How to Make a Plaster Hand Print

Help your child make a hand print that she can give away as a gift for Christmas, a birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day or even Grandparent's Day. You can also just do this for fun and keep the hand in your child's keepsake box.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plaster of Paris
• Water
• Sand
• Hands
• Mixing bucket
• Mixing stick
• Cardboard box
• Paint
• Paint brush
• Smock

1. Lay the cardboard box on a flat surface. It is best if you do this outside on a nice day because of the potential mess.

2. Fill the box halfway up with damp sand. Make sure the sand isn't too dry or too wet. Otherwise the hand print won't mold properly.

3. Firmly press your hand in the sand. Make sure it is deep enough to leave your print, but not so deep that it goes all the way to the bottom. This is your mold for the plaster. Pull your hand straight up so that the sand maintains the shape of your hand.

4. Mix together the plaster. Add 2 cups of Plaster of Paris and ¼ cup of water to the bucket. If you have 2 children doing this craft, then double the recipe.

5. Pour the plaster into the sand mold and let it set overnight.

6. Take the hand out of the sand by crumbling the sand away from the hand.

7. Paint the hand as you wish.

8. Wrap up when the paint drys and give away.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have more than one child making a hand, multiply the plaster and water by the number of children you have.
• If you don't do your project outside, then lay down some newspaper in your house before you do this craft to protect your surfaces, especially when you paint.
• Have children wear a smock or apron while they paint to protect their clothing.