Keep the kids distracted on a rainy day by making your own puffy paint. One of the coolest things about puffy paint is that it can peel right off the page and maintain its shape, meaning you can use it for things like window clings. Making puffy paint is a project best suited for children age 2 and up.

Tip

Before you get started, protect the area and you and your child’s clothing from spills and messes. Put down newspaper or a drop cloth to protect your working area against spills. If you have aprons, use them. You will be working with food coloring, which may stain clothing.

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

• Paint or sponge brush
• Large plastic or glass bowl
• Several smaller bowls (optional)

Materials

• Shaving cream
• White glue
• Food coloring
• Heavy paper or tagboard

Instructions

1. Mix the IngredientsMix equal parts of shaving cream, and glue in a plastic or glass bowl.
2. Add the ColoringIf you want to make more than one color, separate the shaving cream mixture into multiple smaller bowls. Add food coloring a few drops at a time until you get the desired color.
3. Paint the PaperApply the glue mixture to heavy paper using a brush. You can also pre-cut shapes out of the paper or tagboard and then apply the glue mixture to the shapes. Let the paint dry. 

Puffy Paint Projects

Besides just painting with puffy paint, here are a few creative ideas with the paint:

• Window clings: Paint the puffy paint onto wax paper in small shapes and designs. Let the paint dry overnight, and then peel off the puffy paint from the wax paper. It will keep its shape. Place them on the window for super fun window decorations. These are great to make for the holidays.
• Puffy paint shirts: Add puffy paint to T-shirts or sweatshirts in fun and cute designs. Let the paint dry overnight on the clothing, then it will be time to wear it in style. Be sure to only hand-wash the decorated shirts. 
• Puffy paint greeting cards: Add a little puffy paint to a folded greeting card for a cool 3D look. Kids will love to make different shapes and creations with puffy paint and then gift their cards to friends and loved ones.