Potato printing is an easy year-round art activity for kids of all ages. This fun and easy craft idea comes from The Artful Year book.
Updated January 2025
Potatoes are perfect for printmaking because they are easy to carve and they are usually in the pantry!
We use them all through the year to make different festive decorations. We love to do this at Halloween, when you can make a spooky version of potato prints, or at Christmas, to make homemade wrapping paper!
Here’s a video showing Potato Printing in action! And don’t forget to scroll down to get the step-by-step instructions.
Potato Printing for Kids
This anytime activity comes from my book, The Artful Year: Celebrating the Seasons & Holidays with Crafts & Recipes.
Potato Printing
From The Artful Year, by Jean Van’t Hul, © 2015 by Jean Van’t Hul. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boulder, CO.
Potato printing is a classic, simple craft for children that can be used to create cards, decorations, ornaments, abstract art, wrapping paper, or even an Advent calendar.
MATERIALS
- Sharp knife
- Potatoes
- Paint (tempera or BioColor, or water-based printing ink)
- Plate or small bowl
- Heavy paper or poster board
- Glitter (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the potato stamp
First, adults prepare the potato stamp by slicing a potato in half and then carving an image into the flat surface. Put an entire image on one potato half or carve components on separate potatoes, such as a tulip blossom on one, a stem on another, and a leaf on yet another.
- Prepare the paint
Pour a thin layer of paint on the plate.
- Stamp!
Your child can then press the potato stamp first in the paint, then firmly on the paper. Lift the potato to reveal the print.
- Add glitter
Sprinkle glitter over the wet paint if desired.
- Repeat!
Continue to print with additional images and colors as desired.
Seasonal Variations:
Spring:
- Easter Egg
- Duckling
- Fiddlehead
- Daffodil
- Tulip
- Leaf
Summer:
- Stars and Stripes (for a flag)
- Octopus
- Seashell
- Sun
- Fish
- Butterfly
- Sailboat
Autumn:
- Jack-o’-lantern
- Pumpkin
- Leaf
- Bat
- Ghost
- Skull
- Owl
Winter:
- Stars
- Heart
- Ornament
- Christmas tree
- Simple snowflake
- Wrapped gift
- Angel
More Printmaking Ideas for Kids
- How to Make DIY Wrapping Paper for Kids
- How to Make Fruit and Vegetable Prints
- How to Use Scratch Foam for Easy Printmaking for Kids
- Mandala Pizza Prints – An Easy Printmaking Idea for Kids
- Styrofoam Printmaking with Kids for Easter
- How to Do Flower Printing
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