How to Make Soapsuds Paint Pictures

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By emilywhitby1
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Kids love the puffy, foamy texture of this colorful paint!

This is a great activity for rainy days or long summer days when kids are bored! Soapsuds paint makes bright, puffy pictures and only takes a few minutes to make. Use as finger paint, or try spreading the thick suds with popsicle sticks.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Liquid detergent
Liquid starch (available in most grocery stores for about $2/bottle)
Food coloring
Art Paper
Popsicle sticks for stirring and/or spreading paint
An egg beater or hand mixer

Step 1

Combine 1 T. liquid detergent with 2 T. liquid starch in a medium-sized container (I use an empty cottage cheese carton). Fire up the hand mixer and stir on high for four to five minutes, or until the mixture is thick and foamy.
Step 2

Spoon the thickened mixture into containers--anything large enough to dip little fingers into. Add two to three drops of food coloring to each container and stir until well combined. Add more food coloring as desired to brighten the color.
Step 3

Now it's time to paint! Dip fingers into the paint and dot it onto the paper, or try using popsicle sticks to spread the paint. Keep paper towels or baby wipes handy to clean fingers between colors, or use a different finger for each color.
Step 4

When your picture is finished, lay it on a flat surface and allow it to dry thoroughly.

Tips & Warnings

Many types of food coloring will stain--use caution when mixing the colors in and while painting. You may want to wear a painting smock or apron just to play it safe.
Detergent and starch are not safe to eat--adult supervision is recommended while making and using this paint.
Hand mixers can be dangerous--they should be operated by adults or under adult supervision.