Apple Prints with an Easy Woven Basket

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  • Things you probably have at home:
    • Scissors
    • Knife
    • Fork
    • Marker (or pencil)

Not pictured – glue stick + marker

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Ideal Age Range:

This is perfect for 2 – 4 year olds (pre-school age).

Mess Factor:

This project includes paint, so things can get a little messy. But you can control the mess for this one!

Prep Time:

5 minutes

This is a great project for apple picking season (if you are safely able to do that) and fall. (Even if you just bought a few too many apples at the store this week!)

You can pair this with a lesson about the anatomy of an apple, or with your favorite apple-related story.

Active Instructions:

  1. Cut the apple(s) in half. If you cut horizontally, rather than vertically, you will see the seeds create a “ star “ shape.
  2. (Optional) If your child needs an easier handle for this project, stick a fork into the apple.
Step 1 – slice your apples in half

(Optional) Step 2 – use a fork as a handle for smaller kids
  1. Have your child dip the apple into the red paint, (or you can smear the paint on with your fingers, which may help prevent too much of a “blob” effect while printing.)
    • HELPFUL TIP- Guide your child to press firmly onto the apple to ensure the whole shape gets printed.
    • One dip in the paint will probably allow for several apple prints before re-dipping. Allow your child the freedom and fun to experiment with the printing process. Their apples may end up looking funky, but this is about enjoying the PROCESS more than the result!
  2. Start your basket – While the paint dries, cut out brown strips of paper for your child. Or, if they are capable, give them their own piece of brown paper with lines to guide them and allow them to practice using their own scissors to cut along with you.
    • If your child does the cutting, their pieces will not be straight, but include them in the artwork: this is their project and it should look like they did it, so it will not be perfect!
    • Make sure the strips of paper are approximately the width and height needed for the basket.
Step 3 – print your apples onto the lighter construction paper

Step 4 – cut brown strips for your basket

  1. Glue the brown strips across the bottom of the apple-print paper. You will probably cover some of the apple prints.
    • Have your child practice spreading glue with the glue stick onto each strip and placing them onto the paper. This provides great practice for fine motor control. They will probably not be able to line up their strips perfectly, but as noted previously, this is their art project, so allow them to create it their way!
  2. When they are finished with the strips going across, show them how to put more strips going up and down to create the look of a woven basket.
  3. You can cut off any strips that may be hanging off the bottom or sides.
Step 6 – glue on horizontal strips of brown paper for your basket

Step 7 – glue on vertical strips

  1. (Optional) Use your marker or pencil to draw diagonal lines to mark your basket. You can cut diagonal edges on the bottom of the basket and also cut off some of excess paper around the printed apples.
Step 9 – cut diagonally to create a basket

This is one of our favorite apple picking books that you can pair with this activity. (It also talks about the star inside the apple!):

If you want to pin this project, please use the image below.

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