Shamrock Handprint Art Crafts with Printable Poem

Use our printable shamrock handprint art templates to make St. Patrick’s Day handprint crafts with toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and school-aged kids at home or in the classroom.

This Shamrock handprint art project makes a great gift idea for friends and family on St. Patrick’s Day! Use the printable shamrock handprint craft templates, along with the original handprint shamrock poem by Nell Regan Kartychok, to make cute Saint Patrick’s Day handprint arts and crafts with your children at home or in the classroom.

Or, learn how to paint a shamrock to complete this Saint Patrick’s Day shamrock art project. Step-by-step directions, examples, and photographs for each option include different ways to make this handprint shamrock art project. Please scroll down to see them all, or check out the step-by-step Saint Patrick’s Day handprint craft instructions to make a lucky four-leaf clover instead.

Update 2021: Since its first publication in March 2018, this post and the printable shamrock art project templates have been updated and republished to improve their content. Today, they include several more printable shamrock templates for making handprint shamrock arts and crafts with the kids. The shamrock art printable template with the poem is available in black or green ink.

The shamrock handprint poem is now printed at the top or bottom in slightly different italicized text, as shown in the photograph below. You can see what each printable shamrock art option looks like today HERE–>printable shamrock templates. Choose your favorite to make handprint shamrock crafts at home or in the classroom. For more St. Patrick’s Day art activities, look at these Saint Patrick’s Day Arts and Crafts for kids.

Related: Rainbow Shamrock Salt Painting

Easy Shamrock Handprint Arts and Crafts for Kids:

Is there someone in your life for whom you can never figure out what to give? For me, that person was my father. He never needs or wants anything! Fortunately, he adores his only granddaughter. He is an Irishman named Patrick, and his favorite color is green—surprise, surprise! My daughter and I finally designed the perfect handmade shamrock gift for him when we created this shamrock handprint craft together. (see what I did there?) And my brother, too, of course. He, like my dad, is also an Irishman named Patrick.

My father thought our shamrock handprint poem was so lovely that he asked me to share it with you as a shamrock art template that you can download and print. Isn’t that fantastic!? We thought so, too. Unfortunately, he is no longer around to enjoy these sweet St. Patrick’s Day crafts because he passed away in February 2020. May he rest in peace. Even so, I sure am glad you can make this cute handprint shamrock craft (with the original shamrock handprint poem template I wrote) for someone you love this Saint Patrick’s Day in his memory.

How to Make a Handprint Shamrock Craft for St. Patrick’s Day:

There are several techniques you can use to make shamrock handprint arts and crafts. Step-by-step instructions for several handprint shamrock art project options are included below. I also made a few printable shamrock craft templates that include the original handprint poem I wrote, so you can create a handprint shamrock however you want. Alternatively, skip the shamrock art printable and make your handprint shamrock directly onto a square canvas or piece of cardstock, as shown and directed in the step-by-step instructions below.

If you choose to use the printable shamrock art template, I created six options you can print to use for Saint Patrick’s Day handprint crafts. Create a handprint art shamrock inside the black or green shamrock outline, or make shamrock handprint crafts with your hands on the blank shamrock handprint craft template. Scroll down to look at the photographs in this post to see several examples of how you can make this shamrock handprint art project.

Each printable handprint shamrock craft template includes the option of placing the shamrock handprint poem at the top or bottom of the page. Please choose your favorite shamrock craft template option and use it to make Saint Patrick’s Day arts and crafts at home or in the classroom.

While you’re at it, teach children the difference between a shamrock and a clover to make it even more fun. Alternatively, you can make St. Patrick’s Day handprint arts and crafts with our lucky four-leaf clover handprint craft template and poem.

Discover the answer to this question, and learn more information about traditional shamrock folklore in Ireland in this collection of Saint Patrick’s Day art and craft ideas.

Handprint Shamrock Art Supplies:

Gather the supplies below to make Saint Patrick’s Day handprint shamrock crafts:

• Shamrock handprint art template with shamrock handprint poem (Contains six printable pages with art templates to choose from to make shamrock handprint crafts and gifts for family and friends.)
• Bright white cardstock, square flat art panel, or wooden canvas
• Green tempera or green acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Watercolors (optional)
• Green construction paper or colored cardstock (optional)
  • You can also use orange construction paper or cardstock to make an Irish flag with a handprint shamrock in the center, as shown in the photograph below.
  • You may also need scissors and glue if you choose this option.

Shamrock Handprint Art Project Tutorial Step-By-Step Instructions:

Follow the simple step-by-step instructions below to create a handprint shamrock with the printable poem by Nell Regan Kartychok for Saint Patrick’s Day. Or, if you would prefer to make your art directly onto a square canvas, I have included the shamrock handprint poem at the bottom of this post for you to copy onto your keepsake craft project. With that said, please don’t publish my original shamrock handprint poem on your blog, sell it in your store, or write an alternative that is very similar to it, as others have in the past.

Another option is to write the handprint shamrock poem on a blank Saint Patrick’s Day greeting card to complete this shamrock handprint gift idea. The original poem by Nell Regan Kartychok and art templates are for personal use only. They are copyright-protected and are not for commercial use—thank you! You might also enjoy these Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make.

