DIY: Non Toxic Fingerpaint

Okay.. I had to share this project, because it was just so much fun to make and use. I try not to blog about the same thing in two locations, but I really thought you'd all enjoy this DIY project, especially if you have kids!

Not only is this finger paint non-toxic, it is edible! Now I don’t suggest snacking on these colorful hues. My point was, if some of the paint does get in your child’s mouth, you have nothing to worry about.

Before we begin, let me just say that I made these paints on Friday and by the time I went to use them on Saturday, they were really thick. I am not sure why they thickened up as much as they did, but I think if I were to make these paints again, I would do so right before  using them.

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of cornstarch
• 1/2 TSP of salt
• 3 TBSP of sugar
• Food coloring or dye. I used the Wilton Concentrated Gels from Michael’s.
• 2 cups of cold water

Step 1: Mix together the cornstarch, salt, sugar and water in a pot and put over low to medium heat. At first, the consistency and color is very similar to milk.

Step 2: Continue to stir the mixture frequently and in about 10 minutes, it will start to rapidly thicken. First it clumps (see picture above), then within about two minutes, it will start to smooth out.

When it looks like the picture above, then it is ready to be taken off the stove.

Step 3:  Divide the mixture up into small containers. You could use baby food jars or really any type of plastic container, but suggest using something that has a lid and can be sealed.

Step 4: Add food coloring into each separate mixture. I ended up only using red, blue and yellow and made six colors.

As far as paper to use this paint on, I suggest using something that is a little bit thicker, such as construction paper since  the paint itself is pretty thick.

Questions? Comments? We’d love to hear from you.