There’s something extra special about a craft made with a child’s own two hands. This adorable handprint apple hug turns little palms into a pair of smiling apples – one red, one green – complete with googly eyes, cheerful grins, and a ribbon to hang them up with pride. It’s the perfect keepsake for fall, back-to-school season, or any time you want to say “I love you” in the sweetest way possible.
The best part? The two handprint apples hang side by side from a charming gingham ribbon, with the phrase “Love you bushels and bushels” displayed right across the top. It’s a gift that grandparents, parents, and teachers will treasure for years. Let’s make one together!
Craft Supplies:
- Red and green construction paper or cardstock (one sheet of each)
- Scissors
- Pencil (for tracing hands)
- Brown paper scraps (for the stems)
- Small green paper scraps (for the leaves)
- 2 pairs of googly eyes
- Black marker or fine-tip pen (for the smiles)
- Glue stick or craft glue
- Stapler
- Craft ribbon (about 12–16 inches)
- A strip of white paper or cardstock (for the banner)
Directions:
- Trace and cut the handprints. Trace one hand on the red paper and one hand on the green paper. Cut them out carefully. These are your apple bodies.
- Cut out the stems and leaves. From your brown paper scraps, cut two small rectangular stems. From green scraps, cut two small leaf shapes. Set them aside.
- Glue on the stems and leaves. Apply glue to the bottom of each stem and press it onto the top center of each handprint, fingers pointing down. Glue a leaf next to each stem at a slight angle so it pokes out cheerfully to one side.
- Add the googly eyes. Glue two googly eyes onto each handprint apple, roughly in the center of the palm area. Press down firmly and let them set.
- Draw the smiles. Use your black marker to draw a simple curved smile below the eyes on each apple. Keep it friendly and fun – a basic arc works perfectly.
- Prepare the banner strip. Cut a strip of white paper long enough to span the width of your ribbon. Write “Love you bushels and bushels” across it in your best handwriting, then glue or tape it across the center of the ribbon.
- Attach the apples to the ribbon. Use your stapler to “secure” the handprint cutouts to the ribbon. The green apple goes on the left, the red apple on the right.
- Sign and date it. Flip the apples over and write your child’s name and the date on the back. This little detail makes it an even more meaningful keepsake.
More Apple-Hug Phrases to Personalize Your Craft:
Want to swap out the saying? Any of these sweet phrases look beautiful on the banner strip:
- I love you to the core
- You’re the apple of my eye
- A great big apple hug for you
- This little apple hug holds big love
- You’re sweet to the core
- Picked just for you
- Love grows here
- You’re apple-solutely loved
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Whichever phrase you choose, this little “apple hug” keepsake is so much more than a craft. It’s a snapshot of a moment in time – tiny hands, big love, and a whole lot of heart poured into two palm-sized apples. Years from now, when those little hands are not so little anymore, this is the kind of thing you’ll pull out of a memory box and smile over.
That’s the magic of handprint crafts. They’re simple to make, but they carry so much meaning. A child’s handprint captures exactly how small they are right now – and that’s something worth preserving.
So whether you’re making this as a gift for a grandparent who lives across the country, a teacher who deserves a little appreciation, or just as a fun fall afternoon activity, know that it will be treasured. Frame it, hang it on a doorknob, tuck it into a card – however it’s given, it’s the kind of gift that never gets old.
Happy making, and happy hugging – bushels and bushels of both!
