Along with a good supply of crayons,
markers, chalk and lots of paper, your children (or
grandchildren) will also love playing with these homemade art
supplies and games. You can purchase many of them at the
store, but why not save some money and teach your child how to
be even more creative by making their own supplies? Children
love seeing how things are made, and they love the time you
will be spending with them while making these projects. If you
don't have kids at home, try making up a batch of something
just for yourself, I won't tell if you don't!
I have been collecting these recipes for 13
years, many of them are scribbled on a scratch piece of paper.
I hope you enjoy this article, it will also serve as an art
supply recipe index for my personal web site and be updated
from time to time.
Glitter
Mix together 5-6 drops of food coloring and ½ c. salt, stir
well. Cook in microwave for 1-2 minutes or spread out on a
piece of waxed paper to air-dry. Store in an airtight
container, as with all of the art supplies in this article.
Sidewalk Chalk
1 c. plaster of paris
½ c. water
2 - 3 Tbs. tempera paint
Mix plaster of paris and tempera paint, then add water and mix
well. Pour into molds and let dry for 24 hours. Remove from
mold and let air dry for 2 -7 days depending on size. You can
use paper cups, plastic butter tubs or food trays, candy
molds, muffin tins, or even toilet paper tubes covered with
foil on one end.
Finger Paint
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
½ c. cornstarch
3 Tbs. sugar
2 c. cold water
food coloring
dishwashing liquid
white shelf paper
Soak gelatin in ¼ c. warm water and put aside. Combine
cornstarch and sugar in medium sized pot. Gradually add
remaining water and cook slowly over low heat, stirring until
well blended. Remove from heat and add gelatin. Divide into
containers, adding a drop or two of d/w liquid and food
coloring to each.
Paint
1 c. liquid starch
6 c. water
½ c. soap powder
Food coloring
Dissolve soap powder in water, add starch and food coloring.
Edible Peanut Butter Play Dough
1 c. peanut butter
½ c. honey
1 ½ c. powdered milk
Mix ingredients and roll into balls.
Cook Play Dough
(turns out just like the stuff at the store)
1 c. flour
½ c. salt
2 tsp. cream of tarter
Mix together and add:
1 c. water
1 Tbs. oil
food coloring
Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a ball
and becomes dull.
Kool-Aid Play Dough
(no cooking required)
3 c. flour
½ c. salt
1 pkg. Unsweetened Kool-aid
1 Tbs. alum
Mix together and add:
2 c. boiling water
Knead dough with up to an additional 1 c. of flour until it
becomes the desired consistency.
Jell-O Play Dough
(no cooking required)
4 c. flour
1 c. salt
2 pkgs. unsweetened Jell-O
4 tsp. cream of tartar
Mix together and add:
2 c. boiling water
2 tsp. cooking oil or baby oil
Mix together well and knead until dough becomes the desired
consistency.
Sticky Putty
¾ c. and 2 Tbs. water
1 tsp. Mule Team Borax
8 ounces white glue
Food coloring
Heat water over medium heat and add borax, stir with wooden
spoon until dissolved. Add glue and a few drops of food
coloring, stirring constantly until glue and water mix. Pour
into a plastic bowl and cool.
Modeling Clay
1 c. cornstarch
1 ½ c. water
16 ounces baking soda
Combine cornstarch and baking soda together in large saucepan.
Stir in water and cook over low heat until the mixture becomes
thick and forms a ball. Remove from heat and cool. Knead the
dough on a countertop dusted with cornstarch until smooth.
Air Dry Clay
3 c. flour
1 c. salt
½ c. white glue
1 c. water
1 tsp. lemon juice
Mix together until well blended. Mold into shapes or roll out
and cut with cookie cutters. Let dry overnight before
painting.
Paper Mache
Use a simple mixture of flour and water. Mix one part flour
with about 2 parts of water until you get a consistancy like
thick glue. Add more water or flour as necessary. Mix well to
get out all the bumps.
Goop
2 c salt
1 c. water
1 c. cornstarch
Cook salt and 1/2 of water for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add cornstarch and remaining 1/2 of water, then return to
heat. Stir until mixture thickens. You can also add food
coloring to this.
Multi-colored crayons
Peel broken crayons and melt in a small aluminum pan at 350
degrees for 15 -20 minutes. Cool and break into new
multi-colored pieces.
Disappearing Paint
Mix 1/8 tsp. "bluing" (a laundry additive) with 2 cups water.
Paint the sidewalk and watch it disappear.
Face Paint
Mix poster paints with cold cream.
Cinnamon Clay
¼ c. white glue
1/3 c. applesauce
3 Tbs. cinnamon
1 3/4 cup flour
¼ c. water
Mix ingredients together, until dough forms a ball, knead for
a minute or two adding a little more flour if needed. Make
into desired shapes or roll out and cut with cookie cutters.
Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.
Crazy Putty
(will even bounce)
3/4 cup of white glue
Add enough liquid starch until a ball of dough is formed, then
add food coloring and knead dough until it's completely worked
in.
Slime
1 c. glue
Liquid starch
Food coloring (if desired)
Add starch slowly until mixture becomes the right texture...
slimy.
Lap Desk
Make a pillow out of scrap material, fiberfill and some poly
(plastic) beads to make it squishy. Attach a lap tray or board
with strips of Velcro.
