Create gift wrap with a potato stamp

What can we use if we don't have a potato, cookie cutter, or butcher/kraft paper?

Use a firm foam craft block or a rubber eraser carved into a shape instead of a potato stamp, trace shapes with a template or the rim of a small jar instead of pressing a cookie cutter into the potato half, and substitute a flattened grocery brown paper bag or large sheet of scrap wrapping paper for the butcher/kraft paper.

My prints are blotchy or smudgy — how can we fix them?

Make sure you squeeze small puddles of paint and paint a thin even layer onto the potato stamp, practice stamping on scrap paper to find the right pressure, wipe the stamp with a paper towel before changing colors, and press the stamp firmly onto the kraft paper for a cleaner print.

How can this activity be adapted for toddlers or older kids?

For toddlers, have an adult do the cutting and carving and let the child brush paint onto the potato and press it onto the butcher/kraft paper with washable paint, while older kids can carve their own stamps, plan repeating patterns across the kraft paper, and experiment with layering colors and shapes.

How can we personalize or extend the gift wrap after stamping?

After the gift wrap dries completely, add hand-lettered names or metallic paint accents, cut matching gift tags from scrap paper and stamp them with the same potato stamps, or seal the paper with a clear varnish and share a photo on DIY.org.