Baby Safe Paints For Footprints & Handprints To Make Memories

Last Updated on March 18, 2024 by Masha Eretnova

As a new parent, you want to capture every precious moment with your little one, including their tiny handprints and footprints. However, using regular paint can be harmful to your baby’s sensitive skin.

This is where baby safe best paint for baby footprints and handprints comes in.

Baby-safe paint for handprints should be a non-toxic and washable paint that is specially formulated to be gentle on your baby’s delicate skin and surroundings you’ll have to clean 🙂

You want a paint that is easy to apply and dries quickly but also has vibrant colors that will stand the test of time.

After researching and testing various baby-safe paints for hand prints, I have identified the top products that meet these criteria and are sure to provide you with a safe and enjoyable experience creating lasting memories with your little one.

This article contains affiliate links. It means no extra cost for you but a little commission (2-3%) for me to support my hobby and blog. Thank you!

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What kind of paint is safe for baby skin?

Some popular non-toxic paint options for babies’ skin include washable tempera paints, finger paint, poster paint, vegan natural paint, and watercolor paints (for older kids).

Look for paints that are labeled as “non-toxic”, baby-safe, and “washable”.

Water-based paints are generally a good option as they are easy to clean up and less likely to cause skin irritation.

There are two main types of baby-safe paint on the market:

• paint like washable paint or finger paint – better for 3+ children
• ink pads with liquid or powder ink – better for prints for babies under 12-18 mo.

I would say that ink pads are better as they are practically mess-free, there is no paint to be spilled, thrown around, eaten or used on your fresh wallpapers 🙂

But at the same time, they are prone to drying out and be one-time use only.

I’d say ink pads are best for babies under 18 months.

The paint, usually finger paint, comes in tubes and is more expensive, but you can use it a few times and it is better for babies 2-3+ years.

Why regular paint won’t work?

One of the most popular paints, acrylic paint, or oil paints or just any professional paint cannot be used for baby prints or footprint crafts for a few reasons.

• it is not completely safe for the skin, your gentle baby can have some allergic reactions.
• paints like acrylics or oils can have heavy metal elements and toxins.
• some craft paints don’t dissolve the composition at all.
• even non-toxic acrylic paint – as it is certified as non-toxic only for use on painting surfaces and not skin

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Here is the the list of Top 5 Paints for Footprints/Handprints

1. Homemade Finger Paint with flour and food coloring
2. KeaBabies Baby Hand and Footprint Kit – best paint for footprints and handprints for newborn kit
3. KeaBabies Inkless Hand and Footprint Kit – Best ink pad for baby footprints and handprints
4. Crayola Washable Kids Paint – best budget option
5. Veggie Baby Finger Paints – the most natural and eco-friendly paint for baby prints

Tip: With paints, you can squeeze a small amount into a paper plate and use it as an “ink pad” for the child’s hands.

DIY Baby finger paint – safest paint option

The safest and eaiest way to make baby footprints is to make your own homemade paint. Cheap and fun.

Plus, the paint ends up being edible! If you buy vegan paint from the store it will be around $35 while making it a home will practically cost you nothing as you most likely have all the ingredients already.

You need:

• food coloring
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of cold water
• salt

There are also recipes with cornstarch, fruit puree and other things you can find at home.

You normally mix it all, sometimes heat up, for ex when it is flour and water, and then add food coloring.

You only need a few (like 3) drops of food coloring per small paint container.

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KeaBabies Baby Hand and Footprint Kit

This is one of the best products for anyone looking to create a personalized ornament with their newborn baby’s hand or footprints. I highly recommend it!

It creates just an amazing memory piece.

Pros

• The kit comes with everything you need to create the ornament, including clay, gold paint, a paint brush, and a name/date printing kit.
• The plastic O-ring is the perfect size for capturing your baby’s hand or footprints.
• The food-grade clay is safe for your baby.
• It can be super customizable: there are 10 colors available, 5 shapes, you can imprint baby’s name and choose one of the 6 colors of ribons.

Cons

• The clay can be a bit difficult to work with at first, but with a little patience, you’ll get the hang of it.
• The gold paint is a bit thin, so you may need to apply multiple coats to get the desired effect.
• The ornament is a bit heavy, so it may not be suitable for use as a Christmas tree ornament if you have small tree.
• It can take more than said 4 days to dry.

To better spread the clay use something flat and heavy like a book to flatten it in the mold.

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Jar Melo Safe Finger Paints

oeral score 4.5, around $24

Jar Melo’s Safe Finger Paints are definitely worth considering for kids 2+ years old. Parents rate it high for the value and also purchase it often as a gift.

Pros

• The non-toxic and washable formula makes it safe for kids to use.
• Works not just for prints but for fun finger painting!
• You get normal size paint tubes and 10 colors.
• The sturdy barrel packaging makes it easy to carry and store, and can also be a fantastic gift for any occasion. And easy to encorouge your child to clean up after the painting session.

