Make Hammered Flower Prints – A Nature Process Art Project

To make your own hammered flower art, you’ll need:

Safety Note: When choosing the foliage you will use for your hammered flower art, be sure you’re familiar with the flowers or leaves you’re collecting, and avoid using plants that can cause skin irritation or are toxic to children or pets. Even non-toxic plants may cause unexpected reactions in particular individuals. This project is not recommended for children under the age of 5 or anyone who may be tempted to put pieces of foliage in their mouths.

Hammered Flower Prints – Nature Process Art DIY Instructions:

Gather colorful flowers and leaves.

Gather up a variety of leaves and flowers – a great excuse for a nature walk! The more colors you can find the better!

Arrange your collection of flowers and leaves on a sheet of paper.

If you’re going to make a composition as we did, you can arrange your flowers and leaves on a piece of paper in a way you like. You can also experiment with leaves one by one or on small squares of paper.  Once you’re happy with your arrangement, gently flip the leaves over so they are face down.

Cover with wax paper.

Cover your arrangement, leaf, or flower with a piece of wax paper or a paper towel. Your foliage will be releasing vibrant pigments, so this will keep them from getting on the hammer and making hammer prints on the paper.

Hammer the flowers and leaves!

Grab your hammer or rubber mallet and start pounding! It’s fun to experiment with light and hard hammering and different sizes of hammers if you have them. Our foliage was so healthy and water-filled that we found it helpful to put a towel underneath the paper to keep it from sliding.

Working with kids who may have trouble with a heavy hammer? Try using a rubber mallet instead. It has a bit more bounce and softness but will still do the trick when it comes to pounding!

Gently pull the wax paper off the top of your paper.

Slowly pull back the wax paper. There were so many “oooohhhhs” and “ahhhhhhs” from our crowd! The variety of colors was actually better than we thought we would get – and some looked different than we had expected. Some leaves left detailed prints, while others only left an outline around the outside.

Add watercolors and salt or collage (optional).

Once you’ve finished, you can continue the experiment and art-making by painting your prints with watercolors and then sprinkling them with salt (this adds another layer of cool texture!). Or cut your prints into small pieces and collage them.

Finding flowers and leaves that work well for pounded flower art

Half of the fun of this smash art project is experimenting with the foliage you have right in your own yard or neighborhood – we were so surprised by some of the colors that appeared after pounding! But if you prefer the guarantee of bold, bright colors, here are the flowers we tried that gave our hammered nature art the most colorful results.

Tips for Making Hammered Flower Art with Kids

Flower smash art is a fun and engaging activity that allows children to explore nature and create beautiful art pieces using flowers and leaves. Here are ten tips for making hammered flower art with kids:

• Gather your flowers and foliage together: In addition to some quality time outside together, this is an excellent opportunity to discuss safety concerns when using natural supplies.
• Choose the right materials: Opt for fresh, colorful flowers and leaves with high pigmentation. We’ve listed some of our favorites below!
• Prep for it: Prepare the work area: Lay down a protective cover on your work surface, such as a tablecloth or plastic sheet, to prevent damage from the hammering process, and be sure to wear outfit kiddos in a smock or old clothing.
• Secure the paper: Use masking tape to secure the edges of the wax or parchment paper to the work surface, preventing it from shifting during the hammering process.
• Hammer gently: Show the kids how to gently tap the hammer over the covered flowers and leaves, using even pressure to release the pigments onto the paper. Be sure to supervise and assist younger children as needed.
• Start small: Before working on a big sheet of paper, make a couple of test prints on small scrap paper pieces.

Hammered Flower Art FAQs

Benefits of Flower Pounding With Kids 

• Encourages creativity and self-expression: Flower pounding allows children to express themselves through art and explore various color combinations, patterns, and textures. This fosters their creativity, imagination, and artistic skills.
• Develops fine motor skills: Hammering flowers and arranging them on paper or fabric requires precision, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination. These activities help children develop their fine motor skills, which are essential for various everyday tasks.
• Teaches patience and focus: Creating hammered flower prints is a process that requires children to pay attention to detail, work carefully, and exercise patience. This helps them develop their ability to concentrate and maintain focus on a task.
• Promotes appreciation for nature: Engaging with flowers and plants during this activity allows children to connect with and appreciate the beauty and diversity of nature. This can foster a sense of environmental responsibility and teach them about the importance of preserving and respecting our natural world.
• Provides a therapeutic experience: The process of pounding flowers and creating art can be calming and stress-relieving for children. This activity encourages them to slow down, relax, and be present in the moment, which can contribute to their overall mental well-being.

Ten variations on a flower-pounding activity for kids

Hammered flower prints can be adapted in various ways to make the activity engaging for kids of all ages. Remember to adjust the level of complexity and assistance based on the age of the children participating in the activity, and always prioritize safety and supervision when using hammers and other tools. Here are ten variations to try:

1. Try fabric prints: Instead of using paper, have the kids create prints on fabric, such as a plain white T-shirt or tote bag, for a unique and wearable piece of art.
2. Make a nature collage: Encourage the kids to incorporate other natural elements like twigs, seeds, or grass into their hammered flower prints, creating a mixed-media nature collage.
3. Use for color exploration: Provide watercolor or acrylic paints and brushes, and let the kids add color to their hammered prints after they’ve dried, creating a more vibrant and abstract look.
4. Make symmetrical prints: Celebrate symmetry in nature with a mirror-image hammered flower print. Fold a piece of paper in half, then reopen and lay it flat. Create your composition on one half, fold the paper over, and hammer. Once unfolded, you’ll have a mirror image.
5. Personalized stationery: Create personalized stationery by making hammered flower prints on blank cards or postcards. Kids can send these to friends and family as unique, handmade greetings.
6. Make nature bookmarks: Make hammered flower prints on strips of cardstock, then laminate them or cover them with clear contact paper to create beautiful, nature-inspired bookmarks.
7. Create nature journals: Encourage kids to document their outdoor adventures by creating a nature journal using their hammered flower prints as covers or as decorations on the journal pages.
8. Group mural: Have a group of kids work together to create a large-scale hammered flower print mural on a big sheet of paper or canvas, encouraging teamwork and collaboration.
9. Decorate hand-printed leaves: Incorporate handprints into the artwork by having kids dip their hands in washable paint and press them onto the paper alongside the hammered flower prints, creating a unique keepsake.
10. Use seasonal themes: Explore seasonal themes by using flowers and leaves that correspond to the current season, such as bright spring blossoms, vibrant summer blooms, or colorful autumn leaves.