Finger paints: from what age and how to use. Finger paints: advantages and features of use How long can you paint with finger paints?

All children learn about the world with their hands. Very young children do not yet have the ability to hold a brush or pencil. Therefore, finger paints would be an ideal option for developing a child’s skills. They are intended for creativity of people of any age. The answer to the question of how to paint with finger paints is quite simple. It is enough for the child to show by example what needs to be done and how, and then observe the process and the child’s safety.

What are finger paints?

At about six months of age, creative abilities begin to appear. The main thing is not to miss this moment and try to help them develop as much as possible. Hand drawing can help with this.

Finger paints are specially designed for the delicate skin of babies. Since at this age they like to put their fingers in their mouths, manufacturers try to make their products taste not very pleasant. Even if a small amount of the composition gets into the baby’s mouth, it will not harm him in any way, since such products are safe for the body and non-toxic.

High-quality and safe paints must contain:

  • food coloring;
  • water;
  • salt.

Before purchasing, you need to carefully study the composition of the selected product. For sensitive skin, large stores offer formulations special for allergy sufferers. As with any product, be sure to check the expiration date. If it comes to an end, then it is better not to buy this product.

Typically, finger paints are intended for ages over six months. There is no need to choose large sets of paints with many colors. To begin with, a few basic ones are enough, and the child will learn to obtain the remaining shades over time by mixing paints with his own hands.

There are many ideas for drawing with children. Many people have a question: how to teach a child to draw? The main thing is to give him fresh ideas or show examples of drawings so that the child wants to draw the same.

If it is not possible to prepare dyes yourself, then in stores you can find paints for children from companies such as baramba or giotto. Manufacturers offer a good composition that is safe for small children. The packaging indicates a later age of use: 2+ and 6+. Other brands may offer 1+, but you definitely need to look at the composition and the elements it contains.


Why is finger painting useful?

Thanks to drawing:

  • the child calms down and enjoys the activity;
  • fine motor skills of the hands develop;
  • knowledge of the surrounding world is underway;
  • children become more diligent and attentive.

Many argue that with the development of fine motor skills in children's hands, speech develops more quickly. With frequent use of paints, the child begins to mix different colors, which allows him to learn to think logically and be more attentive to detail.

Also, using finger paints with your child, you can create very beautiful paintings, which can be presented as a gift if desired.

On video: children's creativity using finger paints.

Preparing for the creative process

Necessary items for drawing:

  • a container of water where you can wash off paint from children’s hands;
  • napkins and towel;
  • paper or whatman paper;
  • newspaper or film if the process will take place on the floor.

The most important thing is to prepare the child himself for a creative activity. If the room temperature allows, then it is better to remove all excess clothing and leave only diapers or panties. The composition is very easily washed off the skin with warm water.

For the first acquaintance with this activity, you can provide space in the bathroom. Both the bathtub itself and the walls can be easily washed with a stream of water from the shower. It is best to use whatman paper or the reverse side of wallpaper in order not to limit the baby’s imagination. A small sheet of paper quickly runs out and the child may get tired of drawing with his hands.

If a child stops drawing or becomes interested in something else, there is no need to force this activity on him again.

Making your own finger paints

There are a huge number of options for making paints for children. The most common composition is:

  • warm water;
  • potato starch;
  • food coloring.

The consistency of the composition should be like thick sour cream.

There are methods for preparing edible compositions, for which yoghurts, cereals and various berries are used, which act as a dye. But in this case, the composition turns out to be tasty and sweet, which can strengthen the habit of putting your fingers in your mouth. Drawings with homemade finger paints sometimes turn out more successful if you make a good composition.

Finger painting can not only keep your baby busy for a long time, it contributes to faster development of thinking, speech and attention. You definitely need to praise the baby. This allows you to engage the child.

Master class on making finger paints (1 video)

Paints from different manufacturers (23 photos)




























Finger paints are a real find for parents who care about the correct and timely development of their child. Finger paints appeared on our market relatively recently, but they have already won the love of many mothers and fathers.

