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DIY Photo Frame Makes Keepsake Father's Day Gift

Kids can make and personalize this photo frame just for dad

By Laura Miller, publisher of Macaroni KID Appleton-Waupaca-Oshkosh, Wisc. June 1, 2023

Looking for a homemade Father's Day gift that makes a great keepsake?

Your kids will have a lot of fun making this simple DIY photo frame with craft sticks, and he's sure to treasure this simple project for years to come. Kids can include not just an image of themselves, but can also decorate the frame with a few of dad's favorite things.

My kids know their Daddy loves cars, the color blue... and his kids! We found a fun set of puffy stickers my 7-year-old used to decorate his frame in those themes, while my 12-year-old decided to draw them herself. 

If your child isn't up for drawing, there are a wide variety of special interest stickers in the scrapbooking section of most stores, or you could glue on small figurines from model sets, seashells collected on a special trip, or even extra game pieces from your family's favorite game... anything that means something special to dad! 



DIY Father's Day Photo Frame

What you need:

  • Wide craft sticks 
  • Picture of the kid(s)
  • Decorations depicting Dad's favorite things
  • Cardboard
  • Paint and/or markers
  • Hot Glue (hot glue is easiest, but you can use regular glue too! Just leave more time for drying.)

Instructions:

1. Paint the craft sticks in dad's favorite colors, making sure to cover the sides and front. You may need a few coats. Let dry between each coat.

2. Plan the arrangement of the craft sticks and how the picture will fit into the frame. 

3. Cut the cardboard to the size of the picture and glue the picture onto it.

4. To build the frame, we found it easier to glue two opposite sides of the frame to the picture, then we added the other two in order to get the perfect fit.

5. Lay a book or other heavy object over the top to hold the pieces together to dry, if needed.

6. Decorate the frame with the markers or by attaching the stickers or other objects. Let any glue dry.

Want to display your frame? You can easily add a hanger by hot gluing a loop of string on the back. 

Have a happy Father's Day!

Laura Miller is the publisher of Macaroni KID Appleton-Waupaca-Oshkosh, Wisc.



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