1. Print the shamrock art template (optional) and gather shamrock handprint craft supplies:

• First, print your favorite printable shamrock art template onto bright white cardstock.
• There are three printable shamrock handprint craft templates with two different Saint Patrick’s Day handprint poems, available for you to choose from. They differ in the color of the shamrock outline and the color and placement of the poem.
• One of the shamrock handprint poems is for making shamrock crafts with a single handprint, while another version of the rhyming verse is for use with shamrock craft projects with multiple handprints. Photo examples of each are included below.
• Alternatively, you can use the instructions below to paint a shamrock directly onto heavyweight cardstock (as shown in the photographs above) or onto a square-shaped art canvas. (You will not need a printable shamrock outline if you choose this option.)
• Another easy way to create a handprint shamrock is to make three handprint stamps in a circle, from left to right, with each representing one lobe or leaf of the shamrock, as shown in the photograph below.
• Step-by-step instructions for each of these shamrock handprint craft options follow. Scroll down to learn each step.

2. (Optional) Use watercolor paint to paint the shamrock Template before adding handprint stamps:

• This step is optional and not shown in the photographs, but it would add a lovely touch to the shamrock handprint art.
• Follow the instructions below to paint the printable shamrock art template with watercolors, then add handprint stamps. Otherwise, skip to the next step.
• Use a paintbrush and watercolors to paint inside the outline of the shamrock art template. If you would like to paint the inside of the shamrock before making handprint stamps inside of it, choose one of the following options:
  • Use light green or another complementary or contrasting watercolor to paint the four-leaf clover art template.
  • Paint with only the primary colors (red, blue, and green), allowing the paint colors to overlap slightly to create a rainbow effect.
  • Or, paint with a rainbow of colors but avoid overlapping them, or the shamrock painting might become brown or black.
• Please allow watercolor paint to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

3. Paint one hand (or both hands) with green paint:

• Use a flat wash paintbrush to paint your child’s hand (or hands) with green tempera or acrylic paint.
  • In other words, use one hand to create the leaves of the shamrock or both if you choose.
• My daughter and I found it easier (and less messy) to use one hand and spin the paper around to create multiple leaves, as shown in the photograph above. However, representing both hands in your shamrock art can also be fun.

4. Stamp handprints to make a shamrock directly onto the cardstock shamrock craft template or art canvas:

• Press and lift the painted hand (or hands) down on the handprint shamrock template or directly onto a square canvas to create handprint shamrock art.
• There are four primary ways to create handprint shamrock crafts. Instructions for each handprint shamrock art option, A, B, C, or D, follow:

A) Single handprint in the center of the printable shamrock template:

• Stamp your hand in the middle of the shamrock outline to make a single handprint in the center of the shamrock of your favorite printable template.
• This option is shown at the top of this Saint Patrick’s Day shamrock handprint keepsake craft tutorial.

B) Stamp one handprint inside each of the three leaves of the shamrock outline:

• Stamp a single handprint inside each of the three-lobed leaves on your favorite printable shamrock outline.
• In other words, create three green handprints, one inside each leaf of the printable template.
• If your child or student has a large hand, you can either overlap the palms as shown in the photograph below or allow the fingers to extend slightly beyond each shamrock leaf so that the palms are more visible.

C) Create a shamrock with three handprints only:

• Create a shamrock using three handprints without the printable outline or template, as shown in the photograph below.
• In other words, stamp three handprints around in a circular shape to look like a shamrock without an outline around the handprints. To do this, follow the step-by-step instructions below:
  • Press the hand down with the palm towards the middle of the paper or canvas to create the center of the shamrock, and allow the fingers to extend outwards to make the shamrock leaves.
  • Reapply paint, if needed, before making the other two handprint stamps to complete the shamrock craft.
  • Each handprint stamp represents one of the shamrock’s three leaves: Faith, hope, and love, or The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

D) Single handprint with a hand-painted shamrock around it:

• First, make a green handprint in the middle of a piece of cardstock or an art canvas.
• Then, paint a shamrock shape around it.
• As you can see, I created this type of shamrock art around my daughter’s handprint in the photograph below.
• Learn how to draw a shamrock HERE, or paint a shamrock without a template using the step-by-step instructions in the next section.

Related: The Best Art Supplies for Kids and Why Young Artists Should Use Them

How to Paint a Shamrock with a Single Handprint:

The shamrock painting below has a single green handprint at its center. Use the step-by-step directions below to make this type of shamrock art project:

1. First, paint your child’s hand green with acrylic or tempera paint.
2. Then, stamp the painted hand in the center of a piece of white paper, cardstock, or on a flat-panel canvas, as shown in the photograph below. 
3. Next, use a round paintbrush to paint a simple shamrock around the green handprint in the middle of the paper or canvas with the shamrock painting directions below:
4. Please allow the shamrock handprint crafts to dry before handling.

