Brown
Painting with potatoes
Month 11 · Activity 9 · Colors
Instructions
- Gather two brown baking potatoes to use for making potato prints, brown paper bag, sharp knife/exacto, and tempura paint
- Slice each potato in half around the middle so you have four sections of potato
- Ask child to select four shapes that you will cut into the sliced section of the four halves
- Draw a shape (square, triangle, etc.) on the cut edge of the potato with a pencil and with a sharp knife remove the potato on the outside of the shape to a depth of 1/2 inch
- You should now have an elevated shape on each of your potatoes
- Child cuts open a large brown paper bag with scissors to use as painting paper. This can be used as wrapping paper once decorated.
- Place a covering over the table to protect from paint (newspaper, plastic tablecloth, etc.)
- Place different colors (if possible include brown) of tempura paint in low saucers (margarine tubs, painting cups, etc.)
- Let child dip potato shape into the paint, blot softly on a paper towel and then place design on paper bag
- Enjoy covering bag with different shapes while you reinforce the shapes they are using, how many shapes they have placed on the paper bag, etc.
Simplify
Beforehand, have adult cut open the brown bag with the scissors or have child place his hand on adult's hand when cutting the paper
Materials
- two brown potatoes
- brown paper bag (cut open to use as child's painting paper)
- sharp knife/exacto (adult use only!!)
- tempura paint
- low saucers or paint pots
- pencil
- old newspaper/tablecloth for protecting table
- paper towel
- scissors
- Language Skills
- Math & Science Skills
- Motor Skills
- Problem Solving Skills