Finger Painting

Finger Paint Recipe:  

in a saucepan mix 1/2 cup cornflour with 

1/2 cup of cold water

Add 1 cup of boiling water.

Bring to the boil on stove

Remove from heat when thick and clear. You can add a few drops of food dye to this mixture, or give your child the opportunity to add the colours in themselves.

Finger painting is a soothing and has creative benefits for children, although it doesn't offer as much opportunity for detail as using a paint brush. 

Finn has been getting fussy about getting his hands dirty, so I wanted to encourage a bit of messy play with him. 

I did this on a large kitchen bench, but you could do it on a tabletop covered with plastic, or use a 'messy mat' on the floor.  

You can also easily make prints by laying a large sheet of paper over the top of the finished design and with clean dry hands rub over the back of the paper. Slowly lift paper of the table and hang to dry. 

Printmaking is a satisfying activity for children- they can produce multiple reproductions with out too much effort. Print making is a magical experience for them. 

I used edicol dye powder mixed with a little water- Finn added it to the clear finger paint with a spoon.

 I encouraged him to explore what his little fingers could do with the paint.