Clay hand print art is a lasting gift. Purchase clay from a craft supply store. Use a wire cutter to slice off enough clay to make a tennis ball sized ball of clay. Knead the clay until it is pliable. Roll the clay flat with a wooden roller. Place the child's hand in the clay, pressing evenly. Make a shape for the art by cutting off the excess clay with a knife. You can shape the background into any shape desired. Poke two holes all the way through the clay in the top of the clay backdrop. Paint the hand print. Write the child's name with the pointed end of the paintbrush. Set the keepsake aside to dry. When it is dry, tie a ribbon to match the painted hand print through the two holes for hanging purposes. (see reference 2)
Use your youngster's hand, painted green, to make a Christmas wreath. Connect the pinky finger to the thumb in a continuous circular pattern. Wash the child's hand. Dip their second finger in red paint. Finger print this finger around the wreath to represent red holly berries. Attach with a glue gun and tie a red ribbon at the top. If you place this on a piece of muslin, it will last year after year.
Make a reindeer with hand print antlers to hang on a doorknob. Use a wire coat hanger as the frame, stretched into a diamond shape. Stretch a flesh colored hose over the coat hanger. Make the antlers out of your child's handprints traced onto brown construction paper. Attach them with a glue gun to the head of the reindeer. In the same fashion attach googly eyes and a red pompom nose. (see reference 3)
Paint your child's hand a bright flower color. Make a print of their hand around a central point. Continue making prints of the hand until you reach where you began. The palm of their hand is the center of the flower, and the flowers are the petals. Wipe the hand off and paint the fingers green. Print them at the bottom of the paper to represent grass.
Trace your child's hand onto yellow construction paper. Cut out 10 yellow hands. Attach them with glue to a paper plate with the fingers floating off the edge of the paper plate. Place a center dark brown circle as the center of the flower to complete a sunflower. (see reference 4)
Two hand prints make outstretched wings for many birds. Draw the body of an eagle. It is shaped like a bowling pin. Trace the child's hands onto brown construction paper. Color and cut out the eagle. Cut out the wings and attach them to the body of the bird. Or, trace on brightly colored paper the child's hand prints. Cut them out and attach to the body of either a peacock or a turkey shape.