The main benefit of finger paints is that they promote the development of fine motor skills and imagination. Of course, a child can draw with felt-tip pens, pencils or brushes, but this happens much later, since the child needs to learn how to use these objects and hold them in his hands. You can use finger paints almost from the first months, and for children this activity will be more fun and interesting.

Benefit

The benefits of using this type of paint are invaluable. The advantages of finger paints include:

  • development of fine motor skills (helps prepare the baby’s hand for drawing with felt-tip pens, pencils or other drawing objects);
  • development of tactile sensitivity;
  • development of creative thinking and imagination;
  • the opportunity to teach a child to distinguish colors while playing;
  • development of perseverance and concentration, the child becomes calmer;
  • safety – finger paints are made from safe components, so you should not be afraid that the paint will get into the child’s body.

All of the above arguments are quite convincing; many mothers may only question the safety of finger paints. If you have doubts about the quality of finger paints, or you don’t trust manufacturers, you can easily make your own paints.

Recipes

To prepare finger paints for your child’s creativity, you will need the following ingredients:

  • half a kilogram of flour;
  • five to six tablespoons of salt;
  • two to three tablespoons of vegetable oil;
  • two tablespoons of water.

All components need to be mixed in a container, and then using a mixer, knead the mixture until the consistency of thick sour cream is obtained. The resulting mass needs to be poured into jars, and then can be colored using food coloring - carrot or beet juice. Alternatively, you can also use dyes from Easter sets. After mixing in the dye, stir the mixture again until smooth.

For another recipe you will need the following ingredients:

  • a third cup of starch;
  • two tablespoons of sugar;
  • two glasses of cold water;
  • a quarter cup of liquid baby dishwashing detergent.

Mix starch, sugar and water in a saucepan and put on fire. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes, until the mixture becomes transparent and acquires a gel-like consistency. When the resulting mixture has cooled, you need to add a quarter cup of liquid baby dishwashing detergent (this will make it easier to remove paint from various surfaces and wash it from clothes). The resulting mass can be divided into portions, and then food coloring can be added to each portion.

And one more finger paint recipe for which you will need:

  • one and a half glasses of starch;
  • half a glass of cold water;
  • liter of boiling water;
  • half a glass of talc;
  • one and a half cups of soap shavings.

Mix one and a half cups of starch with half a glass of cold water until smooth. Add a liter of boiling water to the resulting mass and stir continuously. The mixture should be clear. Without ceasing to stir, add half a glass of talcum powder and cool the mixture. When it cools down, add one and a half cups of soap shavings to it and stir well. Pour the resulting mass into jars and add dye (powdered tempera).

By making finger paints yourself using one of the above recipes, you can be sure of their high quality and the absolute harmlessness of the paints for your child.

When to use

Many parents wonder at what age is it best to start using finger paints. There is no definite answer to this question; some parents begin to give paints to children from several months old, while others wait until the child is at least one and a half to two years old.

However, there is an opinion that the optimal age for getting acquainted with finger paints is 8 months (the optimal time is individual for each child). However, no matter what age you start, you need to remember that the methods of painting with paints will be different for very young children and older children.

If your baby is between eight months and a year old, let him paint with your help and show him an example. To master the technique, all you need is a large sheet of white paper and the finger paints themselves. To diversify your creativity, you can prepare stencils. It is clear that a one-year-old child will not be able to draw a Christmas tree or a butterfly, but you can attach a stencil with cut out outlines of the same Christmas tree to his “art”.

A child as young as one year old will enjoy creativity in the bathroom. Yes, and parents will like this idea. After all, it is much easier to remove paint from tiles than, for example, wallpaper. Therefore, the child will not be limited in space and surfaces used. You can paint with paints not only with your fingers, but also with a sponge, which leaves fairly even prints, which your child will undoubtedly like.

For older children, there are special coloring books designed specifically for the use of finger paints. Your child will be able to color their favorite characters from cartoons and books, alternating paints and mixing colors at their discretion.

