I got so depressed yesterday when my son wouldn't come to me or kiss me. I know that this is a normal stage that children go through, but it is still a hard pill to swallow. This morning when we were doing our morning routine, I realized we had fallen into a rut. So I set out to have some crafting time with my son.
Sage just turned two. I have been dying to finger paint with him, but he puts everything in his mouth. I have been afraid to let him use the store bought finger paints. They tend to be aimed toward older kids and have chemicals in them. I am sure that the more reputable brands must be safe, but I feel more comfortable knowing what my son will inevitably digest. I found this recipe athttp://www.creativekidsathome.com. They have other recipes and even one that the kids can help make, but my son is not quite ready for that yet.
They are made with the same ingredients that I use in baking so there is nothing toxic to ruin my pots.
Homemade Finger Paint
Ingredients
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cold water
food coloring
Directions
In a medium pan, mix all the ingredients together to make the finger paint. Cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes. Keep stirring the finger paint mixture until it is smooth and thick (a spatula works best at keeping the mixture from sticking to the sides and bottom of the pot). After the finger paint has thickened take the pan off the stove and let the mixture cool. ( I found that it took longer for the mixture to thicken.)
After cooling, divide the finger paint into storage containers depending on how many colors you would like. Add a few drops of food coloring to each container. Stir the coloring in to the paint to determine the shade of color. You're ready to finger paint! Cover tightly when storing.
We had so much fun. I think he was wearing more than made it to the paper. I was right about the digestion of paint, I was really glad I made it from scratch. No Picasso, but maybe a Van Gogh.
