Multigenerational Family Caregiver Activities: Aged Paper Handprint Art

Family Caregivers in Clayton, NC

Being a family caregiver for your elderly loved ones can be a rich and rewarding experience, and when you bring your children into the relationship to create a multigenerational care dynamic, the experience becomes even more meaningful. Caring for two generations at the same time gives you an incredible opportunity to build your relationships with both while fostering the relationship between them and using the different interests, skills, strengths, and care needs of each generation to benefit and boost your care journey for both.

As you are going through your multigenerational family caregiver journey with your aging loved ones and your children, it is important to take the time to appreciate the gift that you have in this time with them, and to preserve the memories of this journey so that you can look back and treasure them when your care journey with your aging parents has come to an end and your children are adults caring for little ones of their own. One simple but highly effective way of doing this is by making art pieces with the generations. This decorative crafts encourage conversation, sharing, and bonding among the generations, stimulate minds and support creativity, and also make something tangible that you can use as a personalized decorative touch now and a special keepsake later.

This activity is for handprint art that uses simple, natural supplies to make handprints on aged paper that illustrate the encompassing love of the three generations.

What You’ll Need

• 1 large piece of high-quality cream or white cardstock
• Several cups of cooled brewed coffee or tea without milk or other ingredients
• Piece of white or clear wax such as a used candle
• Baking dish
• Clothesline
• 2 removable wall hooks
• Clothes pins

What to Do

Start by preparing your drying station. Attach the two removable wall hooks opposite each other across your shower

• Attach the line to both to create a taut clothesline across the shower or bathtub
• Lay the cardstock out on the table
• Have your father place his hand in the center of the paper with his fingers slightly spread
• Trace his hand with the wax, being sure to press down hard enough to transfer a consistent, thick layer of wax onto the paper. This wax will resist the coloration of the coffee, leaving it the color of the paper as the rest of the paper is darkened
• Have your mother line up her hand with the wrist of your father’s hand and trace it in the same way
• “Color” the gap between the two lines with the wax to create a thicker line
• Lay the paper in the baking dish and pour a cup of coffee or tea slowly over the paper
• Allow the paper to soak for 30 seconds
• Remove the paper and hang it with the clothespins on the line to dry
• When the paper is completely dry, repeat this process with your hand and your child’s hand, settling your hand inside the shape of your mother’s, and your child’s inside yours
• Stain the paper again using the same coffee technique and allow to dry
• Finish by writing the date and the names of everyone in the picture in the bottom corner