Preparing for creativity

To make the process of finger painting as interesting as possible for your child and not too burdensome for you, you need to prepare properly.

What should be done:

  • dress your baby in clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty;
  • cover your workplace (floor or table) with a large piece of wallpaper or whatman paper;
  • lay a film on the floor or under the table;
  • if the paint jars are small or slippery, transfer some of the paint to saucers;
  • You should always have handkerchiefs or wet wipes on hand;
  • Be sure to have a camera or video camera ready to capture creative moments.

Looking again for something to keep your child occupied at home? I suggest you games with finger paints, which we often play with our children. Perfect for a baby aged 1.5-2 years.

Finger painting- an interesting activity for a child and an effective way to develop fine motor skills.

I've already talked about it once. We then drew on paper while sitting in my mother's arms. Later we did this type of creativity many more times in the bathroom until we ran out of paint.

Last week I restocked our art supplies and purchased some Crayola washable finger paint.

This time we drew not in the bathroom, but in the kitchen. She put a blanket on the floor and a regular oilcloth for the table on top. She dressed the child in home clothes. Everything came off the first time, without much effort.

Now I’ll tell you what else you can do with paints, besides drawing. Children are inventive and will come up with activities themselves, and parents can also offer other game options.

Games with finger paints

1. Finger painting

I had two lids from plastic toy boxes - we used them as a canvas for drawing. I offered the child paper, but it was more interesting to draw without paper.

Finger painting

He moved his fingers and hands through the paint with great enthusiasm. Periodically, I added a little water to the plastic boxes, sometimes added liquid baby soap to make a little foam. It was more interesting to draw this way.

2. Painting with a small piece of sponge

Painting with a small piece of sponge

Regular dishwashing sponge I cut it into 4 pieces and gave one piece to the child for drawing. Then she showed him that he could dip the sponge into the paint and drag it over the paper. The process did not arouse much interest, but from time to time the kid returned to this kind of drawing.

3. Painting with a brush

Painting with a brush

Tyoma liked the idea that it was possible dip the brush in paint and then paint on the paper, or oilcloth. He also practiced this type of occupation for quite a long time.

4. Choose beans

Picking beans from paint

I scattered beans into a plastic box with paint. The child liked it pick it out with your fingers and transfer it to another container. He wanted nothing to interfere with his drawing, so he carefully selected the beans.

5. Squeezing paint from tubes

I still have old tubes of finger paint. I poured some water there and gave it to the child. This part of the drawing probably took the most time. With great interest, he opened the tube itself and squeezed paint and water onto our “canvas”. Then he closed it again and repeated the process.

Squeezing paint from tubes

The child loves it very much paint with finger paints. He can tinker with his drawings for a long time.

He did not go beyond the boundaries of the “workplace”. Sometimes paint splashes fell on the floor, but I quickly wiped everything off. After the lesson, I just washed the oilcloth itself and the child.

But, as an afterword, I’ll tell you the continuation of our story with drawing. We painted in the evening before swimming. After it was all over, I immediately took the child to the bathroom. He loves to swim! To wash the baby quickly, I used the shower. Without a habit and from the high pressure of water, the child was very scared.

We weren't able to enjoy bathing; we could only wash it with a scream. And for the next few days the son was simply afraid to swim. We returned to water procedures again a few days later, after he forgot a little about everything. Now I am very careful about everything new, so as not to scare the child again.

Please leave your review or comment. I'm very interested in your opinion!


Every parent understands how important it is to develop creativity in a child. The most accessible way is to interest him in drawing. In the process of creativity, the baby develops imagination, imaginative thinking and taste.

You can arrange a colorful adventure for your little one, and at the same time great pleasure, with the help of drawing. The best option for the first acquaintance is finger paints for hand painting. Moreover, you can even make them yourself.

