Summer is here! The kids will soon be out of school and keeping them busy will be a challenge! The more you can get them to use their imagination, the happier everyone will be.

A good home-made fingerpaint recipe follows:

3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 Cup cornstarch
2 Cup water (cold)
Food coloring
Dish detergent (aids in clean up)

Mix sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan. Add cold water and stir completely. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly about 5 minutes. Cool, then divide into 4 cups or bowls. Add food coloring (stir after each drop to achieve desired color) and a drop of detergent to each bowl.

Fingerpaint may be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. I suggest squeezable ketchup bottles that have been well-cleaned.

Spray chalk can be fun, more versatile and slightly “cleaner” than regular sidewalk chalk. To make your own you will need:

1 tsp. washable tempera paint
1 cup of hot water
1/2 cup of cornstarch
squirt of dishwashing liquid
1 squirt bottle for each color (the small ones from the Dollar Stores are perfect for little hands)

1. Add cornstarch to one cup of hot water whisking to mix so that there are no clumps.

2. Add one teaspoon of washable tempura paint and a quirt of dishwashing liquid. Mix well.

3. Pour it into your squirt bottles and shake well.

After you let your spray sit a while it will separate. Shake it well before you use it each time.

One of my favorites are soap bubbles. My sister and I used blow as many as we could, trying to fill the yard with their iridescent beauty. You can make your own soap bubbles as follows:

Ingredients:
6 cups distilled water
2 cups liquid dish washing soap

Pour 6 cups of distilled water, 2 cups liquid dishwashing soap and 3/4 cup of light corn syrup into a container.

Mix the ingredients slowly and gently so that you do not create suds.

Allow the mixture to set overnight.

Dip a bubble wand into the solution and blow!

Place a lid on the container and store it in a cool location.

Happy Summering!