This DIY edible finger paint recipe is perfect for little ones, who like Eli, are still putting everything in their mouths. It doesn’t taste very good, and I’m not feeding him spoonfuls of it, but knowing he can get the full experience of finger-painting and not worry about materials being toxic, is such a great feeling.
I have a ton of recipes for DIY food-coloring but I have found that these don’t dry well. I want to keep everything Eli makes, especially for the first few years. Therefore, for this recipe, I used good old fashion store bought food coloring.
I love painting with him before his bath. He can get as messy as he wants and as soon as he’s done I just wash him off.
You’ll need:
- 2 cups cold water
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- food coloring (I used McCormick Assorted Colors)
- bowls or cups
- Construction paper (the thicker the better)
*Mix dry ingredients with water in a pan and whisk until well blended. Set over medium low heat and stir for 15 minutes.
*The mixture will thicken at about 10 minutes of stirring.
*Remove from heat and let cool.
*Distribute mix evenly into bowls. I used just four to keep it simple.
*Add food coloring (the amount will depend on how dark you want the colors). I used 4 drops of each. Mix well.
*NOW THE FUN STARTS! I placed a small amount of each color on a piece of construction paper and Eli went straight to them.
First thing he did was taste it! Obviously…do I know my son or what?!
He realized it wasn’t very tasty and painted his body instead.
After a couple of minutes he began to smear the paint on the paper. Boy did he enjoy this. It splattered around a bit, so make sure when doing this you have something under to protect your floors. It won’t stain, but clean up will be longer and well, nobody wants that 
<3<3<3
Let the painting dry over night. If it’s really thick it might take a few days but once it dries it looks so neat! There’s a 3D effect to it and the colors are so pretty and glossy.
xoxo
Mari Pelli
That is looking like Red #40 and Blue #2 which are both carcinogenic. I would suggest using plant dye, like beet juice and other veggies.
Thanks for the tip! I usually do make my own dye but I find it they are a little hard to work with at times; they attract insects of I use too much. Do you have any tips for this?
Looks so fun, and I love the 3-D effect! Does it dry hard/stay raised up like bubble paint or is it soft and sticky?? Either way, I think I’m totally going to do this with Maya! Will try and avoid the Red#40 and Blue #2 (do they mention that on the box??)
Thanks!