It is often not easy for young children to learn to draw and color with pencils, so it is better to try drawing with their fingers first, because controlling your fingers is much easier with a pencil or felt-tip pen. In addition, painting with finger paints is very useful for the development of fine motor skills and will prepare the child’s hand for “real” drawing with a brush or pencil.

Painting with finger paints is very entertaining because it makes it possible to mix colors, thereby allowing the child to invent shades himself. By coloring with your fingers, the child will quickly learn to feel the boundaries of the image. This process has a positive effect on children’s mood and behavior, heightens sensations and stimulates actions.

The first experience in drawing will influence the child's future, so parents better prepare for this event. First, let's choose colors. The paints that you buy in the store are ready to use, they do not drip, and are easily washed off. Finger paints: at what age can you draw with your hands?

For example, Nerchau finger paints comply with the European standard EN 71 on toy safety, are marked with the CE mark and therefore can be given to children from the age of three without any doubt. They contain preservatives used in perfumes and the food industry. Finger paints are edible, but contain a harmless bitter substance to discourage children from wanting to eat them. The paints are water-based and can be easily washed off with water. Don't worry if your baby puts his finger in his mouth while drawing - finger paints are non-toxic.

Homemade finger paints

An alternative to store-bought finger paints is homemade ones. In order to make finger paints yourself you will need: 0.5 kg of flour, 5 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and water (to the consistency of thick sour cream). Mix all this with a mixer, then pour the resulting mass into separate jars, add food coloring (turmeric, beetroot or carrot juice, or use Easter kits for this), mix again until smooth.

For the first experiment, you can also take regular yogurt of different shades, for example strawberry, blueberry, banana. You can paint with these pastel shades even from a year old.

How to paint with finger paints?

Well, let's get started? We dress the child in clothes that we don’t mind getting dirty, take a large sheet of whatman paper (you can take a roll of unnecessary wallpaper), lay it on the floor and off we go. We pour paints into a palette or saucers and begin to draw ourselves, showing the baby our actions.

Let your first drawings be a juicy piece of watermelon with seeds or a bunch of grapes. You can simply leave handprints. Believe me, there is only one drawback in this process - it is a “multi-colored child”, but there are a lot of advantages. You can also draw right in the bathroom, painting the sides, and you can wash your hands right away.

The finger that I dipped in the paint leaves marks on the paper! – the baby experiences bright and creative emotions. The main thing for him now is not the result, but the creative process. When the baby “plays” on his own, having thoroughly enjoyed his “scribbles”, show him new ways of depicting: vertical, horizontal and inclined lines, spiral shapes, circles.

But if a child refuses to draw, does not want to get his fingers dirty, and is in a hurry to wash his hands, this indicates that he is internally constrained, perhaps there are problems in mental development (fears, anxiety) or the parents are too protective of the baby, or, conversely, he lacks affection, communication. In any case, you should pay attention to the child’s attitude towards finger paints.

You may ask, at what age can you start painting with finger paints? Of course, you can draw with your fingers at 3 months with the help of your mother, but as practice shows, the best time is from about 8 months. But many boxes of paints say “from 3 years old.”

By drawing with your toddler, you develop a new personality, because this fascinating process promotes the development of fine motor skills, imagination, creativity, artistic abilities, and develops a sense of color, size and shape. Don't miss this exciting activity!

You can use finger paints not only on paper, but also on cardboard and glass. They do not drip, do not form blots, are easily washed off glass and hands, and can be easily washed from clothes. By the way, finger painting helps develop fine motor skills.

Just a few decades ago there was no such thing as finger paints. As children, we only painted with a brush, or at most with a cotton swab and other objects. The modern stationery industry offers us finger paints - interesting, exciting, and most importantly - safe!

The benefits of finger paints

Today people draw with paints from a very early age, even up to one year. This is not surprising, every mother wants to develop her child, to cultivate an aesthetic principle in him. Introducing creativity is a long journey, but it should not be limited by age. Already in infancy, a child can find favorite colors and draw strange shapes and pictures. It is very interesting to mix colors with each other and get extraordinary shades.

