Messy play is a fun and important way for toddlers and babies to gain some hands-on self-oriented growth.
Controlled messy play such as mud, slime and paint encourages children to experiment and build their imagination with a medium that is easy to manipulate.
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s quick, easy to wash out of clothing and totally safe for babies to put in their mouths.
This recipe only uses a few simple ingredients:
- 4 Tablespoons of corn flour
- Cold Water
- 1 cup of boiling water
- Food colouring drops
- Empty glass jars
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Mix the cornflour in a saucepan with enough water to make a paste - but make sure it’s not too runny
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Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the mixture and stir until there are no lumps
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Put the saucepan on the stove and turn it to medium heat. Mix and stir the mixture until you see some clear streaks forming, once this happens turn off the heat and keep stirring. You will notice that the mixture is thickening into a kind of custard
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Put the desired amount into empty jars and then add the food colouring. Each jar for a different colour! A few drops of food colouring will do, and you can even make your own colours combining the dyes.
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Keep your finger paints in their jars and store them in the fridge with lids or cling wrap. The paints will last for 2 weeks so make sure you label it on the side with an expiry so you don’t give expired paints to children as they will definitely put some in their mouths!