Turn your child’s handprint into a keychain with this fun craft idea

There is something so special about a child’s handprint. It captures a moment in time that seems to fly by way too quickly for parents. When my now-adult daughters were little, I loved it when they made paintings or drawings of their tiny hands. But, there’s only so much room on the refrigerator to hang artwork. Plus, when parents hang up that artwork, we can’t enjoy it outside of our homes.

But, what if we could hold onto that handprint with us where ever we went? Thanks to a creative mom, you can take it with you with a simple DIY Kid-Craft Handprint Keychain.

Kate from Never Done with Fun is a mom of two boys who came up with this idea for a Father’s Day gift that would last beyond a few days. As she brainstormed, Kate recalled a beloved craft from when she was a kid in the 1980s.

“I know I’m aging myself, but do you remember how cool Shrinky Dinks were when you were a kid? ,” she posted on her blog. “You colored on special paper, popped them in the oven, and three minutes later, had a miniature version of your artwork. It literally seemed like magic.”

After a little bit of online research, Kate found Shrinky Dinks paper on Amazon and decided to make handprints of both sons and herself. The smallest child decided to also draw a heart, and Mom even tried to get their dog in on the fun.

Just like Shrinky Dinks, these get popped into the oven briefly to shrink them down.

To make these tiny handprint keepsakes, you need the Shrinky Dink paper, washable tempera paint, markers, scissors, a single-holed punch, clear sealer (brush-on or spray), metal jump rings and a keychain.

Kate breaks down the craft in detailed, step-by-step directions to make either the handprint or a hand-drawn creation for the keychain. And the final product will be something the kids will be so proud of when it’s all put together for the keychain. How cute is this?

These keychains can be a great gift for anyone in the family.

Another tip: find a way to date the handprint so you know exactly when this gift from the hands and hearts of your little ones were made.