Family is forever—just ask Arlo the Apatosaurus, who goes on a perilous journey to reunite with his clan (making an unlikely human friend along the way) in Disney•Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur. Capture a moment in time this Christmas with our “Footprint” Ornament; use your little one’s handprint to add a personal, memorable touch to your tree… or celebrate the pet in your life by using their paw print!
Supplies:
Clay (“air-dry” store-bought or homemade)
Wax paper
Dark blue acrylic paint
Medium paintbrush
Light green puffy paint
Green glitter
Ribbon or string
Scissors
- Cover your work surface with wax paper.
- Grab a handful of clay and knead it into a round ball (about the size of a tennis ball).
- Place the ball on your work surface and—using the palm of your hand—flatten it into a “pancake” shape, about an inch or so bigger than the size of the hand you’re imprinting.
- Lay your child’s hand on top of clay and, with your hands, press each finger and the palm down into the clay. (BONUS TIP: If your child is small enough, you could even use their foot!)
OR
Form a slightly smaller ball of clay; press into the shape of a silver-dollar “pancake”; and use your pet’s paw to push a print into the clay.
- Use the end of your paintbrush to poke a hole through the top of the ornament.
- Let dry—overnight, or per your clay’s specific drying instructions. (You should be able to peel away the wax paper.)
- Using your paintbrush, paint the front of the ornament dark blue, leaving the imprint clear. Allow some time for the paint to dry.
- With the puffy paint, lightly fill in each section of the imprint. Then take your glitter and cover each green section—shaking out the excess onto your work surface. Allow ornament to fully dry.
OR
Leave the ornament as-is for a more authentic “footprint” look.
- Cut a section of ribbon or string and tie to the top of the ornament, through the hole you created with the end of the paintbrush.
- Voilà! You’ve just made a “footprint” to last a lifetime! Hang on your tree and enjoy.
NOTE: Cutting should be done by an adult.
