Scented Edible Paints

I have a preschooler who has very high sensory input needs, so I am very happy to share our Scented Edible Paints as part of the 6 Days of Sensory Play series!  Mix up a set and you have a rainbow!!

The olfactory sense, or sense of smell, is often over-looked in activities and projects.  These scented paints smell **so** amazing, and are really easy to create.  Also, since I have a toddler who tries to eat everything (and still wants to join in the painting), I used my favorite toddler-safe paint recipe.  This combination made for a scented, edible, bright, colorful, and fun painting project!

We had some kids that dug in with their fingers and toes:

 And some kids that asked for paintbrushes:

And some even went for both:

My 1-year old did indeed taste it, but that was okay too...since it is edible!  

Making scented edible paints is super easy and requires very few ingredients.  Here is the quick how-to:

Simple Supplies:

• plain yogurt
• food coloring
• essential oils

Easy How-to:

1.  Divide the plain yogurt into a tray or plate for each color you want.

2.  Add food coloring.  I used one drop of gel food coloring in each tray.  The gels seem to make brighter colors with less food coloring.

3.  Add essential oil for a scent.  Essential oils are very strong, and only take 1-4 drops to make a wonderful strong smell.  Start with 1-2 drops and if you want more, add more a drop at a time.  We used lemon, cinnamon, lavender, and eucalyptus.

Painting with yogurt is my all-time favorite paint for toddlers.  It is edible, but not very tasty, and makes fabulous paintings.  The paintings do not last forever, but it is good motivation to not store everything.  :)

Here are our kiddos' masterpieces:

Are you looking for more sensory play fun?  Check out our post about the vestibular system, this simple sensory bin challenge,  Magic Rainbow Foam, or Quicksand!  Also, be sure to stop by the 6 Days of Sensory Play for loads of fun sensory ideas!

Do you let your toddlers paint?  I'd love to know what toddler-safe solutions you use!

I may share at any of these parties!