Finger paints are thick, water-soluble mixtures applied to paper with the hands. Art stores carry them. Or you can make some by adding enough dry wallpaper paste to liquid poster paint to make a smooth, creamy substance.
Purchase finger-painting paper at an art store. Or use a shiny-surface shelf liner, but not the kind that’s chemically treated for bugs; it wrinkles when wet. Pencil an “X” on the paper’s dull side; you will paint on the shiny side. Dip the paper into water and lay it on a surface that won’t be harmed by the paint. Smooth any air pockets by lifting each corner.
Try painting first with one color. Dab some paint on the paper and spread it around. Create designs using your fingers, palm, side of your hand, even objects such as a comb or the rim of a drinking glass. To erase or change a stroke, simply smooth over the paint. Add a little water with your fingers if the paint starts to dry. To work with more than one color, dab each one onto the paper separately. Mix them where you want to create new shades.
Clean your hands on a wet cloth between colors.