Some kids love face paint the moment they see it, but it took Travis a long time to warm to the idea of having his face painted. A recent fascination with all things superhero and supervillain has gotten him past the hesitation, and I was so proud of him when he dared to have character paint at a recent party. To continue the fun, I suggested we make this  DIY paint at home to amplify his superhero play!

Cooking the paint is half the fun. First, we scooped 1 cup cornstarch into a pot.

We added 4 cups water, 6 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt.

I cooked the mixture over medium heat, whisking frequently, until just before boiling – it will look like pudding. Travis loved watching from a little distance away.

Make sure you let the paint cool completely, at this point!

When it was cool, we divided among cups and added about 4 drops of food coloring to each cup. Travis new exactly which colors he needed for his game.

He didn’t hesitate one whit before painting all up and down his arm. Is that a blue Spiderman I see?

Mommy got to be Green Goblin.

Travis was a bit disappointed that the paint didn’t dry, meaning he couldn’t keep it on an extended time period, but this was still great fun. Next time I think we’d do it right before bath, to fully enjoy a mess before a cleanup. The paint would also be great outside in warm summer weather!