Fingerprint or Thumbprint Heart Keychain and Backpack Charms

A fingerprint or thumbprint heart keychain, backpack charm, or pendant is a unique, handmade, personalized craft and gift idea for kids and adults.

Looking for a meaningful handmade gift? These fingerprint heart keychain pendants are easy to make, inexpensive and beginner-friendly, fun for kids, and make treasured keepsakes for years to come. Some gifts are expensive. Others become priceless because of the memories they hold and carry wherever they go. Thumbprint heart keychain pendants fall into the second category.

Each heart is made from the fingerprints of a loved one (child or adult), making it one of a kind. When the fingerprint or thumbprints overlap, they come together to create a handmade keepsake that celebrates love, connection, and the most important people in our lives. Use the step-by-step keychain instructions below to make thumbprint charms and pendants that Moms, Dads, Grandparents, best friends, lovers, and extended relatives can carry wherever they go.

Whether you’re making a fingerprint heart keychain for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Grandparents’ Day, Christmas, your boyfriend, girlfriend, or BFF, summer camp, an anniversary, wedding or memorial, or simply because someone deserves a little extra love, this easy DIY craft yields a gift that can be treasured for years!

Best of all, children of almost any age can help create these personalized keepsakes. Little ones love stamping their fingerprints, while older kids enjoy adding design details to each heart print and assembling the finished keychain. Every child or adult who makes one can use the colors they most enjoy and leave their own unique mark. First published on May 5, 2018, this thumbprint heart craft post is updated regularly to improve the content. You might also enjoy this list of homemade gifts kids can make.

DIY fingerprint or thumbprint heart keychains and backpack pendants and charms (art craft and photo by Nell Regan and Charlize Kartychok)

Why You’ll Love This Fingerprint Heart Craft:

Thumbprint heart keychains are a simple key ring craft and a homemade gift idea that kids or adults can make with their actual fingerprints for loved ones at home or in the classroom. Once complete, each keychain features a loved one’s unique heart-shaped fingerprint to carry with them wherever they go.

The beauty of homemade thumbprint or fingerprint heart keychains lies in their ability to turn a simple gesture into a lasting keepsake, encapsulating a moment in time. There is something magical about creating a gift no one else in the world can make, even if you have one made with another person’s fingerprints, because every fingerprint is unique.

Years from now, little fingers will have grown into adult hands, but their tiny thumbprint heart print will remain just as it was made. That’s what transforms a simple craft into a treasured keepsake. Sometimes the smallest gifts carry the greatest love. You can also place these same type of pendants and charms on necklaces if you prefer.

This heart craft idea offers a delightful blend of creativity, personalization, and practicality, making it a fantastic project for individuals of all ages. Each keychain pendant can be customized with various colors, design embellishments, and materials to match the recipient’s personality or the giver’s creativity. Just look at the rainbow of thumbprint heart pendants my daughter and I made in the photograph below!

oval and square thumbprint and fingerprint heart keychain charms and backpack pendants (art crafts and photos by Nell Regan and Charlize Kartychok)

DIY Fingerprint Heart Charms and Pendants for Keychains, Backpacks, Purses, and More!

Beyond their role as keychains, these thumbprint hearts can adorn backpacks, purses, and other personal items, adding a custom touch to your most frequently used everyday objects. I love seeing the fingerprint heart pendants my daughter made hanging from my keys, purse, backpack, and luggage. They remind me of her love and sweet spirit everywhere I go.

This feature makes DIY thumbprint heart keychain charms an excellent gift for a spouse, partner, lover, best friend, or even your child’s favorite teacher. Fingerprint keychains with a thumbprint heart are also a perfect memorial gift, as they can help you carry the prints of a loved one who has passed on, keeping their heart with you forever. You can also try making fingerprint art magnets.

A Memorial Keepsake to Carry Close

Fingerprint and thumbprint heart keychains aren’t only made to celebrate the people who are with us today. They can also become treasured memorial keepsakes honoring someone whose love continues to shape our lives, even in their absence. Thumbprint heart magnets are equally lovely.

