Edible Paint?

**helenlc** · 16-01-2010, 09:48 PM

I want to do the Penguin Handprint activity this week coming. So I am going to let the LOs (all under 2) do finger painting and then I can get their handprints too.

One of my mindees has food aversion - there is no physical reason for her not to eat, she has just refused to do so since she was 7 months. She has meal replacement milk from a bottle.

She puts nothing else to or in her mouth - although the other day she found a crumb and did pick it up and put it almost to her mouth.

Anyway, I am thinking that while they are playing with the paint with their hands and fingers, she may choose to put hers to her mouth. I dont then want to say NO! as it would be a big thing for her to want to put it to or in her mouth.

I therefore wondered whether for her I could make some sort of paint solution out of flour/corn flour or icing sugar, water and food colouring and flavouring? That way, it wouldnt be harmful to her if she put it to or in her mouth. (It probably wont taste nice but would be safer than paint)

If she is interested in putting it to or in her mouth, paint is similar in consistency to things like yogurt, custard etc, so I am really aware of not wanting to tell her NO if she is wanting to put it in or near her mouth, iyswim?

**sonia ann** · 16-01-2010, 11:16 PM

I've used coloured icing before with lo's for painting activities when they have been too young to really understand they shouldn't eat it and it has worked well as it dries quite quickly too

**Monkey1** · 17-01-2010, 06:57 AM

I have found this that i was planning on doing this week as i did a painting with a newbie last week and she kept trying to put her fingers in her mouth

http://www.creativekidsathome.com/ac...%20Fingerpaint

**helenlc** · 17-01-2010, 09:18 AM

Thanks for that.

I think I will just do the flour/water/food colouring. I have those things in the cupboard already.

**little miss chatterbox** · 17-01-2010, 02:25 PM

you've mentioned custard, could you do that with some food colouring in? I'm not sure how it would work just an idea!

I'd be interested in how it goes, I have a mindee who puts everything in her mouth hence why I don't want to give her paint so something like this might be better!

**helenlc** · 17-01-2010, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by little miss chatterbox

you've mentioned custard, could you do that with some food colouring in? I'm not sure how it would work just an idea!

I'd be interested in how it goes, I have a mindee who puts everything in her mouth hence why I don't want to give her paint so something like this might be better!

Custards a good idea but I want it to actually work like paint for the activity I am doing, hence I thought a flour/water/colouring would work best in this instance. I will let you know how it turns out!!

It reads on the internet that this solution with dry (eventually!) but to use card or stronger paper as it will only soak through otherwise. So I am going to use white card and stick it near the radiator to dry.

But if she has no objections to the consistency, then I will definitely be doing more messy play with food stuffs with her. And stuff that is quite fragrant so might get her interested.

**Mouse** · 17-01-2010, 04:35 PM

You can buy edible food paint from cake making shops, but I don't knoe how it would work on paper.

http://www.squires-shop.com/ibf/inde...=974&parent=92

**helenlc** · 17-01-2010, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

You can buy edible food paint from cake making shops, but I don't knoe how it would work on paper.

http://www.squires-shop.com/ibf/inde...=974&parent=92

I did consider this but am going to try the flour/water solution first to see if it works and also to see what the LO does with it.

If she doesnt show any interest in putting it to or in her mouth, then I will try with normal paint after.