The Parenting Corner: Apple Art

Apple picking season is here. After you've made all the apple breads and pies, here's another way to make use of fall's favorite fruit.

Cut apples vertically in half. With the flat side down, vertically insert a Popsicle stick in the center of the apple. Your children can use these homemade stamps to make paintings. Pour paint onto paper plates then have your children dip the apples into the paint and gently press them onto paper.

Baby

Take your baby’s hands and explore an apple half together. Let her smell and touch the fruit. If she is 6 months or older and eating dairy, you can place some yogurt on her high-chair tray as edible paint. Closely supervise her as she makes her own apple swirls by pushing the apple around in the yogurt.

Toddler

Show your toddler how to use the stamp by holding the stick, pressing the apple onto the paper and then lifting it up. Or instead of stamping the page, she may choose to use the apple as a paintbrush.

Preschooler and up

Your preschooler can make an apple tree painting. Lay a large sheet of paper on the floor and encourage them to use crayons to create a tree outline including branches and trees if they wish. Then they can add apples using their apple stamps.