If you know someone who will be making their transition soon. Or, have a fingerprint or thumbprint of a loved one who has passed away, or put into a heart-shaped keychain pendant, can be a beautiful way to preserve that memory. Safely set beneath a glass cabochon, each fingerprint heart becomes a lasting reminder of a life that touched yours. Slip the finished pendant onto a set of keys, attach it to a purse or backpack, carry it in a pocket as a quiet symbol of love and remembrance.

Memorial keychains can also be made for family members and close friends, giving each person a tangible reminder of someone they miss. Adding a name, a date, a favorite color, or a short word such as “Always,” “Forever,” or “Loved” makes each keepsake even more personal. Although no handmade gift can replace the person we love, small keepsakes like these often bring comfort. They remind us that even if a life ends, the love we share will endure.

Heart Keychain Craft Project at a Glance:

Project: Fingerprint or Thumbprint heart keychain pendant.
Difficulty: Easy; beginner-friendly, easy for children to help make.
Prep Time: About 10 minutes.
Active Time: 20 to 30 minutes, plus drying time.
Age: Preschool through adult (with assistance for younger children).
Skills Practiced: Fine motor, hand-eye coordination, creativity, patience, and thoughtful gift giving.
Perfect for: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Grandparents’ Day, birthdays, teacher gifts, weddings, anniversaries, and memorials.

easy DIY fingerprint heart keychains charms and pendants for kids and adults (art craft and photos by Nell Regan and Charlize Kartychok)

How to Make a Fingerprint or Thumbprint Heart Keychain:

Gather the fingerprint or thumbprint heart keychain-making supplies from the list of charm and pendant materials below, and follow the easy step-by-step directions to make DIY fingerprint heart keychains. You might also enjoy crafting a Fingerprint Flower Necklace or keychain pendants and charms.

DIY Thumbprint Heart Keychain Supplies:

Select the thumbprint heart charm pendant shapes and pre-made necklaces you would like to use to make thumbprint heart keychains from the materials list below. Alternatively, you can use similar craft supplies to make thumbprint heart necklaces.

Choose one of the following to make fingerprint hearts on cardstock:
- Fingerprint ink pads.
- Acrylic paint.
Cardstock.
Glue or adhesive designed for jewelry making to help the keepsake last: choose at least one of the following:
- Mod Podge or Mod Podge for paper.
- Diamond Glaze Adhesive.
- B6000 Adhesive or B7000 Jewelry Glue.
Detail scissors.
Pendant trays and glass cabochons. Use keychain-making options that match in size and shape and are large enough to fit a fingerprint heart inside. The cabochons magnify the fingerprint slightly and give the finished keychain a beautiful polished appearance. (Choose at least one of the jewelry-making charms or pendants from the list below):
- 40x30mm oval pendant trays and cabochons. (You can also purchase the oval pendant trays and oval cabochons separately.)
- Stainless steel square keychain pendant trays with square cabochons.
- If you have a single fingerprint or thumbprint, put it into a heart-shaped pendant.
Keyring for thumbprint heart keychains:
- Metal swivel lanyard snap hook with keyring.

Related: Best Heart Art Projects

Fingerprint or Thumbprint Heart Keychain Video Tutorial:

Watch the DIY video tutorial below for step-by-step instructions for making fingerprint heart keychains. It also shows the steps to make thumbprint heart necklaces. (Please visit the link for the separate tutorial.) The step-by-step thumbprint heart keychain instructions are written below the video tutorial.

Tips for Beautiful Fingerprint Hearts:

A few simple tricks can make your finished keychains even more beautiful. Keep the tips below in mind as you complete this DIY project for kids and adults:

Use a good amount of ink, or only a thin layer of paint.
Practice making fingerprint hearts on scrap paper first.
Let each print dry completely before gluing.
Press the cabochon into the tray without sliding your finger.
Keep baby wipes nearby for quick cleanup between prints.
Remember, perfection isn’t the goal. The tiny imperfections are often what make these keepsakes feel so personal and unique.

