Homemade Finger Paint and Play Dough

January 18th, 2011

Posted by: Piera

Hello, everyone! My name is Piera from JollyMom.com and I am thrilled to be here today featuring two of our favorite activities — pudding finger paint and homemade play dough.

Finger painting with pudding is a really fun and safe way to let the youngest of kids enjoy some finger painting without having to worry about them eating the paint. We started mixing up batches of pudding finger paint when Lucas was about a year old and he just loved it! Tasty and fun!

What You’ll Need:
Instant pudding {prepared}
Food coloring
Small containers for pudding
Old bed sheet or heavy craft paper
Paint brushes {optional}

Instructions:
Prepare pudding according to package instructions and divide equally into containers. Add food coloring to each container of pudding and mix. Set up painting surface with either paper or an old bed sheet. Give each child his or her own container of pudding, then let them use their fingers or brushes to paint on the paper or sheet. Yummy!

Although it isn’t as tasty as pudding finger paint, our homemade play dough is made from completely edible ingredients and is 100% natural.

What You’ll Need:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup water
Essential oils for scented play dough (a few drops)
Natural dyes or food coloring

Directions:
Bring the water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, place all of the other ingredients into your mixer’s bowl. Slowly add the boiling water with your mixer on medium-low speed. You can turn the speed up to medium when all of the water is in the bowl. When the mixture balls up, it is done! Just take it out and knead the dough a little bit. Store in an airtight container for up to 4-6 weeks.

Variations:

• Substitute apple juice for the water and add a little cinnamon to the dry ingredients for “apple pie” play dough.
• Boil some blueberries in a little water and use the strained liquid (in place of some of the water) to dye your play dough. You can do this with carrots, spinach, and other fruits and veggies. You can also use spices like paprika to color your play dough.

**For organic play dough, just use organic flour rather than plain white flour and make sure that you use natural dyes.**

For more crafts, recipes, and family friendly ideas, make sure to stop by and visit me at JollyMom.com!