Cheap and Easy Finger Paints

Yesterday, I was talking to my son, JM, about the stuff we used to do when he and his brothers were little. It reminded me of the fun they used to have in the bathtub playing with finger paints. Of course, we almost always ran out of the expensive paints before the boys were tired of the game, which made me improvise a little one day.

It occurred to me that what we needed was something that smeared easily, was colorful, and non-toxic (mostly). So, I ran to the kitchen and looked around. A quick peak into the fridge gave me an idea. I grabbed the large containers of ketchup and yellow mustard and brought it back to the bathroom. The boys LOVED it! They emptied both containers (killing about $2.50 in ketchup and mustard compared to the much smaller amount of finger paints to the tune of $10), and covered each other and the tub surround completely.

When they were done, I just stood them up and turned on the shower. We had a handle sprayer that let me take it down and completely rinse them - and the shower - fairly easily. The best thing was that I found out that the vinegar in the ketchup and mustard did a fabulous job of cleaning the hard-water stains on the tile!

We did have to have a fairly involved conversation about how ketchup and mustard was only to eat on their food unless they were in the bathtub sans clothes - preferably with Mom nearby - but it was a fun, affordable way to be creative that had the added bonus of helping clean the bathroom.

Be creative with the things you let your kids play with. It doesn't have to cost a lot to be fun and exciting for little ones. A few other options for fun in the tub are:

• Shaving Cream - it's just foamy soap! No matter how messy they get, it cleans right up.
• Corn Starch - a box of corn starch in the bottom of a 13x9 pan with 3 cups of water = endless textile fun. When you're done with it, just drain the water down the tub drain and scoop the corn starch into the garbage. (NOTE: use this in an empty tub, and do not let the corn starch go down the drain unless you and Draino(tm) are already on a first-name basis.)
• Cheap sponges cut into letters - you can buy them at any dollar store, and they're great for sticking to the wall during bathtime. I'm fairly certain that JM learned his letters by playing with these.
• Mixing cups, funnels, and plastic bowls - BEST bathtime toys EVER! 
• Shipping popcorn - they float, they move in the waves easily, and they're generally free. 

It's up to us as parents to help our kids develop their creativity, and the best way to do so is to use our own. Look around your house for things that are safe that your kids can use in fun ways, then let them get messy.