Two Ingredient Edible Finger Paint

Let your little ones fingerpaint without fear by using this non-toxic edible paint. All you need are two basic ingredients, and you will have hours of fun in your home!

Fingerpainting with children is a fun (and messy!) activity. While I can’t promise this DIY is mess-free, it’s certainly stress-free (okay, well, lower stress anyways!)

With younger children, it’s hard to find a fun and safe craft to do with them. Anything you hand to a toddler is guaranteed to go straight into his or her mouth—including art supplies!

One of my children’s earliest favorite activities is finger painting. However, I’ve never been comfortable with store-made fingerpaints, even if they are labeled as non-toxic. Take a look at the long ingredient list for any of these, and you’ll see what I mean!

As toddlers grow, their curiosity and creativity do, too! This fun painting activity allows them to explore textures and colors and have fun without potentially harmful chemicals. Whether you are fingerpainting with toddlers or older children, kids of all ages will appreciate this fun activity!

Edible Paint – Truly Non-Toxic

Rather than worry as to what chemicals my children may be sticking in their mouths, I decided I was going to make my own finger paint.

I needed to create something that was truly non-toxic and 100% ingestible. As a very happy bonus, I was able to do it with just two basic household ingredients!

This edible paint activity is everything your kids love about traditional fingerpaint: it’s colorful, fun, and works great on paper.

The best part is it’s completely edible, which means it’s safe for your little ones. You can put your kids in their highchairs with this paint and let their imaginations be the only limit to what they can create.

It’s a win for everyone!

The Benefits of Fingerpainting for Toddlers

Besides just being a fun activity and a way to get some cute artwork up on the fridge, finger painting for toddlers has quite a few benefits for them specifically.

Improves Hand-Eye Coordination

There are few things that can help your toddler improve their hand-eye coordination as well as finger painting! Let your little one practice dipping their finger into the jars of paint and smearing it around the paper. They’ll be having a blast as they learn!

Fun Way to Practice Colors

Yes, your child is likely learning colors when you read them certain storybooks at night, but it’s hard to beat a hands-on demonstration like finger painting will give them!

Introduces Toddlers to Color Theory

Is your toddler a budding Picasso? Perhaps! Show him or her how to mix colors together. They’ll be amazed (or at least amused) to see blue and yellow turn into green before their eyes.

Supplies

Making this edible finger paint is oh-so-simple! All you need is two basic household items and a couple of empty containers.

• Yogurt – I use whatever kind of yogurt we have on hand. My favorite is Greek yogurt to sneak some extra protein in. 😉
• Food coloring

Other Supplies Needed

• Small containers for the paint – I used baby food jars; it’s a great way to recycle them!
• Popsicle sticks or a spoon for stirring the edible paint and getting an even color.

Instructions

Place about 4 tablespoons of yogurt into each container.

Place 5-10 drops of food coloring in your first container filled with yogurt. You can add more or less depending on the shade of color you wish to achieve.

Stir well until all the food coloring is blended into the yogurt.

Tip: Use the side of your popsicle stick to scrape the sides of the jar so you can evenly color the yogurt.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each additional color. I made 5 different colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

Once all the paints are made, you can give them to your child along with some paper and let them have some fun with their edible finger paint!

FAQs

How do I store this paint?

Since it’s made with yogurt, this finger paint will definitely need to be stored in the fridge! But, I will say, it was rare that I ever had any leftovers to put away. 😉

Does this paint stain?

Yes, the food coloring in this paint can still stain clothing and even skin. I highly recommend putting your little one in a high chair and dressing them in an art smock or an old outfit you don’t mind getting dirty.

To get the dye off of their hands, just grab a washcloth and add some warm water and dish soap, then use it to scrub their fingers gently. I’ve never had an issue removing the dye, and the trade-off is definitely worth it to me!

More Fun Painting Activities for Children

• Mess-Free Fingerpainting – One of my favorite indoor activities for little ones that keeps them busy “painting” with no mess in sight.
• Easy Sponge Painting Rainbow – This is a good project for older toddlers when they have a bit more hand-eye coordination.
• Puffy Paint – Another easy paint that you can whip up with ingredients you likely have in your pantry right now. Who doesn’t love puffy paint? 🙂
• Sidewalk Chalk Paint – On nicer days, the whole family will love using this chalk paint outdoors! I like to keep mine in squeeze bottles so it’s easy to make patterns.

When all is said and done, there are so many fun ways to let your kids express their artistic sides. My kids had a ton of fun with this edible finger paint, and I am sure yours will, too!

Want to save this for later? Just pin it below to find the instructions later!