Home Made Runny Paint (non-edible!)

We tried another home made paint recipe after the edible version, and this one is not for the babies (or toddlers who still insist on eating everything!)

 Recipe:
* 1 cup of plain flour (all purpose in US)
* 1 cup of cold water
* 1 cup of washing up liquid (dish soap in US)
* a big squeeze of food colouring (I divided the mix into 3 first then added some to each bowl)

Method:
* Mix the water with the flour until it becomes smooth. Stir in the washing up liquid and colouring. Done! So very, very easy and it takes the colouring really well.
                          

 I folded a large piece of a cardboard box into 3 and bent back the two “wings” I had created to make it stand up. Voila! we had our very own (free and flimsy!) art easel which, with a couple of clothes pegs, held onto the paper perfectly. We do have an art easel on the to-buy list, but for now this works fine!

 She road-tested the paint very enthusiastically by slopping it all over the paper (and dripping all over the floor- thankfully a manky, old laminate that we inherited with the house!)

 She began to notice that it was runny but also gloopy in consistency and she thought it was just brilliant.

 I absolutely love this photo! Curiosity, cheekiness and a bit of awe and wonder. We love messy play!

 This is apparently Mr Tumble (from Something Special on Cbeebies. ) She has an ongoing love for him.

 The paint was thick yet runny, gloopy and ever so slightly reminiscent of egg whites in texture!

 I think the washing up liquid makes it really easy to paint with and also gives it a wonderful, fresh smell!

 The overall verdict on this paint is that it is much better than the finger paint in terms of actually painting and mark making with. The colours take really well and therefore create more vibrant effects. If left overnight it goes really thick and strange so I’m not sure you could successfully store it for long. But as an activity for a child to do all the way through, from the mixing and making to the painting (and washing up!) it is brilliant. We will definitely be making it again.

This activity is good for:
* creativity and imagination
* knoweldge and understanding of the World: colour mixing, combining materials, wet and dry, textures
* fine motor skills: holding and using a small tool (brush)