Edible Paint

I am SO excited to be sharing my very first post with you all that you may actually be interested in, instead of just being rambly (< that really should be a word) and completely inconsistent! I am also squealing on the inside because these adorable babes that are featured are my wonderful nanny babies (now toddlers, tear) and I just cannot wait for summer to roll back around. They make the absolute cutest baby-friendly-art-activities guinea pigs!

So let’s get started!

Drum roll please….

Baby Friendly Finger (er body, rather) Paint!

This recipe is the perfect summertime fun for your littlest one!

First off, you should know that I love the messy stuff! Do not be afraid to let your babe get down and dirty! Messes are totally a-ok in my book, and even makes for more fun most of the time!

The best part? It’s super easy to make.

Here are the ingredients:

• A baby or two (or three or four – can also substitute with a toddler)
• Fat free plain yogurt
• Sugar free Kool-Aid mix (a variety of colors)

That’s it! Nifty, right?

Really any edible, white substance mixed with any edible, colorful powder should work! You could totally get creative and add things to your paint to give them different textures for more of a sensory learning experience too, just make sure everything is still edible!

I used small plastic condiment containers for the paint and just a big sheet of white paper laid out on the grass.

The only hard ingredient to find if you don’t already have it at home is a baby. I do not recommend running out of the store with one that you didn’t go in with. ;)

I would say it is pretty self-explanatory, but you just mix the ingredients together! Well, minus the baby… you will use that later. The more Kool-Aid you add, the brighter the colors (uh-duh). 

You totally know it’s easy when there aren’t even measurements, so c’mon you can totally do this! Your kids will thank you.

If you are anything like me, this activity is even fun for you. I had a blast taking photos while they just had at it.

Here is a look at how our activity went. PS it kept them entertained for even longer than I thought it would, probably the better half of an hour!

I am hitting myself for not taking a before picture, so I am going to put this one right here and pretend like it was taken the same day.

It wasn’t long (I’m talking like, 30 seconds) before 75% of the paint went directly into their mouths. Smart babies just grabbed the little cups full of paint and basically drank the yogurt like they hadn’t been fed all day. I promise I was not starving them!

For a while, both babies were totally confused about the slimy texture all over them. They reacted so similarly and I thought it was too funny and so unexpected! Something about their feet resting on the slimy paper must’ve bothered them, but not to worry, that did not last long at all!

Balancing act!

The end result, two very messy, colorful, adorable, happy babies!

*Correction: Two very messy, colorful, adorable, happy (until bath time) babies…

It doesn’t look so bad in this photo, but TRUST ME, we had a few minutes of straight screaming! I don’t blame them though; I hate bathing too. 

Such a big hit!

Here is why I love this:

• Develops the senses
• Encourages creativity
• Messy – fun!
• Beyond easy
• Super cheap
• Baby friendly – edible (& even pretty healthy)
• Takes advantage of the outdoors – fresh air and sunshine, can’t beat it!

If you try this super fun activity with your kiddos, I would LOVE to hear about how it went, learn about any variations you made, and/or see photos of your adorably messy youngins, so please comment below. Don’t be shy!

Change is good. Kids are great.

This blog is taking a huge left turn. SHOOT, does this mean I have to come up with a new name for my blog?! Erhggg I was pleasantly surprised with my cute little alliteration. Okay wowza I am already getting off track. Back to the point… I have finally realized that it is nearly impossible (unless you are superhuman, which I regretfully admit that I am not) to have a blog without a theme. I cannot tell you the number of posts that I started to type up and then realized, “wow, this strays so far from my last post, nobody is going to stick with me”. That is why I have been a bit MIA lately, to say the least. Sounds a little depressing if you ask me, but it is totally a BOOYAH moment because I have finally come to my senses after being extremely stubborn and insisting that I could not decide on just one topic and convincing myself that I could just do them all.

The big change you ask? Well, it may sound a bit strange coming from a college student who lacks children of her own (definitely a good thing < it is REALLY hard for me to convince myself of that truth), but I am going to focus my blog around kids. Ideas for fun activities and adventures, science experiments, artwork, DIY’s, learning and teaching techniques, disciplining, my experience, my future, you name it. If it’s about children, you will find it here. Okay that is probably a lie, I am definitely no kid genius (Heck, I only – and very sadly – spend about three hours with children a week while I am at school!) so not EVERYTHING will be here, but I do have a few things up my sleeve.

Most of you probably could not care less about this, and it is just confirmation that you can stop reading my blog now – which is totally cool, I’m serious; I’m not heartbroken... really. BUT, if you find yourself struggling to get through this long and slightly sporadic post because of a tantrum going down, an insistent tattletaling munchkin, or a teething (screaming) baby, then this blog is just for you!

This blog is, starting now, going to be geared towards mommas with youngins, my future self for a portfolio reference (woohoo!), teachers and preschool/daycare teachers alike, nannies, babysitters, and anybody in between!

I certainly have to give credit in advance to many people (and Pinterest) for giving me superb ideas and techniques that I have found to be absolutely amazing! The first person that comes to mind is the lead teacher at the Preschool that I work in for my lab. She is so amazing. The skills that I have already taken away from her modeling are more than I ever thought possible! Don’t tell, but it makes me a little jealous to see her work better with the kids than I do. If you know me, you must know how hard that is for me to witness, nonetheless admit!

Hopefully I will be updating my blog here very shortly with activities and such that I have done in the past. These upcoming posts will mostly include art activities that I have done with the kiddos that I nanny and lab activities (math and science/art/large movement) that I have organized and executed!

PS I am super excited now, so I may even post an activity this weekend! Check back soon and often & comment to tell me what kinds of things you would like to see!

PSS: I am doing an art activity relating to the theme of construction at lab here pretty soon. I am super excited about it so if it goes as planned I will definitely be writing about it and including tons of photos!

PSSS?? If you can think of any clever new blog names for me (*sad face*) that actually relate to this topic, let me know! Nanny Hanney? SO cheesy, like loads and loads of cheese (uhm, yum!), but it is true, I have been referred to as Nanny Hanney before.

And of course, I can't talk about children without posting a photo of them. 

Me in my natural habitat (& all three kiddos looking at the camera?! Neat!)