Tot Time: Printing with Fruits and Vegetables

Experiment with patterns or make a garden full of fun with this easy art activity for kids, using fruits, veggies, and other items you have at home!

Watch and listen to the story: Eating the Alphabet by Lois Elhert

Questions for engagement

• What kinds of fruits do you like? What colors are they? What shapes are they?
• What kinds of vegetables do you like? What colors are they? What shapes are they?
• Do you think you can make art with fruit and vegetables?

Materials

• Fruits such as apple, pear, lemon, lime, or orange work well (avoid fruit that is too juicy)
• Vegetables such as squash, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, mushroom, cabbage, celery or bok choy work well (you can cut the bottom off and save the stalks for cooking)
• Washable paint
• Paper
• Paper plate, container lid, or something else flat to put paint on, one for each color of paint
• Surface cover like newspaper

Activity

1. Cut each fruit or vegetable so that there is one flat side. Remove seeds, if present. Pat the flat side onto a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
2. Put a small amount of paint onto each paper plate. Choose which fruits or vegetables will go with each color.
3. Dip the fruit or vegetable into one color of paint. Using a small amount of paint works best. Make sure the flat surface is covered with paint.
4. Gently press the fruit or vegetable onto a piece of paper. You can experiment with patterns or make a garden full of fun!