Family Fun Blog

Give Dad a gift for Father’s Day that he’s sure to love and use, and have some family fun at the same time while making it.

Personalized crafts from children make perfect gifts for their parents and other people who love them. This year, why not make something that is both useful AND will remind Dad of his kids and keep them close to his heart at the same time.

A perfect project for this is handprinted t-shirts, or other wearables. These are easy and quick to make, and cleanup doesn’t have to be a chore.

First, prewash the garment you intend to use. Don’t use any fabric softener when you dry it (it makes the paint not adhere well). Light colors usually work best, and can take paints in any color. If you want to make a dark-colored article of clothing, you must use bright, strong colors in order for them to stand out. If necessary, iron out any serious wrinkles before you start. It’s usually a good idea to place the garment on cardboard, or slip a piece of cardboard inside, especially if your garment has layers that might bleed though (like t-shirts or socks).

And before you start, you may want to cover the surfaces with newspaper. An outside patio or picnic table is a perfect place to make this craft.

Choose paints made for fabrics, and read the labels for those that dry soft rather than stiff, especially for t-shirts or other things worn close to the skin. This wouldn’t be such an important issue for chef’s aprons, caps, etc. Pour your paint into puddles on Styrofoam plates. Elementary aged children and up can usually do the rest for themselves. Tell them to place their hand flat in the paint, blot it once on the newspaper, and then “stamp” their handprints on the clothing. Infants and toddlers will need help, and parents should place their hand flat in the paint, blot it on the paper pressing gently on each finger, before pressing the painted hand on the clothing. Often the easiest way to do this is to place your hand and fingers just over theirs. Hands should be lifted straight off the garment to prevent smearing.

Usually it is more convenient to do all the “printing” needed in one color before moving on to the next, since hands will have to be washed between colors. Or, each child could have a different color to paint with.

Consider other alternatives to t-shirts too. If Dad would rather have a baseball cap, a tie, a barbecue apron, overalls, or fishing waders, feel free to personalize them instead. It’s all about making a gift that will be used and appreciated, so make whatever is most appropriate.