Fun Littles

Fun and easy kids activities

Flip Flop Keepsake Craft

Jul 6, 201330,200 views
Crafts
Ages2–8 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity40 min
Leveleasy
MessLow
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Trace your child's feet on glitter foam sheets, cut them out, and add glitter pipe cleaner straps, pearl beads and foam stickers to make flip-flop keepsakes. Display them as a summer garland or turn them into fridge magnets.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Pearl beads and small foam stickers are choking hazards. Supervise toddlers closely, especially during bead play.
  • Work on a flat, covered surface so runaway beads are easy to spot and pick up.
  • Adult does the cutting and hole punching.
  • Bend or tuck in pipe cleaner ends so the cut tips don't poke little fingers.
  • Keep scraps of magnetic sheet or strip away from young children.

Before the kids arrive

  • Cover the work table so runaway beads are easy to spot.
  • Cut some pipe cleaners in half for toddler-sized feet.

Steps

  1. Have your child stand on a glitter foam sheet, then trace around each foot.

  2. Adult: cut out the foot shapes while the kids trace more feet.

  3. Adult: punch 3 holes in each cut-out for the strap.

  4. Bend a glitter pipe cleaner in half, thread it through the holes to make the strap, and give it a few bends to hold it in place. Use half a pipe cleaner for a toddler-sized foot.

  5. Thread pearl beads onto the pipe cleaner straps. Try making a pattern.

  6. Decorate the flip-flops with foam stickers.

  7. Optional: cut magnetic strips and stick them to the backs to make fridge magnets.

  8. Or hang the flip-flops along a ribbon as a summer garland.

Tips

  • Tracing the feet was the most fun part. The kids got all ticklish and giggled uncontrollably, so expect it to take a while!from the author
  • Have the kids keep tracing while you cut out the shapes.from the author
  • The kids can help bend the pipe cleaner straps into place if they are interested.from the author
  • Not up for beading? My toddler's part was getting her feet traced and doing simple sensory play with the beads: scooping, pouring and feeling them.from the author
  • It was great to watch my 4-year-old use a specific pattern to decorate her own flip-flop keepsake.from the author
  • Our beaded flip-flops ended up too heavy for the magnetic sheets. Save the sheets for photographs and other lightweight items, and use magnetic strips from a big reel instead.from the author
  • A reader made these with her 4-year-old daughter and said they both loved it.from readers

Make it your own

  • Keep it as a mom-tot craft, with the adult doing the beading for younger kids.
  • Turn the flip-flops into fridge magnets with magnetic strips.
  • String them into a seasonal garland for the mantel.
  • Write the season and year on the sole to mark the keepsake (as in the 'Summer 2013' photo).

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · July 2013
trace your kids feet
We started with the most fun step. I drew the shape of their foot on glitter foam sheets, and they got all ticklish and started giggling uncontrollably.
1 / 10

Flip Flop Keepsake Craft: the original post

Many supplies used in this kids craft post was sent to us by Craftprojecctideas. We were not obligated to write the post. As parents we just want to keep your babies, babies for ever. While that’s not possible it is simple to preserve memories by creating keepsakes. For our last Thanksgiving we created a family hand print keepsake wall art. Today we share a simple kids craft that doubles as a cool flip flop keepsake.

  • Glitter Sheets
  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Pearl Beads
  • Foam Stickers
  • Hole Punch
  • Magnetic Sheets(optional)

We started off with the step which was the most fun for the kids. I drew the shape of their foot on glitter foam sheets and they got all ticklish and started giggling uncontrollably. This went on for a while. Once that wore off we continued tracing the feet and I cut them out while they did more tracing.

trace your kids feet I initially intended for this to be a keepsake craft I can do. However my older one was very excited to participate and joined me . She did a couple of her flip-flops and we both did my younger one’s flip-flops. Moving on, what’s next? With the glitter sheets flip-flops cut outs, I punched out 3 holes for the strap. Glitter pipe cleaners are the straps. I bent the sticks in half and used them by itself for the older one’s feet and for the younger one I needed only half a glitter pipe cleaner. With a few bends I got the pipe cleaner to stick in place.

Materials for flip flop kids craft The kids can help with this part f they are interested.

before decorating

The beads we used from craftprojectideas were positively beautiful. They really looked like pearls, a perfect material to make a radiant tiara (another craft for kids). My kids loved playing with beads, just simple sensory play. They scooped, poured and felt the beads. I just made sure we were working on a flat, covered surface so that we will know in case of run away beads. My 4-year-old came over and “threaded” the beads through the pipe cleaners. It was great to watch her use a specific pattern to create and decorate her own flip-flop keepsake. [fine motor activity]. My toddler’s involvement stopped with getting her feet traced and sensory play with the beads. That particular day she was not into any intricate fine motor activities.

kids fine motor

All the flip-flops beaded and ready for display

completed crafts

all flips flops garland You could keep this as is as a mom-tot craft. I wanted to turn into a flip flop keepsake after displaying it for a while. Craftprojectideas sent us this cool magnetic sheet as well. materials for fridge magets diy

I cut out strips and stuck them to the back of the flip flops to turn them into magnets.

stick magnet sheets

Cute little feet on your fridge. My flip flops ended up being heavier because of the beads and the sheets couldn’t handle a few flip flops. The magnetic sheets would be great for photographs and other light weight items. I ended up using the magnetic strips that come in a big reel

crafts for kids turned as magnets But my favorite way to display is to make seasonal garlands for our mantle. We recently made a patriotic splatter painting art project and turned them into a garland.

summer themed kids keepsakes hanging by fireplace

Cute summer Kids Craft?

flip flops crafts

Thanks for reading

What readers say

💬 2 comments ✍️ 1 answered by the author

🎉 Worked for us

Mom and 4-year-old both loved it

A reader made the flip-flop craft with her 4-year-old daughter, and they both enjoyed it and found the results adorable.

“Just did this adorable craft with my 4yo daughter! We both loved it!”
Jenna, Jul 2013

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 2 comments
  1. Jenna · Jul 2013

    Just did this adorable craft with my 4yo daughter! We both loved it! They are the cutest!

  2. TurkeyMomAuthor · Jul 2013 · replying to Jenna

    Aww! So glad that you both enjoyed the craft. We love little feet...

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