Fabulous Fingerprints

Materials

• Fingerprint Pictures
• 2-in. square piece of black cardstock, 1 per child
• 2-in. strip of clear shipping tape, 1 per child
• Lotion (on plate or bowl for each table)
• Baby powder (on plate or bowl for each table)
• Fuzzy material (e.g., blush brush or soft faux fur)
• Optional: nonbreakable magnifying glasses

Pre-Prep

Cut the black cardstock and tape to the size indicated. Put the lotion and baby powder in small containers per table or group of mates. Place fuzzy material at the tables.

Class Time Directions and Dialogue

Take a close look at your fingerprint for a few seconds. Do so. Have you ever wondered why you have a fingerprint? Why do you need those tiny ridges in your skin? Take responses. Remember—God makes everything for a reason, including those tiny ridges! One reason is to provide grip and traction, helping our hands and feet easily grasp surfaces such as a pencil or pool ladder.

Did you know you develop your fingerprints when you’re a baby inside your mom between 11 and 16 weeks old? Yep, God put great detail into you all along! And if he put all that detail into you, then don’t you think he knows and cares about your daily life now? He sure does!

Now, fingerprints fall into several main categories: arch, loop, and whorl. Show the Fingerprint Pictures. I wonder which one you have.

Within these categories, there are never-ending varieties. In fact, God created every person with 20 unique patterns, including the 10 patterns on your fingers (fingerprints) and the 10 patterns on your toes (toeprints). Isn’t that wild to think that nobody has the same prints as you—not even if you have an identical twin—and that your own fingers are all different fingerprints, too? These fingerprint patterns will remain unchanged for your lifetime and will stay with you until after death. Pretty amazing, huh? Let’s say Psalm 139:14 together. Do so.

Now, let’s see if we can capture our own fingerprints.

1. Rub some lotion on the fingertip of your choice until it is rubbed in. Pat the lotioned finger onto some baby powder. Lightly (emphasize lightly) sweep the finger across fuzzy material in a circular motion to remove the excess, but not all of, the baby powder.
2. Gently press the finger onto the tape. Make sure to do this gently and slowly. Emphasize gently and slowly.
3. Stick the tape to your piece of black cardstock and marvel at the unique fingerprint God has given you!

Tip Corner

Science terms introduced today are arch, loop, and whorl.