We've been on a stamping/printing kick lately. It started around one of our Valentine's Day snow day adventures. I pulled out the big box of plastic cookie cutter shapes, and decided to turn them into stamps. Chuck was entertained for a while. It got me thinking, "what else can we use as stamps?"
Stamps are pretty much a staple of any kids craft kit. We all know that a potato can be carved into a stamp. But, legos, bubble wrap, veggies, hands, cardboard, corks, feathers, shells, petals, leaves, feet, recycled packaging material, combs, egg cartons, sponges, and basically anything you can find around the house all make great stamping and printing materials!
For toddlers, its best to approach stamping and printing as an open-ended art activity (aka "I don't care what the final outcome looks like"). Right now, Lucas and Chuck are just exploring as many different art materials as possible. Letting them mess around with different materials for stamping, let's their imaginations develop and begin to understand the concept of cause and effect. There is a ton of investigating that goes along with stamping too! If I press harder on this sponge, what will happen to the print? When we were stamping with the cookie cutters, Chuck got to practice some basic shape and color recognition too. The motion of toddler stamping is also great for developing shoulder stability (a necessary building block for fine motor skills.)
For older kids, stamping is a great way to add a personalized touch to just about anything! Kids of all ages can enjoy creating custom wrapping paper for loved one's gifts. With some fabric paint and a potato you can make original t-shirts, onesies, or canvas market totes! Uncrafty adults can find something satisfying about pressing stamps onto paper for some stress relief.
What DIY stamp projects have you tried with your kids?
What DIY stamp projects have you tried with your kids?
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