Easter prints with a potato.

Using just a potato and some washable paint, kids can get happy and creative.

Potato printing for kids is a fun and simple craft for children of all ages that can enjoy during holidays. Using an object as a stamp is a great way to create pictures that are truly unique, so if hand and foot printing is a firm favourite of your little ones, they’re sure to love potato printing too. Perfect for Easter, the stamps can embellish greeting cards or pictures for the grandparents and friends. Cut potatoes into halves, then think of a pattern. Stripes, dots or zigzag lines are easily cut into the potato halves.

Unsure how to make potato prints? Don’t worry! This simple-to-follow step-by-step guide will have you and your kids making up all sorts of designs in no time:

Potato Printing: A Step-by-Step Guide

Begin by selecting your potatoes. You don’t need anything fancy – regular baking potatoes, King Edwards, or Maris Piper will all work great for this activity.

TIP: Try to choose potatoes in a variety of sizes so your kids can make large and small designs.

Carefully cut your potatoes in half (this is something that is best for adults to do), draw the design into the flat edge of the potato, and cut around the outline with a sharp knife to create your very own potato stamp.

TIP: Metal cookie cutters work great for getting an accurate outline of more complex designs.

Alternatively, cut thick slices of potato and push a cookie cutter all the way through the potato for a smaller stamp – great for getting more from your potato.

TIP: Remember that, as much as the kids want to help out, knives are sharp! Either make sure you do the cutting up yourself, or teach your kids how to use a knife safely and supervise them while they practice chopping.

Use paper towels to blot the potato and absorb any excess moisture, which could stop the washable paint from sticking to the stamp.

TIP: If you’re not in a rush to get started, it’s a good idea to leave your potato to dry out more.

Apply a thin coating of paint to the design on the potato, wiping off any excess or dripping paint. Move the stamp around in the paint to get an even coat.

Stamp the paper, card, or fabric (potato printing works on almost anything!) with the painted design and watch how your kids create their very own vegetable artwork.

TIP: Keep the stamp pressed on the paper for a few seconds for best results.

Source: www.persil.com