How to Make Finger Paint

I love arts and crafts as I am sure you already know.  One day, I hope to pass this love onto my precious baby girl.  Now that she is a little older I thought it would be fun to let her fingerpaint and what a great excuse to use the ridiculous amount of free canvas I got from the Airman's attic.

Sadly, I couldn't find any non toxic paint [yeay for being overseas] but I realized I could probably make it myself.  Yup here is the recipe and how to for making fingerpaint!  The teacher in me also thought,  what a great lesson activity this would be to teach kids about colors.... like our favorite one yellow.

So how do you make it?  Here it is step by step using all the things you already have in the pantry.

Ingredients

2 cups of cold water

3 tbsp of  sugar

food coloring

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 cup of corn starch

Mix the water, sugar, salt, and cornstarch together until everything is dissolved.

Put it in a pan and cook it over low to medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes.



Stir it frequently and it will start to thicken [this reminds me of cooking gravy].

Soon the milky liquid will be a thick white substance.

Divide them in different containers.

Let it cool.  This is where my teacher light bulb came on.  If you have a toddler let them join in the making of the colors.  I can't wait until Cindy is old enough to do this with me.

A little yellow and  red [looks like ketchup and mustard to me].  As you mix up each color, talk about things that are yellow like ducks and the sun.  Talk about things that are red like apples and fire trucks.

You can then talk about mixing colors and how two colors can me mushed to make another.  Red and yellow make orange!

Put a lid on it and store it in the fridge until you are ready to use!

When you are ready to paint, here is a teacher tip that works with any paints.  Mix the paint with dish soap and it won't stain and will wash out.  Be sure you mix the red with a lot of soap.  I didn't and Cindy and I had oompa loompa hands for a few hours hehe.

Once you are ready, set the stage.  I knew I saved this canvas for a reason other than that stroller bag!

I got boo in her diapers, plopped her down, and she crawled right over to the red and dug right in!

When that was smushed around, time for the orange.

Don't forget about the yellow!

She kept trying to figure out what in the world was in her hands.  Thank God she did not try to eat it!

And she wouldn't be her if she didn't attack mommy with all that paint!!  Note to self, do not wear cute shorts when finger painting with the baby.

And some more paint?!  Hooray!

But her favorite color of all is yellow.

Fun and easy right?!   Now go and make some for yourself and be sure to share those photos!