Supplies:

• Spray bottles (approximately $.50-$1 each in cosmetic section or can be purchased from a craft store)

• White butcher paper (tape on the outside wall of your house or on the inside of your fence. It can also be spread out on the floor or ground for the edible finger painting for toddlers)

• Water

• Corn syrup if you want to thicken it slightly (1 bottle per 5 spray bottles)

• 2-3 boxes of Food coloring

Instructions:

Once the ‘wall’ has been created, lay out some paper or newspaper underneath to catch any run-off.

 Fill the spray bottles 2/3 of water and add enough food coloring to make a dark spray paint. You may add 1—2 tablespoons of corn syrup to thicken it, or add some viscosity.

 Make at least 2 of each color and have the kids share or take turns.

 This can be an activity for all children or a rotation station for a group at a time.

 If you have an artistic flair, write their names or draw characters for them to spray-paint.

 Supplies:

• Small plastic tubes with a hole for yarn or necklace (in craft or hobby stores) or small plastic containers with a screw-on top (bulk or whole-sale stores and catalogues)

• Pixie sticks (enough for each person to have 5 for the small tubes, no more than 10 per person)

How To Do It:

Pass out the containers and remove the tops.

 Hand out 1-2 of each color of pixie stick and cut off the tops.

 Have the kids alternate each color to create layers of color, which look like sand art, but it’s edible, tastier and a bit healthier than using decorative sugar.

Supplies:

• Edible Canvas (enough for each guest to have one with 5 extra for mishaps and for you to give a demonstration)

• Paintbrushes

• (5 bottles) Light corn syrup

• Food coloring

• Pixie sticks (the miniature kind)

• Paper plates

• Small wax cups/mouthwash cups

How To Do It:

Put drops of food coloring in the corn syrup to make the primary colors or any others you’d like (red, yellow, blue, orange, purple and this can be done up to 2 months in advance.)

Pass out an edible canvas, 2-3 small paintbrushes, each pixie stick color, and 3 wax cups.

Give each child a small squirt of the colored syrup in the wax cups and let them paint the ‘glue’ on the ‘edible canvas.’

Once they have finished, they can sprinkle the pixie stick ‘sand’ on the canvas in swirls, lines, or any shape they like.

Make sure to take pictures before they eat their ‘art’ out!

 Variation: Omit the pixie sticks ‘sand’ and use the colored puddings or yogurt on either the pie dough or sugar cookie canvas, not phyllo- it’s much too delicate. And use the brushes to paint the colored pudding on the cookie canvas.

 This works great for an Artsy Party theme. You may however have another use for it with a small group of kids or preschoolers.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of frozen phyllo/Fillo dough (found in your grocer’s freezer near pie dough and whipped topping/there are 20 sheets in a package) or,

• Sugar cookie dough or,

• Pre-made pie dough

• Baking or cookie sheet

• Melted butter or 2 whisked egg whites and 2 Teaspoons of sugar (whisk until sugar is dissolved and this used for the phyllo dough only)

• Natural bristle brush for baking or a clean sponge brush

Instructions:

Phyllo dough: Phyllo dough is extremely delicate so as soon as it is pliable, work quickly; if it starts to dry out, it will crack and tear. Thaw them overnight in the package, in your refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 F or according to instructions on back of the box.

Unfold the phyllo and place one sheet on a non-stick baking sheet.

Lightly brush a thin layer of melted butter over the surface and place another sheet on top, and repeat.

Use three-four sheets of phyllo dough and use a pastry cutter, a pizza cutter, or a sharp knife to cut the dough into fourths or in half, depending on age and budget.

Bake until slightly golden brown around the edges and crisp.

Keep away from moisture until kids are ready to paint on them.

They are best if used the day of the kids party.

 or you may use;

Sugar cookie/Pre-made pie dough:

Preheat the oven according to the instructions on the package.

Roll out the dough to 1/4-1/5 of an inch thick.

Use a decorative pastry roller or cookie cutters to cut out a 4X4 or 4×6 size ‘canvas’ for each guest.

Place on non-stick cookie sheet or parchment lined baking sheet, with at least half an inch on each side.

Dock or poke the dough with a fork so it won’t puff up while baking.

Bake until crispy or until golden brown.

These can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in a dry, sealed container.

• White chocolate or cheesecake pudding mix, or a white yogurt

• Milk, if you are using pudding

• Food coloring

Preparation Instructions:

Mix the pudding according to the instructions on the box, or if you purchased pre-made pudding cups or yogurt, the work is almost over.

