Give Dad A Hand (Literally) For Father's Day

Originally posted on Mommy Nearest.

I’m a very sentimental gift giver. I’d much rather make something meaningful than go out and buy the newest gadget or trendy piece of fashion. Sound familiar? If so, these idea are for you! I've put together a list of some fabulous handy DIY gifts you can make with your kids for Father’s Day that will be cherished for years to come – all of these feature creative ways to make gifts out of your children’s hand or footprints!

Framed with a Photo

This is what I ended up doing last year for our first Father’s Day. I stamped baby’s feet on a pre-cut mat and put a cute photo of daddy and baby in the middle. I’ve seen others using a collage of photos, hand and foot prints, and other memorabilia inside a shadow box. Anyway you do it, it’s going to be cute—and demand a prime spot on your wall.

---

Dad’s Little Slugger

Getting baby’s handprint on a ball is a must for any baseball fan dads out there. It may look a bit challenging, but you can wing it or buy a kit like the First Pitch Baby’s First Handprint Baseball on Amazon.  <Photo Credit: Army Wife & Mommy>

---

I’ll Drink to That

If dad is a big coffee or tea drinker, why not give him a mug adorned with the adorable hand or foot prints of your little one! Need help from the pros? Hit up your local paint your own pottery store such as Color Me Mine.  <Photo Credit: Busy Bugs>

---

Hand in Hand

You’ll have to be sneaky and creative to get dad’s hand print, or perhaps even let the cat out of the bag about what you’re doing, but it’ll be worth it. Crafts displaying both dad and baby’s handprints (or you can even do the whole family together) are adorable—and an awesome thing to do each year to document how much the little ones are growing.  <Photo Credit: PrintFusion>

---

Walk This Way

Another great idea is to create a handprint or footprint stepping stone each year for Father’s Day (or you could create a whole walkway in one go by doing each hand and foot of each kid and pet on a different stone!). There are a ton of kits available, such as the Midwest Products Kids Garden Handprint Stepping Stone Kit.  <Photo Credit: Amazon>

---

Tips for Stamping Little Hands and Feet

• There’s no need to purchase an ink pad specifically for babies or children. You can buy a regular ink pad or even use paint and a paintbrush. Just make sure it’s non-toxic and clean the ink off of their skin as soon as you're done.

• Have tons of baby wipes or wet paper towels on hand to wipe off the majority of the ink before heading over to the sink for some soap and water action. Get one hand or foot stamped and cleaned before proceeding to the next one—kids love to swing and kick an inked up appendage to and fro!

• Infant hands are usually balled up making it really tough to get a hand print; it's much better to use the feet until they’re a bit older.

• Be prepared for many takes—there will be smudges and prints that don’t even come out. Do a few practice runs and make sure to have a backup plan. I used a photo frame matte that was the same on the front and back. It was a good thing: We screwed up on the first try, but it's now hidden on the backside!

• Strip little ones down to their diapers to avoid staining clothes, and put down newspapers all around—just in case!

• Get a helper. Trying this by yourself is a recipe for disaster. Having one person to hold the item to be stamped (on the floor or against a wall is easiest) and the other person navigating baby’s foot or hand will make things go much smoother. You also have more cleanup help!

• Don’t forget hands and feet can be creatively arranged for fun or sentiment. From hearts to deer, the sky’s the limit!