Cons

• The paint may leave an oily residue that stains after it dries.
• The colors can be pretty opaque or “watered down”.
• Perforated fabric and wood can be penetrated by paint, so they may not be easily washed.
• Finally, price. Compared to ink pads or regular paint sets these paint is quite pricey.
• As it is real paint, be prepared for some cleaning 🙂

THe colors are so bright and the tubes and packaging is so kids- oriented that they simply loooove it.

The only downside some parents noticed is that the paint may leave an oily residue that stains after it dries on fabric or wood so be careful with those surfaces.

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Mr. Pen Washable Kids Paint

Overall score on Amazon 4.7, around $8

These washable paints are technically just overall safe paints for kids, for painting or making prints. So if you buy them they can be reused for painting.

Good investment.

Pros

• The package includes 6 high-pigmented colors (gree, blue, red, purple, yellow, orange) for prints, painting, dabbing, dotting, and doodling. Work on many surfaces, including painting Halloween pumpkins!
• Mr. Pen Washable Kids Paints are acid-free, non-toxic, and eco-friendly, making them safe for your kids to use.
• Even if your kids get these paints all over their little hands, they wash off immediately.
• Amazing price – under $10, it is very affordable.

Cons

• The paints are not as vibrant as some other brands on the market.
• The paint may dry out quickly if the cap is not secured tightly.

I would definitely recommend Mr. Pen Washable Kids Paint for parents looking for a safe and fun way to introduce their children to painting.

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Veggie Baby Finger Paints – Most eco-friendly and natural choice

Overal score 4.3, around $25

For parents looking for something more natural – I can recommend these organic baby-safe finger paints. There is no safer paints – these are even edible!

Each color is made from natural ingredients – vegetables and flowers – potato starch, corn starch, psyllium husk, beet, turmeric, spinach, spirulina, and hibiscus.

They come in natural powder that you can mix up with water (1:2) and you good to go!

Pros

• Made with natural, organic veggies
• Allergen-free (No Wheat, Dairy, Sugar, Nuts, Preservatives or Gluten)
• Comes in 5 colors: Purple, Green, Yellow, Orange & Pink
• Completely edible paint and non-toxic, eco-friendly
• Inspires creative play
• They are much cheaper than Earth Paints (another popular organic paint brand)

Cons

• Can be too messy as you need to prepare your paints.
• Colors may not be as vibrant as traditional paints
• Some users may not like the smell
• For babies older than 6 months

I think as a planet, as a whole we often forget that there is so much in nature that we can use and I cannot think of a better way to introduce your little ones to both the concepts of eco-friendliness, abundance in nature, and well, simply do their prints the safest way possible.

Read more: 15 Best Eco-friendly Alternatives to Acrylic Paint

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Crayola Washable Kids Paint

Around $5 – cheapest on the list!

Crayola is a very reliable brand and if you don’t want to spend a lot of time on research just get these washable paints.

They are safe for all sorts of painting kids may want to do, including prints but not limiting to it, which makes it a multi-purpose paint set for only $5!

Pros

• The set includes six bold, vibrant colors that are perfect for creating kids projects and keeping a stock of craft supplies – Yellow, Green, Yellow Orange, Red Orange, Fuchsia, Teal, and Blue Violet. I love Teal and VIolet the most.
• The paint is washable from skin and clothing, making clean-up a breeze.
• The smooth, creamy color easily blends to create even more hues, and resealable caps ensure the paint stays brand new.

Cons

• The pots are quite small and sometimes tricky to close and open but honestly for the price the product is amazing
• For kids 3y.o+
• While it is marketed as washable if you let it dry fully on fabrics it may be more challenging to wash off.

Ultimately, I think very parent looks for something affordable, fun for kids and easy to clean for us. 6 paints for $5 to make a few adorable prints?

I’m not sure there is a better offer in terms of value for money.

And I know that many parents buy this set repeatedly!

You can safely buy crayola finger paint as well, it will work great for baby handprint art.

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INK PADS

KeaBabies Inkless Hand and Footprint Kit – Best ink pad for baby’s footprints and handprints

Overal score on Amazon 4.5, around $11

If you want to create beautiful hand and footprint art of your baby without the mess of ink and you want to keep it minimalistic and monochromatic black, this simple kit will work for you.

