Easy Shower Paints for Kids (3 Simple Ingredients!)

If you’re looking for a low prep, low mess sensory activity that turns bath time into play time, these easy shower paints for kids are a must try. Made with just shaving cream, baby soap, and food coloring, this simple recipe creates bright, foamy paints that rinse right off tubs, shower walls, and little hands.

Getting into the bath to play with paints during the day is a fun change in routine for my kids and makes the every day things seem fun and exciting. They’ll honestly play with bath paints for so much longer than I could ever get them to paint or do crafts at the table for. Plus, it’s an added way to potentially get a little more soap on them and a little more toddler sticky off of them. A win-win! Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers, shower paints encourage creativity, fine motor skills, and make a few simple household supplies way more fun.

Why Shower Paint Is a Favorite Activity

• Encourages creative expression
• Supports fine motor development
• Makes bath time engaging for reluctant bathers
• Uses simple household ingredients
• Washes away easily with warm water
• Keeps messy painting activity contained for easy clean up

This is one of those activities that feels like pure fun to kids but still checks all the “learning through play” boxes that make you feel like you’re crushing it as a parent.

How to Make Shower Paints for Kids

Ingredients for Easy Shower Paints

You only need three simple ingredients:

• Shaving cream (regular white foam works best)
• Baby soap or gentle liquid body wash
• Food coloring (I find the Wilton Color Right to provide the most vibrant colors and least likely to stain)

That’s it—no cooking, no special supplies, and no long prep time.

Instructions

Step 1: Add Shaving Cream

Start by adding shaving cream to a muffin tin, small bowls, or silicone cups. Each section will become a different paint color. I love using a muffin tin for this as it keeps them all contained and in one place.

Step 2: Mix in Baby Soap

Add a small squirt of baby soap to each portion of shaving cream. This helps the paint rinse off easily and keeps everything gentle on sensitive skin.

Step 3: Add Color

Drop in a few drops of food coloring. Start small and add more until you reach your desired brightness.

Step 4: Stir

Mix each color well with a spoon or craft stick until the color is evenly distributed and fluffy.

How Kids Can Use Shower Paints

Once your paints are ready, take them straight into the bath or shower:

• Paint pictures and designs on shower walls
• Practice letters, numbers, or shapes
• Draw self portraits or silly faces
• Spread and swirl colors together for sensory play

Kids can paint with their fingers, foam brushes, or even old bath sponges.

Clean Up Is Easy

One of the best parts? Clean up is built in.

When painting time is over, simply rinse everything down (including your kids if they’re as messy as mine) with warm water. The shaving cream and baby soap combination washes away easily without staining tubs or tile.

Safety Tips & Variations

• Always supervise young children during bath activities
• Use gentle, tear free baby soap
• Test food coloring on a small area if you’re concerned about staining
• For older kids, add glitter soap or scented body wash for extra fun

You can also let kids help mix the colors—it’s a great way to extend the activity before the paint fun even starts.

A Fun Way to Make Bath Time Something Kids Look Forward To

These easy DIY shower paints are a go to for us on rainy days, snow days, or just days where we’re feeling cooped up and in need of something fun and different. With just a few household ingredients, you’ll have an activity that kids ask for again and again—no screens required.

Perfect for rainy days, bedtime routines, or anytime you need to hit the reset button on a day (water works wonders for changing moods!). Let your little artists get creative!