Give that special new parent a Mother’s Day present that will last a lifetime by making hand or foot prints from the new baby. Although plaster casting kits are readily available, they can be a bit expensive and more than a little upsetting for infants and small children.

Instead, you can make hand or foot prints yourself with just a few simple supplies. You will need a piece of white or tan paper that is a nice weight and quality, a washable non toxic blue or black ink pad, decorative scissors, a small piece of paper just big enough to hold the baby’s name and birth date, a frame, and a piece of background paper.

If you will be making infant prints, it is usually easier to do feet, since they do not want to uncurl their fingers. Carefully ink one foot and press it to the white or tan paper. Wipe the excess ink from the baby’s foot and then ink the other foot and press it to the paper. Clean the baby’s feet with soap and warm water immediately.

Once you have a clear set of footprints, you can give the print a fancy edge with the decorative scissors. Make sure your finished print is about an inch smaller all around than your background paper.

Now, glue your print to the background paper. Write the infant’s name and birth date on the small piece of paper and center it on the lower portion of the paper below the print. (If you are making prints of an older child’s hands or feet, you probably want to write the child’s name and age on the paper instead.) Frame the finished print.

If you don’t want to make ink prints of a toddler’s hands and feet, you can make a gift similar to a plaster cast using air dry clay. I made my nephew’s hand print using an air dry clay product that I found in the children’s section of the craft store for only a dollar. He would have been more than happy to make a dozen prints.

Just be sure to work the clay a bit to make sure it is very soft so that the child can make an impression without pressing too hard. Use a sharp tool to inscribe the child’s name and age. Make sure you poke a hole in the clay print for easy hanging before it dries. Then, let the print dry for at least 24 hours.

This simple gift will mean a great deal to any loving parent and is the perfect present for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or even birthdays.