Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

How you can help at home: Try printmaking to make your own wrapping paper!

Explore printmaking, shapes, patterns and colors while making this "tasteful" wrapping paper.

What You'll Need

• Fruits and vegetables, such as a potato, green pepper and apple, cut in half. For an unusual shape use a star fruit. (You can save the unused half for eating or cooking later.)
• Paint, in different colors, poured into trays. Tempera paint is a good option because it is washable and comes in bright colors.
• Paper, such as butcher paper or cut-apart paper bags.

Here's How to Do It

Have your child dip one of the fruits or vegetables in one of the paint trays and press it in place on the paper. Dip another fruit or vegetable in another color and press it in place on the paper. Continue to do this filling up the paper.

Encourage your child to make repeated patterns with the colors and shapes, such as blue apple, purple potato, blue apple, purple potato. Allow the prints to dry before wrapping the present!