Lillian Li (age 6) beams with pride as she lifts her quilt full of reminder squares based on this year’s kindergarten activities. Keri Vineyard, the English Homeroom Teacher at SMIC Private School and Kindergarten, chose veggie stamping because it’s a great way to remember discussions about a healthy, balanced diet.

Originally from the US and with SMIC for 5 years, Vineyard has the freedom to incorporate her own passions of quilting and sewing into the Kindergarten curriculum while encouraging student choice.

“We started with sewing.  I’ve seen leaps and bounds in their fine motor skills and now their handwriting is incredible.”

Li makes a few stamps then hesitates, “How many?”

“How many do you want to do?”  Vineyard responds.

Li lets us jump in to help create the pattern then she becomes absorbed in giving the bell pepper flowers all apple wedge eyes, noses, and mouths.

Li uses her fingers to smear some of the heart prints she deemed too messy.

“I want them to know the process – tinting, shading, filling the space, and being intentional about what they’re doing while helping them to appreciate and create their own art,” Vineyard explains about the department’s overall vision to incorporate art into the classroom.

Vineyard mentions this can be modified with watercolor and paper, though all materials for this version are available in China. Note: acrylic will not wash out of clothes, but luckily for Li, comes off of fingers and hair.

Estimated time: 30 minutes
Suitable for: Age 3+ (adult assisted)
Materials
• Vegetables and fruits
• A knife
• Acrylic paint
• Paint tray
• Fabric
• Newspaper for underneath the fabric

Instructions

1.Using a pencil, draw a shape into the skin of a potato.

2.With the adult’s help, cut into the potato to make a stamp. (Use vegetables and fruits like corn to make patterns or bell peppers for natural shapes like flowers.)

3.Using a brush, apply paint directly to the veggie stamp. Alternatively, put paint in the tray and press into the paint using the stamp.

4.Press evenly onto the fabric.

5.Repeat!

This article originally appeared on page 24-25 of the August 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos:Lihn Phan