Pros

• The clean touch* ink pads are mess-free and leave no residue on your baby’s skin. It is not liquid ink so there will be no drips, it is powder-based paint that makes the process super easy.
• The ink and film used are of premium quality, ensuring that every detail of your baby’s hand and feet imprints will turn out looking perfect
• The kit comes with 12 art cards (250GSM), allowing you to stamp multiple hand, foot or paw prints
• Tested and approved by more than 4500 parents (including pet parents)

Cons

• The plastic holder for the ink pads should be created to hold the card stock in place so when you stamp the foot it will stay put
• The cards and stamp pads are relatively small, so they may not be suitable for older kids – Ink window: 3.1” x 4.9” (12.4 x 7.9cm)
• The ink pad is only suitable for paper-based baby keepsakes, so you won’t be able to use it on other surfaces like ceramics or fabric

Overall, I think it is one of the best ink pads for baby prints on the market considering all of them are in the same price range and cheaper than bigger paint tubes.

*FYI – inkless print kit is when there is no liquid ink, also called clean touch ink.

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Magic Inkless wipes

On Amazon UK I’ve seen these inkless wipes for newborns.

I’m not sure how they work but they are the ultimate mess-free option as there is no ink – not liquid, not powder – none.

You just get a magic wipe and paper pads. You wipe baby’s feet or hands, press onto paper and voila!

Pros

• don’t have to stress about mess
• don’t have to worry if this is another pad where the ink area is too small – genius!

Cons

• only 3 colors available – Black, Blue or Pink.
• It becomes visible fully after around 15 min so for this time you can freak out a little bit.
• There is only one wipe in the kit and it dries very quick so you have to act fast otherwise you have no second chance 🙁
• As the wipe is quite transparent it is hard to know if you covered the feet or hands well enough until you actually press it on paper.

Overall, I think it is a genuis idea but need some more work.

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NOVO Baby Footprint & Handprint Photo Frame Kit

For those parents who look for a bit more creative way to frame foorprints this set is super cute!

You have a nice 17 x 7-inch wooden frame where you can also add picture of you baby.

Pros

• The frame is made of high-quality wood and comes with non-toxic white paint and a tray to facilitate the impression.
• The kit is easy to use and comes with clear instructions.
• This makes for a great gift for new parents or grandparents.
• very unique and stylish

Cons

• Some customers have reported issues with the clasps that hold the photo in place being broken on arrival.
• There are no instructions on how to do the prints, although it is easy to figure out.
• The kit only comes with white paint, so if you want to use a different color, you will need to purchase it separately.

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Buying Guide

When choosing the best baby-safe paint for handprints, there are a few key features to consider.

As a parent, you want to ensure that the paint is safe for your child to use and won’t cause any harm to their skin or health.

Here are some factors to keep in mind when making your purchase:

Ingredients

It’s important to look for paints that are made with non-toxic and safe ingredients.

Avoid products that contain harmful chemicals such as lead, phthalates, and formaldehyde.

Look for paints that are labeled as “baby safe” or “non-toxic” to ensure that they are safe for your child to use.

It is important that it is not just non-toxic but specifically skin safe.

For ex., regular acrylic paint is labeled non-tocix but it is not safe for skin. It is non-toxic for painting only.

Washability

Let’s face it, babies and toddlers can be messy!

When choosing a paint, consider how easy it is to clean up. Best read the reviews, a mom would always mention if it stained a carpet or clothes.

Look for paints that are washable and can be easily removed from skin, clothing, and surfaces. This will save you time and hassle when it comes to cleaning up after your child’s art projects.

Color Options

When it comes to baby’s handprints, color options are important.

Look for a paint set that offers a variety of colors to choose from. This will give your child more creative freedom and allow them to express themselves through their artwork.

Most kits come with a few basic colors but sometimes they aren’t bright enough.

Application

Consider the ease of application when choosing a paint.

Look for paints that are easy to apply and have a smooth texture.

This will make it easier for your child to create their handprints and other artwork without getting frustrated.

For ex., ink pads can be easier and less messy, but at the same time challenging if the baby doesn’t want to flatten the hand.

In this case a brush or roller would be better choice.

Packaging

Lastly, consider the packaging of the paint set. Look for products that come in a convenient and easy-to-use container.

This will make it easier for your child to access the paint and for you to store it when not in use.

My favorite package is with these paints.

How to seal and preserve baby prints?

The easiest way is to place the paper with the print under glass and frame it nicely.

THere are kits available online or you can use any frame, and even add your pregnancy test there, a few photos or prints of other family members including your pets.

Another budget-friendly option is Mod Podge – it is a liquid, glue-based sealant you can apply with a brush over dried baby handprint art.

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FAQ

Final Word

My best friend has become a mother 2 years ago and yet it still feels like yeaterday. I now understand how important it is for you to remember every special moment with our little ones.

Even being an auntie – I can feel like it is my most important mission!

With babies the time flies! They grow faster then we can comprehend or than we agree on haha!

One of the most cherished memories can be the first handprint or footprint, framed 🙂 Or it can be a perfect gift for mother’s or father’s day, or first Christmas together.

Last update on 2024-05-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API