Potato Prints

Potato Prints

Age: Preschool through elementary

Time: 30 minutes or more

Type of activity: Arts and Crafts

Your child will love making her mark -- with her own potato prints.

Materials Needed:
· 3 large baking potatoes
· Tempera paints
· Saucers (to hold paint)
· Paper
· Pens or markers
· Kitchen knife (for parent use only)
· Glitter, sequins, etc. (optional)

What to Do:

Step One: Cut each potato in half width-wise. The raw surface will be used as the stamp for your prints.

Step Two: Your child can draw several shapes (not larger than the diameter of the raw surface) that she'll use for the designs of her stamps. Some good shapes are: star, fish, moon, sun, triangle, smiley face, peace symbol, etc.

Step Three: Cut out the shapes and trace them on the raw surface of the potatoes. Then, use the kitchen knife to carve the background away. (Dont't cut out the shape itself.)

Step Four: Pour various colors of paint into the saucers. Dip the potato stamps into the paint and print them on the paper.

Step Five: Your child can make wrapping paper designs or just have fun printing the shapes on the paper. When the paint is dry, highlight the designs with markers, glitter, or other decorations.

Step Six: After making several sets of prints, you can trim the edges of the potatoes and try carving new shapes until you run out of spuds!