Holy Week In Handprints- A Craft For Every Day Of Holy Week

I made a printable book that tells the story of Holy Week for children. The story is adapted from the book of Matthew, and the story is illustrated by your child and his or her handprints. 🙂

holy week in handprints book for kids

Each handprint picture is designed to be loads of fun, and easy to replicate! Even the youngest of children can participate in a handprint craft, and the craft also becomes a keepsake to be treasured. Imagine pulling this book out for years to come to read it to your children and grandchildren, saying things like “look how small your mommy’s hand used to be!”

angel handprint craft for kids

Each of your children can create their own individual books, or your family can work together towards making one book to be enjoyed by all. (If you do this, I suggest writing the name of the handprint artist in on each page.)

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This book is simple to put together! Just print the page, then follow the handprint directions to complete the illustrations and make it your own.

holy week in handprints cover

holy week in handprints book

If you absolutely hate paint mess, you can trace hands onto construction paper, cut, glue them onto the pages, and embellish with magic markers. Or if your child likes to draw, they can simply use the printable pages and illustrate the book with their own pictures.

Pages In This Book:

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  • 1 printable cover with a cross and directions for brightening it up with fingerprints
  • 2 pages for Palm Sunday where Jesus rides the donkey into Jerusalem and the people cheer “Hosanna” with palm branches
  • 1 page for Holy Monday that tells the story of the people selling at the temple and Jesus overturning the tables
  • 1 page for Holy Tuesday that tells about Jesus teaching at the temple, and highlights Jesus’ new commandment of love
  • 1 page for Spy Wednesday where Judas schemes to turn Jesus in for 30 pieces of silver
  • 6 pages for Holy Thursday- Jesus predicts Judas’ betrayal, the first Eucharist, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples, Jesus’ prediction of the denial from Peter, and Jesus takes them to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.
  • 4 pages for Good Friday- Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, Peter denies Jesus, Pilot washes his hands of judgment, and Jesus is crucified.
  • 1 page for Holy Saturday- Jesus is inside the sealed tomb
  • 2 pages for Easter Sunday- an angel is at the tomb, and Jesus is risen!

handprint craft for easter- empty tomb

That makes 19 pages total for the book, but I do offer an “abridged” alternative that only needs 9 pages to be completed.

 Features Of This Download:

  • The download includes the story of Holy Week adapted from the Bible, and written in words that children can understand, but is not watered down
  • Colorful, hand-drawn borders surrounding each page
  • Full directions to complete each handprint illustration
  • Tips for making your handprint crafts successful
  • Options for binding your books
  • List of needed supplies
  • How to make “footprints” with your hand (for children whose feet are too big to fit on the page)
  • Different methods of completing the book
  • A possible schedule that follows Holy Week for completing the pages
  • A list that organizes the pages by color of paint used to make stamping the hands efficient
  • A list of pages to complete for an “abridged” version where you only need to complete 9 pages

The download of this book is available for just $8. Get yours today and start your Holy Week journey with your kids this year. 

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holy week in handprints book for kids
My kids made these last year, and they loved every minute of it! It was a great way to learn about the story as Holy Week went along, and I know we are going to cherish these books for years to come. We spiraled ours, and I’m keeping them in my Easter stuff to be pulled out and enjoyed each year. 🙂

 

A few notes on things people are asking about: I called Holy Wednesday “Spy Wednesday” on purpose- it’s an alternate name for that day. You can read about it here. There were a few typos on my original draft that I printed and did handprints on, however, they have been fixed in the final version, so disregard the typos you see in the photographs.

 

craft for all of holy week border

 

Comments

  1. I love it! Would it be ok if I purchased this and then used it with the kids in the church playgroup I help run?

  2. So beautiful and awesome Lacy! I hope to purchase and do this with my kiddos! :). I’m not sure how and when you find the time to come up with and create such treasures for our faith, but I’m grateful you do! Thank you and continued blessings to you!

  3. Lacy, you are SO creative! Thank you so much for this wonderful idea! Many blessings!

  4. You’re amazing.
    I’ve followed your site for a while and you never cease to amaze me. Thank you for all that you do. You are an inspiration as a mother, a teacher and a Catholic. Keep up His holy work.

