Pearl is one of those “clean hands kids”. You know, the kind that can’t stand to have mud, yogurt, mashed bananas, and sometimes even paint on her hands without a stop-everything-you’re-doing “oh nooooo” moment. That’s where stamps come to the rescue! These stamps are ultra cool because you can find them anywhere, they’re natural, and very affordable! Just head to the produce section of any grocery store.
We’ve worked on teaching Pearl a cheery “brush brush brush” mantra to remind her that she can just wipe it off herself, but sometimes the stress of mess limits our projects. Do you have a “clean hands kid” in your house, too?
This idea came from an adorable craft book from one of our favorite characters, Maisy.
Maisy is pretty amazing. She’s a doctor, pilot, train conductor, guitar player, and standup friend in just a handful of books. We like her a lot. And there are some great Maisy Goes to the Dentist, Maisy Goes Swimming, even Maisy Goes Camping, books that can help prepare kids for those adrenaline-inducing firsts. But Pearl is a long way away from a dentist appointment.
This was as simple as it gets. Chop up the veggies small enough for little hands to grip, but large enough so that they can cover more surface with less effort. I also cut up little handles in the yams for easy gripping. But it doesn’t hurt to leave a variety of sizes for experimentation. This would also be an incredible invitation to play.
What’s great about veggie stamps is you can pick almost any vegetable available. I chose mine based on the stamp that they would make. I chose a simple yam since it’s hardy and makes a big circle, broccoli for its spongey look, and star fruit for that special star shape.
I would avoid fruits in general, since many of them are rich with moisture. They’ll end up making your paper soggy or potentially staining anything it bleeds on. That said, the star fruit wasn’t too porous. I just patted it dry with a paper towel before we began and it was fine. Pearl loved practicing the names of the veggies. She kept calling the yams “ham!” with a very serious expression. Talking is a work in progress.
The best part of this project was that it was cheap and easy. Next time you have some extra raw veggies at the end of the week don’t throw them away- make a stamp out of them!
Coco & Pearl 