I once made the mistake of allowing ten 6 year olds to paint at my daughter’s birthday party. While I took one girl outside to meet her parents when it was time to go, several of the girls (including my daughter) took it upon themselves to gift me with a mural on my wall. I am not sure I was as impressed as they expected me to be. After scrubbing the wall, I decided I’d find an easy to clean finger paint recipe and discovered this easy 4 ingredient finger paint recipe. Since it uses common items in the pantry, I never have to worry about having to run out and purchase ingredients to make it. But then I remembered the scented markers I had as a child. Why not make this into aromatherapy finger paint recipe? They smell so good! If you need an activity to keep the kids busy during spring break, want to encourage a little creativity, or just want to make sure their art projects are easy to clean, try this homemade finger paint recipe.
How To Make Homemade Aromatherapy Finger Paint:
You’ll need these ingredients:
Sugar, Cornstarch, water (be sure to use cold water!) and clear liquid dish soap. You’ll also need food coloring in various colors and your favorite scents of essential oils. I like to use Lemon 
To make the Finger Paint:
This takes a few minutes of hands on time, but still can be made in around ten minutes. You will need to allow for cooling time. Remember, this is not edible, so be sure to use with children who won’t take a few bites of the finished product!
Step 1: Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a small pan. Slowly add the cold water.
Step 2: Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture becomes a smooth, almost clear gel. This should take around five minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the dishwashing liquid and allow the mixture to cool.
Step 4: Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into containers. Stir in food coloring and essential oil until blended. If you prefer brighter colors, use paste food gel.
Printable Recipe:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups cold water
- 1/4 cup clear liquid dish soap (any type will do as long as it is clear)
- food coloring or food coloring paste (for brighter colors)
- Essential oil in your choice of scents, about 5 to 10 drops for each container
- Remember, this is not edible, so be sure to use with children who won’t take a few bites of the finished product!
- Step 1: Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a small pan. Slowly add the cold water.
- Step 2: Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture becomes a smooth, almost clear gel. This should take around five minutes.
- Step 3: Stir in the dishwashing liquid and allow the mixture to cool.
- Step 4: Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into containers. Stir in food coloring and essential oil until blended. If you prefer brighter colors, use paste food gel.
How do you keep the kids entertained over spring break?
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As much as the kids love to paint, I could see me making gallons of this. I like using products I make because that way I know what’s in them.
This sounds like a more convenient and fragrant option. Now no more labouring with artwork by the enthusiastic kids on the walls. A win-win situation for all!
I am totally pinning this. We love to mix our own paint colors but I have never thought to add some aromatics to our recipes. Thanks for the genius idea!
That is a really cool idea. You could do this to paint with someone on Valentine’s day!
Now this is the kind of stuff my daughter would enjoy doing. Thank you for the recipe, I will see if her and I can do this for the Valentine’s day break.
I really like this idea!! This is a great activity for kids, or even a good date night idea!
This is such a great idea. I love that it is dual purpose, my 6 year loves to finger paint. This is a good activity while its too cold to go out.
Always enjoy seeing creative ways to make things using household ingredients. Could imagine how good they must smell – lemon and lime are usually awesome!
I’ve never heard of aromatherapy fingerpaint before. It sounds like something my niece would have enjoyed when she was younger.
This is brilliant! I love the idea of making your own paint and it’s awesome because it doubles as aromatherapy as well. Definitely something to consider for parents and their kids.
This is such a good idea! I love that it is safe with making it yourself. This would be something fun and simple to make and give as a gift at a baby shower of babies first birthday, thank you for the idea!
I think I would love the texture. It looks like it would be cool to the touch. I love homemade paints and gels and stuff as I feel they are safer for our kids.
This is such a handy thing to know how to make! I wish I knew of this when I was a school teacher! Scrubbing paint off of school desks was a nightmare. Will bookmark this for future reference.
The colors are so bright and vibrant. I’ve seen homemade finger paint but never with essential oils. I imagine they smell heavenly. I need to make some of this for the grandkids. What a great idea!
Well this is a new one I have never seen. Fun for the kids. Makes mom happy knowing there are no toxics items in the paints.
Oh now this would be a fun idea! I’ve never tried to do something like this, but I’m sure it would be so relaxing.
What an awesome idea. I am having my two nieces over the weekend after next and they will LOVE this.