DIY Fingerprint Heart Keychain Charm and Pendant Step-By-Step Craft Tutorial

Handmade fingerprint heart keychains are easy enough for young children to help make with an adult’s guidance. Older children can make them from start to finish on their own. First, read through the instructions. Reviewing the project tutorial before starting will help you understand the steps involved and what to expect before choosing the materials you’d like to work with.

1. Prepare your workspace:

Cover your table with newspaper, kraft paper, poster board, or a washable tablecloth to make cleanup easier.
Gather your preferred thumbprint heart charm and pendant craft supplies from the recommendations above.
Have all of your supplies within reach before you begin, including damp paper towels or baby wipes for cleaning little fingers between prints.
If you are crafting with young children, it’s often easiest to make all of the fingerprint hearts before moving on to cutting and assembling the keychains.

2. Stamp the thumbprint or fingerprint heart:

For each necklace pendant, stamp prints with fingertips or thumbs into the shape of a heart. Follow the easy instructions below to make a fingerprint or thumbprint heart:

Begin by placing a small amount of acrylic paint onto a paper plate or using an ink pad.
Press one thumb or fingertip (pointer finger or pinky finger) onto the fingerprint ink pad or acrylic paint.
- Thumbs make the largest prints, while pinky fingers make the smallest fingerprint heart prints.
- In the photographs and video tutorial, my daughter and I used fingerprint ink pads to make the fingerprint heart pendants and charms, but acrylic paint also works well.
- If you choose to use paint, a light coating is best. Too much paint can blur the details of the print, so use only a thin, even layer.
Press the finger or thumb with ink or paint onto the paper at a slight angle to create one half of the heart.
Reapply more color if needed by pressing the finger in the ink or brushing with paint.
Then rotate or tilt the finger or thumb slightly and press it down again so the two prints meet and slightly overlap at the bottom, but remain separate at the top to form a heart shape as shown in the DIY video tutorial. (This step will create the two upper lobes of the heart with a single rounded point at the bottom.)
- Practice making thumbprint hearts a few times on scrap paper before starting this project. Keep practicing until you like the shape, but remember, every fingerprint is supposed to be unique and meaningful, not perfect.
Allow fingerprint ink or paint to dry before moving on to the next step.

3. Glue the glass cabochon onto the fingerprint heart:

Place a drop of glue or adhesive such as Mod Podge, Diamond Glaze Adhesive, B6000, or B7000 Jewelry Glue onto the back (flat side) of the glass cabochon.
- The video craft tutorial for this project below shows using Mod Podge for this step, but Diamond Glaze, B6000, or B7000 work just as well, if not better.
- I don’t recommend using hot glue to make this fingerprint heart keychain craft, because it does not adhere well to glass and can become yellow over time.
A little bit of glue or adhesive goes a long way. Don’t use too much; it can smear the thumbprint heart art print.
Next, put the glass cabochon (with glue on its flat side) directly on top of the fingerprint heart.
Carefully center the cabochon over the fingerprint heart, as shown in the video tutorial, and press down gently.
Press down to distribute the glue under the cabochon and remove any air bubbles.
Look closely for any air bubbles before setting it aside to dry according to the adhesive manufacturer’s directions.
Taking your time during this step will help create a clear, polished finish.
Allow the glue to dry overnight if possible.

4. Cut out the fingerprint heart to remove any remaining paper around the glass cabochon:

Once the adhesive has cured, carefully trim around the edge of the glass cabochon.
Use small precision or detail scissors to trim and remove any excess paper surrounding the glass cabochon, as shown in the fingerprint heart charm video tutorial below.
Cut slowly and close to the glass for the cleanest finished appearance.

