# Sandpaper Crayon Transfer Heart T-Shirt
> Kids color a heart hard onto fine sandpaper with crayons. An adult then irons it face-down onto a plain t-shirt to transfer the design. It makes a sweet wearable Valentine or a gift for grandparents.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/valentine-art-crayon-transfer-art-project/
- Ages: 3–8 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: low
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 1 kids
- Skills: fine-motor, art, drawing, cause-and-effect

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 sheet Fine sandpaper
- Good quality crayons
- 1 piece Plain t-shirt
- 1 piece Piece of cardboard (household)
- 1 sheet Paper towel (household)
- 1 piece Iron (household)
- 1 piece Heart outline or template (optional) (household)

## Safety
- Adult does all the ironing. The iron, the sandpaper and the melted crayon get hot, so keep kids' hands away until everything has cooled.
- Keep a paper towel between the iron and the sandpaper so crayon wax doesn't touch the iron.
- Use fine sandpaper only, as the author says. Coarse sandpaper is rough on little hands.
- Supervise young children with crayons and keep the iron cord out of reach.

## Before you start
- Wash and iron each t-shirt.
- Optional: cut a heart outline or template to trace so the heart comes out neat.

## Steps
1. On the fine sandpaper, draw a heart (or 2) or any outline you like.
2. Color it in with crayons, pressing down hard.
3. Slide a piece of cardboard inside the t-shirt to prevent creases.
4. Flip the sandpaper over and place it crayon-side down on the t-shirt.
5. Adult: lay a paper towel on top and iron over it.
6. Adult: take a quick peek to see if the crayon has transferred. Keep ironing until you are happy with it.
7. Let it cool, then lift off the sandpaper to show the heart on the shirt.

## Tips
- The crayons do get worn down when you color on sandpaper, but the coloring process seems so therapeutic!
- I totally winged this one. It will turn out much better if you center the heart, use an outline, and wash and iron the t-shirt first.
- Coloring the heart was a collaborative effort. Kids and adults can color it together.
- Plain tees are available at the dollar store.
- To keep the colors, I'd hand wash it separately and hand dry it.
- Readers loved how simple and mess-free it is as a way to print on a t-shirt. (from readers)

## FAQ
**How does it hold up after washing?** The author hadn't run it through a wash cycle yet. She suggests hand washing it separately and hand drying it to keep the colors.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2014)

This [**Valentine Art**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/holidays/valentines-day-holidays/) is something we love to do all the time. This time we transferred the art to a t-shirt. I'm talking about sand paper and crayons! Now, the crayons do get worn down when you are coloring with them on sand paper, but the coloring process seems so therapeutic! Materials

- Fine Sand Paper ( do NOT get the coarse)
- Good quality crayons
- Plain t-shirt

I totally winged this project and did not measure or use a heart outline. It definitely will turn out much better if you center the heart, use an outline and ooh and even wash and iron the t-shirt you are working on ha! Scroll down and you will know what I'm talking about. On a fine sand paper, draw a heart ( or 2) or any outline you like and color it in while pressing down the crayons hard. This was a collaborative effort!



Use a t-shirt your child wants (or very cutely demands) to have a nice big heart on. My 3 year old chose one of her existing shirts even though we bought a new one for the project {a black one } { Plain tees are available at the dollar store}



Insert a cardboard inside the t-shirt to prevent creases. { Unlike me iron your t-shirt!}



Reverse the sand paper and place it on the tee-shirt



Place a paper towel on top and iron.



Take a quick peek to see if the crayon has transferred and keep ironing until you are satisfied with the crayon transfer.



I think this makes for a FUN Valentine's day gift - for your kids or the kids can make presents for grandparents with a nice big " We love Grandma"

My 3 year old totally loves her t-shirt and I have to run out again to get a white t-shirt to make one for big sister. Suddenly black t-shirt doesn't look appealing anymore!

Thanks for reading

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