So simple, easy and fun. CHEAP, cheap cheap.
Dollar store shaving cream+a few drops of food coloring=hours of finger painting enjoyment for the little ones. Our canvas was an exterior door of our Army house. The perk? Wash it away and it's clean as a whistle! I've found a lot of great cleaning uses now for shaving cream around the house, from sinks to showers to weird marks I can't get off the wall, which is great for my sensitive skin that usually cracks with regular household cleaners. Poof!
Before and after. 1-2 drops will do it.
Sometimes I let the kids add the food coloring, but if I'm not in the mood for a bloody mess I pass them the cups and let them stir. Cut a drinking straw in several pieces, then throw the straw away after they're done stirring. Yup.
Our collaboration. The bits at the top are my creation, but lower and lower as the kids can reach they added color and made their own additions. Choose a surface that won't be affected by shaving cream (it eats away gunk so some painted surfaces might not be safe). Also be mindful of choosing a porous surface...The food coloring will hardly stain forever (especially outside with rain and sun), but you might have some explaining to do to your neighbors...
The little one is Stella, 3 1/2, and the less little one is Anastasia, 6. We all had a ball. And, for a while, no one was arguing. Low cost bliss and cleaning, to boot!
Dollar store shaving cream+a few drops of food coloring=hours of finger painting enjoyment for the little ones. Our canvas was an exterior door of our Army house. The perk? Wash it away and it's clean as a whistle! I've found a lot of great cleaning uses now for shaving cream around the house, from sinks to showers to weird marks I can't get off the wall, which is great for my sensitive skin that usually cracks with regular household cleaners. Poof!
Before and after. 1-2 drops will do it.
Sometimes I let the kids add the food coloring, but if I'm not in the mood for a bloody mess I pass them the cups and let them stir. Cut a drinking straw in several pieces, then throw the straw away after they're done stirring. Yup.
Our collaboration. The bits at the top are my creation, but lower and lower as the kids can reach they added color and made their own additions. Choose a surface that won't be affected by shaving cream (it eats away gunk so some painted surfaces might not be safe). Also be mindful of choosing a porous surface...The food coloring will hardly stain forever (especially outside with rain and sun), but you might have some explaining to do to your neighbors...
The little one is Stella, 3 1/2, and the less little one is Anastasia, 6. We all had a ball. And, for a while, no one was arguing. Low cost bliss and cleaning, to boot!