Why not try whipping up a few fun recipes for everyday items? It's educational, you can replenish some of your supplies and the kids will love it! The best part? With just a few "cool" exceptions, these recipes aren't fattening! (Of course most of them are edible or at

least nontoxic, too!) Have fun!
 
Please note: although most of the recipes I've included are very simple, adult supervision is strongly recommended.

BUBBLES:
Mix the following ingredients together:
1 cup water
2 tbsp. liquid detergent
1 tbsp. glycerine
½ tbsp. sugar

GIANT BUBBLES:
Ingredients:
6 cups water
¾ cup corn syrup
2 cups dishwashing liquid

Directions: Mix together and let sit for four hours prior to use.
**Tip: Add food colouring to make bubbles different colours!

RUBBER STAMP INK
Ingredients:
Powdered clothes dye
¼ tsp. rubbing alcohol
5 tbsp. glycerine

Directions: Mix enough dye with alcohol until it is the consistency of a thin cream. Add glycerine and stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour ink over stamp pad.
**Tip: Make your own stamp pad by cutting foam rubber to fit the bottom of a small, closable plastic box, then pour the ink over the foam. Keep the box tightly covered when not in use.

FACE PAINT
Ingredients:
1 tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. water
½ tsp. cold cream
Food colouring

Directions: Stir cornstarch and cold cream until blended. Stir in water and food colouring. Store in an airtight container. Paint can be easily washed off faces with soap and water.

PUFFY PAINT
Mix together equal amounts of:
Flour
Salt
Water
Add food colouring. Store mixture in plastic squeeze bottles (empty mustard or ketchup bottles). When used, mixture will harden into a puffy paint.

FINGER PAINT
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. cold water
1 cup hot water
Food colouring

Directions: In a saucepan, mix flour and salt. Gradually add cold water. Add hot water and boil until it turns clear. Beat until smooth and mix in food colouring. Allow paint to cool before storing in bottle or other airtight container.
**Tip: Store uncoloured paint in bottles and add food colouring as needed if you don't know what colours you want ahead of time.

GLUE
Ingredients:
¾ cup water
2 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. white vinegar
½ cup cornstarch
¾ cup cold water

Directions: In a saucepan, mix water, syrup and vinegar and bring to a rolling boil. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water. Slowly add to corn syrup mixture, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. Glue works best after it has set at least 48 hours.

PAPIER-MACHE PASTE
Ingredients:
1 cup water
¼ cup flour
5 cups lightly boiling water

Directions: Mix flour into one cup water until mixture is thin and runny. Stir into boiling water. Gently boil and stir for three minutes. Cool before using.

PLAY-DOUGH
Ingredients:
1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2 tsp. vegetable oil
3 cups flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
Tempera paint or food colouring

Directions: Mix water, salt, oil and paint. Gradually work in flour and cornstarch until you get the consistency of bread dough. Add food colouring or paint as desired.

SIDEWALK CHALK
Ingredients:
1 cup plaster of Paris (do not pack)
Almost 1/2 cup cool water
Liquid Tempera paint or food colouring
Disposable mixing containers (butter tubs, plastic cups, etc.)
Disposable moulds (toilet paper rolls or paper towel tubes cut in half and reinforced with duct tape, cookie cutters, egg cartons, etc.)

Directions: Pour plaster into a mixing container. Using a disposable stick, stir in most of the water. Add two or three tablespoons of liquid tempera or a few drops of food colouring, mixing well, especially at the bottom. Add a little more water so the mixture thickens, stir well, and pour into the moulds that are placed on wax paper. Gently tap the sides of the mould to remove air bubbles. Remove or cut off the moulds after the chalk is completely dry (will be ready to use in about 1 to 1 ½ hours, but for best results, dry for 24 to 48 hours). Store in an airtight container.
**Tip: For "marbled" chalk, mix colour in only slightly.

SLIME
Ingredients:
1 cup white glue
¾ cup warm water
Food colouring (5+ drops)
1 1/3 cup warm water

Directions: In a bowl, mix glue and 3/4 cup water for three minutes. Add food colouring and mix. In a separate bowl, dissolve Borax in 1 1/3 cup water. Add Borax solution to glue solution, but don't stir. Let sit for one minute. Remove substance from liquid. With clean hands, knead the slime to mix (about 10 minutes). The slime will easily separate between your fingers. Store in an airtight container.
**Tip: If a more slimy texture is desired, knead in a bit more water. The more water you add, the slimier it gets.
**Caution: Slime is sticky so protect work surfaces and clothing.

SILLY PUTTY
Ingredients:
¼ cup Elmer's® Glue-All Multi-Purpose Glue
¼ cup Sta-Flo® liquid starch
Directions: Mix together and knead until it is consistency of putty. For more elasticity, add more glue.
**Caution: Putty is sticky so protect work surfaces and clothing.

To add a little more fun to your cooking endeavors, why not try a few recipes that fit the season:

ICE CREAM IN A BAG (NOTE: this recipe makes one bag)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. sugar
½ cup whole milk or half & half (chocolate or other flavored milk can also be used)
¼ tsp. vanilla or other extract (for a different flavor)
6 tbsp. rock salt
1 pint- or quart-size plastic bag
1 gallon-size plastic bag
Ice
Directions: Fill gallon-size bag half full of ice and add rock salt. Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into small bag and seal it (strong tape works well). Place small bag inside the large one and seal carefully. Shake until mixture is ice cream, about 5 to 10 minutes. Open carefully, wipe or rinse salt from outside of small bag and enjoy!
**Tip: if the bag gets too cold to handle, use gloves or wrap bag with a towel.
**Tip: Instead of using flavored milk, you can also omit the vanilla and half the sugar and add strawberry or chocolate syrup.
**Tip: You can also add nuts, fruit or candy pieces.
**NOTE: This recipe cannot be doubled.

