Need an easy, no prep open ended art project for preschoolers or toddlers to help fill some time today? We’ve got creative process art using paint and cookie cutters to help your kids create an adorable stamp art project for kids.
If you’re anything like us, you’re finding yourself with a LOT of time to fill at home. And while kids’ craft projects are great (and have adorable outcomes), they just don’t take up much time.
The problem with crafts is that we often end up spending WAY more time prepping and setting up the craft than we do actually doing the craft. And these days, that just isn’t gonna fly.
We’re turning more and more towards open ended art projects for our preschoolers, and our bigger kids too. Just about anything that can be used to make art in this house is finding its way into paint and then onto paper.
This stamp art project for kids requires very few special materials– just cookie cutters, paint, and paper. It’s easy to tailor for any theme you may have (well, provided you have a cookie cutter stash), and provides quick fun when you’re in a jam.
And read to the end for a fun way to use up all that beautiful process art your kids have created!
Okay, so let’s get to it. Here’s how to set up a stamping art project for kids at your house, too.
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Setting Up Your Stamping Art Project for Kids
The set up on this project is pretty dang simple. First, you need to dig out any cookie cutters you may have.
We love nesting ones with handles (we couldn’t find a link for our exact ones, but these serve the same purpose). They’ll help kids experiment with size and how that plays into their art. Or, you can purchase this inexpensive cookie cutter set with various shapes and themes. (You can also use that with things like playdough play and actual cookie making, so you stand to get a lot of use out of it).
Grab some paints (we like the price point and versatility of these little Crayola pots) and pour a small amount onto a Take and Toss lid (this wastes less paint than pouring it into a bowl or plate).
Put out some mats and paper, and invite your kids over to the table. If they don’t want to come, just leave the supplies out for a minute. Odds are they’ll wander over to see what it’s about sooner rather than later.
Related Post: Keep Playdough Time Exciting with These Toddler Playdough Activities
Make Your Process Art Happen
Kids will probably guess that these cookie cutters are for a stamping art project, but they may need some encouragement. They may also need some reassurance that it is, in fact, okay to get the cookie cutters “dirty.”
If needed, show them how to spin the cookie cutter in the paint to make sure it gets an even coat. Remind them that each shape will not come out perfectly, but that’s the beauty of process art. It’s about making the art, not admiring the outcome.
Related Post: Kids Get Creative with Process Art for Toddlers
What Should You Do With All That Stamping Art?
Well, we can’t see our grandparents right now due to limiting the spread of germs, and that has been hard on all of us. According to this article from NPR though, paper products don’t carry germs for long, so sending mail should still be safe.
Before we started our stamping art project, we practiced folding a sheet of paper in half (this is a great school readiness skill that your kids can master at home).
This automatically creates a smaller (and less intimidating) canvas for kids to cover, but it also turns their artwork into a card.
Knowing that they’re making a card for Nana or Gramps can really increase your kids’ buy in, and motivate them to put in more time than they might otherwise.
When they’re done, write a little message to the grandparents, fold it into an envelope, and send it to them (along with all their love).
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Sometimes, you’ll find that with open ended art projects for kids, less is more. And this cookie cutter stamping art project for kids is no exception. It’s a great chance to experiment with color, shape, and making your mark on paper. And what art project could be better than that?
Jaymi, I love your process art projects! I love most art projects. But now I’m OVERFLOWING with art projects because i can’t ‘forget’ them at preschool or leave them in the car to be tossed later. How do you deal with this? Or do you live in a house made of painted paper plates?
Oh man, I feel you on the art project overload. We’re lucky in that we have several sets of grandparents to send them off to. I hold onto them until I get a collection big enough to send one to everyone, and then we fold them up, stuff them into envelopes, and ship them off. Nowadays, you could even get some penpals, or send to preschool friends you’re missing. Then THEY can be the ones to eventually throw them out, and you won’t risk your little artist finding her work in the trash.