15 Homemade Paint Recipes for Kids you can make at home — from finger paints and edible paints to puffy paint, homemade watercolours, DIY liquid watercolours and more.
Making your own paints is a fun, inexpensive alternative to buying store-bought supplies. Below are 15 easy, kid-friendly homemade paint recipes. Some are formulated to be taste-safe for toddlers and babies, while others are great for older children and sensory play. Each recipe is simple to prepare and encourages creativity.
15 Easy Homemade Paint Recipes
Note: when a recipe is completely taste-safe or edible, that is noted below each description.
1. Homemade Watercolour Paint Pucks – These solid watercolour pucks are simple to make in a muffin tin and work especially well for toddlers and preschoolers. The larger wells prevent colours from mixing too quickly and the finished pucks perform like store-bought watercolours for a fraction of the cost.
Note: This recipe uses 100% edible ingredients.
2. Homemade Liquid Watercolours – Turn dried-up markers into vibrant liquid watercolours. The method takes several days but yields a set of inexpensive liquid paints that are perfect for many art projects.
3. Shaving Cream Paint – A favourite for sensory and messy play, shaving cream paint is ideal for bathtub art or outdoor activities like decorating patio doors and windows. It’s easy to prepare and lots of fun to explore.
4. 3-Ingredient Puffy Paint – This microwave puffy paint inflates after heating, creating raised, textured artwork. It’s excellent for greeting cards and tactile projects.
Note: The ingredients in this puffy paint recipe are edible.
5. Easy Sidewalk Paint – Mix a quick batch of washable sidewalk paint for driveway or patio art. It gives the same outdoor drawing satisfaction as chalk but with more vivid colour, and washes away easily with a hose.
Note: This sidewalk paint uses edible ingredients.
6. Frozen Ice Pop Paints – Make colourful ice-pop paints the night before warm-weather art sessions. These frozen paints melt as kids draw, creating unique textures and cooling relief on hot days.
7. Epsom Salt Paint – Combine paint and Epsom salts to create textured artwork with a shimmering finish. When the paint dries, the salt crystals add sparkle and dimension to the piece.
8. Painting with Skittles – Use leftover candy to make glossy, colourful paint. This is a fun, edible option for older toddlers and kids who enjoy experimenting with unusual materials.
Note: This is an edible paint recipe.
9. Vibrant Milk Paint for Tots – A two-ingredient paint that’s completely taste-safe and produces a slick, glossy finish. It’s perfect for introducing very young children to painting.
Note: This recipe is 100% edible.
10. Homemade Nature Paint – Encourage kids to experiment as little scientists by crushing flowers, leaves, and grass to extract natural pigments. This activity blends art and exploration using materials found outdoors.
11. Homemade Fruit Paints – Soft, colourful fruit-based paints are great for babies and beginners. They’re safe to taste, easy to set up on a high chair tray or canvas, and provide a mess-friendly introduction to art.
Note: This recipe is 100% edible.
12. Super-Easy Homemade Liquid Watercolours – A quicker alternative to other liquid watercolour methods, this approach is ideal when you want ready-to-use liquid paints without a long waiting period.
13. Homemade Face and Body Paint – A gentle, inexpensive recipe for face and body painting that lets kids safely enjoy imaginative make-believe and full-body art sessions under supervision.
14. Homemade Smoothie Paints – A three-ingredient sensory paint with a smooth, food-like texture. Note that while it looks like a smoothie, some versions contain ingredients that are not meant to be eaten, so supervise accordingly.
15. Scented Kool-Aid Finger Paints – A fragrant, colourful finger paint that’s safe for babies and toddlers. The scented powdered drink adds smell and colour for an engaging sensory experience.
Note: This is an edible paint recipe.
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