Essential Oil–Scented Finger Paint

These scented finger paints are easy to make and are a lot of fun to play with. Kids of all ages will love discovering the different scents of these paints as they create beautiful pictures and designs. Using finger paints is also a great way to help develop creativity, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination in younger children.

Essential Oil–Scented Finger Paints

Servings: 2 cups paint | Time: 15–20 minutes active | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients & Supplies:

• 2 cups cold water
• 1 heaping Tbsp. cornstarch
• Plastic bottles
• Food coloring
• Essential oils

Instructions:

1. In a medium-size pot, whisk together cold water and cornstarch. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens.
2. Remove from heat, and let cool.
3. Pour the mixture into plastic bottles, and add a different color of food coloring to each bottle, stirring in with a bamboo skewer, until you achieve your desired color.
4. Add a drop of essential oil to each bottle of paint, and stir in the essential oil with the bamboo skewer. Be sure to choose essential oils that are safe for children. It’s fun to choose oil scents that go along with each color, and this also makes for a fun sensory experience. For example, mix a drop of lemon essential oil in with the yellow paint, a drop of peppermint essential oil in with the green paint, a drop of orange essential oil in with the orange paint, a drop of lavender essential oil in with the purple paint, etc.
5. Twist the lids onto your bottles, and your paint is ready to enjoy!