Puffy Paint {Math, science and sensory play in kids’ art}

There are a few different recipes for puffy paint, some which call for self-raising flour, some which call for plain flour mixed with baking powder.

DIY MICROWAVE PUFFY PAINT RECIPE

• 1 tblsp plain flour
• 1 tblsp salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 tblsp plus 1 tsp of water
• food colouring

Mix all the ingredients together. Paint onto paper. Put the painting into the microwave for 20 seconds. Do not leave the microwave unattended during that time. Carefully remove the painting and observe the wonderful transformation! Be careful – the paint may be hot when it is removed from the microwave.

If you would like to include math within this activity, then be accurate with your measurements and talk about quantities and capacity. You could even count the number of times you stir the mixture.

Science within the activity.When we added the water to the mixture, there was a chemical reaction between the baking powder, salt and water. The mixture began fizzing and bubbling the same way that baking powder and vinegar react with one another.

Painting the puffy pallet onto a board or piece of paper

Put inside the oven

Ta...da....the result..This added a wonderful sensory element to this art activity

There were just so many dimensions to this activity from creating the paint, watching the baking powder reaction, colour mixing, painting, and finally “cooking” our pictures and seeing the paint become puffy. Playing, learning, creating. That’s what it’s all about!

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