    • Aw, thanks! I do work hard on this stuff- happy to know it’s appreciated. 🙂 (Btw, I’ve actually been working on this one for a few Lenten seasons now. I’m happy to see it all come together)

  5. so sweet, and I can tell a lot of thought went into the details and options. I am going to have all five of my kids participate and laminate the whole thing,,,such a great keepsake!

    • I have one book that all of my kids participated in, and I really love it. I know it will be cherished for years. 🙂 I really did put a lot of work into it- glad it shows. 🙂

  6. Jennifer says

    What an adorable, fantastic way to observe Holy Week! I am a primary teacher at a Catholic school and I love this idea! One suggestion: as an alternative to paint or tracing hands, I LOVE using stamp pads. They’re a little less messy than paint and you can still see the print of the child’s hand. You can even find jumbo stamp pads and the washable ones take a mere baby wipe to clean off the child’s hand! Thanks again and have fun!

  7. Wow 🙂 So wonderful 🙂

  8. This is so great! I have just purchased and cannot wait to use this with my kiddos! Thank you for all you do. You are a blessing to many!!
    Jen

  9. Maria Butcher says

    Think this is the best activity I’ve come across yet – only sorry that my little one is a bit too old for it now! Thank you for your constant inspiration and enthusiasm. It’s so refreshing to find such intelligent and fun activities on our faith.
    Maria

  10. If I purchase can I send to my religious educator director to print through email? My printer doesn’t have ink and would love to have it ready for Sunday.

  11. Hi Lacy…. You really are an inspiration!!! I was wondering if I could use this as a special activity for children in parishes I work with (I’m thinking less than 20 kids). I already bought the download, and hope this is ok. God bless!!

  12. I’m sooooo excited to do this next week! Thank you so much!

  13. yea! I am glad you reposted it, I forgot earlier this month when you posted it. Phew!

  14. Thank you so much for creating these! My kiddos are 8 & 10, and are going to love this project!!! They never get tired of painting 🙂
    Have a Blessed Easter!

  15. Elizabeth says

    Holy Week blessings to you, Lacy! I am returning to Catholicism after being gone a long time. My kids are starving for instruction in the faith and your materials are just what I need to help them learn more. I am having a difficult time adding more than one item to my cart. I would like to order the preschool ABC curriculum, your holy week printables, and one copy of the mass booklet. Please respond when you can!

    Elizabeth

    • You have to order the downloads separately from the things that actually get shipped. So you can order ABC’s and Mass book together, but the downloads are separate. Let me know if you need more help. 🙂

  16. Thank you for this! I was planning on making spring flower handprints this week, but this is much more substantial. I’m excited to create our keepsake Holy Week books!

  17. Rosie Ruiz says

    What an adorable, an amazing way to observe Holy Week! I am a Montessori teacher at a Catholic school and I love this idea! I hope to purchase and do this with my kiddos next year!! Thank you and continued blessings to you!

  18. Sarah McKenna says

    I have no printed off and/or pinned about a million things from your site for Easter. How will I ever fit them all in at this point?! 😉 Thank you for sharing your ideas – I’m featuring a zillion of them in a roundup tomorrow! (Just a pic with a link back.) I kept thinking “I’m getting too many from the same site!” But they are the BEST ideas!

    • That is so sweet- glad you’re finding so many useful things. Hope you have a blessed Easter! 🙂

  19. Jessica Kirk says

    Wow! This is AMAZING!!! I’m definitely going to have to buy this and have my kids do this come Holy Week. Is it ok if I make a post about this on my new blog and link to it? What about using pictures that I take of my kids doing this project?

  20. Alison Ujueta says

    Good Morning,
    I purchased this last year for my children and they all LOVE it. I was wondering if I could use it an Easter Sunday church event. My oldest daughter would like to a craft for the kids and she thought of your book. Would that be OK?
    Thank you
    Blessings

  21. I LOVE this. My preschooler will be very interested. (She has a fascination with the Crucifixion and resurrection.)

    I don’t remember your face being shown on this site before; just a cupcake. It’s wonderful to see your smile. 🙂

    • Lol! Thanks. I started having people tell me they didn’t know what I looked like, so here I am. 🙂

  22. Great post. Been looking for things to do at home so the kids don’t just remember Easter bunny and chocolates. Thank you for this!

    We also have your Lenten calendar and the children love it

  23. When I click on ‘Buy Now,” it is telling me “this webpage is not available.” Is there another way I can go about buying the prints? Thank you!

