5 Fun Fingerpainting Ideas

September 8, 2013

Whether you are out of finger paints at home, or the thought of allowing your toddler to move his hands around in actual paint is enough to make you cringe, here are some fun alternatives to traditional finger painting for you to try.

Pudding Paint

If you’re looking to give your baby or toddler a finger paint experience, strap him into his highchair and put a few globs of colored vanilla pudding (or vanilla and chocolate pudding if you want to avoid food coloring) on his tray. He can experience finger painting without the risk of putting paint into his mouth.

Jell-O Paint

If using real finger paint isn’t something you’re interested in, consider making Jell-O paint. Mix hot water into a packet of flavored Jell-O until it has the consistency of finger paint and let your kids go to town.

Colored Shaving Cream

If you are looking to provide your child with a different textural experience, add a little food coloring to small bowls of dad’s shaving cream to create a rainbow of shaving cream colored paint.

Homemade Finger Paint

If you are the make your own type of mom, consider trying out one of these homemade finger painting recipes.

iPad Finger Painting

If the mess is just too much for you to handle, there’s an app for that. Check out the Finger Paint app or the OilCanvas app that give your child a finger painting experience, sans the mess.

Do you let your children finger paint? What's their favorite things to paint with? Share your ideas with us in the comments section below.

With her background as an International Nanny Association Credentialed Nanny specializing in caring for multiples, Michelle has been partnering with parents in raising their children since 1994.

With her extensive experience in newborn, infant and child care, and with her passion for setting herself apart from her peers by providing top-notch service, Michelle is regularly called on by the most popular parenting magazines and websites to share her knowledge and expertise. She has been featured on Parents.com, Parenting.com, and BabyTalk.com and regularly contributes to ModernMom.com, Momtastic.com, and other popular parenting websites.

Michelle has contributed to TWINS Magazine and wrote a chapter for the best-selling Experts' Guide to the Baby Years. Michelle has also authored four books of her own entitled, Nanny to the Rescue!, Nanny to the Rescue Again!, Working Mom's 411 and A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists. She also co-authored Beyond Parenting Basics: The International Nanny Association’s Official Guide to In-Home Child Care.

Michelle is an active member of the nanny and baby planner communities. In 2004, Michelle was honored as the International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year> and received accolades from President George Bush for her dedication to improving quality in-home child care. Michelle serves on the advisory board of the International Academy of Baby Planner Professionals and has served on the board of directors and as vice president of the International Nanny Association. She has also served as the executive director of the International Nanny Association and as a trainer for The Academy of Coaching Parents International.

Michelle currently serves as the editor in chief of Longhorn Leads, managing the content across their portfolio of care related sites including www.eNannySource.com, www.GoNannies.com, www.NannyPro.com, and www.4Nannies.com, in addition to serving as the executive director of Morningside Nannies, the company’s award-winning placement agency.

Michelle is a national speaker, bringing a message of hope and empowerment to moms groups across the nation. She and her husband Jeff, reside on Cape Cod with their daughter, Abigail, and their son, Luke.