First impressions
When presenting children with printing opportunities it is important to start by using familiar tools and materials in popular play areas, such as wet sand trays and dough tables, before introducing them to specific print techniques. This will enable children to work on a large scale and give them the satisfaction of creating instant three-dimensional prints and impressions.
Into two-dimensions
Once children have experienced working in three-dimensions, move on to two-dimensional printing on flat surfaces. Consider resources beforehand, taking into account the ideal print surface, the way the paint will be mixed and the objects to be used for the planned learning experience.
* Paper - absorbent papers, such as sugar paper, kitchen paper, brown wrapping paper and tissue paper, form an ideal surface for prints as they absorb excess paint, dry more quickly and create a more definite print.
* Paint - use cold water paste to thicken paint if printing on paper or card, or stir in PVA glue to help paint adhere to plastic.
* Shallow trays - wash plastic food trays and put a layer of padding in the bottom before adding paint. Sponge, layers of kitchen roll or towelling make ideal padding. Children can then dip in their print objects, and are less likely to be distracted by dripping paint.
Print tools
Try to link objects with a common theme when providing printing opportunities, using some of the suggestions below to stimulate further ideas.
* Body parts - begin your explorations without any additional resources by encouraging the children to use their own bodies. Move from hand and foot prints to elbow, heel, and knee prints. If you have lots of space, appropriate washing facilities and a change of clothes to hand invite the children to explore their own ideas for body prints!
* Fruit and vegetables - explore vegetables with unusual shapes such as mushrooms, sprouts, cauliflower and celery. Cut the vegetables lengthways and across so that children can see the plant structure in the prints they make with them. Try printing with exotic fruits such as star fruit, paw-paw and pineapple.
* Natural objects - go for a walk to collect printing resources such as cones, sycamore keys, acorns, leaves, feathers and small stones.
* Versatile sponge - cut pieces of sponge into theme-related shapes, purchase novelty bath sponges or print with sponge letters and numbers.
* Paper - tape corrugated card into a roll and create stripes by rolling it, or spiral patterns by printing with one end. Scrunch up sheets of newspaper, press them into the paint pad and then print with them.
* Plastic printing - search your recycled materials for plastic objects such as cotton reels, buttons, yoghurt pots, food baskets and hair rollers to print with. Try making tiny footprints along imaginary paths using small world people and animals.
* Kitchen fun - create new designs by printing with rolling pins, potato mashers, pastry wheels, pan scrubs, washing-up brushes, pan lids and other kitchenware.
* Bath time - raid the bathroom for objects with interesting surfaces such as a sponge, nail brush, toothbrush and face cloth and explore printing possibilities.
* Seaside prints - if on a beach outing, invite the children to collect printing items, such as shells, crab claws and seaweed.
Moving outdoors
* Have fun creating boot prints by jumping in puddles before walking across a dry surface.
* Spread a length of wallpaper face down along a dry surface and invite the children to step into a tray of paint and walk carefully along the paper, either in boots or bare feet.
* Create 'print shoes' from flip-flops by tying sponge, bubble wrap, string or plastic pan scrubs around the base. Invite the children to design their own shoes and hold their hands to steady them as they walk through the paint tray and along the paper.
* Soak sponge balls in paint, drop them on to paper and look at the patterns.
Extending ideas
* Balloon prints - half-fill balloons with water and dip them in paint.
Roll them and press them on to paper to create unusual patterns.
* Print mitts - sew cleaning pads such as a plastic pan scrub, sponge cooker cleaner or dish mop head to the front of a mitten. Invite the children to choose a mitten to wear, dip it into a paint pad and then use it to print patterns on to paper.
* Print blocks - create your own print blocks by glueing plastic letters or numbers to a piece of wood. Remember to stick them on backwards as they will be reversed when printed.