In addition to artistic education, finger painting is a training in fine motor skills. And this, in turn, gives a powerful impetus to the development of the child’s speech.

Drawing is also a whole bunch of positive thoughts and emotions. It’s rare that a child will remain indifferent to such a fun pastime. Drawing teaches many hyperactive children to be attentive, focused, and diligent. In addition, finger paints are very easy to wash and clean, which makes their use even more convenient and practical.

How to choose finger paints

The first criterion for choosing finger paints is their safety. After all, kids often put their hands in their mouths, right with the paint. This should not discourage parents from using this product. Before purchasing, carefully read the composition of the paints. Only natural ingredients should be indicated there - flour, salt, starch, food coloring. The paint must be water-based. Due to the fact that all paint components are natural, the shelf life of this product is very short. When purchasing paint, make sure that it has not expired.

You shouldn’t immediately take a large palette of colors. Before first use, buy 4-5 bright shades that your child will like. After all, it’s important to introduce the child first, what if he doesn’t like it? Considering that paints deteriorate quickly, there is no need to throw money away.

When choosing paint, pay attention to the consistency of the liquid. The paint should be fluid and moderately thick. Buy paint from large and trusted manufacturers.

How to prepare for drawing

This is perhaps the main question that worries many parents. The cleanliness of the room after drawing, as well as the parents’ interest in repeating the experiment, depend on the degree of preparation.

To begin, choose a place where the drawing will take place. It is better to always draw in the same place so that later the child does not go beyond the designated boundaries. This could be a table or a corner on the floor. If you paint on the floor, remove the carpets and rugs; you can cover them with oilcloth. It is also better to cover a sofa and other upholstered furniture with oilcloth. The best canvas for drawing is what paper or large sheets of A3 format. Ordinary album leaves will probably not be enough for your child’s creativity to fly.

Before drawing, put on clothes for yourself and your baby that you don’t mind. The paints are easy to clean, but it never hurts to be on the safe side. If it’s warm at home, you can leave the baby in panties or a diaper - it will be easier to wash. You can also buy a special waterproof apron in art stores that will protect you from paint.

When everything is ready, you can begin the drawing process itself.

  1. Dip your finger in the paint and show your child that it is absolutely safe. Run your finger across the paper.
  2. If the child is interested, dip his finger and also run it over the paper.
  3. After that, let your child take the initiative - let him choose the right paint and make a few strokes.
  4. Don’t forget to repeat the names of the flowers - this way your child will remember them better.
  5. When the child becomes thoroughly familiar with colors, you can draw certain pictures. Show your child how to draw a sun. Let it be a simple yellow blot at the top of the Whatman paper - praise the child and his creativity.
  6. Young children can successfully draw rain or snow. You need to draw a cloud and show how to put your finger and say “Drip-drip.” Drawing such blue rain will be very exciting.
  7. You can try out all the colors by drawing a rainbow. Just move your hand along the same path, alternately dipping your fingers in different colors.
  8. You can make a bouquet from palm prints. To do this, wet your palm in one paint and make an imprint of this palm on paper. Repeat the prints in other colors in the same way. Then add stems and leaves to the improvised palms, you will get a charming bouquet.
  9. Make a hand and foot print of your child as a keepsake. Subsequently, this picture can be dried and stored for many years to come. You can also make an imprint as the child grows - you can see firsthand how quickly and intensively your baby is growing.
  10. After painting, dry the painting and hang it in a visible place. The child will be proud of his creativity. This is also a wonderful gift for a grandma or grandpa from a little toddler. Show the painting to your dad in the evening so that he will definitely praise his young artist.

You can make your own finger paints by mixing water, oil and flour to form a thick mixture. You can use saturated vegetable and fruit juices as a coloring pigment. And in order to discourage a child from trying paint, a large amount of salt is added to it.

Finger paints are an opportunity for a child to express their emotions and feelings. Give your child creative freedom - let him draw!

Video: how to paint with finger paints