maker monday

Maker Monday: Scratch ‘n Sniff Paint

Kids’ artwork takes on a sensory aspect with Scratch ‘n Sniff Paint, this week’s Maker Monday activity. The paint is scented and colored with Jell-O and thickened with glue to give a scratchable texture once the paint dries.

You can add food coloring to enhance the colors or to fool others with a scent they might not be expecting. Add a bit of yellow to blueberry, for example, and the green paint might look like lime, but still smells like blueberries.

You will want to use stiff paper — index cards or card stock — to hold the paint and prevent it from soaking through.

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Supplies:

Various flavors of Jell-O powder mix

Index cards or cardstock

School glue

Paintbrushes

Food coloring (optional)

Markers

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Draw your pictures on the index cards.

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Mix 1 tablespoon glue with 1 tablespoon Jell-O powder and 1 teaspoon water. If you want to heighten the color, add a drop or two of food coloring.

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Paint your drawing, daubing the paint thickly rather than using usual brushstrokes. Stir the paint with your brush as you go, keeping it well-mixed. Have a paper towel handy for any drips.

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Once your painting is finished, allow it to dry completely overnight. Then, give it a scratch to enjoy the fruity scents.

For more Maker Monday projects and other fun stuff for kids, visit the Kidsburgh Activities page.