Finger Paint Recipe

If you saw my post earlier this week about our Messy Craft Day and were thinking of doing something crazy like whipping up a batch of homemade finger paint and inviting a gaggle (how many is a gaggle, anyway?)of children over to play in it, you may want to print off this recipe. This is the original recipe our host used to make her paints although afterwards she mentioned a few minor changes she would incorporate for next time. I will tell you what they are after the recipe, which I took from this The Family Fun website.

With a batch of this quick and easy finger paint (which keeps for at least a week in airtight containers), your child can finger paint to her heart's content for just pennies. It's perfect for using on paper or in the bathtub.

• Mix together 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/3 cup of cornstarch in a small pan, then slowly add 2 cups of cold water.

• Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture becomes a smooth, almost clear gel (about 5 minutes).

• When it's cool, stir in 1/4 cup clear dish washing liquid.

• Scoop equal amounts of the mixture into containers and stir in food coloring (or, for even more vibrant colors, use food coloring paste).

Another fun painting option for little kids is to cover a tray or cookie sheet with waxed paper and have your child spoon tempera paint over it in different colors. Cover with another sheet of waxed paper. Your child can press down on the colors and watch them blend and move.

Because of the way in which we used the finger paints it would be better to use tear free baby shampoo instead of dish washing liquid. We had a little one get it in her eyes and it stung, of course. Fun, fun activity! I am going to make some and just dump it in the bath tub for The Boy one of these days. I should also mention that the food coloring did NOT stain The Boy's shorts or underwear he was wearing. I was a little worried about that at first. You can also freeze the fingerpaint and when it is thawed it returns to it's original consistency.

So there you have it...a recipe for a day of good clean fun!