Stamp and print making for kids

Safety first

Stay with your child during every print session, and keep paint, stamps and cleaning cloths where a grown-up can see them. Use washable, non-toxic paint made for children, and check the label. Please do not suggest knives, craft blades or scissors to children for this activity. A grown-up should prepare any sponge shapes or cut materials ahead of time, away from the painting table. Keep bottle caps, corks and other small stamps away from children under three, since small pieces can be a choking risk, and never let anyone taste or lick paint. Fallen leaves and stamps are for printing only, so nothing goes in mouths. Check for skin sensitivity before you begin, wash hands well afterwards, and let prints dry flat in a spot where they will not be walked on.

1. Hand and finger print animals

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: a plate of washable paint, paper, a damp cloth and a thick pen for a grown-up to use.

1. A grown-up spreads a thin layer of paint on the plate.
2. Press one fingertip or a whole hand into the paint, then onto the paper.
3. Let it dry, then ask your grown-up to add eyes, ears or a tail with a pen. A thumb print can become a ladybird, and a hand print can become a peacock with spread fingers.
4. Wipe hands on the damp cloth between colours.

Notice: How many different creatures can you find in one hand print?

2. Bottle-cap flowers

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: clean bottle caps in two or three sizes, paint on a plate, paper and a green crayon.

1. Check that every cap is clean and has no sharp edge, and keep them well away from very young children.
2. Press a cap into the paint and then onto the paper to make a round shape.
3. Print five or six circles close together in a ring to make petals, with a different cap in the middle.
4. Draw a stem and leaves with the crayon once the paint is dry.

Notice: Which cap size makes the best petal, and which one suits the centre?

3. Sponge shape dabbing

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: a dry kitchen sponge that a grown-up has already cut into squares, circles or triangles beforehand, paint and paper.

1. Ask your grown-up to prepare the sponge shapes before you start, away from the painting table.
2. Dab a shape lightly into the paint. A gentle touch gives a softer print than a hard press.
3. Print a house from a square and a triangle, or a train from a row of squares.
4. Try printing one shape over another once the first has dried.

Notice: What happens to a colour when you print a lighter dab on top of a darker one?

4. Fallen leaf prints

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: fallen leaves from the ground, paint, paper and a soft roller or a clean spoon back.

1. Collect only leaves that are already on the ground, and ask your grown-up to check each one before you touch it.
2. A grown-up brushes a thin coat of paint over the underside of a leaf, where the veins stand out.
3. Lay the painted side on paper, cover it with a spare sheet and press gently with your palm.
4. Lift the leaf slowly to reveal its pattern.

Notice: Which leaf left the clearest veins, and which one left the softest outline?

5. Cardboard-roll flowers and hearts

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: empty cardboard rolls from tissue or kitchen paper, paint and paper.

1. Dip the open end of a roll in paint and press it on paper to make a ring.
2. Pinch the roll gently with your fingers into a heart shape or a petal shape before dipping. Pinch with your hands only, and never cut.
3. Print several petals around one point to make a flower.
4. Leave the prints flat to dry.

Notice: Does a pinched roll print the same on every try?

6. Pattern strip with repeat prints

Age hint: 5 and up.

Bring: a long strip of paper, two or three of your favourite stamps from above and paint.

1. Choose two stamps and decide on an order, such as circle then square, circle then square.
2. Print along the strip, leaving a small gap between each shape.
3. Clean a stamp with a damp cloth before you change its colour.
4. Finish a border for a card, a bookmark or a picture frame.

Notice: Can your grown-up guess which stamp comes next?

More to do on Rangooo

Try more messy fun with pebble painting for kids, mix new shades in colour mixing activities, turn your prints into handmade cards, fold and decorate with easy paper crafts, reuse boxes and rolls in recycled crafts for kids, collect fallen leaves for leaf and flower crafts, add patterns from easy rangoli designs, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age is stamp and print making for?

Many children from about three enjoy hand prints and sponge dabbing with a grown-up close by. Bottle-cap patterns and leaf prints suit slightly older children, though you know your child best. Children under three may put things in their mouths, so keep small stamps out of reach.

What paint is best for stamping?

Washable, non-toxic poster or finger paint labelled for children is a good choice. Pour a little onto a plate or tray so the stamp only picks up a thin layer. Check the label, and ask a grown-up to test a small patch of skin first if anyone has sensitive skin.

Do we need to buy special stamps?

No. Bottle caps, corks, cardboard rolls, sponge pieces, fallen leaves and hands all make good prints. Most families already have these at home, and a grown-up can prepare any shapes that need cutting.

How do we keep the mess under control?

Cover the table with old newspaper or a wipeable sheet, roll up sleeves and wear an apron or old shirt. Keep a damp cloth nearby and wash hands well afterwards.