5. Glue the glass cabochon (with fingerprint heart attached) into the pendant tray:

Add another small amount of adhesive inside the pendant tray.
Place the finished cabochon (glass gem with the thumbprint heart attached) into the pendant tray.
Gently press the glass gem into the tray to spread the glue out and remove any air bubbles.
Hold firmly for 30 to 60 seconds.
Wipe the edges clean with a damp cloth or wipe.
Allow the fingerprint keychain ornament time to dry completely before attaching the key ring.

6. Assemble the Keychain:

Put together the keychain pendants.
Attach the thumbprint heart pendant to the keychain ring using the loop on the top of the pendant tray.
First, use your thumbnail to open the split ring of each keyring.
Then, attach the lanyard swivel hook and the thumbprint heart pendant onto it as you hold it open, as shown in the step-by-step DIY video tutorial below.
Remove your thumbnail and admire your new homemade thumbprint heart keychain.
- Or, place the pendant on a necklace to make a thumbprint heart necklace!
Your fingerprint heart keepsake is now ready to carry on a backpack, purse, zipper pull, or set of keys. Alternatively, wrap it up as a thoughtful handmade gift for someone you love!

Ways to Personalize Your Fingerprint Keychain:

Every thumbprint heart tells its own story. You can even make a new fingerprint keepsake every year, then look back to notice changes. Transform each keepsake into a family heirloom with simple custom touches. Most people love carrying a reminder of the people they love. Personalize your keepsake with:

Names or initials.
Birthdays, anniversaries, lifespan dates.
Favorite colors.
Watercolor backgrounds.
Metallic or glitter accents and designs.
Inspirational words.
Meaningful quotes.
Small design embellishments.
Create matching keychains for family, friends, classmates, teammates, and co-workers, or make unique pendants for each individual.
Use fingerprints from multiple generations, such as baby, mom, and grandma, for an unforgettable family keepsake.
Try using different colors to represent different siblings, friends, or family members.

Related: Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make

DIY thumbprint heart keychain and necklace pendants (art craft and photos by Nell Regan and Charlize Kartychok) — ***Thumbprint heart keychain and thumbprint heart necklace pendants***

What Children Learn While Making DIY Fingerprint Keychains:

This craft encourages much more than creativity. Making these thumbprint heart crafts by hand helps children discover the joy of creating meaningful gifts for others. The simple act of crafting a gift teaches generosity, gratitude, and thoughtfulness in ways that can’t be bought in a store. Best of all, as children stamp fingerprints, assemble jewelry pieces, and personalize their gifts, they improve:

Fine motor skills
Hand-eye coordination
Creative thinking
Following directions
Patience
Kindness through gift crafting and giving.

Meaningful Ways to Use Fingerprint Heart Keychains and Pendants

One of the things I love most about fingerprint heart keychains and pendants is that they can be made to celebrate almost any meaningful relationship or milestone. Because every fingerprint is unique, each keepsake becomes a one-of-a-kind reminder of the person who made it, turning a simple craft into a keepsake filled with love and meaning.

These handmade gifts are perfect for celebrating life’s happiest moments, preserving precious memories, and strengthening the connections we share with family and friends. Whether you’re celebrating a joyful occasion such as a wedding or a birth, creating a family tradition, honoring someone you love, or crafting a heartfelt handmade gift, these fingerprint heart keepsakes become treasured reminders of the people who matter most.

Handmade Gifts for Family:

A fingerprint heart keychain makes a thoughtful gift for parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents, neighbors, and close family members and friends. They are especially meaningful for relatives who live far away, allowing them to carry a little reminder of those they love wherever they go. For even more ideas, please visit Mother’s Day crafts, gifts for Dad, or Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make.

Personalize each heart pendant with a name, date, favorite color, or meaningful word to make it even more special. You can even make matching family keepsakes. Or create fingerprint heart charms with the fingerprints of multiple generations. Alternatively, you can make thumbprint heart magnets, another easy, handmade gift idea and a fun craft idea for all ages.

