Baby Handprint Hack: How to Get a Perfect Print Every Time

There is nothing sweeter than a tiny baby handprint, and nothing harder to actually get. If you have ever tried to paint a wiggly little palm and press it onto paper, you know how it usually ends: a smeared blob, a clenched fist, and paint on everything except the paper.

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This baby handprint hack changed that for us. You brush the paint onto a plastic bag instead of onto your baby, press their hand down, slide the bag out, and the print underneath comes out clean and crisp. We shared it in a reel and millions of you watched it, so here is the full step by step with everything we used.

What You Need for a Baby Handprint

You probably have most of this at home already.

• Washable kids paint. We used Crayola Washable Kids Paint, which wipes right off little hands.
• A plastic ziploc bag.
• A flat paint brush. These chunky kids paint brushes are great to have around for crafts.
• White cardstock or thick paper, like this white cardstock.
• Baby wipes or a damp cloth for quick cleanup.

How to Do the Baby Handprint Hack

1. Lay the bag on your paper

Set your paper on a flat table and lay the plastic bag right on top, where you want the print to go.

2. Brush paint onto the bag

Brush a patch of paint onto the bag, a little bigger than your baby’s hand. A thin, even layer works best. Too much paint will fill in all of those tiny finger lines.

3. Press your baby’s hand onto the paint

Gently open your baby’s hand and press it flat onto the painted bag. Use your own fingers to press down each little finger and the palm so the whole hand gets coated.

4. Slide the bag out

This is the trick! Pull the plastic bag out from underneath their hand and press gently across the fingers and palm.

5. Lift straight up

Lift the hand straight up without wiggling, wipe it clean with a baby wipe, and let the print dry. That is it!

Why We Love This Baby Handprint Hack

Painting a baby’s hand with a brush tickles, and a tickled baby makes a fist. With the bag, the paint goes on in one quick press, the coat is even, and you are not chasing a tiny hand around with a wet brush. It is faster, so much less messy, and the prints come out clear enough to see every little finger. It works just as well for footprints, too.

Tips for the Best Baby Handprint

• Pick a calm moment. Right after a feeding or when baby is sleepy works well.
• Use washable, non-toxic paint and keep painted hands away from little mouths.
• Do a practice print on scrap paper first so you know how much paint you need.
• Open the wipes before you start. You will want them within reach.
• Grab a helper if you can. One person holds baby and one handles the bag.
• Try it with feet! The steps are exactly the same.
• Write your baby’s name, age, and the date on the back once it dries.

What to Make With Your Handprints

Once you can get a clean print, the ideas are endless. Turn a handprint into a turkey for Thanksgiving, stamp one onto a Christmas card or a salt dough ornament, frame one for the nursery, or send a set to the grandparents. For older kids, try our Strawberry Handprint Craft or The Kissing Hand Craft.

Those little hands do not stay little for long, and we love having a way to save them that actually works. Have you tried this one yet? Tell us in the comments how your prints turned out!

Looking for more easy kids crafts? Try our Strawberry Handprint Craft for Preschoolers next.