Handprint art & footprint art ideas for every season!

His two chubby hands grab my face. I feel his sticky palms on my cheeks. The unmistakable smell of peanut butter sandwich, sweaty little boy and Play Doh lingers in the air. The tip of his nose meets the tip of mine. We look into each other’s cyclops eye. Together we giggle and laugh at the silliness – and our hearts both fill with happiness.

All too quickly, he removes his hands and continues to play with his Play Doh. The moment we just shared is forever branded in my memory and heart. He is now fully engaged in his play, while I am left out of his fantasy world. Thankfully my cheeks are still toasty from the touch of his sweaty palms, but the warmth is fleeting. Oh how I wish I could memorialize this moment.

Thankfully there IS a way to always remember how chubby their little hands were. These hand prints will never fade from your memory or the canvas. You can bring them out year after year, revisit the good ole days, bring back the happy times and forever cling on to the days that once were.

[bctt tweet=”#handprint #craft ideas for every season and the #holidays. #DIY with #baby and #toddler”]

Supplies Needed:

6” x 6” canvas
Acrylic craft paint
Paint brushes
Paper plate
Sharpie paint marker

Instructions:

Paint the entire canvas your chosen base color.
- Two coats may be necessary.
- Remember to paint the sides of the canvas.
- This is a great step for your child to complete.
Put a dollop of paint on the paper plate the size of approximately two quarters.
- Guide your child’s hand into the paint.
- Cover the entire palm of the hand with paint, including fingers.
Show your child how you want his hand on the canvas (i.e. spread fingers, keep fingers together)
- Place his palm and fingers evenly onto the canvas, apply a gentle pressure.
Lift your child’s hand straight up from the canvas.
- Wash his hand thoroughly with warm water and soap.
Fill in any blank areas with a paint brush.
- Be careful to keep the integrity of the hand print.
Once you have completed the handprint design and it has dried overnight:
- Write your child’s name and age on the back of the canvas with the Sharpie paint marker.
- The Sharpie paint markers are perfect for writing on the painted canvas, such as a holiday greeting or cute note to the grandparents.

We have a special place in our house where we rotate our display of handprint and footprint art, according to the season and holiday.

You have now captured a moment in time! Preserved the sweetness of the handprint and the innocence of childhood. Now you can both go back to playing with Play Doh, knowing that while THIS moment may be fleeting, you have managed to find a way to recall it when the hand has grown too big for a 6” x 6” canvas.

The Seasons & Holidays:

Winter/ Valentine’s Day/ Mother’s Day/ Father’s Day