Homemade bath paint will transform every bath for your kids from now on! Learn how to make homemade bath paint recipes. I have 5 amazing DIY bath paint recipes for homemade bath paint without cornstarch, homemade shaving cream bath paint, and many more!
One of my favorite easy, enjoyable, special, relatively cheap, and super fun things I like to make for my girls is bath paint. I used to do it for Jade when she was little as she hated baths. All things about self care caused a screaming tear-filled fit. Hair brushing, teeth brushing, bathing. Every SINGLE day… probably until she was three. There were many days I’d let the hair brushing slide just not being up to the fight, only to then have to deal with a rat’s nest half the size of her head in three days.
I prided myself on being super creative with all of these things after a while… I suppose it was out of necessity now that I look back. It was either my destiny to become very fun, playful, and creative and deal with maybe a little whimpering or luckily even giggles; or to be firm, non negotiating, and deafen myself to the shrieks.
I am definitely not one to do the second, I believe in using my actions to make things better. I usually am the one to grow more in the experience in the long run! So I used some internet searches, as well as digging into my own creative mind, and sometimes my pocketbook, to solve those problems.
The biggest winner consistently in those days that was the simplest was bath paints.
Originally I purchased her some for Christmas, and then imagine my amazement when I found out you can make your own!!! Mind blown. This was at the very beginning of my ongoing journey to live more affordably and more naturally by making almost everything myself. So without further adieu, here are our favorite three recipes for bath paint, as well as a few I found on Pinterest from some other great bloggers out there! If you are looking for the absolute easiest, cheapest, and most safe baby finger paint you’ve never thought of, check it out HERE!
1. Our go-to Bath Paint
Ingredients:
-1 tablespoon cornstarch
-3 tablespoons tear free shampoo
-food coloring
DIRECTIONS:
-First put the cornstarch in container of choice. (We use recycled Gerber baby food containers… you know the plastic rectangular ones. I love those, I use them for everything. EVERYTHING! Actually I love all baby food containers. Check out THIS POST for some epic ways to upcycle glass baby food jars.) Many people add water to this recipe but I don’t like to. Yes it is a wee bit tougher to wipe off but it really makes for exceptionally better art. (It’s still easy to clean.)
-Next add in the tear free shampoo and food coloring. (I really recommend using the tear-free stuff. Yes, we have used whatever we have around… regular shampoo, body wash, and successfully painted the bath. However after less than a month of using **whatever** my six year old splashed some in her eye getting very into her artwork; causing tears, hugs, and coercively forceful eye washing. Totally worth it to me to spend the couple extra bucks to get tear free.
– Mix until all chunks dissolve and paint!
2. Shaving Cream Paint
Ingredients:
-Shaving Cream
-Food coloring
DIRECTIONS: I LOOOOVE the simplicity of this recipe. Really it couldn’t be easier. However it is my second choice because first, we don’t use shaving cream in our house other than for bath paint (we’ve found it to be an unneccessary expense); and second, it takes a lot of shaving cream to make in comparison to the amount of soap in the first recipe. We get about 3-4 baths from a large bottle.
-Put shaving cream in a bowl.
-Add food coloring.
-Mix and paint!
Now I LOOOVE the simplicity of this one. It really couldn’t be any easier.
3. Long Lasting Bath Paint
Ingredients:
– 1 tbsp Cornstarch
– 1/4 tsp Salt
– 3 tbsp Sugar
– 2 c. Water
DIRECTIONS: This is similar to the first recipe I found (altered a bit) and used many years ago. It takes more work to make, however you can make a large batch and it stores well for a week or two. The first two recipes are best to make and use immediately. This is more like what you’d buy in store minus the preservatives of coarse.
– Combine water, salt and sugar in a small pot and heat until warm.
-Then add in the cornstarch and stir until dissolved.
-Continue to warm and stir until the mixture thickens (think gravy).
-Pour into small containers and add food coloring to each and stir in.
**BE SURE TO FULLY COOL BEFORE USE!!** (Probably thinking “duh, does she really have to say that?” But I’ve had a million new mommy moments of exhaustion and distraction that result in beyond “brain farts,” so just trying to help out so the kiddos are all safe and have fun from my recipe suggestions! )
If you are planning on keeping this recipe for an extended period of time store in the refridgerator for up to a week.
4. Bath Time Chalk Paint
Here’s where we swap over to some other blogger’s recipes! I found this on Pinterest and it sounds fun! We’ll be trying it soon. Crystal from GROWING A JEWELED ROSE uses crushed chalk and shaving cream to let the kids mix their own bath paints! Perfect for summer. This gal sure knows how to entertain the kids. Her blog is amazing and I distinctly remember reading it five years ago amidst the daily self-cleaning meltdowns of my little one, seeking creative help and advice! FIND THE FULL DIRECTIONS HERE!
5. Edible Bath Paint
The name alone stood out to me! No bath paint I’ve tried is edible! That would be super-great if adding these activities for the very little ones. My drawbacks of this recipe is I don’t like adding too much sugar to the bath and if you live in certain states even the tiniest smidge of sugar left behind will cause an ant invasion. (I’m from California. However now living in WA our enemy here is the fruit fly so I’d be totally willing to give this a try!) This recipe come from THE STAY AT HOME EDUCATOR and calls for whipped cream and food coloring.
That is my easy, fun, affordable, list of bath paint amazingness! Now go and create. Have a blast watching your kids cute little backsides while they create and the sparkling smiles you’re guarenteed as they turn to dip their paint brushes or fingers for more color!
For more DIY craft and activities you’re sure to love check out Spaghetti Play 3 Ways and 5 Activities for Only $4 at the Dollar Tree!
Are there any things that your kids just won’t do without screaming that you’d love some creative tips to help conquer? I’d love to help you out with a new post so let me know in the comments below!
(Pin Me Please!)
