Potato stamping is a craft my mom used to do with my younger siblings and me. Turns out my kids think it’s just as fun!
You’ll need: a potato (any kind will do!)
Cut the potato in half.
“Draw” a shape with the tip of your knife or a pencil.
Trace the shape with your knife tip as deep as you want the stamp to be, then carve away the potato around the edges of the shape, removing small pieces until your stamp is carved out.
Dip stamps in {washable} paint. Muffin papers make great disposable paint holders! (Vinyl table covering creates a funky glare. . .)
Gather some willing crafters and get creative!!
We also drew self portraits. . .
. . . and created custom stationary (Grandmas, look for mail!!).
So many fun possibilities with these disposable stamps!!
This is fantastic! I plan to teach this with 25 kindergarteners and so I wonder: how early can I cut the potatoes? Can I cut them the night before or do they have to be freshly cut?
I don’t see a problem with you cutting them the night before. The potatoes will probably turn brown, but you’re not going to eat them. Though I’ve never tried it with the potatoes we use to stamp with, I know you can submerge potatoes in cold water to avoid the browning, so maybe you could put the cut side of the “stamp” face down in cold water (in the fridge) overnight?
Good luck with it! I’d love to hear how it goes.
xoxo, Pam
This is a cute idea, although Im not sure that Im brave enough to try it with a group of 8 to 10 two year olds. :/
Pam I used to do this all the time too! My mom would cut them in half then use cookie cutters for even more shapes to cut the potatoes! My son and I made our own wrapping paper this Christmas!!
Cookie cutters?!! What a great idea. I remember making wrapping paper when I was a kid too. My mom would get out a big roll of butcher paper and we’d stamp away!