I began making handprint crafts with my daughter when she was a toddler. I continued the tradition after the birth of my son. I know I have two binders full of crafts that lock a little bit of my kiddos in time. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to make adorable handprint crafts. For a simple Valentine’s Day card idea to make with your child, try a simple handprint and footprint LOVE card.
Materials
- Red or pink nontoxic paint
- Blank paper
- Paper plate
- Cotton ball
- Cotton swab or paintbrush
Directions
- Pour some paint onto the paper plate.
- Use a cotton ball to create a thin layer of paint on your child’s palm.
- Press the handprint onto the paper to form the letter O.
- Wash the paint off your child’s hand.
- Use the cotton ball to create a thin layer of paint on the bottom of your child’s left foot.
- Press the footprint onto the paper next to the handprint to form one side of the letter V.
- Wash the paint off your child’s foot.
- Use the cotton ball to create a thin layer of paint on the bottom of your child’s right foot.
- Press the footprint onto the paper next to the first footprint to form the other side of the letter V.
- Wash the paint off your child’s foot.
- Use the cotton swab or paint brush to paint an L to the left of the handprint and an E to the right of the footprints. The card should spell LOVE with the handprint as the O and the footprints and the V.
Making handprint and footprint LOVE valentine cards with my toddler daughter was a lot of fun and was super easy. She was particularly fascinated by the red paint on her hand. After I washed the paint off, she kept looking at her palm, trying to figure out where the red paint had come from and gone.
Update: I also made a pink version of the handprint and footprint LOVE valentine card using my preschooler daughter’s handprint and my infant son’s footprints.
Happy Valentine’s Day, and happy crafting!
Image Credits
Handprint and Footprint Valentine Card © 2015 Heather Johnson
Supplies for Handprint and Footprint LOVE Cards © 2013 Heather Johnson
Pouring the Red Paint on the Paper Plate © 2013 Heather Johnson
Red Paint on a Toddler’s Foot © 2013 Heather Johnson
Making Paint Footprints © 2013 Heather Johnson
Painted Toddler Footprints © 2013 Heather Johnson
Red Paint on a Toddler’s Palm © 2013 Heather Johnson
Making Paint Handprints © 2013 Heather Johnson
LOVE Spelled with Handprints and Footprints © 2013 Heather Johnson
Handprint and Footprint LOVE Valentine Card 1 © 2013 Heather Johnson
Handprint and Footprint LOVE Valentine Card 2 © 2013 Heather Johnson
Handprint and Footprint LOVE Valentine Card 3 © 2015 Heather Johnson