Art activities for young children have been proved to be beneficial to brain development in countless studies. Sensory play, such as finger painting, is one of these activities, in which children learn by their senses.
Messy play, such as finger painting, is a fun way to help your child develop and improve their fine motor development by strengthening finger and hand muscles. Finger painting is also a relaxing and creative way for your child to express their feelings.
Here are some other benefits of finger painting:
- Learning how colours work, especially mixing primary colours
- Supporting sensory integration
- Using hearing, touching, and smelling senses
- Focusing on process not finished product
- Expressing feelings without words
- Promoting social skills: sharing paint pots, taking turns, working together
- Stimulating creativity and imagination
- Developing communication and language skills
Make finger paint at home
You don’t need to rush to the store and buy finger paint. Here are three easy finger paint recipes you can make at home using ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen pantry. Best of all, two of the finger paint recipes are completely edible, making them perfect for toddlers who stick everything in their mouths!
Pudding Paint (edible)
What you need:
- Instant vanilla pudding
- Food colouring
What to do:
- Mix pudding according to directions
- Add food colouring
Kool-Aid Finger Paint (not edible because of the high sodium count)
What you need:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 packs unsweetened Kool-Aid
- 1 cup salt
- 3 cups boiling water
- 3 Tablespoons oil
What to do:
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Yes, it’s that simple!
Jello Finger Paint (edible)
What you need:
- Any kind of flavoured jelly
- Boiling water
What to do:
Mix jelly into boiling water until its gooey consistency is suitable for finger painting.
