When you welcome a little bundle of joy into your life, it seems as if the camera snaps tens of thousands of times to capture every early moment of their life. Little hands indeed grow quickly, but if you’d like to remember how small they once were, try a baby handprint kit.
Baby handprint kits are made with nontoxic clay, plaster, or ink. Because they’re mounted in nurseries or around the home, many kits come with frames, hooks, or mounting accessories. It’s a fun memory-making activity for parents and babies to enjoy together — including wrangling your little one to get a decent impression.
If you’re considering a baby handprint kit, take a look at our buying guide. We introduce you to the accessories and features of popular kits and share a few recommendations, including our top pick, Casting Keepsakes’ Clay Keepsake and Photo Wall Frame Kit. It remains a parent favorite for its ease of use with premixed air-drying clay.
Frame kits blend in nicely with other pictures and mementos around the home, but you need to make space for them on walls or tables. Easels are a good choice if you prefer a frameless display for your baby’s handprints, but they’re prone to damage since they’re not in a protective case. Ornament kits are popular if you intend to hang the handprints, either on the Christmas tree or around the home, though if they fall from a reasonable height, they may shatter.
Each baby handprint kit comes with a set of extras to help you personalize your print. Letter and number stamps allow you to print your baby’s name and birthdate clearly. Some kits are packaged with additional materials for footprints. Others are designed for multiple handprints and come with the materials to cover impressions through months or years.
Many single-impression clay and ink kits cost $10 and below. Better-quality sets for footprints as well as handprints run between $12 and $16. Kits that come with high-quality frames or easels cost between $20 and $40.
A. Many people do, and some kits say whether they’re pet-safe. There are also dedicated paw print kits available, with ink kits remaining the most popular.
A. Yes, and these are often a bit more expensive than handprint kits because they require more materials to print a larger surface. These kits are hit and miss with parents, because it may be more challenging to get both feet in the right position for a decent impression.
Casting Keepsakes’ Clay Keepsake and Photo Wall Frame Kit
Our take: Attractive three-window frame that looks great mounted or on a table.
What we like: Holds a 5 x 7-inch picture in the middle. High marks for nontoxic, baby-safe clay.
What we dislike: Must trim the photo to fit in the frame properly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Casting Keepsakes’ Proud Baby Deluxe Hand and Footprint Kit
Our take: Budget-friendly way to display clay handprints and footprints.
What we like: Comes with two easels and ribbons. Packed with letter stamps for customized detail.
What we dislike: Clay dries incredibly fast, which may result in subpar impressions.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Little Hippo’s Baby Handprint Kit
Our take: Charming frame that fits two pictures and features a larger clay impression.
What we like: Made with nontoxic clay and comes with mini tools. Frame has a high-quality look.
What we dislike: Occasional reports of cracking clay once it dries.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
