Puffy paints turns regular art projects into exciting science projects. It sure is a lot of fun when Science and Art combined 😀
These are super simple to make with just a few ingredients and is a great activity for kids. There are two commonly used methods to prepare puffy paint. I have listed them both. You can choose whichever option is convenient for you. I did the flour method below.
Method 1 : Using Flour
Ingredients
| Self-rising flour | 1/2 cup |
| Salt | 1/2 cup |
| Water | 1/2 cup |
| Food coloring | Any color/colors of your choice |
If you don’t have self-rising flour, add the following ingredients to make self-rising flour at home.
All-purpose flour – 1/2 cup, Baking powder-3/4 tsp, Salt-1/8 tsp
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients
- Combine self-rising flour, salt and water in a mixing bowl and mix well. The mixture should be a bit thick but not too thick or too thin.
- Divide the paste equally in separate bowls. This step is optional. You can use one or many colors as per your wish. Add different food coloring to each bowl.
- Mix each color paint well and keep them ready.
- In a heavy card stock, draw any picture and ask your kids to color them with the puffy paint we just made with the help of a Q-tip. (I have used regular white paper and it crumbles a bit when put in a microwave. Using a heavier paper/sheet would stay firm)
- Now, place the painted paper in a microwave safe plate and microwave for 25-30 seconds. This is where the magic happens. The paint puffs up 😀 This process is nothing but flour cooking in the oven. The flour is basically getting cooked and the baking powder helps it in the puffing!
Method 2: Using Shaving cream
Ingredients
| Shaving cream | 1/2 cup |
| Glue | 1/2 cup |
| Food coloring | Any color/colors of your choice |
Instructions
- Combine equal parts of glue and shaving cream in a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Rest of the steps are same as in the method using flour.
| Notes: – If the puffy paint mixture becomes too thick, add a drop or two of water and proceed. – The quantity mentioned makes plenty enough paint. We had a lot leftover after the project. So, make accordingly. – Do not microwave for more than 30 seconds, the paint might burn |