Making Fast Drying Paste for Kids

Flour makes papier-mache crafts durable and firm.

You can make paste that is safe for kids to use out of flour and water. This paste will dry quickly since the flour soaks up the water. Kids can make sculptures by spreading papier-mache paste between layers of newspaper. Kids can also use sticky paste that is safer to touch and smell than glue made with harmful chemicals.

Boiled Papier-Mache Paste

Boiled papier-mache paste does not have a hard texture, so if a child wants to make a papier-mache sculpture he will have to layer extra paper onto the sculpture to make it hard. This paste is clear after it dries, so you can paint it easily. Combine 1 tablespoon of white flour with 1 cup of water in a pot. Turn your stove to medium heat and place the pot on the burner. Stir the mixture as it heats, and continue stirring until it boils and there are no lumps of flour. Do not use the paste until it is cool, since it will be too runny to stay in place if it is warm.

Raw Papier-Mache Paste

Raw papier-mache paste is strong, so a child will not have to use much paper to make it hard. If you add multiple layers of this paste to a sculpture or other craft project, let each layer dry before you add another. Raw papier-mache paste can mold if it does not dry completely. Pour flour into a large bowl and slowly pour cool water into the bowl. Mix the paste with your hand as you add water so you can monitor the paste's thickness. If you want to create a thick paste, add only a few tablespoons of water. Make a thinner, watery paste by adding more water.

Papier-Mache Skin Paste

Older kids can add a "skin," or smooth outer layer, over a papier-mache craft. Since this paste contains glue, only older children who will not eat the paste should use it. An adult should supervise. Add a teaspoon of carpenter's glue to a papier-mache paste that is made out of flour and water. Smooth this paste over a papier-mache craft with a spoon. Add a few drops of acrylic paint to the paste if the child wants the craft to have a colored outer layer.

Sticky Paste

You can make sticky paste if the child wants to glue paper together to create a collage or card. Put 1/4 cup of white flour into a bowl, and add 1/4 cup of cool water as you stir the mixture with a spoon. Once the water and flour are mixed, add another 1/4 cup of flour to the mixture. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir the contents of the bowl until they are smooth.