Food Painting 1

Your Child Will Learn

Use edible paint on fingers and feet to make marks on paper

Find a safe surface to do this activity, like the kitchen table or outside on your patio; cover the surface with plastic or newspaper if the surface requires protection
Make or buy edible paints for an infant using pureed foods with bright colors, such as pureed beets, carrots, berries, or spinach (these foods will make a deep magenta, orange, red or blue, and green)
Provide paper large enough for your child to create marks with the edible paint (secure the paper by taping it down to the surface)
Put the edible paints in containers big enough for your child to dip their hands and feets inside; help them make marks and stamps on the paper

PAUSE

This could be messy, so smile, laugh, and use a calm tone with your child as you prepare to do this activity together.

ENGAGE

Hold your child and dip their hands, fingers, feet, and toes in the edible paint help them make lines, shapes, and imprints on the paper with the edible paint
Avoid being forceful and follow your child’s lead if they gravitate toward a certain paint color

ENCOURAGE

Your child may eat the paint and this is okay! That’s why you’re working with edible paint.
Your child may play in the paint and create a big blob of all the colors, but this is okay because the purpose is to experiment with paint to make marks which requires play.

REFLECT

Did your child like this activity? Were they comfortable with a messy medium to make marks? If you do this again, what will you do differently?

Your child may hesitate to touch the edible paint, so modeling this activity will help them understand the purpose of making marks

Give your child safe tools to dip in the edible paints to make marks (children’s paintbrushes, big spoon, etc.)

The marks will become more defined with space in between to form organic lines and shapes

10-20 minutes

Large paper, tape, pureed foods with bright colors that an infant can eat

OPTIONAL: painting tools like children’s paint brushes, big spoons, or recycled plastic bottle