Lemon Stamp Art

Fresh lemons are perfect for lemon stamp art! So grab your lemons, popsicle sticks, paint, and paper, and let’s make gorgeous prints.

Two final pieces of lemon stamp. On the table are also fresh lemons and two paper plates with puddles of paint.

Lemon stamp art is the perfect fusion of sensory and printmaking

I am always teased for saying that everything is my favorite thing (😂), but lemons are my favorite thing.

AND SO IS PRINTMAKING!

So, guess what happens when you combine lemons and printmaking? It’s my favorite thing. Why only have one wonderful thing when you can have two wonderful things?

(Also, why only have two favorite things? I have a heart that loves a LOT of things. Like lemons. And printmaking. And Mexican food.)

Related: My absolute MOST favorite thing are our GIANT 10-foot coloring banners (and they’re sure to be your favorites, too!)

When we get lemons, we make lemona- I mean, lemon stamp art

Did you know that we’re obsessed with lemons in the classroom?!

It’s true! No matter how many bags of lemons we get, we always, always, always find a way to use them in various ways, and lemon stamps are one of the easiest.

With simple, accessible supplies and fresh lemons, it’s off to the races. Let’s start stamping, friends!

Are you looking for more lemon activities? These are great!

Lemon Volcanoes – Friends Art Lab
Homemade Fruit Roll Up Recipe – Mother Could
Fizzy Old-Fashioned Lemonade – Go Science Kids

Materials

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Lemons
Paint
Plate
Popsicle sticks
Knife – for adults only

Three photos show a lemon cut in half, the lemon with the end cut off, and a hole sliced in the end of the lemon where the popsicle stick will go.

Directions

1. Prep lemons stamps (only for an adult to do) – You’re going to begin by making three cuts.

Cut 1 – cut the lemon in half.
Cut 2 – cut the ends of your lemon so they’re flat.
Cut 3 – slice a hole into the top of the lemon and push your popsicle stick in it. Ta-da, a lemon stamp!

2. Prepare paint – add your paint in shallow “puddles” to your plate. You don’t want the paint to be too thick, and adding more as needed is always easier. Set one lemon stamp in each puddle of paint.

3. Time to stamp – invite your child to stamp on their paper. As they stamp, ask them to name what they see in the prints made on the paper (ex: do they see the outline of the rind or the wedges?).

Video

Rinse your lemons to make more lemon stamp art

After your child has made lots of lovely little lemon stamps, you can rinse off your lemons in the sink so that you can dip them into other paint colors.

When you rinse the lemons off, the paint might stain the lemon. That’s okay!

On this day, I did the warm colors first (magenta, orange, and yellow), and they were stained a little after they were rinsed. Then, I went straight into the cool colors (lime green, dark green, and blue), and none of the warm colors transferred.

A plate with lemon stamps sits next to fresh lemons. Below both sits a white piece of paper covered in lemon stamp art prints in cool colors (greens and blue).

What can I use to make my own stamps?

If your little artist is itching to make more stamps, there are several things you can use from your home or classroom to do so!

Sponges
Rolling pins
Foam stickers
Heads of broccoli
Celery
Apples
Other citrus (ex: limes, oranges)

One green lemon stamp was stamped eight times in a row without being re-dipped, so each subsequent stamp gets lighter.

What can I do when we’re done with lemon stamp art?

Rinse off and reuse the lemons! These would be perfect for making lemon oobleck, lemon volcanoes, and more.

As for the prints you make, we think they’re lovely when turned into cards. Fold your paper in half, write a note inside, and just like that, you have a homemade card that anyone will love.

A close up of a lemon stamp art print in warm magenta, orange, and yellow colors.

FAQ

What do we do with the lemons when done?

Reuse them for more fun lemon activities!

Where is the cheapest way to buy lemons?

We try to get ours for free from friends who have too many. If we do need to buy lemons, buying in bulk from somewhere like Costco is our next favorite option.

What age is this best for?

Any age that won’t try to eat the paint or materials.