Homemade Edible Paint for Kids

If you have kids in the everything-goes-in-their-mouths stage or older kids who can’t get enough sensory play, this easy edible paint “recipe” is for you. With a yogurt base and fruits or veggies for color, it’s quick, easy, healthy, and a total blast.

Three bowls of homemade edible paint sit on a blue table. Each bowl of paint is a different color and has a fruit or veggie next to it (spinach, strawberries, blueberries). Below the bowls is a white paper with a flower painted on it.

Can you make your own homemade edible paint?

You absolutely can, and if you ask us, it’s a must-try!

Homemade edible paint is one of my go-to activities when working with a wide range of ages.

Edible paint is perfect for the baby, the preschooler, and the elementary-aged kid to enjoy together (and it’s not always easy to find something that everyone can do!).

Related: Kids and adults of all ages love our GIANT 10-foot coloring banners.

Homemade edible paint uses only two ingredients

Can you name any ingredients that go into normal kids’ paint?

I know I can’t think of any!

Commercial paint sounds like a tricky, complicated thing to make, but homemade paint couldn’t be simpler.

And chances are, you have the ingredients you need right now in your kitchen.

Check out some of our other favorite paint activities:

the materials for homemade edible paint: bowls of food (strawberries, blueberries, spinach), a tub of Greek yogurt, and a large spoon. Next to them sits three fluffy paintbrushes.

Homemade Edible Paint Ingredients

Yogurt
Fruits and veggies – we used blueberries, spinach, and strawberry
Water
Blender
Paintbrushes + paper – optional

Three close ups of strawberries, spinach, and blueberries.

Directions

I have just as much fun making this as kids have playing with it!

Add yogurt, one fruit or veggie, and a splash of water to your blender.

Measurements: I don’t use measuring tools for this, but I eyeballed about ½ cup of yogurt + a handful of whatever fruit or veggie I used. Do what feels right.

Once blended, pour your “paint” into small bowls.

Time for painting fun!

A close up of a flower being painted with the colorful homemade edible paints.

Does edible paint last on paper?

Because yogurt is the base of the paint, if your child paints on paper, the final pieces can’t be kept forever.

As soon as it dries, the yogurt will crack (and then eventually, it will begin to smell. Hey, maybe there’s a bonus second Science experiment in this activity).

Edible paint is the definition of process vs. product.

The joy and learning from this activity come from the process of playing and creating, not from having a final product.

Note: You can skip paper altogether (we often do). Edible paint makes for a fun sensory finger-paint snack activity on its own.