Finger Painting with Chocolate Pudding

Hillary when she was three years old!

February 23rd

Happy Thursday! Today is a day to embrace your child's messy side! So pull out the old clothes or smocks, lay down some newspapers, and have fun with your little ones!

Theme: Finger paint

Materials Needed: chocolate pudding, wax paper or cookie sheet

Developmental Skills: fine motor skills, creativity, language, senses (taste, smell, tactile)

Activity: Painting with Pudding

Make a box of instant chocolate pudding according to the directions. If your children are of the age where they can help you in the kitchen, have them assist you with making the pudding. Lay down newspaper or other materials to protect your work space. (This is a fun outside activity on a beautiful, sunny day or a great inside activity on a rainy day.) Allow your children the freedom to just play with the pudding! They will love squishing it between their fingers, making funny pictures, practicing writing their numbers, letters and name in the pudding. We have used wax paper or just a simple cookie sheet with sides on it for them to play with the pudding.

Extension Activities: If your child doesn't like chocolate, you can try other flavors of pudding.

- Have your child describe the taste, feel and smell of the pudding.

- Discuss different pictures your child can make with the pudding.

- Use cookie cutters, q-tips, and other objects to make pictures in the pudding.

- If your child is old enough to use regular finger paint let them paint a picture using different colors. Framing your child's artwork is a great way to celebrate their creativity!

Teacher's Tip: Allowing children to be creative and messy helps them develop the ability to think outside the box and not be focused on making mistakes.