This post teaches how to put shells on picture frames and fill them with handprint art, footprint art, children’s artwork, or a photograph for a unique handmade gift that kids can make for parents and grandparents. (First published on May 27, 2015: this post is regularly updated and republished to improve the content.)
A shell frame is a picture frame decorated with shells. Picture frames decorated with shells make a lovely handmade gift idea kids can make for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, or a birthday. You might also enjoy this list of homemade Gifts Kids Can Make.
Children from toddlers to teens can make picture frames decorated with shells found on holidays, nature walks, or adventures on the beach and then fill them with a special keepsake for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, or a favorite aunt, uncle, or teacher with the step-by-step shell craft tutorial below.
Handprint art is shown placed inside each shell frame in the photographs. So the instructions below also include a handprint art tutorial you can use to make handprint crafts to put inside each shell frame. But these shell picture frames can also be filled with footprint art, fingerprint art, photos, artwork, or a special poem to complete this unique homemade craft and gift idea.
Shell Picture Frame Craft and Keepsake Gift Idea
Invite your children to use the shells they find on family vacations or beach nature hunt adventures to make something beautiful for someone they love with the shell craft tutorial below.
Homemade gifts that kids can make are always a hit with parents and grandparents. And children from toddlers to teens can make these shell frame keepsake crafts as a homemade gift idea for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or a birthday!
Once finished with the shell picture frame craft, the frames can be filled with handprints, footprints, photos, artwork, or a handwritten poem to complete this unique nature craft gift idea. You might also enjoy making flower art with shells, such as this Shell Daisy Nature Craft.
Related: Soothing Sea Shells Sensory Bottle
Shell Picture Frame Craft Supplies
Invite kids on a nature hunt to collect some shells to decorate the picture frames, or get out the seashell treasures you have stashed away. Any shells collected on family vacations and daily adventures will work great. But if collecting shells is not your thing or impossible where you live, we have provided links to purchase some that will work beautifully!
- Small seashells or medium shells for crafts
- Frames (unfinished wood or finished)
- Sanding sponge to sand the raw wooden picture frames
- White glue or craft glue
- (Optional) heavyweight cardstock or canvas paper for the handprint art (or footprint art)–Or use pictures or your child’s artwork to fill the shell picture frames.
- (Optional) acrylic craft paint and paintbrushes to paint the unfinished wood frames or to make handprint or footprint art
- (Optional) Mod Podge and foam brushes or another sealant to seal and protect shell picture frames once the shells have been glued on.
How to Make Seashell Picture Frame Craft Step-by-Step Project Tutorial
Follow the simple step-by-step directions to make this shell frame craft. You might also enjoy this list of other nature arts and crafts you can make.
1. Sand the picture frame.
- Skip this step if you are making this shell craft with a finished wooden frame.
- Use sandpaper or a sanding sponge for sanding the unfinished wood frames.
- When you are finished sanding, it is optional to paint the raw wood frames with an acrylic paint color. If you choose this option, allow the paint to dry before applying glue and shells to the frame.
2. Place a line of white glue around the frame.
- Use white glue to draw on the picture frame.
- Draw a simple glue line around the edge of the frame, or get as creative as you like with glue patterns to put shells into to decorate the frame.
3. Decorate picture frames with seashells.
- Next, decorate the picture frames with small to medium seashells.
- Simply place each shell into the white glue to decorate the shell picture frames, as shown in the photographs of my daughter crafting with shells below.
- Allow the glue to dry before moving on to the next step.
4. Apply a sealant to Shell Frames Craft (optional).
- Use a foam brush to apply Mod Podge or another sealer on top of the wood and the shells to seal and protect the shell picture frames, as shown in the photographs below.
- Note: I completed this step for my daughter because she was two years old when we made the frames with shells shown in the photographs. But an older child will be able to do this step independently.
5. Fill shell picture frames with handprint art, footprint art, children’s artwork, or a photograph.
- Follow the step-by-step directions in the next section to make handprint art to place inside each shell frame. The same directions can be used to create footprint art if you prefer.
- Or put a photograph or child’s artwork inside the shell picture frames.
Related: Nature Crafts and Nature Art Ideas for Kids
How to Make Handprint Art or Footprint Art for Picture Frames
Turn your shell picture frame craft, or any frame, into a unique keepsake gift by making handprint art or footprint art to place inside each one. We used 4×6-inch picture frames that my daughter decorated with shells, but larger frames with or without shells will also work.
If you are decorating shell frames for this craft project, making a handprint or footprint art to put in the shell picture frame can be done while waiting for glue and shells to dry or after the sealant has been applied to the shell frame craft. You might also enjoy making a handprint ring dish or jewelry bowl.
1. Make handprint art or footprint art for shell picture frames.
- Make handprint or footprint art on heavyweight cardstock or canvas paper for an artistic effect.
- Use a paintbrush to paint your child’s hand or foot with acrylic paint.
- Gently press the painted hand or foot onto the cardstock or canvas paper and then carefully lift it off.
- Allow handprint art (or footprint art) time to dry before placing it inside shell picture frames.
2. Put handprint art or footprint art into The sea shell Picture frames.
- Cut out handprint art (or footprint art) and place it inside each shell picture frame.
- Use the insert or backing that comes inside the frame to measure before cutting the artwork.
- To do this: place the insert over the handprint or footprint art and trace it to easily cut children’s artwork to the correct size.
- Alternatively, you can place photos or children’s artwork inside the decorated picture frame or frames.
More Shell Crafts for Kids
- Shell Daisy Nature Craft
- Soothing Sea Shells Sensory Bottle
- Shell Sunflower Craft
- Flower Shell Crafts
Give Sea Shell Picture Frame Crafts as Keepsake Gifts or Hang them and Enjoy!
Homemade gifts that kids can make are always a hit with mom, dad, and grandparents. And these seashell picture frame crafts can be filled with handprints, footprints, photos, artwork, or a poem to complete this unique homemade craft and gift idea or left blank for the receiver to fill.
Children from toddlers to teens can make these beautiful shell frame keepsake gifts for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or a birthday. Make shell picture frames with your children today. For more homemade gifts kids can make, click on the link.
Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!
If you like Shell Crafts, You may also Like:
- Four Seasons Handprint and Fingerprint Tree
- Wooden Bead Bracelets
- Rainbow Ponybead and Prism Suncatchers
- Best Nature Crafts and Art Activities for Kids
Jennifer Dawn says
What a cute project! I love how they turned out!
Emma says
Ooh, what a great gift this would make! The frame would remind me of the beach all year long! 🙂
nell says
Thanks! I’m so glad you like it!
Mechelle k Archuleta says
What amazing FUN THING TO CREATE and do !!!
Nell Regan M.A. says
I’m so glad you like it, Mechelle! We had a wonderful time making these handprint art keepsakes with shell frames, and we hope you do, too!