A salt dough handprint and footprint heart keepsake is a fun craft to make with the kids. Homemade keepsakes are always a hit with parents and grandparents for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Christmas.

Related: Keepsake Gifts Kids Can Make

How to Make a Salt Dough Handprint and Footprint Heart Keepsake

These adorable hand and foot salt dough pumpkin keepsakes on Parker’s Mommy inspired our handprint and footprint heart keepsake.

Related: Four Season Handprint and Fingerprint Tree

Salt Dough Heart Keepsake Supplies

• Flour
• Salt
• Hot water
• Acrylic Paint
• Paint Brushes
• Mod Podge
• Old towel
• Your child’s hand and foot

Related: Shell Frames with Handprint Keepsake Gift

Handprint and Footprint Heart Kitchen Supplies

• Measuring Cups
• Mixing Bowl
• Mixing Spoon
• Cookie Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Cooling Rack
• Straw or Chopstick (optional)

Related: Handmade Gifts Kids Can Make

Salt Dough Recipe

The recipe below was enough to make the two large hearts like the ones pictured above with a little left over to make another small cookie cutter heart.

• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups of water

Related: DIY Keepsake Gifts for Him and Her

How to Make Salt Dough

1. Mix salt and flour in a mixing bowl.
2. Slowly add hot water. (You may not need it all.)
3. Mix flour and water together and knead until it is the consistency of play dough.

Related: DIY Heart Votive Candle Holder

How to Make Handprint and Footprint Heart

1. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet.
2. Use salt dough to form 2 large hearts onto the parchment paper and cookie sheet. (Kids love to help with this.)
3. Lay an old towel down on the floor and place the cookie sheet with hearts on it. Have your child sit on the towel on the floor facing the cookie sheet so you can help make the footprint in the salt dough heart. Repeat as needed. (Tip: dip your child’s foot and hand in flour first to make sure it doesn’t stick when you press it into the salt dough.)
4. Use the opposite hand to make handprints.
5. (Optional) Use a straw or chopstick to create a single hole in the middle of the heart in order to hang it.
6. Allow handprint and footprint heart to air dry overnight.
7. Bake at 200 F for about 3 hours in the oven. Take them out if they start to brown. They may need a bit longer than 3 hours depending on size and thickness.
8. Place heart keepsake on a cooling rack and allow to cool overnight.

Related: Slow Falling Heart Sensory Bottle

Paint Heart Keepsake Gift

1. Paint the handprint and footprint keepsake any color you like. Make sure they are completely dry before painting. Kids love to help with this!
2. Don’t forget to write your child name and date on the front or back along with any personal message or poem that you would like to include.

Handmade gifts are always a hit with friends and family. Salt dough hand and foot heart keepsake make a great gift idea for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, birthday’s or any other occasion.

Don’t forget to check out our Gift Guide with DIY and Readymade Ideas for the Whole Family!

You may also like:

• Slow Falling Heart Sensory Bottle
• Valentine Watercolor Word Hunt
• Heart Prism & Pony Bead Suncatcher
• You + Me = Love DIY Keepsake Gift
• DIY Heart with Celtic Knot Keepsake Box