Sandpaper crayon transfer art is a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) activity adaptable for all ages.

Preschoolers will enjoy the tactile experience of simply coloring on sandpaper. Older children will enjoy the rewards of seeing their design transferred through the heat of an iron onto cotton fabric or paper. The designs transfer with a pointillist effect and are reversed from the original drawing.

Both pointillism and reverse design can be topics of conversation. Children can transfer their designs onto t-shirts, pillowcases, dishtowels or make a banner to hang.

What You Need

• Sandpaper, fine or medium grade paper works best but any scraps of sandpaper will work

• Good quality crayons

• paper or cotton cloth

• Iron

• Ironing board or pad

• Paper towel or parchment paper

What You Do

Color a simple design on the sandpaper and remind children the design will be reversed.

Color hard over the design to make sure the crayon layer is thick.

Place the sandpaper design side down on the fabric or paper.

If transferring the design to a t-shirt or pillowcase put cardboard inside to keep the color from bleeding through to the back.

Put the iron on the cotton setting and place a piece of thin paper or paper towel between the iron and the sandpaper to protect the iron from the crayon.

Move the iron over the sandpaper for about a minute then pick up a corner to check the transfer.

Hints and Tips

Fine grade sandpaper works best but a variety pack is fun to experiment with. Each grade presents differently.

If children are going to transfer onto fabric encourage them to try their design on a piece of paper first.

It will give them the chance to make changes before committing to the cloth.

Remind children if they write letters, they must draw them in reverse or they’ll appear backwards on their finished product.

Try glitter crayons for a little sparkle in the design.

If transferring onto fabric “set the color” by laying a thick layer of paper towels and ironing directly on the design to absorb extra waxy color and put it in the dryer for 20 minutes.

Robin Ballmer is a children’s art advocate and program coordinator.