The story behind it
By TurkeyMom · July 2014
Ages3–6 yrs
Prep15 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessHigh
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class
Mix a flour puffy paint with real play sand, color and fine glitter. Spread it on cardboard with spoons and cotton buds, then microwave it briefly so it puffs into squishy, gritty, sparkly art.
⚠️ Safety first
- An adult does the microwaving. Use only the short time given (30 to 45 seconds), stay at the microwave the whole time, and never put metal, foil or staples in with the cardboard.
- The puffed art comes out warm. An adult checks the temperature before kids touch it.
- This paint is not taste-safe. It contains raw flour, real sand and glitter, so keep it out of mouths and supervise closely.
- Pour the sand gently to limit dust, and wash hands after play.
- Liquid watercolors and food color can stain hands, clothes and surfaces.
Before the kids arrive
- Cut or collect a sheet of cardboard for each child, small enough to fit in the microwave.
Steps
Put 1/2 cup of white flour and 2 tsp of baking soda into a large bowl.
Whisk in water a little at a time to make a thick batter with no lumps.
Add enough liquid watercolors or food coloring to get a vibrant color.
Add a little less than 1/2 cup of play sand and mix again. The batter gets much grittier.
Stir in a big dose of fine glitter to make it shiny.
Make a new batch for each color you want.
Spoon the paint onto a sheet of cardboard and spread it further with a cotton bud.
Paint, smear, smudge, pour and spread until the art is done.
Adult: microwave the cardboard for 30 to 45 seconds, depending on how thick the paint is.
Once an adult has checked that it's only warm, touch the puffed art. It's squishy, gritty and warm.
Tips
- Don't put this paint into squeeze bottles. It has so much texture that it won't flow out. Spread it with a spoon and a cotton bud instead.from the author
- The funnel-and-bottle step was totally unnecessary, although my child loved digging through the paint and helping push it through the funnel.from the author
- Do this art project on a sunny afternoon and you'll be in for a treat. The sand and glitter shine like diamonds.from the author
- Thicker paint needs closer to 45 seconds in the microwave. Thinner paint needs closer to 30.from the author
- Display the art for a couple of days. I usually save the pieces until the flour starts turning moldy or flaking off.from the author
Make it your own
- Layer the colors side by side for a landscape look. The author says the finished piece looks like their 1-minute Epsom salt painting.
- For a mouth-safe sand texture with younger kids, try the author's scented edible sand or sand dough instead of real sand.
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