Recipes For Play Helps Kids Create a Beautiful Mess

If there's one thing kids love more than crafting, it's making a mess. So it only makes sense that author Rachel Sumner decided to combine these two passions in her newest book, Recipes For Play ($15). Filled with more than 40 fun art projects and activities for kids, the book teaches little ones how to use everyday object to create something beautiful while teaching adults how to embrace the messes that come our way. And the best part — everything is supersimple to make! Check out some of our favorite projects from Recipes For Play, available now.

01
Slime

Slime

Because this slime recipe uses only natural ingredients, it is unlikely to cause any skin irritations, but it is likely to have your child thinking, "I wonder what would happen if I put my whole body into the slime." The results are brilliant, but the cleanup is more than a quick wipe with a sponge. Be prepared for this to turn into a full-body experience. At the very least, have a clean towel ready — you will need it when they're done.

Materials

  • Large bowl
  • Whisk
  • Tray
  • Food coloring
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 cups cornstarch
  • Dishwashing liquid

Instructions

  1. Mix the food coloring and the warm water in a bowl.
  2. Slowly add the cornstarch, mixing and blending as you go. If it's too runny, add more cornstarch; if it's too firm, add more water. If you want the mixture to be a little more slippery, then add a little squirt of dishwashing liquid. You should be left with a substance that looks like a liquid but is firm to the touch.
  3. Turn out your blob onto the tray, and let them at it. Drive toy cars through it, submerge animal figurines in it, mix it with sticks, or attack it with cooking utensils.
02
Texture Balloons

Texture Balloons

There can be more to balloons than just air. Filling them with different textures and tying them off leaves you with interesting malleable toys. Make pairs with the same fillings and ask the kids to match textures, or draw faces on the balloons with a marker and enjoy the change of expression with each squish.

Materials

  • Balloons
  • A funnel
  • Various dry goods, like beans, rice, or sand

Instructions

  1. Stretch the mouth of each balloon over your funnel and slowly feed the dry goods inside. If you're using flour, beware of squeezing, as the flour is likely to leap right back out of the funnel and into your face, which can be amusing but also frustrating.
  2. Tie off the end, slowly squeezing the air out before knotting the balloon.
03
Yogurt Paint

Yogurt Paint

There is a lot to love about yogurt paint. It is perfect for the children who want to put everything in their mouth and the parents who don't want the fear factor of giving young children real paint. It wipes clean easily; although, like most paints, it is not too friendly with carpets. If you're looking for a window of time to cook a meal, take your postcards off the fridge and let the kids paint the door.

Materials

  • Plain Greek yogurt
  • Ice tray or muffin tin
  • Food coloring
  • Brushes
  • Paper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Portion out the yogurt into the ice tray or muffin tin.
  2. Mix in the food coloring to make a rainbow of "paints."
  3. Let your little Picassos create some art. This paint will dry, and it is possible to keep the art for some time, provided the yogurt isn't applied so thickly that it rots.