The 7 Best Baby Imprint Kits
This wiki has been updated 30 times since it was first published in December of 2016. Since babies grow so fast, one of the nicest keepsakes for new parents is a foot or hand print of their little one. These imprint kits make it easy to produce either and are available with decorative flourishes that create a great display piece. They are ideal shower gifts, make good conversation pieces, and are at home with any type of decor, whether in the nursery or the living room. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Little Hippo Frame
2. Ola Boutique Set
3. Casting Keepsakes Proud Baby
Editor's Notes
October 11, 2019:
I think that most parents will agree that, the best baby imprint kits are the ones that are easy to use. Most of the selections on this list don't require any mixing or baking and the most challenging aspect of the whole process is getting the baby to stay still long enough to get a good impression. (Hint, try getting an imprint while baby is sleeping)
The Ola Boutique Set starts with an imprint that is then made into a 3-D cast. It requires a few more steps for more ambitious parents, but the directions are good and if they're followed carefully you'll get a great result.
We included the Tiny Ideas Ornament even though some users don't like that the clay dries soft and feel that it won't last. This is intentional on the part of the maker, as they wanted to make the keepsake less likely to break if it falls off the Christmas tree.
Special Honors
Tower of Time This stack of five tins of increasing size are a fun way to chart the growth of your child's first five years. They're made in pink, blue, or a multi-colored option. You can display the current year's hand print or keep them all protected with their lids on. babysakes.com
4. Tiny Ideas Ornament
5. Little Hippo Keepsake
6. Bubzi Co Frame
7. Pearhead Babyprint
Tips For Getting The Perfect Imprint
Have a firm surface handy to put the clay, paper, or other imprint medium on top of, like a clipboard.
Babies aren't really known for taking direction, so when it's time to make an imprint for your kit, you may struggle to get your little one to cooperate. But there are things you can do to help the process along. So pick up your munchkin, give her a hug (which, by the way, is good for her brain development), and carry her to an area where cleaning up after the fact will be easy. A kitchen or bathroom tub is ideal. You should also enlist the aid of a helper, like the other parent or an older sibling. One person can be in charge of making the actual imprint, while the other can wipe the newborn's foot or hand the moment it's done, before he has a chance to wiggle around and get clay or ink everywhere.
Do what you can to keep your baby comfortable and happy throughout the process — this will keep the squirming to a minimum. Don't become frustrated and frown if your little one won't stay still because some studies show that babies focus longer on smiling faces. If you remain calm, most likely your little cutie pie will too. Have a firm surface handy to put the clay, paper, or other imprint medium on top of, like a clipboard. Hold your baby's foot by the ankle, placing your thumb on the top and the rest of the fingers wrapping around the bottom. Gripping the foot firmly will help keep your munchkin from kicking and wiggling.
Once you're reading to imprint, start by putting his heel on the clay or ink, and rolling the foot forward. The toes should be the last things to touch the printing material. Once you're done, swiftly lift up the foot so as not to smudge your print, and repeat the process on the other side. The hands should be done in the same manner, starting at the palm and finishing with the fingers. Don't worry if is isn't perfect: you'll love the print, and the memory of creating it, no matter what.
Creative Ways To Use Your Baby's Prints
If you happen to choose an ink kit, then you can make copies of the original print, and use it for all sorts of creative crafts. You could even have custom wallpaper made from the image, and cover one wall in the nursery with it. When you complete the look with the perfect furniture, crib, and bedding set, you'll have the most picturesque room for your bundle of joy. You can use the print to decorate other areas of the home, too, like putting it on stepping stones in the garden, or potholders for indoor plants. You could also frame the image and put it in the living room as wall art. I think any parent can agree that's more priceless than the most expensive painting in the world.
These prints can make a lovable and quirky addition to your stationery and correspondence, too.
These prints can make a lovable and quirky addition to your stationery and correspondence, too. Make personalized cards for friends and family. Don't forget to give a print to the grandparents — they are a very important relationship for your child. Naturally, when you send out those birth announcements, the little print is the perfect thing to put on the front of the card, with a photo of your tiny miracle inside. And later, when it's time to plan your little one's first birthday party, you can put the foot or hand print on the invitations.
You can also take the print to a graphic design shop and have them to put it on a coffee mug. There will be no question you are a proud parent when you walk around the office with it. Adding it to a set of plates is another neat idea, and you might as well make two so you can give one to your child as a housewarming gift when they move out on their own. The possibilities for creative ways to integrate this special image into your life are nearly endless.
Other Adorable Baby Keepsakes
Babies grow up so fast, so you'll want all the tools and accessories possible to capture and commemorate this special time in their lives. It all starts with the receiving blanket — this is possibly the first thing you'll ever give your little one. These cozy wraps welcome your newborn into the world and are there for him in his first moments of life. The receiving blanket is something that you'll want to keep forever, and even pass down to your child when he grows up and has his own baby. Designed to be super soft and stretchy, they'll help you swaddle your little one into the perfect little cocoon.
When your child is grown, you'll be so happy that you took the time to create these souvenirs.
Even though you'd like to keep every item that touches your cutie pie, that just wouldn't be practical for space reasons. That's why small mementos are the best, like baby hats. For some reason, every hat is the cutest thing you've ever seen once it's shrunk down to baby size, from beanies and floppy sun hats to paperboy hats and even warm ushankas. It's hard not to make goo-goo ga-ga noises at your munchkin when you see him in these — but that's okay because it's actually good for your little one when you talk to him in parentese.
Once you've taken the thousands of photos you'll inevitably snap of your infant in his swaddling blanket and other darling accessories, you'll need somewhere to store your pictures. There are some wonderful baby books that not only let you safely tuck away these memories, but also offer fun ways to organize and commemorate the images. Many have lines where you can write about the food cravings and other quirky details from the time of the pregnancy, as well as pockets for things like the hospital bracelet and first lock of hair. When your child is grown, you'll be so happy that you took the time to create these souvenirs.
Tina Morna Freitas is a writer who lives in Chicago with her family and three cats. She has a B.A. in anthropology with a minor in English, and has built a freelance career over the years in writing and digital marketing. Her passions for cooking, decorating and home improvement contribute to her extensive knowledge of all things kitchen and home goods. In addition, her 20 years as a parent inform her expertise in the endless stream of toys and equipment that inevitably takes over the homes of most parents. She also enjoys gardening, making and sipping margaritas, and aspires to be a crazy cat lady once all the children are grown.