Is potato printing ok?

[ForeverBubblegum]

Just trying to keep my 3 year old busy, can we make potato prints or would that be an irresponsible waste of food. For full disclosure we already made salt dough earlier this week, which I feel kind of guilty about considering how difficult flour is to get at the minute.

We have them in, so it's not like I'm going out, though I suppose it will make us run out of food slightly sooner. Am I over thinking this?

[TedsFederationRep]

In my area, I can't get hold of flour or potatoes for love or money.

In normal times, potato prints would be a fun activity but perhaps defer that for a while and do something else?

[Longtalljosie]

Oh love - you go for it. If you are making your child happy and you have enough food you are doing just fine

[TedsFederationRep]

you are doing just fine

For heaven's sake.

[MediocreOmens]

How about leaf prints if you have access to outside?

[CakeItOrLeave]

So you’re part of the reason I haven’t been able to purchase potatoes or flour (for actual consumption). Carry on drawing and painting, love.

[Spam88]

Or cut up old dish sponges into shapes? Does seem particularly wasteful at this time to be using perfectly edible food.

[TedsFederationRep]

In fairness, OP did ask so she is trying to consider others.

It wasn't she who said "if you've enough food, you're doing just fine".

[Makeitgoaway]

Have you done it with her before? I tried it years ago when my DC were small and it really wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be. They didn't stick with it for long at all and I was cross at the waste of food even then. If you know it will absorb her though, absolutely go for it.

[nitgel]

What responses !

Ok as long as you eat the potato afterwards

[PatchworkElmer]

I personally wouldn’t but I am very anxious about our food supplies and would feel even worse if I ‘wasted’ it on crafts.

[kimlo]

use plastic animals and do animal footprints.

Use playdough cutters.

Leaf and stck printing.

Toys cars to make tracks.

Lots of things you can use that aren't food.

[willowpatterns]

Wait until you have an apple core and use that. Or search round for other things you can use - lids, corks, corrugated card etc. String is a good one. Dip string in paint, lay it in a swirly pattern on paper. Lay another sheet of paper on top with end of string poking out. Put something on top to press down lightly, and pull string out.

[1066vegan]

How about looking around the house for things to print with eg lego (you can use the top and the sides for different effects), bottle tops or small boxes.

[leeloo1]

Duplo blocks make some cool prints.

[AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore]

I absolutely wouldn't - but then I'm on 14 days quarantine and didn't stockpile like crazy, so everyone potato is special to me ;-)

Are there other household things you could use? How about:

• animal footprints (using
  
• finger/toe/bottom ;-)
  
• tops of mugs/glasses make lovely circles
  
• if you have a straw, blowing bubbles in paint and printing on that is lovely: www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Bubble-Print-Paper/

[ForeverBubblegum]

Point taken, I'll put the potatoes down.

If it makes it any better, the flour we used had been in the cupboard for nearly two years, so had questionable edibeity.

[TedsFederationRep]

Thank you, OP, I appreciate that.

I do understand that you are doing your best for your child, truly I do, and it was considerate of you to ask.

I am, however, wholly gobsmacked at some of the earlier responses on this thread.

[meonekton]