Older kids can take the popular preschool handprint project to a new dimension using air-dry clay. It’s a cool and creative gift kids can do (get it?) that signs “I love you!”
What you need:
• Air-dry clay (available at craft stores)
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper or a sheet of fun foam
• Butter knife
• Toothpicks
• Cotton swabs
• Small heart-shaped cookie cutter (optional)
• Acrylic paints
• Spray sealer (optional)
• Water
What you do:
1.Grab softball sized ball of clay and roll into a ball.
2.Use rolling pin on parchment paper or foam and roll clay to quarter-inch to half-inch thickness.
3.Place hand on clay and have a friend cut around hand with butter knife.
4.Put extra clay aside and rub all edges of hand shape with wet cotton swab to smooth.
5.Bend middle and ring fingers toward palm of clay hand. Note where they will attach.
6.Scratch up tips of clay fingers with toothpicks.
7.Do the same on palm of hand where fingers will attach.
8.Wet the scratched rough spots on palm of hand with water and press fingers to them.
9.Press heart-shaped cookie cutter into excess rolled-out clay (or create a heart out of clay using the butter knife) and attach to palm using scratch-to-attach method above.
10. Let dry 24 hours.
11.Paint with acrylic paint.
12.Slip ribbon through opening in bent fingers and hang your creation.
