Printmaking Ideas for Kids

Looking for some printmaking ideas for kids? I’ve got you covered! We have more than 40 great printmaking activities and ideas for children here on The Artful Parent.

Printmaking allows kids to try out lots of different techniques and to see cause and effect in action more dramatically than with simply painting or drawing. They can use different paints and inks, try a variety of image transfer techniques, and print with and on just about anything.

Printmaking is a rewarding art activity for kids and is a wonderful way to show cause and effect and, depending on the technique, to create multiple images. 

Some Favorite Printmaking Ideas for Kids

The printmaking techniques and art activities included here are monoprinting, muffin tin printing, styrofoam printing, printing with found objects, string and yarn printing, hand prints, and car wheel printing.

Monoprinting for Kids

Monoprinting has been the perfect printmaking technique for my kids. It’s super easy, for one thing, and instead of making many prints of the same image (which they have no interest in doing) they can do something different each time. They can use different colors and imagery, experiment, see the results right away, and more on to experiment some more.

• Monoprinting with Kids the Easy Way
• Muffin Tin Printing with Kids

Styrofoam Printmaking

Printing with styrofoam is a remarkably easy and rewarding printmaking technique and you can do it with styrofoam trays from the grocery store (free) or with styrofoam sheets from the craft store (inexpensive).

• Styrofoam Printmaking with Kids

2 Amazing Printmaking Techniques

• DIY Marbled Paper the Easy Way (with Shaving Cream Marbling)
• Gelatin Printmaking for Kids Made Easy

Printing with String and Rubber Bands

• Pulled String Art is Mesmerizing and Addictive!
• Mirror Image String Printing 
• Rubber Band Printing with Kids

Fingers, Hands, and Feet

Print with your fingers and make hand prints and foot prints. All are fun for kids on their own or to use as drawing prompts or part of a multi-step art project.

• Our Obsession with Fingerprint Art

Bubble Printing Favorites

Printing with ephemeral bubbles is incredible! And bubble wrap painting and printing is a wonderful sensory experience for kids. Both are fun!

• Bubble Wrap Printing
• Bubble Printing with Colorful Bubble Snakes

Nature Printing with Kids

Capture the beautiful intricacies of nature with printmaking. These are simply beautiful.

• Leaf Printing on Fabric or Paper
• Flower Printing
• Clay Leaf Prints

Want more printmaking ideas for kids? Click to see The Artful Parent archive for the entire category!

And if you’re looking for a particular activity, use the search field in the right sidebar of the site.

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