Super Easy Cornstarch Painting

You’ll see a couple new kids in these pics. I was going to wait until Friday to introduce them, but this activity turned out so cool I just couldn’t wait until after the meet and greet. I will be watching two little cuties for a friend of mine. They are twenty months, just as active as mine and curious! I love that combo. What does that mean for you? The addition of Toddler Activities to my lesson plans. Yippee!!! Are you as excited as I am???

I love cornstarch and water, it is so cool!  It makes an enormous mess, but cleans up so easily. Cornstarch is cheap, I think the amount we used here (1.5 boxes) cost just over a dollar. If those reasons were not enough…the sensory experience is AMAZING. Dry, with a little bit of water, or runny; cornstarch will have your kids happily exploring.

Super Easy Cornstarch Painting

what you need: cornstarch ~ water ~ food coloring ~ paintbrushes ~ plastic container

Big M poured the cornstarch into a plastic container. Little M added a drop or two (maybe it was half of the bottle) of green food coloring.

****The first time I used food coloring in cornstarch I was afraid it would stain…it doesn’t. But if you are concerned about it, find somewhere to do a little test before you offer it to the kids.****

I added the water. I wanted to make sure the consistency was a little runny. Of course too much water will just dissolve the cornstarch so I added it carefully. I mixed until the cornstarch no longer stuck to the bottom of the container.  Figuring out the right ratio of cornstarch to water will be your fun little experiment. (Make sure to let the kids enjoy the feel of it along the way!)

Little M jumped right in…no big surprise there! That girl loves a mess. The cornstarch paint made the best feet and hand prints.

What happens if you give kids the freedom to experience materials in unplanned ways?  Pure exploration. Check out what Little M figured out.

If you pour cornstarch paint on the ground and wait a minute it will dry enough for you to peel it off the ground and crumble up into a completely different texture.  NEAT!

When everyone is done playing just spray off the sidewalk. The cornstarch dissolves and disappears in an instant.

Do you have a favorite way to enjoy messy painting?