yog_paint

Photo by Jason Teitelman.


Finger painting is a great activity for younger kids. If you have a young toddler though, you may be worried about them sticking all those paint covered fingers in his or her mouth.
The solution? Yogurt-based finger paints. I had never thought of this idea, but when I saw it in action I wondered how and why I hadn’t seen it until now.
The idea is simple enough. Take some uncolored yogurt – vanilla, banana, or plain come to mind – and mix in some different flavored Kool Aid packets. Lime for green, cherry for red, grape for purple…you get the idea. I’m sure you can find some natural alternatives if you don’t like the idea of using Kool Aid.
Then, just put the yogurt in front of your child, give them a piece of paper and let them go crazy. You may want to show them how to get started, but after that just let them play with the colors and have fun.
This is a great idea for so many reason. First it’s just plain messy and fun, and kids will love it. Second, working with colors help stimulate your child. Even the scents and the flavors will stimulate their senses. In comparison to the time it takes to build a sensory board or a sensory box, this takes no time at all and has so many of the same benefits.
Plus, who can deny that learning and snacking at the same time is a great thing!
The one downside here is that you can’t hang the artwork on your fridge, but you can take a quick photo and share it with all your friends.
One warning is to keep an eye on your child during this activity. The paper can get wet and mushy and they may start putting paper in their mouth if you are not watching.
If they are really having fun, just switch out the paper every one in a while to keep it from disintegrating!