These charming tokens of affection make unique, heartfelt gifts for family and loved ones on the holidays and special occasions listed below:

Holidays and Special Occasion Gifts:

Fingerprint keepsakes are a heartfelt way to celebrate many of life’s milestones and holidays, including:

Valentine’s Day
Mother’s Day
Father’s Day
Grandparents’ Day
Christmas
Birthdays
Anniversaries
Weddings
Baby showers
Teacher appreciation day or week
Graduation
Retirement celebrations
Memorials

Unlike flowers or greeting cards, these handmade gifts often become treasured keepsakes for years.

Classroom Handout Gift for Valentine’s Day

They are also a fun Valentine’s Day gift kids can make and hand out to their classmates and friends. My daughter made 28 for her classmates and handed them out on Valentine’s Day a few years ago, and I still see them adorning her classmates’ backpacks.

A Thoughtful Gift “Just Because”

They also make fantastic gifts “just because.” You don’t need a holiday or special occasion to remind someone that they are loved. Surprise a friend who’s having a difficult week. Let someone know you’re thinking of them.

Celebrate a new friendship, welcome a new neighbor, or simply tell someone how much they mean to you. Unexpected acts of kindness are often remembered the longest. If you prefer jewelry, try making thumbprint heart necklaces.

Pregnancy and Family Milestone Keepsakes:

Celebrate life’s changing seasons by creating keepsakes during meaningful milestones. Years later, these keepsakes help tell the story of your family’s journey together, especially when they contain names, dates, or a simple reminder of the milestone or event. Fingerprint heart keychains can commemorate:

Births, weddings, and memorials.
Becoming Parents or Grandparents.
A first Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
First day at School.
A family’s first home.
Moving to a new community.
Welcoming a blended family.
Reunions and family gatherings.

New Baby and Adoption Celebrations:

Tiny baby fingerprints make especially precious keepsakes. Celebrate the arrival of a new family member with a fingerprint heart pendant that preserves those impossibly small fingers forever. A new baby’s arrival, an adoption, foster placement, baptism, dedication, or naming ceremony is a perfect milestone to commemorate with a thumbprint heart keychain or charm. They also make heartfelt gifts for grandparents and godparents welcoming a new family member.

Friendship Gifts:

Fingerprint keychains also make cool homemade backpack charms and pendants to give to friends. They make wonderful friendship gifts for children, teens, and adults. Making them together is a fantastic way to celebrate your friendship. Or make matching keychains to surprise your BFF.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts:

Teachers often treasure handmade gifts because they represent the time and care children put into making something unique just for them. Add the child’s name, school year, or a short message such as “Thank you for helping me grow” to create a keepsake that teachers can enjoy for years to come.

Team, Scout, and Club Keepsakes:

These keepsakes also make meaningful projects for scouting groups, youth organizations, church groups, sports teams, camps, and community programs. Children can exchange handmade keychains to remember friendships formed through shared adventures and experiences.

Classroom or Homeschool Project

Fingerprint heart crafts work well as classroom crafts because they are simple enough for young children while still producing beautiful results worthy of display. Teachers can use them for holiday gifts, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day projects, Grandparents’ Day, kindness activities, classroom parties, or end-of-the-year celebrations.

Homeschooling families like ours can incorporate this thumbprint heart craft activity into lessons about families, friendship, identity, and acts of kindness. You can even make these simple crafts as a classroom project to teach children about the importance of individuality and handmade gifts while making something for Mom, Dad, or the Grandparents. Or, try making a Handprint Jewelry Dish or Ring Bowl.

Summer Camp Craft:

It’s also fun to make thumbprint heart keychains at summer camp as keepsakes to bring home to remember the fun of summer long after camp is over.

Wedding and Anniversary Keepsakes

These gorgeous fingerprint heart crafts also make thoughtful DIY wedding favors and gifts. Fingerprint hearts aren’t just for children. Couples can create heart pendants using both of their thumbprints or fingerprints as a symbol of their love and commitment.

