Gelli Printing with Leaves | Printmaking for Kindergarten -

Two colorful autumn leaves on paper with leaf rubbings in various pastel colors in the background.

A white leaf silhouette appears on an orange square background, surrounded by colorful crayon leaf rubbings on white paper—perfect for a kindergarten leaves art project.

Always a popular fall activity, we made leaf rubbings last week.

A square orange print with white silhouettes of two leaves, one large and one small, is centered on a white paper with faint leaf patterns—a perfect piece to inspire creativity in any kindergarten art project.

Then, using our new Gelli Plates, we pulled prints of the leaves.

Abstract art featuring an orange textured square with a white, irregular shape in the center, bordered by a red frame with black handwritten text and doodles reminiscent of kindergarten leaves on a pastel background.

To do this, we rolled acrylic paint on the plate. The kids then rolled textures in the paint using texture rollers. Leaves were placed on top. Then, white paper was placed on top of the plate. We rubbed the back of the paper with our fingers and then pulled the paper off to reveal these leaf prints.

Square orange artwork featuring a white leaf silhouette in the center, surrounded by a simple stitched border.

To keep the activity organized, I had the kids at their tables doing the crayon rubbings. Then, I called the kids up three at a time, so I could monitor the printing. The kids had so much fun using the texture rollers, that sometimes they would roll and roll and roll until the textures were just kind of lumpy. oh well! I think we will have to break out the texture rollers again and just play with them on paper. I precut all of the construction paper squares in various shades of orange, red and yellow. The next period, the kids gathered their leaf rubbing, leaf print and chose one colored square. They glued them all together and then could add marker on the frame if they wanted.