Safe Fingerpaint
Small children, especially between the ages of one and three, have a tendency to stick anything in their mouth. Toys, interesting objects found outside, craft materials, all seem to be fair game for these youngsters. The goal of many early childhood teachers is to find activities and crafts that are safe for these curious children!
Finger-painting has always been a great way for children to explore different textures, their artistic creativity, and fine motor skills, but because of safety issues, it has been left out of many toddler classrooms. While products may claim to be non-toxic, the ramifications of ingestion are never certain, and most educators a correct in their assessment that it's better to be safe than sorry.
Amanda Morgan, developer of the blog Not Just Cute, has provided a safe alternative to regular finger-painting products. Her recipe reads as follows:
Cornstarch Finger-Paint
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups cold water
- Coloring
- Liquid soap
Be sure to read her full post for the full directions and her ingredient suggestions. While this mixture will certainly not taste good, deterring children from trying again, it is 100% safe to use and will not harm a child if they do attempt to eat it!