Make handmade pendants as thoughtful anniversary gifts, wedding mementos, bridal shower projects, or meaningful favors for close family members. Parents treasure receiving one made with the couple’s fingerprints on their wedding day.

Memorial Keepsakes

Fingerprint heart keychains can also become treasured memorial gifts that honor someone whose love continues to live in our hearts. Make matching memorial keychains so parents, siblings, children, or close friends each have a tangible connection to someone they deeply miss. Adding a name, lifespan dates, and a word or phrase such as “Always in our hearts” can make each keepsake craft even more personal.

Kindness Gifts:

Sometimes a small handmade gift can brighten someone’s entire day. Create fingerprint heart keychains for neighbors, healthcare workers, caregivers, volunteers, mail carriers, coaches, or anyone who has shown kindness to your family. A simple handmade gift often says, “You matter” more powerfully than words alone.

Related: Heart Art Salt Painting

DIY Fingerprint Keychain Gift Idea

Every fingerprint tells the story of a life that has never existed before and will never exist again. Preserving that one-of-a-kind mark can become a gentle reminder that love leaves an imprint, not only in our minds, but also in our hearts.

Make memories last with custom fingerprint keychains. Whether you’re crafting with toddlers, preschoolers, older children, teens, or adults, each finished heart tells a story that can be treasured for years to come.

Long after tiny fingers have grown, the small thumbprint heart keepsakes they make will continue to tell the story of a moment shared, a gift lovingly made, and a connection that lasts far beyond childhood.

Make them for your best friend or lover, help an ailing loved one make them as memorial gifts, or invite children of all ages to use their fingers and thumbs to create one-of-a-kind thumbprint heart keychains and fingerprint heart necklaces for relatives and friends.

These simple thumbprint heart crafts can foster a sense of accomplishment and artistic expression for kids and adults of all ages. The finished product provides a tangible symbol of love and connection, making it much more than just a decorative item. We carry our keys everywhere. They open the places we call home, and now they can open your heart, too.

A Small Reminder of Someone You Love:

Fingerprint keychains make it easy to keep someone you love with you wherever you go. We live in a world filled with digital photos that often stay hidden on our phones. Handmade keepsakes invite us to hold memories in our hands instead.

A fingerprint heart keychain becomes a daily reminder of someone special. Every time you unlock a door, grab your backpack, or pick up your keys, you will be reminded of the hands that helped create it and the connection you have. Sometimes the smallest objects carry the greatest meaning.

This makes Fingerprint and thumbprint heart keychains the perfect gifts for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, wedding anniversaries, memorials, or birthdays. They also make unique DIY wedding favors and memorial gifts.

Simple crafts like these fingerprint keepsake gifts are always a favorite to make with friends and family. Fingerprint flower necklaces or keychains also make a wonderful handmade keychain charm gift for kids or adults.

A Keepsake that Carries Love Forward:

Fingerprint keepsakes can also offer comfort during times of loss. Some families make them to remember a loved one, celebrate a life well lived, or create a tangible reminder of someone they miss.

Others make matching keychains so family members can each carry a small symbol of connection wherever they go. Whether given in celebration or remembrance, these keepsakes quietly remind us that love continues long after a moment has passed.

About the Author and Creator of This Craft:

Please visit our About page to learn more about Rhythms of Play. For more information about this website and the author and photographer of fingerprint heart keychain pendants, please visit the home page for Rhythms of Play or the author page, Nell Regan Kartychok.

More DIY Pendant necklaces and keychain charms

I have developed several fun and easy ways to use DIY pendants to make necklaces and keychain charms. Please visit the links below for DIY project details!

More Fingerprint Art & Thumbprint Crafts, and Gift Ideas

In addition to the fingerprint and thumbprint jewelry pendant and keychain charm crafts listed above. We have a few other super cool fingerprint art ideas and thumbprint crafts you can try with the kids!