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Homemade Finger Paint
1 cup cold water
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup cornstarch
food coloring (or packages of different coloured Kool-Aid)

Directions
The kids can help you mix the cornstarch into the cold water and stir it until it is dissolved. Put it in a pot with the cup of hot water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. (Distract the kids from the hot stove during this stage by getting them to pick the colours they want from your collection of food colouring and/or Kool-Aid) Turn the heat down and cook about 1 minute more, until the mixture thickens and becomes transparent. Don’t cook it too long, or it will un-thicken.
Cool to a safe temperature, divide into bowls and get the kids to add a few drops of their selected food colourings to each bowl and stir it in. Kool-Aid can be used instead of food colouring to make paints that are scented as well as coloured.
Cover the table with plastic, give your budding artists some large sheets of paper, and turn them loose with their creativity! A friend of ours lets their kids take their socks and shoes off and foot-paint as well, for special occasions and rainy days.
Cover the finger paints tightly and store in the fridge when not in use.