Make Your Own: Finger Paint

{To get these colors: 5 drops blue, 5 drops yellow, purple (which looks more blue in picture than actuality) = 3 drops neon purple + 2 drops blue, 5 drops red}

Materials:

• 2 Cups water
• 1/2 Cup corn starch
• 3 Tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• food coloring
• containers with lids
• small sauce pan
• spoons for mixing colors

Directions: (makes about 2 cups)

1. Combine ingredients in a small sauce pan. Kids can help with this part.
2. Adults Only: On stove top, warm until mixture thickens. I did this on medium heat until it looked like glue.
3. Pour into containers. (We used four Glad 1/2 cup plastic containers.)
4. Add food coloring to get desired colors. Mix each color with a spoon.
5. Let finger paint cool before giving to kids to use.

{Abstract Art by Mia, Age 5}

I originally found this idea on Pinterest. I think the consistency is perfect for finger painting. It is simple to make with items you probably have on hand anyway, and it's always nice to know exactly what is in stuff that your kids may happen to eat. (I'm not suggesting that it is edible, just that it is made from things I wouldn't freak out about if my kiddos happened to taste it -- which Logan is pretty likely to do at some point, although he is currently averse to finger painting.) If you enjoy making your own finger paints, you might also like making puffy paint, corn syrup paint, snow paint, or bath tub paint.