WHIPPED SNOW
Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
1 cup pure laundry soap powder or flakes (not liquid)
Directions: Place ingredients in large bowl and mix with mixer until very fluffy. Students can mould it into shapes and let them dry.

TORTILLA SNOWFLAKES (baked)
Ingredients:
Flour tortillas
Melted or spray-on butter
Cinnamon & sugar
Powdered sugar
Directions: Wash and sterilize scissors. Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Warm tortillas in oven or microwave until soft. Fold in half, then thirds (do not crease). Cut simple snowflake designs into tortillas, just as you would a paper snowflake. Carefully unfold and place on baking sheet. When all snowflake shapes have been created or sheet is full, brush them lightly with butter. Bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp but not brown. For a "snow" effect, dust with powdered sugar. If cinnamon and sugar are used, sprinkle on tortillas after applying butter but before baking.**TIP: You can also put chocolate chips on top immediately after tortillas are removed from the oven.

 

 

Basic Paints Poster Paint

Ingredients

2 parts powdered pigment

1 part liquid starch

Powdered pigment is great to have around. While powdered pigment can be mixed with plain old water, liquid starch is better. This is a thin quality paint that works great for printmaking, silk screening, etc.

Deluxe Poster Paint

1/4 cup flour

1 cup water

3 tablespoons. powdered tempera paint

2 tablespoons. water

¥1/2 tsp. liquid starch or liquid detergent

Measure flour into saucepan. Slowly add 1 cup water until mixture is smooth. Heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Cool. Add 1/4 cup flour paste into small jar or plastic container. Add tempera paint and water for each color. For opaque finish add liquid starch. For glossy finish had liquid detergent.

Monets Water Color Paints

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon glycerine

food coloring

Do like the famous impressionist painters did and bring your watercolors outside to paint. To make your own watercolors, first mix vinegar and baking soda. Next slowly add cornstarch and glycerine to the mixture. Poor into small paper cups to let dry. Add food coloring. The color is not as intense when it is dry so remember to add a lot of food coloring. When dry peel away the paper.

 

Shinny, Glossy and Shimmery Paints Moooo Paint

1 cup condensed milk

Food coloring

Mix one cup condensed milk with a few drops of food coloring. This makes a very bright, glossy colored paint.

Egg Yolk Paint

1 egg yolk

1/4 tsp. water

Food colouring

Mix egg yolk with water and lots of food colouring. Use a paint brush to paint on baked cookies. Return cookies to oven until egg has solidified.

Translucent paint

4 ounces school glue

1/4 cup liquid starch

Food colouring

This is a short-lasting paint that works well for easel painting. Mix together all ingredients and store in small glass jars. Make only as much as you will need. The paint will last for almost a week.

Artist Quality Oil Paint

Ingredients

Tempera paint

Liquid dish washing soap

This paint has a smooth, glossy effect and holds colour well. Mix together tempera paint and soap. Store in glass jars.

Crystal Paint

Ingredients

1/4 cup hot tap water

3 teaspoon epsom salts

Simply daaazzzling! Mix hot tap water and epsom salts. Brush the mixture onto a dark colored paper. When dry the salt will form crystals that shine in the light.

Dazzling Paint

Ingredients

White school glue

glitter

Food coloring

Small zip lock freezer bags.

Pour glue and glitter into small freezer bags. Add food coloring if desired. Mix by squishing around in your hands. Snip off a small corner of the bag and squeeze to paint. \

3-D Paints Dimensional Paint

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1 cup salt

Food coloring

This paint will give an added dimension to your art work. Use on stiff cardboard to outline drawings. Mix all ingredients and add food coloring. Pour into squeeze bottles. Let the paint dry and finish by coating with a shiny clear nail polish.

 

Puffy Paint

Ingredients

Dry laundry soap

Paint or food coloring

This paint is a natural for drawing big puffy clouds. Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and foamy. Paint on thick and let dry.

        Spreadable Paint

1 cup powdered tempera paint

2 tablespoons. wallpaper paste

1/4 to 1/2 cup liquid laundry starch

Use this thick paint on cardboard to make a topographical map. First mix together tempera paint and paste. Mix until smooth and then add the starch. Use popsicle sticks of tongue depressors to spread.

Finger Paints

Finger painting is spontaneous and fun for kids of all ages. A smooth surface works best for finger paints.Cookie sheets, the counter and wax paper all work well.

Ooey Gooey Finger Paint

Ingredients

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 cups water

food coloring

Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Then boil the mixture until it is nice and thick. Pour into individual containers (baby food jars work great) then add food coloring. This finger paints work best when used on a glossy paper such as butcher or shelf paper.

Deluxe Finger Paint

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 cups boiling water

1 cup cold water

food coloring or poster paint

1 package unflavored gelatin

A little more work, but this finger paintÕs translucent, high gloss quality makes it worth the extra effort. In saucepan, mix cornstarch with 3/4 cup cold water to a smooth paste. In a separate container mix Soak gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Next carefully pour boiling water over the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly. Cook until mixture boils and turns clear. Stir in gelatin. Pour into individual jars. Add color. Refrigerate to store. Suitable for dry or wet paper.

Pudding Finger Paint

Ingredients

Pudding Mix

Milk

Wax paper

Food coloring

Finger licking good. Pudding is a natural for finger painting. Mix pudding and milk together as directed on the package. Add food coloring or use as is. Try pistachio, vanilla, chocolate.