This is the coolest finger paint. It’s all made from just a few items that you probably already have. It’s easy to make, and the kids can participate in some of the cooking process. Yes, you cook during this project. It’s like a science experiment, and art all in one. Here’s the recipe for Easy Homemade DIY Kid Friendly Finger Paints:
Homemade Finger Paints
I actually found this recipe in the back of my mom’s old church recipe book. It’s one from the good ole’ days.
Supplies You’ll Need:
- 1 package of Knox Unflavored Gelatin
- 1 cup of ice cold water – divided
- 1/2 cup of cornstarch
- 2 cups hot water
- 1/2 cup of “no tears” kid’s shampoo! – I use tear-free shampoo just incase the kids rub their eyes
- assorted colors of food coloring – I used the gel kind
Suggested Equipment from Amazon for this Easy Homemade DIY Kid Friendly Finger Paints :
(affiliate links)
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Knox Unflavored Gelatin (16...Shop on Amazon 
Pyrex Glass 1118441 Prepwar...Shop on Amazon 
Food Coloring AmeriColor So...Shop on Amazon [/box]
How to Make Homemade Finger Paints
- In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of cold water and stir in the Knox Gelatin – stir quickly at first. It hardens fast. Then leave it to harden
- In a medium-sized saucepan, dissolve the cornstarch in the rest of the cold water – mix well
- Add the rest of the water
- Place that onto the stove over medium heat. Stir Constantly. After about a minute of stirring, it will turn into a clear gel
- Remove it from the heat, and add the hardened Knox Gelatin. Stir this in.
- Add the 1/2 cup of shampoo and stir this in.
- Allow the gel mixture to cool. This is your base for finger paints. You’re almost done!
- Now, divide the gel mixture up into as many containers as you want
- Squeeze just a drop of food colorant into the mixture (kids love to participate in this part). Stir in. The color will be vibrant
- *The paint is best if used right away.
- That’s it Grab some coloring books or some paper to make some art
Storing any leftover paint:
Store unused paint in the refrigerator and mix well before using it again. You can expect old paint to thin down a bit. I haven’t found an exact solution for returning it to its original state. I would love to hear back from anyone who has this figured out. The idea of popping it into the fridge to firm up came from a reader. Thank you for tha
Below are pictures from my original post in 2013. Boy, do the years fly by fast. Enjoy them.
They had a blast coloring in their coloring books with finger paint
If you liked this recipe for DIY Kid Friendly Finger Paints – don’t forget to follow along with me for more re cipes, crafts, DIY, Home & Garden, and party ideas!
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And, if you are looking for more craft recipes, check out this post on OVER 15 CRAFT RECIPES FOR SUMMER FUN! :
~Melissa – Kidfriendlythingstodo.com
Hi, do you have to use this right away or can you save it? We made ours and set it aside and hours later it was watery. Any ideas? Can I reheat it?
Hi there! I haven’t run into this problem yet. I’m so sorry it thinned out. I would think reheating it would thicken it back up, but I can’t be certain until I get back home and test that theory out. I hope this works out for you. These finger paints are one of my favorites. It’s such a fun activity.
I actually ended up putting it in the fridge and it firmed up quite nicely! I made a double batch and used liquid water colors they came out great!
Yay! Thanks for coming back to let me know it all worked out. I was so worried. I never thought about putting it in the fridge. I’m going to have to try that with our leftover paint. I’m so happy that it thickened up for you, and now we have a “quick fix” for people that run into the same problem. Have a great day painting!