A fun way for kids to ring in spring -- and spruce up your dinner table in the process -- is to use an onion to stamp cloth place mats with colorful spirals.
| Prep Time: Under 1 hour | |
| What you need: | |
| Onion, kitchen knife
Solid-colored cloth place mats (wash before painting) Fabric paint Paintbrush Scrap paper | |
| Seasons: Evening, Rainy day, Spring, Thanksgiving | |
| Materials: food items, paints, paper | |
| Instructions: | |
| 1. | Cut an onion in half, making sure the cut surfaces are as level as possible to create flat stamps. Press the two halves, cut side down, on a paper towel to draw out any excess moisture. |
| 2. | Next, brush a thin, even layer of fabric paint across the cut surface of one half (you can save the other half for another color) and have your child practice stamping the onion on scrap paper to see how many impressions he can make before brushing on more paint. If the fabric paint seems too thick, dilute it with a little water (this will make your stamp pattern more defined). |
| 3. | Once your child has mastered the technique, he's ready to print directly on the place mats. Let the finished designs dry completely and refer to the paint manufacturer's directions before washing the mats. |
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