The bottom line
Cyanotype (sun printing) is the easiest photographic process you can do with kids — no darkroom, no chemicals beyond iron compounds that are non-toxic, no special equipment. You expose UV-treated paper to sunlight for 10–15 minutes, rinse in water, and a blue-and-white print appears. Works for ages 5 and up. Takes 30 minutes total. The prints are genuinely beautiful. A kit costs about $15 and contains enough paper for 20 prints. This is the activity that makes kids say "Wait, that worked?" and immediately want to do it again.
Cyanotype was invented in 1842 by the astronomer and chemist John Herschel. The botanist Anna Atkins used it shortly after to create the first book illustrated entirely with photographs — she printed cyanotype images of algae specimens, each one beautiful and scientifically precise. The process hasn't changed meaningfully in 180 years.
The fact that you can do the same thing with a 7-year-old on a sunny afternoon — and get results that look genuinely remarkable — is one of those things that should make everyone feel better about the world.
📊 The Research
Project-based learning research consistently shows that children learn science concepts most durably when they can observe and verify the principles themselves rather than being told about them. Edutopia's synthesis of PBL research found that hands-on science projects increase retention by 40% compared to traditional instruction, and that making a physical artifact of the learning (a print, a model, an object) further strengthens memory consolidation. Cyanotype is literally chemistry you can hang on the wall.
The moment the print appears after rinsing. Every kid has the same reaction: "Wait — it worked?"
What Cyanotype Is (In Plain Language)
Cyanotype paper is coated with iron compounds that are sensitive to ultraviolet light. When exposed to sunlight, the iron compound undergoes a chemical reaction in the areas exposed to light — turning bright blue (Prussian blue). The areas blocked from light by your objects stay white (the coating washes away).
Rinse with water. The reaction is fixed. You have a permanent print.
That's it. Two chemicals, sunlight, water. The same process that the great Victorian botanists used. The same blue that appears in the natural history collections of major museums. Available at your craft store for $15.
"The same photographic process Anna Atkins used in 1843 to create the world's first photographically illustrated book — now available at your craft store for $15 and thirty minutes of your afternoon."
What You Need
Cyanotype paper or a DIY kit: Pre-sensitized paper in various sizes. Available at craft stores and online. Alternatively, you can coat your own paper with chemicals (a bit more involved but significantly cheaper per sheet).
Objects to print: Leaves, flowers, feathers, paper cutouts, keys, small toys, lace — anything flat or semi-flat that blocks light. Translucent objects like thin leaves create beautiful gradient effects.
Sunlight: UV light is what activates the reaction. Direct summer sun works in 5–10 minutes. Hazy or partial sun takes 15–20 minutes. Pure cloudy days don't work well — wait for sun.
Flat surface and something to hold objects in place: A piece of glass or acrylic sheet on top of the objects keeps them flat against the paper. Without it, wind or curling can blur the edges.
Water: Tap water, in a tray or sink, for rinsing.
Jacquard Cyanotype Sensitizer Set
The chemicals to coat your own paper — significantly more economical than pre-sensitized paper if you're doing multiple sessions. Enough for 100+ sheets. Non-toxic iron compounds.
→ Shop on Amazon
Sunprint Kit (Pre-Sensitized Paper, 12 sheets)
The easiest starting point — pre-coated paper, instructions included, no chemicals to handle. Perfect for a first session with kids. About $15 for 12 full-size sheets.
→ Shop on AmazonStep-by-Step Guide
1. Prepare your objects. Gather leaves, flowers, feathers, or whatever you want to print. Press them flat if they're curved — a few minutes under a heavy book helps. Go outside and find interesting shapes while the paper is still inside.
2. Set up in indirect light. Cyanotype paper is sensitive to UV light — it starts exposing if you leave it in sunlight before you're ready. Keep it in shade or inside until you're ready to start the exposure.
3. Arrange your objects on the paper. Do this in shade. Place the paper blue-side-up on your flat surface. Arrange your objects. Place glass or acrylic over them to press everything flat.
4. Move to direct sunlight. Place the whole setup in direct sunlight. The exposed areas will gradually turn from blue to pale yellow-green — this is the exposure happening. Leave it for 5–15 minutes depending on sun intensity. Bright summer sun: 5–8 minutes. Partial sun: 12–20 minutes.
5. Rinse in water. When the exposed areas look pale yellow-green and the protected areas still look blue, bring it inside and rinse in water for 1–2 minutes. The blue develops more intensely, the yellow areas wash away, and the print appears. It will continue to darken slightly as it dries.
6. Dry flat. Leave prints flat to dry. Hanging can cause uneven drying and marks. The final prints will be Prussian blue and white.
A botanical cyanotype print. The process Anna Atkins used in 1843 to create the world's first photographically illustrated book. Exactly this beautiful.
What to Print
Botanical prints: The classic cyanotype subject. Leaves, grasses, wildflowers, ferns, herbs from the garden — anything with interesting shape or delicate structure. Look for translucent leaves that will create shadow gradients rather than hard silhouettes.
Collection prints: A summer collection — shells, pressed flowers, feathers, small stones arranged into a pattern. Cyanotype prints become a beautiful way to document a walk or a trip.
Shadow drawing: Use paper cutouts to create shapes — animals, letters, abstract patterns. Simple cutouts that kids make themselves become the subject of their print.
Lace and fabric: Lace placed over the paper creates extraordinary detailed prints. Old doilies, mesh fabric, loosely woven materials all work beautifully.
Helen, elementary school art teacher — Vermont
"I do a cyanotype unit every spring. We spend the week before it collecting plants on nature walks. On printing day I barely have to teach — the kids are so excited to see what their print looks like that they run the whole session themselves. The 'reveal' moment when the blue appears in the rinse water gets a reaction every time, even from the kids who've done it before."
Troubleshooting
Faint or pale prints: Underexposed — leave longer in sun next time, or wait for brighter sunlight.
Completely dark blue (no silhouettes): Overexposed, or objects weren't flat enough against the paper. Use glass to press objects flatter.
Blurry edges: Objects weren't held flat — wind moved them, or the glass wasn't used. Press objects firmly to the paper surface.
Won't expose at all: Cloudy day with too little UV. Wait for direct sun. Window glass blocks most UV — work outside, not through glass.
The Science Behind It (Worth Explaining)
Cyanotype uses two iron compounds: ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. UV light converts ferric (iron +3) to ferrous (iron +2) ions. The ferrous ions react with the ferricyanide to form ferric ferrocyanide — which is Prussian blue, one of the first synthetic pigments ever made.
This is real chemistry happening in real time, outdoors, in sunlight, creating a permanent image. For kids who are interested in science, explaining this process — showing that photography is fundamentally chemistry — is one of those explanations that lands differently than anything in a textbook. You made that with iron and sunlight.
Greg, stay-at-home parent — Washington
"My 8-year-old and I did cyanotypes one Saturday. He asked how the blue appeared and I explained the iron chemistry, expecting his eyes to glaze over. Instead he asked six follow-up questions and then said 'So we're doing photography but with science?' That was three months ago. He still has the leaf print on his wall."
