Puffy Paint

Get creative with this simple and fun homemade puffy paint recipe! With only three ingredients, you can make your own puffy paint for a mess-free and unique art experience.

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All the different colors of puffy paint.

If you’re looking for a fun new science experiment and craft, then you have got to learn how to make puffy pain! This homemade paint recipe is the coolest thing. Made with three simple ingredients, you can create unique and cool artwork that has a really fun texture once it dries. There is lots of fun to be had with this super cool creation!

We love science experiment crafts around here! Frozen bubbles are one of our favorite things to make during the winter and oobleck is a blast to play with too. But once we learned how to make puffy paint, it became an MUST have to make the coolest artwork! Skip the store bought stuff and create a whole batch together right at home instead.

Why You’ll Love this Puffy Paint Recipe!

  • You only need three ingredients to make the best DIY puffy paint. You can keep these around the house and then make the recipe whenever you have an itch to do some extra cool crafting.
  • Making your own puffy paint saves money! You can fill multiple plastic squeeze bottles for a fraction of the cost that a store charges for puffy paint.
  • This simple DIY recipe is perfect for all ages. Even littles can learn to make this fun crafting material and will love to paint with it too!
Overhead image of the Puffy Paint Supplies

Ingredients for Puffy Paint

  • Food coloring – You can use any color that you want, but we chose to do a squeeze bottle of each color we had! The more colors the better, right? I have found that gel food coloring works best, but you can use liquid food coloring too.
  • Shaving cream – Make sure you get shaving cream that is plain white and does not have added color. You need shaving foam, not shaving gel, to make this experiment work!
  • White school glue – A bottle of Elmer’s school glue is just the thing that will help the puffy paint dry and set to preserve your masterpieces of artwork!

Helpful Tools

How to Make Puffy Paint

  1. To make this fun paint, mix together the school glue and shaving cream in small bowl until thoroughly combined. The mixture will be fluffy and smooth.
  2. Divide the paint mixture into small plastic containers if you want to make different colors. Then add a few drops of food coloring to each one and mix until you achieve the desired color.
  3. Transfer the colored puffy paint into small squeeze bottles or plastic zip top bag with a tiny hole cut in the corner.
  4. Use the puffy paint on paper or cardboard. Allow the paint to dry overnight. As it dries it will create a fun puffy texture.
  5. Once dried, display your artwork with pride!

How long does puffy paint last?

This homemade paint will last for about one or two days, but it’s best to use it the day you make it. Just make sure that the paint bottles are sealed well. If you are using plastic bags then place the bags into an airtight container and store for maybe 24 hours at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

Can you use homemade puffy paint on fabric?

Since this has water based ingredients, it is best to use it on paper or cardboard. If you want to decorate a t-shirt, then grab some puffy paint from your local craft store.

How to Use Puffy Paint

There are endless puffy paint ideas, so don’t be afraid to use you imagination! You can create homemade cards by painting fun designs on cardstock, or just paint cool artwork on paper. Even paper plates are a great canvas for art!

You can paint straight from the squeeze bottle or use some paint brushes. For younger children, they can even use their fingers, though that may effect the texture once it dries. Use whatever technique is the most fun and mess free for you!

Pro Tips for the Best Puffy Paint

  • It is important to allow plenty of time for your artwork to dry since this is a a very thick paint. It will dry, I promise! So just be patient before displaying your masterpiece.
  • For easy cleanup mix everything together in disposable containers and bowls. And if you use a bowl that needs to be washed, then be sure to wipe the white glue and shaving foam glue mixture with paper towels so glue does not go down the drain.
  • Try not to overmix the shaving foam and glue because it can effect the texture.
Puffy Paint Rainbow

I hope you make the most fun art projects with this DIY puffy paint recipe!

More Fun Craft Ideas!

  • This easy salt dough recipe is really fun to create all kinds of homemade keepsakes. You’ll love how simple it is to make.
  • Did you love the fun texture of this craft? Then you have to try out Fluffy Slime too! It’s the most gooey and fluffy fun.
  • Make Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes if you want to make a ton of Easter fun on a budget. They turn out so pretty!
  • Pumpkin Playdough is one of our most favorite crafts to make during the fall. It smells good enough to eat and encourages the best imaginative play!
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Puffy Paint Square Image

Puffy Paint

Looking for a fun activity to do with your kids? Try making your own puffy paint at home! It's easy, cheap, and provides hours of colorful fun.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Mix the white school glue and shaving cream in a bowl until well combined. The mixture should be fluffy and smooth.
  • Divide the mixture into smaller containers if you want to make different colors.
  • Add a few drops of food coloring to each container and mix well until the desired color is achieved.
  • Transfer the colored mixture into small squeeze bottles or plastic bags with a tiny hole cut in the corner for easy dispensing.
  • Use the puffy paint to create designs on paper or cardboard.
  • Allow the paint to dry overnight. It will puff up as it dries to create a fun textured effect.
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