Homemade Sidewalk Paint

Today we decided to have lunch on the back porch and have some fun with chalk (for Tristian) and some sidewalk chalk paint (for Calandra). Our lunch consisted of bologna sandwiches, scrambled eggs, salad, chips, and juice. Tristian was less than impressed with anything other than the ketchup and mustard on the sandwich. Carleigh and Miranda decided to take some time dedicate to their favorite activity... sleeping.

An adult will probably be less then impressed with the paint (as I was at first) because as an adult, we feel the need to get rid of the excess paint on brushes... but as a child, you don't have that need. So the paint works great for kids, because it needs to have a decent amount to work well. It is edible, which is good for very young children (like 1 year old Tristian), although I wouldn't recommend it because it can't taste very good. It can't be that bad, though, because both kids licked the cup/paint brush more than once. I don't know how washable it is because neither of them got it on them too badly or on their clothes, but I would imagine that it's just as washable as cornstarch usually is.

Here's the recipe:
Mix equal amounts of cornstarch and water. Stir, and add food coloring. Add it 1 drop at a time-I only put in 2 drops and it made a nice color. Don't make it until you need it, and don't make a lot thinking you can store it and use it later... because I don't know how well that works. If you do decide to make a lot to store some, let me know how it works! I made this batch when I made lunch and took it outside with us to be played with after lunch. It settled pretty quickly, during which the cornstarch STUCK to the bottom... I stirred it and it was fine, but like I said, I don't know how well it would work long-term.

Like I said, you have to put a decent amount on the sidewalk (or porch, in our case) to get it to show up, but adults are the ones who have a problem with this, not kids. And once it dries, it really pops! Here's a picture of it half-dry. All in all, it was an easy project that Calandra had fun with, and I'll probably make it again.

btw, I originally got the recipe here but tweeked it.