Separate the pudding into jars or plastic containers and drop the food coloring in each container, as you like. If you want spring colors, add only one or two drops of each to keep the color muted. The more drops you add the darker and more intense the color. These can be covered and saved in the refrigerator up to a week in advance.

What is required for this Kids Party Food:

• Canned beets

• Frozen carrots

• Canned sweet potatoes

• Frozen spinach

• Frozen blueberries

• Frozen strawberries

• Apple or White Grape Juice

• Mini chopper, food processor or blender

Preparation Instructions:

Drain or strain the liquid off all the canned items and set aside in separate bowls. Thaw all the frozen items and drain or strain any excess liquid and place each in a separate bowl.

Take each separate ingredient and blend them until it makes a puree. If it needs to be thinner, add a little apple juice or white grape juice at a time.

Tip: If you don’t want to completely wash out the blender or processor, fine. Just start with the lightest ingredient, then do blueberries, then beets and last, the frozen spinach.

If you want to make the edible paints sparkle, check your local cake supply, or cake decorating shop, or the craft section in major stores. Look for the edible glitter. Mix a small pinch in with the paint as a little goes a long way. This can be saved for a week, covered. Or, it can be frozen for a month.

Also, if you want the paints to be smoother, strain the puree to get the colored liquid without the chunks of food. Another way to enhance the edible finger paint is with a Thickener. The recipe is as follows:

Thickener

Ingredients:

• Cornstarch, Arrowroot flour or Tapioca Flour

• Water for the cornstarch, or clear juice for the Arrowroot or Tapioca flour

• Medium saucepot

• Whisk

• Wooden spoon

Preparation Instructions:

(Cornstarch is the most readily available. Arrowroot and Tapioca flour can be found down the nutritional or diet aisle of most grocery stores and are a bit more stable in acidic sauces and mixtures. So you can use your own discretion when choosing the starch)

The ratio is 1:1, or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to one cup of water. The same ratio applies if you choose arrowroot or tapioca powder.

Pour the cornstarch in a small bowl and add a tablespoon of the water and stir to make a paste. Slowly add another tablespoon until it becomes thin enough to pour and has no clumps.

If you don’t get the clumps out before you cook it, you will either have to strain the mixture or live with those clumps.

Next, add the cornstarch mixture to the rest of the liquid and pour in the saucepot and place on a medium flame.

Continue stirring or whisking until it begins to come to a low boil. It may seem like it will never thicken but watch carefully, as it goes from complete liquid to a thick sauce in mere seconds. Once it starts to thicken, you may want to only use the whisk and as soon as it resembles the consistency of pudding and is no longer runny, it is done.

Immediately remove from heat and allow to cool or you can add a tablespoon at a time to the edible paints to add a thicker consistency. If you opted for the arrowroot or tapioca, you may notice that it has a nice glossy appearance.

(Have the kids arrive in play clothes, clothes that can get wet and dirty and make sure they have a change of clothes to wear home)

Artsy Party: Kids Party Theme Idea

Here the emphasis is color and freedom. This kids party theme should allow children to do what they aren’t supposed to,  like draw on walls (covered in butcher paper or old white bedsheets, of course), and play with their food, or even eat paint!

Rainbow/Art Punch

What Is Required For Party Recipe:

• 6-Large (6 oz) packages of gelatin: grape, blue raspberry, cherry or strawberry, lemon, lime or green apple, apricot or orange

• Clear punch bowl or clear glasses or jars

• Clear carbonated beverage or white grape juice

• Invisible punch mixes that are clear (optional)

Preparation:

Get six microwavable containers (2-4 quarts) and heat the water until boiling in the microwave. You can have six available or wash and reuse one or two containers.

Follow the package instructions for making gelatin in the microwave.

Prepare only one at a time.

Set aside.

Get your punchbowl (it must be simple with no ornamentation or it will obscure the rainbow) and pour enough of the gelatin to make a visible layer. (1-3 inches depending on the size of the bowl)

If you are using glasses, make a thin layer at the bottoms of all the glasses and refrigerate until nearly set.

Repeat all the previous instructions for each color until you have a suitable rainbow.

Cover the glasses or punchbowl in cling wrap until the party or serving time.

Serving for Kids Party:

 Pour 1-2 bottles of chilled clear juice or soda in the punchbowl or glasses.

For Pizzazz: Use a sweet and clear carbonated beverage and sprinkle a little clear drink mix in the glasses or use half the package in the punchbowl. It will make the punch foamy and a little tart.

Once the punch is gone, the gelatin can be eaten with a spoon.