  24. Peta Coates says

    We used this brilliant idea to make a Holy week in Handprints banner in our Messy Church which was fantastic for getting everyone involved in reflecting on Jesus journey through Holy Week, so thank you. Would love to send you a picture

  25. I just purchased this to use with the preschoolers I teach at church and I think it will be a fun activity. I’m planning on using construction paper and tracing handprints in the appropriate colours and using crayons for any add-ons as I cannot do paints with six children between the ages of 3-5.

  26. Erin Watson says

    I purchased your holy week in handprints last year and am so excited to use it this year with my pre-k class. I have a “Happy Easter” page from the end of the packet and am wondering how you suggest this page is used?

    Thanks!
    Erin

    • Hi Erin –
      If you look at the pictures in this post of all of the pages together, you’ll see the “Happy Easter” page is Jesus.

      Angie, Catholic Icing Project Manager

  27. I’d like to have our children’s ministry create 4 (made of paper) liturgical banners inspired by this idea- one for Palm Sunday, one for Maundy Thursday, one for Good Friday, and one for Easter with the handprint ideas. Would you be ok with that?

  28. Elissa Gonzales says

    Thank you so much Lacy for this wonderful resource. I am not an “artsy” girl by any means and the packet is so user friendly. You make me feel like a pro! I can’t wait to share this with my kiddos.

  29. Hollie A Hoover says

    Hi Lacy! I love this resource! I have actually purchased twice because I lot my hard copy. I have used it at two small Catholic schools and it is a great way to minister to families about the true meaning of Easter and so fun for the kiddos!

  30. Hello, you have wonderful Ideas. I’m Sr. Ashi from France, doing Catechism with kids of 6 to 10 years old.
    I appreciate your activities and post because it help me to develop my creative idea. Thanks. GBU

  31. This inspired yet another art project that I did with my Catholic School students in 3rd grade. Thank you for your wonderful Catholic infused art!
    Leah

  32. Hi! I love this idea and am planning to buy, but I had a question- Why don’t all the readings match up with the Mass readings for the day? For example, you have cleansing of the temple for Holy Monday, but the Mass reading for that day is Mary annointing the feet of Jesus with oil. Do the passages you chose just line up with the cycle readings for another year? Or was there another reason you chose those passages (for Monday and Tuesday) that don’t seem to match the Mass readings. Thank you!

  33. Hello, I purchased this this morning. I opened the document to look at and then closed it to print for my students late and now cannot find it anywhere! Is there any way you could send me the document again without purchasing. I would be happy to show you my emailed receipt from paypal.

    Thank you so much! I love this and can’t wait to use it!

    • Hi McKenzie –

      I tried to look up the email that you listed with your comment, but I couldn’t find anything. (It’s possible that there was a typo either in your email here or in your email in the order, but I don’t know which.) Since you didn’t include your last name, I couldn’t look it up that way. Can you drop me an email and I’m happy to help you through there?

      https://www.catholicicing.com/contact-me/

      Thanks!

      Angie, Catholic Icing Project Manager

  34. Heejin Choi says

    Wow, this is really awesome! 🙂
    Can I use your idea for my church? (I am a pastor educating kindergarten children). I will definitely credit you and this website.

  35. Mary Hill says

    I bought this last year but can’t find the file. Any chance you can send the link again? Mary

    • Hi Mary –

      I told the system to send your order email again. If it doesn’t arrive, make sure to check your spam or junk folder. If you still don’t have it, please contact us directly with information from the contact page: https://www.catholicicing.com/contact-me/

      Thanks!

      Angie, Catholic Icing Business Manager

  36. Cynthia Peters says

    My granddaughters love the resurrection set we made with pegs. I think they are such a great addition to our Lenten journey. Thanks for such a great, and affordable craft.

  37. Julie B Luppino says

    This is so creative. I’d like to use the long skinny image of the week as a bookmark to give to those who come up for our Children’s sermon tomorrow (3-5 children). There won’t be time to do the book although I’d love to use it in another context. Is it permitted to use that image in that way?

    • Hi Julie –

      Thanks for asking, but that graphic is only meant to show the week at a glance for this project, not to be printed and redistributed.

      Angie, Catholic Icing Business Manager

  38. Love it