Fire Horse Footprint Painting

A simple Chinese New Year sensory craft for little ones by Sarah (Babipur Buddy) IG @theClanMurray

2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, so Sarah and her little ones marked Chinese New Year with a simple footprint painting craft using OkoNORM finger paints.

Instead of careful brush strokes or neat fingerprints, this activity is all about getting messy, dipping little feet into paint, and letting children really experience colour, texture and movement.

It is easy, joyful, and works beautifully for toddlers and preschoolers.

What you need

• Paper
• OkoNORM finger paints (red, yellow, a little black)
• Little feet

That’s it. No templates, no printouts, no pressure.

How we made our Fire Horse footprint paintings

Paint your child’s foot using red and yellow paint. Let the colours mix directly on the skin. Smearing and overlapping is part of the fun.

Gently press the foot down onto the paper and lift it straight up.

The heel of the footprint creates the perfect horse muzzle, while the toes naturally form the base of a wild, flame-like mane.

Using fingers or a brush, add more red, yellow and orange paint around the toe area. Long sweeping strokes, dabbing, dragging, swirling – all of it works.

Paint on a couple of ears near the top of the head. Once dry, use a little black paint to add a simple eye, nose and mouth. A dot and a line is plenty.

Every Fire Horse will look different. Some fierce, some gentle, some wonderfully abstract. That is exactly how it should be.

The sensory play bit (the important part)

This works so well because it is proper sensory play, not just a craft.

Children are:

• feeling thick, cool paint on their skin
• using their whole body, not just fingertips
• pressing, lifting, balancing and moving
• seeing colours change as they mix

That sensory input supports body awareness, coordination and confidence. It also gives children permission to get properly messy, which many love but do not get enough opportunity to do.

Why OkoNORM paints are ideal for messy play

OkoNORM finger paints are made for this kind of activity. They are thick, richly coloured and easy to spread with hands and feet. You do not need much paint to get bold colour, and the reds and yellows mix beautifully for a fiery effect.

They invite exploration rather than control, which is exactly what sensory play should do.

A Chinese New Year craft children really connect with

This Fire Horse footprint painting works brilliantly as a Chinese New Year craft for kids, especially toddlers and preschoolers. It is simple enough to try at home, but meaningful enough to feel special.

Add your child’s name and the year, and it becomes a lovely keepsake too.

The finished picture is great.
The painted feet, bright hands and shared laughter are even better.