This cute keepsake is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, and a favorite in our toddler classroom. It’s easy to do at home or in a toddler preschool classroom, and uses craft supplies you likely already have.
What You’ll Need
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Paintbrushes
- Child-safe, washable paint in your favorite flower colors
- Paper plate for the paint
- Green marker, crayon or paint
- Baby wipes or a damp paper towel for easy cleanup
- Optional: stickers, glitter, buttons, googly eyes, your creativity has no limits!
Instructions
- Before getting started, place down newspaper or a disposable tablecloth to protect surfaces from paint. Have wipes or a damp towel nearby for easy cleanup.
- Pick your flower colors. Let your little one choose if they’re old enough.
- Use a paintbrush or plate to coat your child’s palm and fingers with paint.
- Help your child press their painted hand firmly onto the paper. Carefully lift their hand straight up to reveal the first flower. For a fuller look, repeat the process with a second handprint that’s rotated and slightly overlaps the first, so the fingers fan out like petals.
- Set the paper aside and allow the handprints to dry completely.
- Once dry, use a green marker, crayon or paint to create a stem coming down from the center of the handprints. Add leaves for extra detail.
- Encourage your child to decorate the bouquet however they’d like — add stickers, glitter or googly eyes. Include a Valentine’s message and the age, name and date of your child(ren).
