I have a nine-month-old baby girl at home who just loves to play and put allllll the things in her mouth. She’s been getting into trouble lately by finding the tiniest things and trying to eat them.
Muffin crumbs… play dough crumbs… lint… ugh.
I recently discovered edible finger paint. This has been my solution to keeping this little baby entertained and out of trouble so I can worry less about what she’s putting into her mouth!
She gets to play and eat the paint if she wants, and I get to do other stuff… like folding that mountain of clean laundry. *sighs* I think the baby got the winning end of that deal.
Edible Finger Paints Keep Babies Safely Entertained
I get that you need to keep your kids busy because you feel stressed about all the stuff you need to get done today. That’s why my mission is to…
1. Find fun, quality kids’ activities and show you step by step how to do them.
2. Save you time and energy by using supplies from around the house or show you where to easily get them.
3. Inspire you to be creative and play with your kids in new and exciting ways.
This picture makes me laugh because Mia always has such a serious face when she’s exploring new things.
Finger painting is a great, messy, fun activity for babies.
The only risk of letting your baby play with paint, is that she’ll try to eat it. Most kids’ paint is “nontoxic,” but I don’t think the manufacturers recommend actually eating it.
This is why making edible finger paint is a genius idea! And if she ends up eating it, then at least she’s getting a good serving of veggies 🙂
Make Your Own Edible Baby FINGER PAINT
OK. You caught me. We’re not really making paint, per se…
We’re making colorful baby purees!
My baby is nine-months-old and loving finger foods. I rarely make baby purees for her anymore except for when we paint.
You of course are welcome to use store-bought purees, but I just don’t think they have the same vibrancy and smell as homemade purees do.
Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make a puree at home.
You won’t need a lot of food. A half cup or so should do it.
Just nuke or steam a colorful fruit or veggie until it’s a soft, soggy mess.
Put it in a blender with a bit of water and puree it for a minute until everything is nice and smooth. Let cool, and it’s ready to go!
Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?
I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.
Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!
Recommended Fruits and Veggies for Making paint
White paint is no fun. Try one of these fruits or veggies for an ultra-colorful edible finger paint.
- green peas
- carrots
- plums
- squash
- sweet potato
- spinach
- zucchini
- blueberries
- peaches
Really, any fruit or vegetable will work except for the ones that oxidize, or turn brown when exposed to air, like bananas and avocados.
Unless brown is the color you’re going for. In that case… have at it!
How to Use Your Edible Finger Paint
Some fruit and veggie purees may stain. Beets, for example, is a huge pain to get out of clothes.
Go naked for this activity, use a smock, or sacrifice a onesie for the greater good. Maybe that weird orange cheetah print one that Grandma bought.
I usually put our go-to artist’s smock on baby. Next, I’ll scoop a quarter cup of colorful puree onto her highchair tray, and she does the rest!
You can also use yogurt instead of baby purees. I just like that the purees are a lot cheaper. It’s also less sweet than yogurt, so baby will hopefully explore more with her hands than with her mouth.
Though, at least when she tries to eat it, its actual food and not something “nontoxic.”
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Your Turn to Make Edible Finger Paint
Purees are so easy to make. Whip up a batch of homemade puree using a single fruit or vegetable. Make a couple different ones so baby can paint with different colors.
For small batches, here’s my tip: use a single serve blender! If you have a large blender like the Ninja or Vitamix, typically there’s a single serve or personal size cup you can get that will fit right in the blender motor.
Fruit or Veggie Baby Puree
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cooked fruit or vegetables
- water (as needed)
Instructions
- Put your cooked fruit or vegetables in a blender. I like to use a single serve blender for small batches like this one. Add a tablespoon of water to start.
- Blend. Add another tablespoon of water if needed to thin out the puree.
Notes
- green peas
- carrots
- plums
- squash
- sweet potato
- spinach
- zucchini
- blueberries
- peaches
To Make FRozen Edible Finger paint
Thin the puree with a quarter cup of water. Then freeze the puree in an ice cube tray. Pop it out when frozen and let baby explore the frozen purees. Toddlers love this activity also.
Thanks for reading!
Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?
I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.
Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!