Want a DIY, taste-safe paint recipe for kids? You’ve come to the right spot! This simple homemade flour paint recipe is surprisingly easy to make and keeps the kids entertained for hours. Plus, as a huge bonus, it’s safe for kids to put in their mouths – making it perfect for even the youngest artists!
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Flour Paint Recipe
To make the homemade flour paint, I grabbed a couple of empty and clean baby food jars. In each one, I mixed a heaping tablespoon of flour and a little more than two tablespoons of water.
I added a good squeeze of gel food coloring to each one to make bright and bold colors, but regular food coloring and liquid watercolors would work well, too.
That’s it! Easy-peasy.
Painting Without Paintbrushes
My kids love adding a little variety to paint projects by ditching brushes for other things. The consistency of our homemade flour paint makes it perfect to use with these fun paintbrush alternatives:
- Pinecones and leaves – It’s always a surprise to see what we can collect on a walk and bring back to use with flour paint.
- Matchbox cars – We dip the tires in paint and drive the car around the paper to make designs with the tire tracks. It’s a fun way to practice writing names and alphabet letters, too.
- Plastic eggs – Great for stamping, scooping and pouring!
- Bubble wrap – We wrap a sheet to the kids’ little feet and start stomp painting! (You may want to try this one outside.)
- Marbles – The kids place their paper in a cake pan, dip a marble in paint and shake the pan to roll the marble from side to side.
- Q-tips – Motivating way to build fine motor skills kids need for writing later.
- Flowers – We use the stem to make thin lines or stamp fireworks with the flower petals.
- Balloons – The kiddos dip the top of the balloon in paint and stamp big circles.
Find More Art Ideas
For more inspiration, try oil and watercolor painting, follow our arts and crafts board on Pinterest and check out this collection of 15 Arts and Crafts ideas!
Snag your activities and then hop over and grab our bundle of best-selling Pre-K centers in our shop!
does the food coloring stain the little ones hands?
How long will the paint last in sealed jars
Hi Candi,
We don’t usually keep the paint after we use it, however, you could try to keep it overnight-just add some more water if the paint because too dry.
Warmly,
Kimberleigh // Happiness Ambassador
can it be used on hair? will it stain clothes?
Hello Cristina,
Thanks so much for reaching out. It will stain- depending on what food coloring you use. I know that the coloring we use will stain hands if used without a paintbrush.
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Kimberleigh
Will this work on pumpkins??
Hi Rhonda,
We haven’t tried it on pumpkins, but I don’t think it would work well there. It would likely flake off after it dries.
Warmly,
Sarah // Playdough to Plato Team