This simple leaf printing activity feels like capturing nature’s fingerprints! Every leaf print turns out unique and each leaf variety creates a fun pattern for kids to create with! This is a fun leaf art activity and you only need a few supplies to make your own leaf prints!
This craft is such a great process art activity and I love how it combines nature and art. My toddler loved the sensory play with the leaves and paint and my preschooler and elementary aged kiddo enjoyed making beautiful pictures with their leaves.
This leaf craft would tie in perfectly with some of the other leaf art projects we have done recently like this leaf spray painting art activity or add a science twist with this leaf chromatography experiment! You could even tie in a leaf identification activity and use these free printable leaf flashcards to help kids identify the leaves they found!
The National Park Service has a free leaf lesson plan for ages k-2 if you are looking to study leaves with your kids more in depth!
Materials Needed
- Fresh leaves
- Paint (acrylic or tempera paint works best) – I used these neon washable paints, because the colors are fun and I wanted them to be washable for my 2 year old!
- Paintbrushes
- Cardstock
- Paper towels
- Flat surface for pressing leaves
How to Make Your Leaf Printing Art
Step One: Gather Your Leaves– Try to pick a variety of leaves, we found the best leaves for this craft were ones that were large and had interesting textures
Step Two: Paint – Using a paintbrush apply a thin layer of paint to one side of the leaf, the thin coat allows the details of the leaf to transfer over to your paper. If there are globs in your paint you will lose the details of your leaf veins
Step Three: Press – Arrange the leaf onto your cardstock by placing the painted side of the leaf face down. Gently press from the middle of the leaf outwards and then peel the leaf back to reveal your print
Step Four: Dry – Let your paint dry and feel free to add details or hang your beautiful leaf print as is!
Variations To This Activity
- Allow your kids to press their leaves with different mediums like a rolling pin, rocks, or even their feet!
- Try to use other natural materials in their pictures to provide different shapes and textures
- Have your kids put multiple colors on one leaf making rainbow leaves
- Switch out your cardstock with kraft paper and use the final prints as wrapping paper
We had so much fun making these leaf prints outdoors, and we hope your kids enjoy the mix of art and nature just as much.
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