Pudding as finger paint
Here's how Linda takes the pain out of finger paint:
Instead of finger paints, I make a couple batches of instant vanilla pudding (sugar and fat free is fine). I divide it into a muffin tin and then my kids (2.5 year old twins) can choose what colors to make. They love to stir the "paint" and watch it change colors. We use it to finger paint and then eat what's left over! This is great with younger kids because it doesn't matter if they're still in the "putting everything in their mouth" phase.
Tags: Art projects, Parenting, Toddler
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I realize after reading this I forgot to mention that I color the pudding with food coloring. That would probably help, wouldn't it?
Posted by: Linda | 19 January 2007 at 06:53 AM
You can also put the pudding into a ziploc bag (gallon size) and tape it shut. Lay it flat on the table and then they can make letters, shapes, etc. and it's no mess!
Posted by: Lisa M | 19 January 2007 at 08:22 AM
One of my earliest memories is in Kindergarten -- we were finger painting and I tasted the paint to find it was chocolate pudding. Yum. That was about 35 years ago!
Posted by: Jules | 19 January 2007 at 08:52 AM
When I taught preschool, this is how we would "paint" with the infant/toddlers. They also loved to take cheerios, grahams and such and smoosh them into the picture sto create texture. It's a nice activity to do on tile or outside, though. A little messy.
Posted by: kaz | 19 January 2007 at 09:41 AM
You can also use plain yogurt, no mixing and no added sugar.
Posted by: Julia | 19 January 2007 at 05:45 PM
Trix makes Yogurt in very UN-organic colors (blue, red, pink). Anyway, my husband accidently bought it and we discovered finger painting with our 11 month old at the high chair is great! He eats, plays and has a lot of fun!
Posted by: Serrina | 21 January 2007 at 07:17 PM
When working in the toddler room of a daycare many moons ago, we used pudding, yogurt and also whipped cream - that's a fun one too!
Also, using cake decorating tubes with tips, cream cheese frosting (cream cheese, butter, sugar and a little milk), or any of the above if you can improve the consistency, is a great activity - they can "draw" all over the table with different tips.
Even more fun, I made mini-cakes for a party and the guests got to decorate their own cake. Wow. That was thrilling!
Posted by: Dylan Emrys | 23 January 2007 at 01:20 PM