Kool-Aid Bath Paint = Good, Cheap, Fun!

Bath time at our house is one of our favorite times of the day.  The kids love to splash, laugh and destroy the bathroom and after a long day this Mommy is happy because "bed time" is just around the corner :) All kidding aside we really do love our "splash time" rituals.  All parents know bath toys are very important :) The plastic ones are fun for the first few night, but they inevitably end up with gross bath water left inside... for some reason you never can quite get it all out.  At that point they get tossed and back we go in search of new bath toys, but then my mom gave the kids some fun bath paints.  Of course they were instant faves, but we were going through the stuff like crazy.  So I decided to mix up a little "something, something" to see if I could make me own and it turned out pretty well.  Plus my little guy loves to help, so not only is it a fun project to do with him, I'm saving money and trips to the store because it's just a few easy ingredients we usually already have on hand.

What you'll need:

Baby Wash/Shampoo
Cornstarch
Kool-Aid packets
Small plastic container (I like these 8oz Ball freezer canning jars that you can find for a few dollars in any canning section.  They are durable plastic and the lid screws on so less chance of a soapy mess.)

*a little helper is not required but it sure makes it fun :)

Take 3/4 of a cup of baby wash/shampoo and put it into a small bowl then add 3 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch and mix.  You may want to add more or less cornstarch depending on the consistency you like, we like it kind of thick so it is easier for little fingers to get a hold of and it helps it stick to the tub.

Then grab any color of Kool-Aid and add a little at a time until you get the color you want.  I usually add about half of the packet.

 Then just mix well and put the finished "paint" into your containers. A bath tub masterpiece is now just moments away.

Disclaimer: Yes kool-aid can stain, but I have NEVER had a problem with these "paints" staining the tub or anything around it. I do however make sure all the "paint" stays in the tub and that I rinse it all off as soon as the kiddos are out.  We've found you don't need a lot of the powder to get fun colors and super fun smelling stuff.  But if you are worried, just test a small spot or use a few drops of food coloring instead. 

I give the kids a "palette" (a plastic dinner plate with divided sections) and a little bit of each color.

My kiddos love these.... they paint pictures....

and each other.. whatever is handy, but everyone is smiling so Mama is happy.

And already they are better artists than their Mom :)

Good Luck and Happy Splashing, Lindsey