How to Paint a Shamrock:

A shamrock typically has three heart-shaped leaves and a stem. Draw or paint a series of connected hearts in a circle, starting with the heart at the center on the left or right, leaving the center open, with the handprint inside. In other words, only draw the upper lobes of each heart without the point at the bottom to leave the shamrock open in the middle, as shown in the photograph of the hand-painted shamrock below. To paint it, I started with the center heart at the top that encapsulates the top three fingers of the handprint. Use the step-by-step instructions below to paint a shamrock with or without a handprint in the center: 

• Start by painting the upper two lobes of a heart in the top center of the page, stopping well before getting to the bottom or pointed end of the green heart shape.
• Next, using the same technique, paint the heart-shaped clover leaf lobes on the right and left to complete the shamrock shape. (These are on the left and right sides of the handprint art in the photograph below.)
  • In other words, first paint the heart shape sitting upright with the lobes up.
  • Then, add the other two heart-shaped lobed leaves on the opposing sides to complete the simple green shamrock painting (around the handprint art). 
• Then, paint the shamrock’s stem, starting at the base of the leaves by dragging the brush in downward strokes to create a thin line.
• Finally, give the stem a gentle curve to the left or right for a more natural look, as shown in the photograph below. 
  • This last step will create a cute short stem at the bottom of the shamrock art.
• Please allow your shamrock painting to dry completely before handling.

Shamrock Handprint Craft Options:

The photographs in this post show each shamrock handprint art option discussed in the step-by-step directions above. Look at the shamrock handprint craft examples in the photos for this shamrock art activity tutorial to gather ideas. They are sprinkled throughout this shamrock craft tutorial to help you decide how you want to make these handprint crafts for St. Patrick’s Day. Scroll up and down to look at the pictures for each shamrock handprint craft option.

Handprint Shamrock Craft Example:

Since my daughter is getting older and her hands are getting bigger, we had to overlap her palms to create the Saint Patrick’s Day handprint craft on regular-sized paper, as shown in the photograph below. If you have a child with a smaller hand, you can create the handprint art shamrock to make the palms more visible. Or, of course, you can use a larger canvas with or without a shamrock shape painted around it, as instructed above.

Please scroll up and down to see our shamrock handprint craft examples from a few years ago. (Please note: we have updated our shamrock art printable templates to look slightly different today than in the photographs for this craft tutorial. This shamrock art printable, with the poem, is now available in black or green outline, with the poem at the top or bottom in slightly different italicized text. Click the link to see what it looks like today.)

Related: Four Leaf Clover Handprint with Poem

Saint Patrick’s Day Shamrock Handprint Poem:

I wrote a cute little Saint Patrick’s Day handprint poem to accompany this shamrock art project. Send it to someone you love for Saint Patrick’s Day! Click on the link to access the printable shamrock template with the poem. You can also use an extra-fine-tipped paint pen to write the handprint poem onto a Saint Patrick’s Day card or an art canvas with a handprint shamrock.

You will notice that I have written two slightly different versions of the shamrock handprint poem. The one you use will depend on how you choose to make the shamrock handprint art to go with it. Below, you will find the Shamrock handprint poem for three hands, followed by the St. Patrick’s Day poem for one single handprint in the middle of the shamrock.

Please note: These shamrock handprint poems are by Nell Regan Kartychok. (founder of Rhythms of Play) and are copyright-protected. They are for non-commercial personal use only; thank you!

Shamrock Handprint Poem for Three Handprints:

These aren’t just handprints, as you can plainly see. I made a special shamrock to remind you of me. With my little green handprints, I’m sending love and luck your way. As a special blessing from me to you on Saint Patrick’s Day!

Nell Regan Kartychok (Creator and Founder of Rhythms of Play)

Shamrock Handprint Poem for a Single Handprint:

This isn’t just a handprint, as you can plainly see. I made a special shamrock to remind you of me. With my little green handprint, I’m sending love and luck your way. As a special blessing from me to you on Saint Patrick’s Day!

~Nell Regan Kartychok (Creator and Founder of Rhythms of Play)

Related: Saint Patrick’s Day Shamrock Art

Easy Handprint Shamrock Craft for Toddlers and Preschoolers:

Shamrock handprint art is more than a fun St. Patrick’s Day craft. This shamrock art activity for kids offers a hands-on experience that can be both educational and entertaining. Not only is making a shamrock with handprints a fantastic opportunity for children to express themselves creatively. Handprint shamrock crafts help kids build hand strength and dexterity while creating something beautiful. 

Making beautiful crafts with children that serve a purpose fosters a bond and instills in them a sense of accomplishment and pride in their creations. The different shamrock handprint art options allow artists to personalize this homemade project for various uses, from personalized decorations to heartfelt gifts.

Send this shamrock handprint poem with your children’s handprint art as a gift to mom, dad, grandparents, or someone else you think might appreciate it for Saint Patrick’s Day this year! Look at this HUGE list of arts and crafts for even more St. Patrick’s Day activity ideas! Learn more about the author Nell Regan Kartychok and Rhythms of Play HERE!

If You Liked This Saint Patrick’s Day Shamrock Craft, You Might Also Like:

• Rainbow Shamrock Salt Painting
• Four Leaf Clover Collage
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• The Best Art Supplies for Kids and Why Young Artists Should Use Them
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