Need any easy DIY to entertain your toddler? This DIY watercolor paint recipe is quick, easy, and inexpensive- my favorite combination for entertaining kids!
How to make your own watercolor paints
There are a lot of different ways to make watercolor paints.
However, there aren’t a lot of different easy variations! This one from Martha Stewart requires you to let the paint set overnight. No thanks.
Then again, if you are looking for a real set of watercolor paints, follow Martha’s advice!
Why you should make kid friendly watercolors for toddlers
A standard set of Crayola watercolors are about $4.
While that price won’t break most people’s budget, why buy it when you can easily make it at home?
Another reason to make it at home is that you can control how much food coloring you use. I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly want my toddler painting with super vibrant colors. Muted works just fine for me.
RELATED POST: How to Entertain Kids by Letting them get Bored
Some DIY watercolor recipes are pretty intense
Have you seen the search engine results for DIY watercolor paint?
Some of these moms have way too much free time on their hands. While I’d love to whip up watercolors using 8 household ingredients, I don’t have the time or patience to do all that for a kid who might not even like painting.
Another issue I found was that many of the recipes made a TON of paint. This recipe makes a small amount so you can whip it up just for fun.
After searching on Pinterest and Google for what felt like an eternity during nap time (while I should have been doing laundry or something productive), I finally gave up and started experimenting on my own.
I came up with a recipe that makes one cup and perfectly fills one ice tray. Not only is the DIY watercolor paint recipe the perfect size for one time use, it is super easy to make and clean up. I also love this because the paint is wet instead of dry disks. Perfect for small toddlers who can’t understand the concept of wetting a brush before dipping into disks of dry paint.
Quick and Easy DIY Watercolor Paint Recipe for Toddlers
- 3/4 C. water
- 1/4 C. light corn syrup
- 1 tsp. corn starch
- food coloring
Mix the water, corn syrup and corn starch together in a mixing bowl.
Pour into ice tray and add food coloring to your liking.
I did the traditional ROYGBIV. I only used one drop for each primary color, 1 each of R and Y to make orange, 1 each of B and R to make violet and then 2 of blue and 1 of red to make indigo.
Don’t want to make your own?
Check out these alternative options to buy instead:
MORE CHEAP AND EASY SENSORY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- Homemade Edible Finger Paints for Toddlers
- Water Sensory Play for Kids
- Cheap Sensory Activities for Babies and Toddlers
- Homemade Play Dough
- Christmas Ornament Toddler Sensory Craft
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So cool, I never would have thought of making your own paints! You are a genius :) I think the one that can dry into hard disks is amazing– I selfishly hope you make that sometime so I can hear if it works, haha! (PS I totally didn’t know the difference between indigo and violet, either… whoops)
Wait I weirdly just read another post about homemade kids paints?! What a weird coincidence to see both within 10 mins of each other, hahaha. Here it is– http://www.katheats.com/glow-with-the-flow she talks about a homemade paint that you can microwave for a few seconds and it hardens!
So funny! I read that this morning too. We must have the same morning blog reading routine.
Hannah, great share just passed it on to my girlfriend for her babies :)
Thank you!
I love this recipe! I haven’t used watercolors in years, but I’m definitely getting back into it soon. Thank you for sharing! :-)
Very cool. I was into painting and all a while back, but did not touch painting for sometime. Time to get back #ibabloggers
This is such a great idea. As I was reading I started getting excited to see how exactly you did it!
I love that it is a really simple recipe and that it doesn’t make too much. Even though I’m not a toddler nor a parent, this looks like a great idea for even myself if I’m ever in the mood! Thanks for the share.
#ibabloggers
This is fantastic! I love making new things with stuff I already have and it’s super inexpensive too. My kids will love this idea. Thanks for the post! #ibabloggers
Such a great idea! I wish I would have thought of this when I had little ones around but I can certainly pass it on to my daughter’s-in-law. Thanks! #ibabloggers
Love this! Pinning to use with my future grandchildren! #ibabloggers
visiting from #IBA what a great idea, I wish I knew this when my kids were little , they cost me a fortune in paint!
G’day This so reminds me of childhood fun!
Cheers! Joanne
#ibabloggers
This is so awesome! I’ve cooked up some fingerpaint for my daughter but have never done watercolors! I might follow your recipe soon! Thank you very much for this post! :)
Thanks for stopping by! What’s your favorite fingerpaint recipe? Mine isn’t ever vibrant enough.
This is such a great idea! I would never think to make my own water colors. Pinning and sharing. Thanks for sharing at Totally Terrific Tuesday last week. I’m excited to see what you have lined up this week!
Sharon
Her Organized Chaos