Glitter Finger Paint

If you have spent any time at Mess for Less, than you may have noticed I have a slight glitter fixation. I can't help it, I love sparkly things. My motto is "glitter makes everything better." We have made Bubbling Glitter Paint and Glittery Oobleck. I always make sure we are fully stocked in glitter. Recently we made some cornstarch finger paint and of course I decided it would be better with glitter. I laughed when I saw that Allison from Learn Play Imagine just posted her awesome recipe for Sparkly Finger Paint as well. She has a great way to make some using liquid watercolors which just make the colors pop! If you have a toddler, she has a recipe for Edible Sensory Paint as well.

You will need:

• 1 cup of cornstarch
• 4 cups of water
• Glitter
• 1 teaspoon of food coloring
• Finger paint paper

Combine the water and cornstarch and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Keep stirring during this process. When the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and divide into cups. 

Add food coloring to each cup. Use more food coloring for deeper colors. You can get creative when you add the glitter. You can add a similar color or a contrasting color. Also you have the option of adding more glitter or less to get a different effect.

Stir well to combine the color and glitter into the cornstarch mixture. Please do not give your child the glitter finger paint until it is completely cooled.

Finger paint is a great medium for little fingers to explore. The process of creation is front and center. So much so that when my kids finished finger painting they never asked to see the finished product. The experience was playing with the paint, not creating a certain result. Before you child begins painting, have them explore the paint. How does it smell? What does it feel like? Have them rub it between their fingers and squish it in their hand.

My kids spread the paint in different ways, trying out thick globs and squishing and spreading it.

One of the benefits of working with finger paint is that it allows children to experiment with color mixing. My daughter was curious to see what would happen when she mixed red and purple.

I think what I love most about the glitter finger paint is that the thinner you spread it, the more you can see the trail of glitter. 

When your child is done painting, they may have some residual glitter and food coloring on their fingers. Ours came off with a few washings with soap and water.

For more fun with paint check out:

              Playing with Paint                                 DIY Shape Stickers

       

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