1. Pattern Printing with Washable Markers
This activity uses relief painting to give first graders practice with pattern making. The students make impressions of several different patterns onto Styrofoam plates and then choose their favorite colors to color the entire plate with washable markers. This activity requires little guidance and the children get a chance to be creative, but the best part is how much fun they have seeing the product of their prints on paper.
2. Collagraph Print Making with Wooden Blocks
This activity is a 2-part process and once finished the students will have a quilt-like image printed on large paper. It allows children to truly unleash their creative sides because color choices and patterns are limitless. The wood blocks used to print the squares of the quilts make eye-catching prints. After that dries the children attach self-adhesive foam shapes to the blocks, dip them in ink, and add unique and individual patterns to their quilts. Ms. Garrett really likes this printmaking activity, the connections to other content can be limitless (geometric shapes, cultural explorations, holiday gift making, or even reading/writing activities).
3. Printmaking with Ziploc Bags
Just when you thought you knew everything you could do with a Ziploc bag, you discover printmaking with one. This is another activity where the possibilities are limitless. I like the idea of using plastic bags to make monoprints as gifts during the holidays or having students contribute to the class bulletin board. Students can use this activity to explore just about anything while letting their imaginations lead the way.
4. Printing with Leaves
Even though leaf printmaking is one of the most common methods of printmaking used in the classrooms, there are so many different ways to utilize this time old favorite for engaging students in fun learning opportunities. I especially like this idea for studying animals and their habitats. I think student would have a ton of fun using leaves and paint to make a landscape of their favorite animals in their habitats. Another cool thing about this activity is it gives the class an opportunity to go outside in nature and search for the media they will use in their art. Sometimes gathering materials can be the best part of printmaking!
5. Veggi Printing
Printmaking with vegetables is an inexpensive way to narrow the type of prints you would like your students to make. For example, if you want your students to make a spring time landscape you will need a enough objects of various shapes for everyone to allow the entire class participate at once in an organized and simple way. Another great point about veggi printing is they can be cut into different shapes, especially our friend, the potatoe. For some wonderful reason, vegetables are great for printing beautiful flowers, trees, and animals.
6. Floating Chalk & Shaving Cream Prints
The video above contains two separate printmaking activities, but I loved them both so much I decided to include them. The first one is a very simple chalk print. Various colors of chalk gets shaved by popsicle sticks over top of water and the two work together to make very beautifully colored prints. Cut out shapes can be placed between the floating chalk and your paper to make an even cooler effect and perhaps connect the activity to a core concept. The second activity uses water color paints and shaving cream. The result of these prints will put you in mind of the milky way. These activities top Ms. Garrett's list of favorite printmaking activities because they are both easy to do with an even easier clean up and just about any age of child can participate. The best part is they use mediums that are typical for print making and make print making extra fun for you, the kiddos!