Puffy paint is a blast! You can easily create a magnificent substance and entertain children for hours. Plus, this sensory activity combines science and art learning and truly engages kids.
How to Make Puffy Paint
Materials Needed
- Shaving cream
- Elmer’s Glue
- Liquid watercolor or food coloring
Steps to Making this DIY Paint
You can make as much puff paint as you and your kids want to use. The recipe is so simple, it makes me want to jump up and down with giddiness!
- One part shaving cream
- One part glue
- Add as much color as you’d like (mixing colors is a fun science activity for kids)
What is so great about puffy paint?
One of the best parts about this activity is your child can help mix the ingredients (and you can throw in a little math lesson while you are at it!).
We added a little blue and a little green coloring to give us two options.
We used brushes…
…and jumbo Popsicle sticks.
They scooped, dolloped, made zig zags, made letters, flung and got pretty messy.
We experimented with textures by adding objects, like feathers, for example. Honestly, I don’t think the experience needs anything added but it sure made for a fun variation and extension to keep the activity going.
The hardest part of the activity was explaining to the boys that we had to let their masterpieces dry overnight.
I had lofty plans to create something ingenious and gorgeous with the result…
…but once I saw my boys had another plan, I let my ideas fly out the window.
Watching them explore the textures of the puff paint (as it turns out some of the paint under the puffs hadn’t dried yet) and rip pieces from the painting was wonderful. I can’t wait to try it again with them.
This art activity is certainly one that keeps on giving.
More Art Activities
Thanks for visiting!
Marnie