, rocking toy, window sun catcher, mobile, bookmark, or family keepsake. Changing the material or the way children interact with the finished spider makes each project feel genuinely different rather than simply repeating the same craft with another paint color.

I also think handprint crafts are at their best when we don’t chase perfection. Fingers wiggle. Paint smudges. One leg ends up much thicker than the others, and a child may insist that their spider needs eleven eyes and a rainbow body. Those are the details I wouldn’t change. Give children enough help to use the materials safely, then leave plenty of room for their own decisions. In a few years, the crooked little spider may mean much more than the perfectly polished craft you originally imagined.