Remember when our kids were born and we were going to do ALL THE THINGS? Like, play Mozart at breakfast to prime their brains for a baby pilates session conducted exclusively in French?
Then life happened and two years later we find ourselves saying things like “why are you wearing two left shoes?” and yelling “MAYDAY! MAYDAY!” through a baby monitor?*
Yeah, me too.
These days, life is a blur of early morning snuggles and texting my husband photos of random items our toddler jams in the dishwasher when I’m not looking.
And art, because there’s something magical about how quiet the room gets when everyone in engrossed in their own creative project.
The thing is, my toddler’s favorite mode of participation seems to be, um, eating the supplies, which limits what we can use.
Making Homemade Finger Paint With Food Grade Ingredients
Inspired by one of my favorite books, Tinkerlab, I recently whipped up a completely edible homemade finger paint recipe that only requires two ingredients per color.
Although in the past we’ve used regular flour and non-GMO cornstarch to make things like homemade play dough, my gluten-free attempts at paint were either gritty or difficult to work with.
And then I got an idea – YOGURT. It works beautifully, creates an engaging sensory experience, helps to develop hand-eye coordination, and is pretty tasty too depending on what you use as coloring.
My youngest gives turmeric a thumbs up for consistency but a thumbs down for flavor. He thought the red was pretty yummy, though!
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
~Maya Angelou
Recipe #1 – DIY Homemade Finger Paint Using Spices For Color
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup yogurt (I use homemade coconut yogurt)
- 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon powdered spice (or more if desired, suggested amounts for each spice can be found below)
- A smidge of honey – Optional. Use if you want your kids to enjoy taste testing as they go (where to buy honey)
Yellow
Use turmeric for the most intense color, but be sure to cover your work surface because it stains. It will also tint little fingers slightly but fades pretty quickly. (Ironically, it stains skin but whitens teeth. True story.) Mustard can be used to create a light yellow.
Green
Chlorella, spirulina, or other green powdered herb or spice.
Pink/Red
Beetroot powder or hibiscus powder
To Make
Add yogurt to a small bowl or several bowls depending on how many colors you are making.
Mix in your powdered herbs/spices one teaspoon at a time until you reach the intensity you prefer. Use only one type of herb/spice per bowl.
For yellow, I used 1 tablespoon turmeric to color 1/4 cup yogurt. For green, only 1 teaspoon of chlorella was needed to reach a rich, green color. For pink, I usually use closer to 1 tablespoon of powder.
Add honey to taste if desired.
Recipe #2 – Homemade Finger Paint Using Natural Food Dye For Color
If possible, I recommend using powdered coloring because it thickens the yogurt and is more budget friendly. However, in a pinch natural food coloring will work!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- natural food coloring – add as much as desired (I use this brand)
- A smidge of honey – Optional. Use if you want your kids to enjoy taste testing as they go (where to buy honey)
Instructions
Mix until the paint reaches the color intensity that you prefer. Add optional honey if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shelf life of edible finger paint?
Since it’s so quick to make I normally mix up small batches on the day I plan to use it, but you can make larger batches in advance and store in airtight containers. The shelf life would be roughly the same as your yogurt . . . maybe a little less if the color additive you use is highly perishable.
One thing to keep in mind is that if your little ones are dipping their hands directly into the containers that would shorten the shelf-life, so it would be best to pour what you plan to use into separate containers before starting a project.
My family is dairy-free. What can we use?
Store-bought or homemade coconut milk yogurt will work.
Want More Kids Activities?
If you love this recipe make sure to check out my homemade non-toxic crayons, edible face paint and moon sand. They’re super easy to make and perfect for fostering creative play.
Edible Homemade Finger Paint
Ingredients
- ¼ cup yogurt (I use homemade coconut yogurt)
- 1-3 tsp powdered spice (Suggested amounts for different spices can be found below)
- a smidge of light-colored honey (Optional. Use if you want your little ones to enjoy taste testing as they go.)
Spice Options for Yellow
- Use turmeric for the most intense color, but be sure to cover your work surface because it stains. It will also tint little hands slightly but fade pretty quickly. (Ironically, it stains skin but whitens teeth. True story.) Ground mustard can be used to create a light yellow.
Spice Options for Red or Pink
- Dried beetroot powder or hibiscus powder
Instructions
- Add yogurt to a small bowl or several bowls depending on how many colors you are making.
- Mix in your powdered herbs/spices one teaspoon at a time until you reach the intensity you prefer. Use only one type of herb/spice per bowl. For yellow, I used 1 tablespoon turmeric to color 1/4 cup yogurt. For green, only 1 teaspoon of chlorella was needed to reach a rich, green color. For pink, I usually use closer to 1 tablespoon of powder.
- Add honey to taste if desired.
Notes
Alternative Recipe Using Natural Food Dye
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- natural food coloring – add as much as desired (I use this brand)
- A smidge of light-colored honey (Optional. Use if you want your kids to enjoy taste testing as they go)
Instructions
Add drops of food coloring until the paint reaches the color intensity that you prefer. Stir in optional honey to taste if desired.* Though I used a baby monitor with both of my older kids I decided not to use it with my third baby after learning more about EMFs. Everyone will have their own comfort level, but I just wanted mention it for those who are looking into pro’s and con’s.