• Reading
  • Science
  • Math
  • Writing
  • Recipes
  • Travel

The Educators' Spin On It

Learning Games and Activities

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Deals
  • Shop
  • Contact

By Kim Vij Leave a Comment

Fingerprint Train Ornament for Kids

Fingerprint Train Ornament inspired by Freight Train for Kids

Keepsake ornaments are my favorite thing to make with my kids. This fingerprint train ornament is so adorable and inspired by one of our favorite train book Freight Train by Donald Crews.

If your child loves TRAINS, come see how much fun this train ornament is to make!

Fingerprint Train Ornament inspired by Freight Train for Kids

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. 

This train ornament craft was inspired by our featured book at The Virtual Book Club for Kids calledFreight Train by Donald Crews.  In the story the author uses simple but powerful words with colorful illustrations to capture our childhood memories of trains rolling by.  It’s a Caldecott Honor Book that featured bright colors and bold shapes which inspired this colorful fingerprint Train Craft.

“Red caboose at the back, orange tank car, green cattle car, purple box car, black tender and a black steam engine . . . freight train.”


Freight Train by Donald Crews

Fingerprint Train Ornament for Kids

Paint Colors for Train Ornament Inspired by Freight Train

Materials for Train Ornament

  • black permanent marker
  • clear plastic ball ornament
  • colored paint
  • glitter
  • clear glue
  • paper plate or plastic lid
  • cotton swab
  • Baby Wipes
Freight Train inspired Christmas Train Ornament

Directions for Train Ornament

1. Set up an area with your paint to dip their fingers into to paint the train.  I set mine up by putting the colors onto a large paper plate.  I put a small dot of paint to represent the colors of the rainbow from the book Freight Train.

So grab red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and black paint!

TIP: I also set baby wipes at the table for easy clean up.

Fingerprint Christmas Train Ornament Craft for Kids

2. Have your child carefully dip their finger into the pain and then lightly press onto the clear ornament.  Depending on the size and age of your child you may need to use to prints together to make a train car visible on the Christmas Ornament.

3. Continue to use a finger print for each of the colors to complete the train.  For the Engine of the train use 2 fingerprints, one that goes verticle and one print that goes horizontal.  Allow to dry.

Fingerprint Train Ornament inspired by Freight Train

4. Once the finger prints are dry you can add the train details to the ornament with a black permanent marker. Start with the wheels and then the details of each type of train car.

Depending on the age of you child they may need to have you do it with them or you might be able to give them the market to draw certain elements to make the fingerprints look like train cars.

Train Ornament with Fingerprints for Kids

TIP: You can create a copy of what you’re making on a sheet on paper so that you child can get an idea of the concept of how to transform fingerprints into train cars.

5. Then add the train tracks below the wheels to go all around your Christmas Train Ornament. The best part is when you spin it, it will begin to look just like the end of the book… Going Going, Gone!

6. Add with glue the smoke coming form the train engine and then sprinkle glitter onto the glue for a little Christmas glitter shine with the Christmas lights.

Glitter Train Ornament with Fingerprint Train for Kids

7. You can personalize the ornament by adding a name or date of birth with the permanent marker .

8. Allow to dry and then share this handmade ornament with someone special to hang on their christmas tree.

Building a Moving Polar Express Train Ride with Preschoolers

Train Themed Activities for Preschoolers at The Educators’ Spin On It

  • Train Themed Name Craft for Preschoolers 
  • Cardboard Train Craft for Kids 
  • Exploring Science with Trains 
  • Learn to Read with Train Activities 
  • Train Math for Preschoolers 
  • Train Themed Snack Idea for Kids 
  • Number Train Game for Kids with Snowflakes 
  • Make Your Own Train with Paper Craft 

Be sure to visit my other Train Week Cohosts at the Virtual Book Club for Kids to see what train themed activities they are sharing with you!  They are featured here below.

Transportation Week for Virtual Book Club for Kids

Virtual Book Club for Kids Train Week Activities

Alphabet Train- Teach Beside Me

Train Carriage Counting Game – Rainy Day Mum

Transportation I SPY & Graph Printable – School Time Snippets

Train Track Card Game for Preschoolers – Preschool Powol Packets

Transportation Playdough Mat – The Moments at Home

Transport Sand & Water Play – My Bored Toddler

Chocolate Train Cookies – Inspiration Laboratories

Fingerprint Train Ornament for Kids- The Educators’ Spin On It (THAT’s HERE!)

Freight Train Drawing Prompt by My Storytime Corner

Easy DIY Paper Train Table for Kids- Toddler Approved

Geometric Shapes Train – Mama Smiles

Join the Virtual Book Club for Kids Facebook Group

Looking for more ideas for the holiday? Try these 50+ Christmas Activities for Kids!

adorable christmas activities for school kids to create for the holidays for loved ones including gingerbread fingerprint ornament, snowman candy wrappers and reindeer STEm Challenge

Like this idea? Pin for later or share now with a friend!

  • Twitter3
  • Facebook72

Filed Under: Arts Tagged With: Christmas, Ornaments, Trains, Transportation, Virtual Book Club for Kids

About Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.

« Hot Chocolate Cookie Recipe
Make Your Own Life Size Gingerbread House for Kids »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to our Newsletter!


For ages…

Grade School
Preschool
Toddler
Baby

Search for an Activity

POPULAR POSTS

Virtual Field Trips for Kids
Classroom placement request

elementary school classroom

Easter Eggs stacked using Playdough for STEM Challenge
10 things to put in a pinata that are not candy
spring virtual field trips for kids with flowers, trees, baby animals and more
April Activities for Kids After School plus free activity calendar

GRAB OUR BOOK!

100 fun and Easy Learning Games for Kids Book Cover Standing

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You Might Also Like

Child decorating for Easter with Bunting and Colorful Eggs.

40 Easter Activities for Kids

The Mighty 5 Virtual Field Trips for Kids to Utah's National Parks

Mighty 5 Virtual Field Trip for Kids: Utah’s National Parks

Spring STEM Activities for Kids, 3 dimensional egg structures PLUS 3 more STEM Learning Center Ideas

Spring STEM Activities for Kids

spring virtual field trips for kids with flowers, trees, baby animals and more

Spring Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Easter Basket Ideas for babies with hands on fun.

Ideas for Easter Baskets for Babies

Let’s Connect!

Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim Vij shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing all kinds of easy kid crafts, activities and even recipes for kids!
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023