Making resin keychains for kids is a fun and simple epoxy resin activity. This is a DIY you can try with your teens as they would love to use keychains that they create themselves.
I have kids of age groups between 5 years to 14 years in the family. And when I told them about my next resin project they all came up with their demands for a keychain shape. I loved creating the dolphin-shaped and bear-shaped resin keychains for the younger ones, and the zodiac keychains for older kids. I made a dolphin keychain for myself too and personalized it as well.
If you have been looking for a DIY to do with your young adult, making epoxy resin keychains is the one to go for. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
Epoxy Resin Safety Measures
Before every epoxy resin project, I like to share the epoxy resin safety measures for beginners. It is always a good idea to understand the medium you are going to work with.
Epoxy Resin is a chemical that comes in two components, namely, Resin (part A) and Hardener (part B). When the two components are mixed together a chemical reaction takes place. This is when we pour the resin and hardener mixture to create the desired project.
Though it is safe to work with resin yet some precautions are necessary as epoxy resin emit fumes that are not good for health. And if it comes in contact with skin, it can cause rashes, itching or other skin problems. So, here are the safety measures one should keep in mind before you start working with epoxy resin.
| Always work in a well-ventilated area. |
| Have a separate room/area in the house to work with epoxy resin. |
| Epoxy resin isn’t kids friendly. Make sure the kids stay out of your work area. |
| Wear safety glasses, mask and Nitrile/latex gloves. |
| Wash your eyes thoroughly if resin comes in direct contact with your eyes. |
| Wear an apron that protects your clothes from any spillage. |
| Do not work outside as dust particles can stick to the resin and are not easy to remove. |
| Epoxy resin is a chemical and emits harmful fumes and cheap quality resin has a pungent smell. |
| Epoxy resin can get messy. So always cover your work area with three layers of newspaper and a plastic sheet on top of it. Or any old bed sheet that’s readily available at home. |
For more information on Epoxy Resin Do’s and Don’ts check out my blog.
Supplies Required For Making Resin Keychains For Kids
Listed below are all the supplies you will need to collect before you begin making resin keychains for kids.
| Epoxy Resin |
| Pigments |
| Disposable Ice-Cream Sticks |
| Disposable Plastic Cups |
| Plastic Sheet to Cover the Work Area |
| Keychain Rings |
| Electronic Digital Weighing Scale |
With all our supplies ready, it is time to get started on making resin keychains for kids.
Get All Supplies To Your Work Area
I always insist on gathering all your supplies to the work area. Resin is a medium that has a limited work time. So, when working with resin for any project make sure you have everything that you need in your work area.
Wear The Essential Gears
If you work regularly with resin you would know this medium is not to be messed with. As the resin emits harmful fumes it is advisable to wear a mask when working with resin. And a pair of latex/Nitrile gloves is another essential that should be worn to save your skin from coming in direct contact with this medium. Though it is not dangerous working with epoxy resin, yet it is not skin-friendly.
Measuring Resin and Hardener
Read the label instructions on your epoxy resin bottle. All resin brands have their own ratio for mixing resin and hardener. So always mix the resin (part A) and hardener (part B) in the ratio mentioned on the label. I am using a 2:1 epoxy. So I have mixed 2 parts of resin and 1 part hardener, and I let it sit for 3 minutes. It allows the bubbles to set in. Stir the mixture using an ice-cream stick. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the cup thoroughly.
Dividing The Mixture
Divide the resin and hardener mixture into three disposable cups.
Adding Pigments to The Mixture
Add the desired pigment to each cup of the resin mixture. Stir the pigment in the mixture so as not to leave any residue. Mix thoroughly, scraping the sides and bottom of the cup. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes.
Casting The Keychain Molds
Pour the clear resin on the keychain silicon mold. Use a hair dryer to pop up the bubbles if any. You can mix two or three colours in the mold when pouring to get your desired results. As in the picture, you can see I have poured metallic blue, white and purple mixed with purple glitter on the silicon mold.
Cover the Silicon Molds and Set Aside to Cure for 24 Hours
Once you finish pouring epoxy resin into the mold, let it sit uncovered for half an hour. Keep a watch for any bubbles. Sometimes bubbles pop up due to lack of air if you cover your work immediately.
After 30 to 40 minutes cover your mold with a net or shoe box. This does not let dust particles or dirt settle on the resin surface. Leave it to sit to cure for 24 hours.
Cured Resin Keychains For Kids
I enjoyed making resin keychains for kids in my family. Check out my YouTube video tutorial and get your DIY resin keychain project started.