Erupting Baking Soda Paint Recipe

Two Ingredient Homemade Baking Soda Paint

As I was writing up our collection of two ingredient paint recipes it occurred to me that I have never shared one of our favorite and most simple homemade paints, baking soda paint!  My boys have a fascination with erupting paint recipes, and baking soda paint is the most basic of recipes.  The best part is that you most likely have everything you need to make it.

How to Make Baking Soda Paint

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Supplies:

• liquid watercolor paint or food coloring
• baking soda
• water
• whisk
• vinegar
• pipettes
• watercolor paper
• paint brushes

Directions:  To make baking soda paint I put about an eighth of a cup of baking soda in a measuring cup and add liquid watercolors until I am happy with the amount of color.  Then I fill the cup with water to the quarter cup mark and mix well with a whisk.  The measurements truly do not need to be exact.  The basic rule is that you don't want the paint too runny or it won't fizz a whole lot.  You don't want it too thick, or it won't spread easily.  An even amount of liquid and baking soda works well.  If you are using food coloring instead of liquid watercolors, less color is needed and more water.

I prefer to use watercolor paper with our erupting paints since there is a lot of liquid.  If you don't have watercolor paper, any thicker paper should work.  Avoid using thin paper like butcher paper since it could tear when moist.

Peanut and Tank (3) love covering the watercolor paper with baking soda paint.  I don't tend to give directions during the painting process, but with erupting paints I encourage covering large areas with color.  The eruption will be much more noticeable this way.

After painting I give the boys pipettes and a container of vinegar.  Spray bottles or squeeze bottles can also be used.  Keep in mind that the faster vinegar is added the wetter the paper will become.  Again, this isn't a huge deal with watercolor paper.  No matter how many times we make baking soda paint, the kids are always delighted to watch the fizzing reaction.

We've making baking soda paints in every combination of colors over the years, but most often I try to use complimentary colors.  The results of the blending colors are beautiful, and the paintings dry and can be displayed.

The added benefit of making erupting paints is that using pipettes, squeeze bottles, and spray bottles boost fine motor skills.

My boys are very exploratory, and we put a heavy focus on the art process.  In this case, long after painting and dropping splashes of vinegar on the paint, Tank and Peanut continued to mix the colors and vinegar in a variety of ways.

Please note that baking soda and vinegar can be handled safely, but children should avoid touching their eyes until after hand washing.  Open exploration with baking soda paint and vinegar can be a bit messy.  Here are tips for messy play as well as laundry tips to avoid stains and keep clothes bright.

For more homemade paint recipes follow me on Pinterest.

More erupting paint recipes:

Erupting Ice Chalk ~ Erupting Watercolor Absorption Art ~ Erupting Flour Paint