Homemade painting fun! 8 easy edible paints you can make at home

Don’t you hate it when you’re keen to let your kiddos have some painting fun, but discover at the last minute that you‘ve forgotten to replenish the paint supplies after the last time you got brave enough to have some messy fun? Never fear, we bet you’ve got all the ingredients you need in your pantry to make your own homemade paints.  

We’ve rounded up eight brilliantly simple DIY paint recipes using everyday pantry ingredients, and best of all? They’re all completely edible and non-toxic so it’s totally safe to let your babies and toddlers in on the fun.

Let’s get this painting party started! 

1. Spicy finger paints

Using a blend of yoghurt or sour cream and some of the herbs and spices in your pantry, you can create a range of vibrant, earthy tones for edible painting fun! Mommypotamus tried it with her kiddos and has discovered that turmeric and mustard powder make great yellows, beetroot powder or even freeze-dried raspberries are good for pinky/red colours, and pretty much any green herb works for various shades of green. This idea is also a great way to introduce the world of herbs and spices to your little ones, as they taste-test their paint creations.

2. Microwave puff paint

Create your own puffy paintings with this simple 3-ingredient paint recipe! Just mix self-raising flour with salt and water until it’s a paint consistency, then add enough food colouring (icing gels provide the strongest colours) to get your desired colour . Let the kids paint their own masterpieces, then pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds and watch them puff up into 3D masterpieces! Grab the full recipe and instructions over at Happy Hooligans.

3. Fruit paints

This super simple fruit paint idea is perfect for babies who are still likely to put ALL THE THINGS in their mouths. It’s also a great way to get your bub to try new foods! Simply puree your chosen fruits in a blender until you get to a paint-like consistency – you may like to add a tiny bit of natural food colouring to boost the colours, or water to get the consistency right. Let your bub finger paint to their heart’s content, secure in the knowledge that they’ll be perfectly safe – and even getting some good nutrients into them while they play. Inspired by this activity over at Hands On As We Grow.

4. Watercolour paint pucks

These nifty homemade watercolour paint pucks are so easy to make, and will last for ages. Containing just five cheap pantry ingredients – bicarb soda, vinegar, corn syrup, corn starch and food colouring – you’ve probably got everything you need to whip up a batch today. Once mixed, the paints dry into solid paint pucks that will last indefinitely – just swipe a wet paintbrush over them to get creating! Grab the full recipe and watch the tutorial at Happy Hooligans.

5. 4-ingredient finger paint

Using four simple ingredients, this edible finger paint needs to be thickened on the stove and then cooled for use, so it’s one for a grown-up to help make. Flour, water, salt and food colouring is all it takes and creator, Homan At Home, says it gives you the perfect consistency for finger painting. 

6. Glossy Skittles paint

Grab a bag of Skittles and get painting! This clever idea from Mama.Papa.Bubba uses Skittles and corn syrup to create a colourful range of glossy paints that smell divine. As an added bonus, this recipe also allows for a fun colour-sorting exercise as you get your little one to divide the differently coloured Skittles into separate jars to get started. Such a fun multi-sensory activity!

7. Condensed milk paint

It’s as simple as adding some food colouring to condensed milk to make a creamy, edible painting experience for your little ones. Learn~Play~Imagine shared these pics of her attempt and she says it creates a vibrant and glossy paint that doesn’t flake off the paper once dry. 

8. Jelly paints

Did you know that jelly crystals make great paints? Well, now you do! Just add hot (not boiling) water to jelly crystals until you have a paint-like consistency, then let the kids go to town with some deliciously-scented arty fun! Check out the full method over at The Imagination Tree. 

Looking for more fun art and craft activities to try with the kids? Head over to our Things To Do section for loads of fun and easy ideas!