How to Make a Fingerprint Card for Children

Every 40 seconds a child goes missing. Runaways or abductions from noncustodial parents and sexual predators occur each and every day.

It's a nightmare most parents pray they never have to endure, but many will face that very situation at some point in their life.

Keeping children safe is, and should be, a priority to parents, school officials, and law enforcement agencies everywhere. One way to help in this endeavor is to keep a fingerprint card for each child in the family. Here's how to make one for yours.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Card stock paper
• Ink pad

1. 
   Fingerprint Card

   Purchase standard white card stock paper and a black ink pad from an office supply store or anywhere that supplies computer products.
   
   Black ink pads can also be found in craft stores in the stamps and scrap booking areas.

2. Fold one sheet of card stock in half so it is now 5 1/2 by 8 1/2.

3. Open the paper and using a pen and a ruler or straight edge, draw a horizontal center line and 4 vertical lines on the lower half of the folded page. The two sections will have five spaces each: one for each fingerprint for both hands.

4. Open the ink pad and firmly press the child's left thumb into the pad, then place the thumb on it's side in the first square and carefully roll the thumb pad onto the page. Repeat with each finger making sure the prints are clear and not blurred. If the fingerprint is not clearly defined, repeat on a new piece of paper.

5. Once the left hand has been done and the ink has dried, follow through with fingerprinting the right hand.

6. Be sure ink is thoroughly dried and label each fingerprint. Put the child's name, date of birth, and date of printing, on the outside of the card.

7. Put the fingerprint card in a file that also contains the child's name, date of birth, a current photo, address, emergency medical information, and information and photos of identifying features such as birth marks.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to update photos to keep them current as well as any identifying marks such as tattoos or piercings that a child may receive as they get older.
• See the following resources on keeping children safe from child molesters sex offenders, and other situations of possible abduction.
• Contact local law enforcement agencies to inquire whether they may have fingerprinting clinics scheduled in your area.

Resources

• Lindsey Baum: Missing Child Alert !
• Printable Child Identification Kit -Easy to Use !
• How to Help with Finding Missing Children
• Keep Your Children Safe

[Upon-Request]

on 8/5/2009 I think this is a definite must-do for every parent, grandparent, daycare or anyone that is entrusted with the well-being of a child. 5*

[cliasays]

on 8/5/2009 What a great idea thanks!

[cb4me]

on 8/2/2009 Good idea to have your child's fingerprints on file! Although, it's sad that such a thing is needed.

[roseanne09]

on 8/2/2009 Excellent article on making a fingerprint card for children. Thank you for sharing. 5*

[ReuseItAll]

on 7/22/2009 Shirley~ Great article! I just talked with my kids about the importance of their unique little fingerprints while we were doing a fingerprinting craft. This is a must for parents to make sure they have each child's fingerprints on file! I'm going to write an article teaching about how to do the fingerprinting craft that we just did and I'll attach a link to THIS article at the bottom of mine when I am done!! Thanks for the reminder for all parents!!