My previously underappreciated husband just got back from a ten-day business trip (and not a moment too soon!), but while he was gone we really tried to keep ourselves busy. Yesterday's project was to use up some shriveled, sprouty potatoes I magically discovered under the sink. I remembered cutting stamps out of potatoes as a kid, but use of a paring knife is way beyond something even I would let the kids in on. Enter our collection of tiny cookie cutters. They're just about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long and I've never known quite what to do with them since they're just too tiny for cookies.
materials:
a big potato (like a baking-size russet)
small cookie cutters
tempera paint or a stamp pad
paper to stamp
activity:
Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch (more or less) circles. Have the kid place the little cookie cutter on the potato and push down to cut the stamp out (you may have to help push down and make sure they put it "sharp" side toward the potato). Dip the cut out potato part into paint or ink up on a stamp pad and stamp. We also used the cookie cutters and leftover potato outlines as stamps, which made for an interesting discussion on negative space, and it was fun to use the cookie cutter to make a contrasting outline around the stamp. Josie also had fun stamping a few things and then using markers to draw an elaborate scene while Jasper got busy stamping himself.
Mommy: This was so easy, and the cleanup was a piece of cake (particularly since they needed a bath anyway!).
Josie (5): Um, I give it a ten. Stamps are fun, but my stamps are funner.
Jasper (2.5): It be good. I like makin' da rainbow with da big circle (he used a circle cookie cutter to make rings on the paper and, uh, on the side of his head.)
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