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Create lasting memories by making sandy beach footprint art with kids! An adorable summer craft that doubles as a cherished keepsake.
With summer here in full swing, it’s time to head out for some sandy fun. But we totally understand if beaches aren’t near you to dip your toes into. If you’re looking for an adorable summer craft to share with your little ones, look no further than beach footprint art. Bonus: no sandy beaches required.
We love handprint art or footprint art as it’s a sweet opportunity to create cherished memories that literally leave a mark. So, grab your (virtual) beach hats, slather on that sunscreen, and let’s make some fun beach footprint art!
What do you need to make beach footprint art?
You’ll need a large enough piece of paper or butcher paper to create a sandy beach scene to lay your footprints on. The most important part is making sure it’s large enough to create the ocean and leave enough for your wee one’s footprints on the sand. This is why we recommend white butcher paper or a piece of white poster board which is inexpensive and easy to find in most arts and crafts stores retail or online.
Why make footprint art with kids?
Other than the obvious in that tiny children’s footprints are super adorable, what’s great about turning them into art is that it captures that one moment of time when they are young.
Each footprint is also as unique as the child, providing a personal touch to the artwork. The process of creating footprint art encourages creativity at a young age.
Making footprint art together is a great opportunity for quality time and creating lasting memories. The shared experience of making art together is wonderful for both parents and child. I always have a blast with my kids and afterward, we love hanging up our art together!
What paint can you for footprint art?
We typically stick to washable paints like tempera or acrylics which is what we used in this art.
Washable paints or water-based paints are non-toxic for kids and easy to wash off.
Sandy Beach Footprint Art – Materials
- Blue, white, brown and golden paint colors (we used acrylic paint)
- Foam brushes, we used a sponge brush for dabbling on the brown paint for the sand but you can easily use sponges too
- Large white piece of poster board, or white butcher paper
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This Beach Footprint Art Is The Cutest Summer Craft For Kids
Materials
- Blue, white, brown and golden paint colors (we used acrylic paint)
- Foam brushes, we used a sponge brush for dabbling on the brown paint for the sand but you can easily use sponges too
- Large white piece of poster board, or white butcher paper
Instructions
1. Paint your ocean in blue, covering about 2/3 of your white canvas. Make a swirly pattern at the bottom.
2. Add some depth to the ocean by dabbing white small streaks across it with lighter shades of blue.
3. Mix white and blue paint to create a lighter color for the wavy section. Paint that area right before the sand hits.
4. Use a sponge or brush to dab on brown paint and give it contrast with some light specks of white or lighter brown if you'd like.
5. Brush golden paint on your child's footprint and leave their painted "footprints on the sand." We used a golden color and wanted to add more contrast between it and the brown-ish sand so dabbled on some tan paint over it which also gave it more dimension.
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Have a beautiful, creative day!
Agnes Hsu is a mom of three and has been inspiring parents and kids to get creative with easy activities and family friendly recipes for over 10 years. She shares her love for creative play and kids food to her 2MM+ followers online. Agnes' commitment to playful learning and kindness has not only raised funds for charity but also earned features in prestigious nationwide publications.