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Plants and veggies make for fun, creative painting! Try this easy zucchini painting and stamping idea from Erin with your kids!
Creative Summer Zucchini Painting/Stamping Craft Things Kids Will Love
Summer time is the best time to allow children indulge in their imaginative minds by undertaking outdoor activities that are harmless and environment friendly. Zucchini stamping and painting is one of the most educational and least expensive projects. It is a simple craft on art, sensory play and on nature, which makes it a great way to occupy baby hands and minds.
So, in this article, we will show you a simple, step-by-step process of getting some beautiful patterns and colorful prints with fresh zucchini. It is an excellent method of letting your child use his/her imagination as well as exposing them to sustainable crafting.
For the second year in a row, we planted a vegetable garden. After skillfully killing most of it last year, imagine my surprise when this year’s model has already produced several kinds of squash, zucchini, and a ton of kale.
I’m pretty convinced that my childhood dreams are coming true and I really AM the distant relative of land-magician Laura Ingalls Wilder. Why did nobody ever think to tell me?
Why Should Zucchini Be Summer Crafts?
Zucchinis are tender, adaptable and easy to hold with small hands. Their unusual shapes and texture make them ideal to use with painting and stamping crafts. Also, by creating vegetable art, you motivate children to get in touch with nature and feel good about healthy food.
How zucchini stamping help children:
- Promotes creativity and art expressiveness
- Increases sensory and motor coordination
- Encourages green and low cost crafts
- Offers screen free fun summer entertainment
What you need
- To begin with your zucchini painting and stamping art you will require the following materials:
- Raw zucchini (half – the sliced up).
- Paints which can be washed with water (without toxicity)
- Sponges or brushes Paintbrushes
- A big piece of paper, canvas or fabric
- Paper plates/ palettes to mix colors
- Aprons or old T shirts to save clothes
- Wet wipes or a dish of water to make cleaning up easy
Variation: If you prefer other shapes, cut the small zucchinis in different sizes or make small shapes out of the ends using a knife (adult supervision is a must).
How to Zucchini Paint and Stamp: Step by Step Guide Zucchini Painting and Stamping
Step 1 Prepare the zucchini.
Wash the zucchini well and cut it in halves, rounds, bigger or smaller piece. The smooth surfaces will play the role of a natural stamp
The second step is the preparation of the painting station.
Place newspaper or a plastic tablecloth over the area you are working on to ensure there is no mess. Have the paints, brushes and paper set out at hand.
Since I have somehow managed to not kill our garden this year, we have an abundance of giant zucchini!
Dip and Stamp
Dip one end of zucchini into paint or use a brush to apply to cover it. Flatten it out on paper or cloth to make colour prints. Experiment with the color and angles to provide individual designs.
Step 4: Put Your Own Touch It
Have children blend colors, stamp on top of each other or transform prints into interesting shapes such as flowers, animals or abstract forms.
Step 5: Allowing the discovery to dry
- When it is done, leave the art to dry. When stamping into fabric, fabric paints will last the longest.
- Tips That Teach Kids to Be Safe
- Always have young children under supervision when cutting, or using tools
- Ensure that you use non toxics, washable paints.
- Have a towel or wipes handy to do spills.
- Ask kids to wear aprons or something that they do not mind staining.
Why Children Like This Craft
Zucchini paint and stamping is not only a fun game, it teaches kids about being creative, colors and textures, and gives them good ol fashioned hands on lessons. It is even better that it is cheap, eco-friendly, and it’s ideal when you have visitors at home, playdates, or simply when you want to take part in an art-related activity with your kids during summer or on a rainy day.
Creative Summer Zucchini Painting & Stamping Craft for Kids
If the thought of fixing one more zucchini recipe makes you feel a bit ill, it may be time to do something a little different with your zucchini: paint!
But maybe try this yummy eggplant recipe - just sub in zucchini instead!
To set up your own easy zucchini painting project, you will need:
- zucchini (yellow summer squash would work, too!)
- paint
- paper
- knife that will cut the zucchini
- optional: other vegetables, like in this veggie stamping activity!
I cut slices of zucchini 1/2 inch thick, then cut them into shapes. I also made some long ones which the kids could write with.
You could also make triangles and stars, or if you are really ambitious, something fun like letters or simple animal shapes.
The next and final step is to pour out the paint onto a plate and let the kids go to town stamping and painting!
My kids thought I was out of my mind when I told them we were going to paint with zucchini. This, of course, made the activity extra fun for them.
Have more messy fun with a mud painting activity!
I know that this is an activity we’ll be repeating as our harvest of zucchini continues. Maybe next time I’ll get creative with more complicated shapes!