Yarn Prints, Kids' Process Art Activity

I’ve been on a print-making project spree. Printing is one of my favorite art activities to do with kids. In my years teaching children’s art classes, I can’t even count all of the print activities that I’ve done (or maybe I’m just getting old and forgetful!). This time we’re making yarn prints.

Using yarn as part of print-making allows your child to explore the process, builds fine motor skills and can even help her to learn math. Math? Yes, math. Those lines that she’s making with the yarn create angles and geometric shapes that are the mathematics basics for little kids.

One of the things that I love about this art activity is that the child can make it her own. There’s no set ‘picture’ to make or lines to follow. She can play with the yarn, building her own printing plate. If she wants to make it sparse – ok! If she wants to fill it with what seems like an entire spool of yarn – again, ok!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        A block of wood or thick cardboard – We used a broken karate board (my son and I have tons of them that we’ve accumulated over the years, and what else are we going to do with them other than make even more prints), but you can also use the side of a cardboard box or a cereal box.

·        Yarn

·        Scissors

·        Tempera paint

·        A paintbrush

·        Card stock or construction paper

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Wrap a piece of yarn around the wood block or cardboard. Tie it at the end.

 

 

 

2.     Keep wrapping the yarn around the block/board. Your child can move up the block/board as she goes along. She can overlap the yarn, make straight lines or create diagonals.

 

3.     Cut the yarn when your child gets to the end. Tie another knot.

4.     Paint the yarn (it’s perfectly fine if she gets paint on the block or board). Your child can use one color or mix a few.

 

5.     Turn the paint-covered yarn block over and press down on a piece of paper. Have your child press firmly to transfer to color.

 

6.     Peel the paper off to reveal the print!
 

7.     Optional: Keep printing. Your child can add more paint in the same or different colors, printing on or next to the original (or start over with a new piece of paper).

Are you looking for more artsy activities?

Try:

Valentine's Day cotton ball heart print

Model Magic wood block print

OR

Follow my process art Pinterest board for ideas!

Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Process Art for Kids on Pinterest.