Edible Home-made Finger Paint (with recipe)

Today the boys had a friend over to play and they all wanted to make something artsy. So we whipped up a batch of homemade finger paints and they went to town! If you do decide to give this recipe a try PLEASE BE CAREFUL if your little ones help you make it! This recipe involves boiling water, and cooking on the stovetop! This is not a recipe for children to follow without lots of close grownup supervision. The paint dries semi-transparent and has a very glossy, durable finish. It is very pretty and lots of fun to use. One of the things I like about it is the easy availability of all of the ingredients, no special ordering and waiting for delivery, and it’s cheap too (always a plus in my book!!) You can refrigerate the unused portions for a few days at least. We’ve never had left-over paint for more than a few days (so I’m not sure exactly how long it will last without spoiling), as it disappears quickly around here!

Homemade finger paint recipe tutorial

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cornstarch
• 2¾ cup cold water
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• Small jars with lids for storing your paint (we find it easier to dip the paint out of teacups)
• Food coloring

How we make it:

• Mix cornstarch with 2¾ cups cold water to make a smooth paste in a saucepan until no lumps remain
• Meanwhile soak the gelatin in ¼ cup water to soften until it’s needed
• Cook cornstarch mixture over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils and turns clear(ish)
• Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture
• Cool and divide into several different jars for various colors. Stir in food coloring until you have a pleasing color that is well blended.

This recipe makes about 3 cups of paint.

We didn't have any finger paint paper on hand but it works nicely with card stock paper as well. Overall everyone was pleased with the outcome! I hope you enjoy using this recipe with your little ones!

*Update February 17, 2014 This is thick finger paint. We like it that way! If you make it like exactly as the recipe states you will have nice thick paint. If you want it a bit runnier, please feel free to add water a little bit at a time until it is the consistency YOU want it to be! Super Easy fix right?  Of course you are still welcome to send vituperative emails about how I wrote the recipe wrong, and I promise I will always answer you nicely, just the way I'd want to be treated, but please ask yourself before you send me an email like that...what good would it do? Surely you are not so unhappy with your life, (or my finger paint recipe) that you want to try and ruin a perfectly nice stranger's day? Surely all you nice crafty mamas out there who want to make a safe fun recipe to use with your adoring little ones can treat me and all of the other mamas who are out here online and in real life nicely right? Let's all try to remember what Thumper's mama  told him "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all!" She sounds like a very smart bunny indeed!

Love and hugs to you ALL*! ~Rachel 

(Even to those of you who do send those vituperative emails...especially to you! I imagine you could really use some loving and hugs!)

♥