There are some toddler crafts that are just meant for fun, learning and making a mess. But as a parent, you’d like to keep some of those treasured mementos and put them in a keepsake box for your child’s future. When your child was an infant, you may have made keepsakes such as plaster hand-prints, but once your little one’s old enough to create, it’s nice to keep some of his or her own artwork!
Preserving a toddler craft is easy depending on what medium of art supplies your child has used. A creation made of Moon Sand won’t hold up well, for example – but you can have your child mold a clay object and fire it in a kiln with a protective glaze to keep it forever.
Your child’s toddler craft keepsake will be a treasured item that gets passed down. Make sure you put your little one’s name, age and date on it. You may also want to include a picture of your child making the craft as well as a story about the experience.
Toddler craft keepsakes make great gifts, too! Grandparents will love a homemade present created out of love much more than a store-bought item. Give your child paints, paper, and various sized brushes and let him or her create a picture that you frame along with a picture of your child for one of your loved ones.
Dioramas make good keepsakes, too. You can have your child combine his or her artistic talents with some favorite childhood mementos and put it all in a frame together. This gives it a 3D effect and it will be treasured by your children when they grow up.
Another idea is to take pictures of some of your child’s art work and use a service like Kodak or Snapfish online to make a photoalbum of the special pictures. This can be cherished for years. It also takes up a lot less room!!
What kinds of things have you saved from your child? Do you have any creative ways of preserving them?



















9 Comments
We made hand and feet impressions when our two year old was five weeks. In plaster of paris, we made the impressions, then baked it, then painted it, and other stuff, and baked again. We then put it in a frame. Now when sees it just about every day, and she has to measure her hands and feet. It’s lovely
(BTW saw you on 31 day challenge)
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Robert- that is wonderful! My children also love to see their hand prints from when they were a baby. I actually have my own from when I was 5 and my kids got a big kick out of it.
Thanks for stopping by!
With limited storage space and the knowledge that so many kids grow up to live in even smaller spaces and haven’t got the extra cash on hand to rent a storage unit, I reluctantly endorse the “scrapbook method” of preserving some of these creative projects. Unless they are in excellent condition and fairly sturdy, it’s just heartbreaking to see them crumble or to hang onto them for twenty years, only to chuck them in a move. A few precious samples ought to be kept, if at all possible – but it’s just not realistic to save everything. If we remember to record it in a photo and memorialize it in a special scrapbook, it may be less painful to let go.
Then again, beware thirty years down the road when your grandchild asks, “What happened to that clay pot Mom made? The one in that scrapbook? Do you still have it? Can I see?” *sigh*
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Onna – I don’t think they had Plaster or Paris when I was 5. LOL
Robert Bravery’s last blog post..Is outbound linking worthwhile? Does it add to PageRank?
Seriously, Robert? Cool, I’ve met a vampire! (Plaster of Paris was used in the 1600s.) Didn’t you ever get to stick your tiny hand into a plate of white, sort of chalky goo, then paint the resultant indentation and hand it proudly to your mom? You’re deprived, man. Deprived.
Holly Jahangiri’s last blog post..Relay for Life
I try to do hand print items for Christmas gifts for the grandmas each year. They love it and I don’t have to worry about them wanting to return it. By the way, I tagged you on my blog.
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I love the crafts my kids have made as toddlers. However I struggle with wanting to keep it ALL!
An idea I have read, but have not done (!), it to cut up some of the excess paintings, and use a small portion attached to a blank card to make a card for grandparents or to frame. A trendy card and none of the guilt of not keeping the entire collection of art!
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Holly-I agree, that is why I like to keep a few special items. Although I want to keep them ALL!! I like to take digital pictures of them and put them in an album for safe keeping.
Michelle, What a great idea! I know my parents love things made by my kids! It also teaches the kids about giving presents!
JanMary-What a great card idea!! thanks for sharing it!! I struggle with throwing any of my kids work out too!!
I LOVE all the craft ideas you have on your site. And as for my son’s projects…well, I have dozens and dozens and It is so hard what to decide to keep and what can be displayed on the fridge and thrown away!!!
But…Im a scrapbooker…so I scan most of em in the computer and make him a keepsake book. Then I save the real special artwork and file it away so I can give him all of his memorabilia when he graduates from high-school!
Thanks for the follow btw…I really appreciate it!
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