Finger painting is classic artistic recreation for toddlers and preschoolers.
It helps them explore colors, express themselves, broaden their imagination, and engage their creativity. But not without the right paper.
If you attempt to make kids finger paint on some flimsy sheet from your home office desk or a typical watercolor pad, their artwork will only end up being a soggy torn mess. To avoid turning their enthusiasm into meltdowns, you’ll want to choose your paper carefully.
So, what type of paper is suitable for finger painting? Appropriate paper for finger painting is thick enough to take paint well without turning limp and wrinkly and smooth enough for children to make easy designs. Ideally, finger painting paper is printer-size or larger to encourage creativity.
This article assists parents and teachers choose paper designed for this specific project with ease. We’ll provide the properties to look out for when shopping plus a review of the best paper for finger painting for beautiful display-worthy art.
Qualities to Look For in Finger Painting Paper
Heavy and Thick Paper: Ideally, heavy and thick paper between 200grs/m2 and 300grs/m2 will stand up well to any paint consistency or messy painters. It won’t deform or wrinkle from the wetness of finger paint or overly excited little painters.
Big in Size: You do not want to limit your child’s creativity. The best paper for finger painting provides ample space to express all imagination in a single area. Opt for at least 12 x 16 inches in dimension.
Non-Absorbent: Finger paint is normally thick. Therefore, you need a soak-resistant paper with a barrier coat on both sides. This feature not only stops bleeding but also helps the artwork dry faster.
Acid-Free: If you are serious about preserving those kiddie masterpieces for a long time, go for acid-free paper. A paper with a neutral pH will not undergo any yellowing effect of long term exposure to UV light.
Smooth Surface: A smooth texture enables fingers and paints to glide through the paper surface freely with minimal resistance, avoiding any potential tear.
Top 3 Papers For Finger Painting
Putting all the above characteristics in mind, you are ready to pick the best paper for finger painting. But you also probably don’t want to put the hard work into picking out paper when there are so many options.
Considering the huge diversity of art papers available in craft stores, scrutinizing every one of them is clearly impractical. So we did the heavy lifting for you and narrowed down the search to just three of the best finger painting paper. Take a look:
| Rank | Product | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Melissa & Doug Finger Paint Paper Pad | 100 sheets, 12x18" |
| 2. | Crayola Giant Fingerpaint Paper | 25 sheets, 16x12" |
| 3. | Strathmore Finger Paint Paper Pad | 60 sheets, 16x12" |
Just in case, we’ve also included a full review for each of these papers below so you know what you’re getting into. So keep reading and happy finger painting!
1. Melissa & Doug Finger Paint Paper Pad
Finger painting is so much fun, and that is why we chose this pad with a whopping 50 sheets of paper!
This paper comes in a 2 pack, so that’s actually 100 sheets of pure bliss. Your kiddos can go on and on and on, lasting a long time. These sheets are of excellent quality with the right amount of weight and thickness.
The 12 by 18-inch surface area is generous enough to allow kids’ paint coated fingers to roam freely just where they should. Plus, the glossy surface will not soak paint like a sponge. It dries quickly and retains color vibrancy after application.
The top finish is slippery smooth for the fingers to glide across effortlessly and the pages will detach neatly from the pad without ripping apart. That’s simply everything you would want: great value, jumbo-sized, and excellent quality making this the best paper for finger painting.
2. Crayola Giant Fingerpaint Paper
When it comes to any art supplies recommendations, Crayola never fails to show up and is the second runner up for the best paper for finger painting.
The trusted brand offers 25 pages of finger painting paper. That’s a good amount to keep a small group of kids busy.
Each measures 16 by 12 inches, which is a perfect size to express creativity even for those little minds with an overactive imagination.
The pads have excellent heavy-duty paper coated on both sides to be non-absorbent and ideal for messy fingers. A steady glossy surface ensures the small hands sail through smoothly. It takes finger paint well and doubles up as drawing paper too.
3. Strathmore Finger Paint Paper Pad
With Strathmore, you get two pads of 30 pages of finger paint paper each, or 60 in total. So you can always carry one to grandma’s, the beach, park, class, or anywhere a kid may find some inspiration!
The U.S brand paper is built with a bleed-resistant technology. You can be sure the paint will not blot and ruin the pages beneath it.
The sheet of paper has a subtle satin finish, so the surface is smooth and easy to paint. It is thick enough not to curl after the application of heavy finger paint. Every page is large enough measuring 16 by 12 inches to facilitate an adequate expression of the kids’ imagination.
The paper takes relatively less time to dry after painting. The pad is tape bound and plucks flawlessly without ruining the edges for the perfect display.
Whether you’ve been looking for the best paper for finger painting to stop your little ones from ruining your walls and linen, or just want quiet, constructive time at home with them, your search ends here. Happy finger painting!
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