Foam paint is great for kids’ art and sensory experiences. Here are a few fun ways to use this fluffy art material.
Updated July 2025
Foam paint is such a fun sensory and process art experience for kids. It’s fluffy and colorful and oh-so-messy!
While the store-bought product we used to love is no longer available, you can still enjoy the same vibrant, foamy fun with DIY foam paint made from shaving cream and liquid watercolors.
Once you have your foam paint ready to go, the real fun begins. Whether you’re using it for a messy outdoor art session or setting up a creative indoor activity, here are some of our favorite ways to use foam paint with kids.
Foam Paint for Kids
1. Paint on Paper
Let kids scoop, squirt, or brush the foam onto paper. Try mixing colors or using tools like forks or brushes to create texture.
2. Use It for Finger Painting
This is a great way to lean into the sensory side of foam paint. Kids can explore with their hands, but be sure to have some damp cloths or a bowl of water nearby for easy clean-up!
3. Make 3D Collages
The thick, fluffy texture acts like glue, so kids can press in feathers, buttons, googly eyes, or scraps of paper to build vibrant, dimensional art.
4. Try Color Mixing
Offer a few different colors and let kids swirl and blend them together. Watch the shades change as they mix!
5. Paint on Toys
This might be our favorite way to use foam paint: painting our toy dinosaurs and other small figures with the fluffy mixture and then rinsing them off and doing it all over again!
A few tips:
- Foam paint can get messy, which is half the fun! Set up outside or on a tray indoors for easier clean-up.
- Don’t want to use a bunch of shaving cream? Try smaller batches, or use it as a collaborative activity where kids take turns adding and creating.
- Want even more texture? Sprinkle glitter or sand over the wet paint for a sparkly or gritty effect.
More Sensory Art Ideas for Kids
- How to Do Foam Painting for Kids
- How to Make Bubble Foam
- How to Make Aquafaba
- How to Make Oobleck
- Shaving Cream Sensory Play Ideas for Kids
- How to Make Fluffy Slime
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