# Painting Marshmallows
> Kids paint jumbo marshmallows in rainbow colors with liquid watercolors, let them dry on wax paper, then dust them with baking soda. The finished marshmallows are for building rainbows, sorting colors, patterning and math play.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-painting-marshmallows/
- Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: fine-motor, colors, patterning, math, creativity
- Cautions: ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- Jumbo marshmallows
- Washable liquid watercolor paints
- Paint brushes
- Wax paper
- 1 piece Metal cookie sheet
- 1 piece Plastic egg carton (as a paint palette) (household)
- 2 piece Cups of water for rinsing brushes (household)
- Paper towels (household)
- Baking soda
- 1 piece Big bowl or container for dusting (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of baking soda: Powdered sugar (The author lists it as a dusting option.)
- Instead of baking soda: White flour (The author lists it as a dusting option. Note that flour contains wheat/gluten.)
- Instead of egg carton palette: Any paint palette

## Safety
- Painted marshmallows are art materials, not food. Once they are painted with watercolors and dusted with baking soda, don't let kids eat them.
- Marshmallows look like a treat and can be a choking hazard for young children. Supervise closely, especially toddlers who mouth things.
- Liquid watercolors can stain hands, clothes and surfaces, even washable ones. Cover the table and dress for mess.
- An adult handles the baking soda dusting, as the author did. Keep the powder away from eyes.

## Steps
1. Cover a metal cookie sheet with wax paper and lay out all the marshmallows.
2. Pour liquid watercolors into the cups of a plastic egg carton palette.
3. Set out a few brushes, two cups of water for rinsing and some paper towels for wiping.
4. Hold the marshmallow down with a finger on top, or pick it up, and paint around the sides.
5. Stand the marshmallow up like a tall cylinder and paint the bottom, then flip it over and paint the other circular end.
6. Rinse the brush in the first cup, then the second cup, before switching colors.
7. Leave the painted marshmallows standing up on the wax paper until the outside is no longer wet.
8. Adult: peel the marshmallows off the wax paper one by one and press the base of each into the bowl of baking soda.
9. Adult: gently dust off the excess baking soda so the marshmallows don't stick together.
10. Play and create: build a rainbow, name colors, make patterns or use them for math.

## Tips
- Having the second cup of water for brush cleaning really helps with very light colors like yellow. The first cup gets brown pretty fast.
- Holding the marshmallows down while painting is great fine motor exercise. My 4 year old pressed the top with one finger and painted with her other hand, and also tried just picking it up and holding it. Both worked.
- The outside will feel sticky when dry. As long as it isn't wet, they're done. If you leave them out a long time they get sticky and hard to peel off.
- You will lose some color from the base where the marshmallows were standing.
- Dust a handful of marshmallows at a time and you're done quickly.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2015)

Paint roasting marshmallows in this simple art activity for kids. **Materials** ***

- **[Jumbo Marshmallows](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00578KYX8/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Washable Liquid Watercolor Paints](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042SR5R2/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Art and Craft Brush Set](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001M04T0E/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Wax Paper](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036QO8M6/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Cookie Pan](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0028N70YQ/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Baking Soda](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CVY459K/?tag=blmemo-20)** *{ for dusting off}*

 **Art in every form!**  **Marshmallow painting** is a wonderful project in itself. { Have you see our [**no-cook marshmallow dough**](https://www.funlittles.com/edible-playdough-recipe-no-cook-marshmallow-playdough/) post?} But how about we paint the marshmallows themselves in this simple art activity?

### Set up for this painting marshmallows art activity.

- Cover a metal cookie sheet with wax paper and lay out all your marshmallows.
- Place liquid watercolors in a palette. { I always use plastic egg cartons}
- Have a few paint brushes near by along with 2 cups of water for cleaning your brushes and some paper towels for wiping.
- Having the second cup of water for brush cleaning really helps during art projects involving very light colored water colors { yellow} The first cup of water gets brown pretty fast and the 2nd water cup helps off rinsing and having a fresh paint brush before switching colors.
- My 4 year old who was more eager to get started had ball painting the roasting marshmallows. She tried multiple ways of holding down the marshmallows for painting { great fine motor exercise} Pressing the marshmallow on the top with her finger while painting with her other hand. She was able to get around the marshmallows without smearing a lot of color. She also tried just picking up the marshmallow and holding it while painting. That worked for her too. Make sure your child paints the bottom part of the marshmallow { while having the marshmallow stand up like a tall cylinder} and flip it over and have them cover the the other circular base.

 She colored all the marshmallows using rainbow colors { of course!!} { all our [**rainbow activities here**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/rainbow/)}



### Drying the painted marshmallows

Leave the well painted marshmallows on the wax paper standing up until dry.



- The outside will feel sticky. As long the outside is not wet, then the marshmallows are done drying. If you let them set out for a long time, then they get sticky and will become hard to peel off.
- Slowly peel off the marshmallows one by one from the wax paper. You will lose some color from the base where the marshmallows were standing.
- After you have removed the marshmallows, drop them directly in a container for dusting off.
- Now for dusting off the marshmallows{ so they don't stick together} you could use powdered sugar/white flour/ baking soda. I had a big bowl of baking soda sitting by.
- As I peeled off the marshmallows I gently pressed the base of the marshmallows in the bowl of baking soda and starting dusting off the excess baking soda. I did a handful of marshmallows at a time and was done quickly.
- After this dusting off process, the marshmallows are ready for playing and creating.



### Playing and creating with the painted rainbow marshmallows

Create rainbows, go over [**colors**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/colors/), practice patterning, engage in [**math activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/math-play/) - anything that works for you!  Loving the swirls 

Thanks for reading

More [**art activities for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/) here

**Try our**

- [**Tulip Painting Art**](https://www.funlittles.com/spring-art-tulip-painting/)
- [**Spring Sheep Art**](https://www.funlittles.com/spring-art-egg-carton-sheep/)
- [**Rainbow Yarn Prints**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-kids-rolling-pin-yarn-prints/)
-

Click on the images to go to the review post and purchase the book with a click of a button

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