Potato Stamps Arts & Crafts Activity

When it comes to arts and crafts, the possibilities are endless... and so is the fun! Children arts and crafts are no different. They offer exceptional benefits for your littles ones, starting with exercising their imagination. It will open their imaginary world and lead them to explore! Potato stamps is not only an easy activity to throw together, but one that is plenty of fun. Besides the common art work on construction paper, teach your kids how to create diverse artistic projects such as posters, greeting cards, wrapping paper, banners, designs for T-shirts or pillowcases, and why not wall art for their bedroom or playroom!? Your kids will have a blast stamping away!

The material needed

• Potatoes (as many as you wish)
• Paint (preferably washable and non-toxic gouache; if you will be creating T-shirts or pillowcases, choose fabric paint)
• Little paintbrushes
• Shallow containers for the paint
• Marker or pen
• Bowl of water
• Little knife
• Cookie cutters of different shapes
• Paper towels
• Any type of material on which you desire to stamp on

How to proceed

• Evenly and smoothly cut potatoes in half, lengthwise. 
• Use a marker to draw a shape on each potato halves, or press cookie cutter into the centre of each half and leave it in. 
• If you drew your shape, cut the outline of it of about 1/2" deep. Then, working from the  outside of the potato towards the centre, carve away the potato surrounding the shape. 
• If you used a cookie cutter, run a knife (adults only) around the cutter to cut off about a 1/2" thick slice. Pull off the slice of potato from around the outside of the cookie cutter and then remove the cookie cutter. 
• Rinse the potatoes halves gently to remove any dirt off and dry with a paper towel.
• Apply paint to the pattern by either dipping the potato, flat side down, into the paint, or by using a little paintbrush. 
• Gently shake off or, with a paper towel, wipe off any excess paint.
• Go ahead and stamp away! 
• Before changing colour, clean your stamps with water and pat with a paper towel.