How to Dye Wood Toys with Food Coloring

Like most people, I adore brands like Grimms, Grapat, ect. However, we cannot always afford those toys. They are certainly worth their price, but they are expensive. I dyed these wood toys by hand. The boys play with these in so many ways! They match the colors to the cups. They pretend to eat the balls like it is ice cream. We use the balls with our Grimm’s rainbow and make marble runs. The possibilities are endless.

I will say that sometimes it is just as expensive to buy the Grimm’s marbles as it is to make them, so shop around! I found some cheap on Amazon here, but at craft stores I noticed they were charging quite a lot for these, and most had a clear coat on them. Always make sure that the wood you are dying is unfinished.  I really love our peg people , this is almost always cheaper to DIY. Also, these guys are 3 inches which is much bigger than most peg people you will find from the popular brands. The boys love to stack the  cups, they may be the favorite of the entire set.

This craft is simple! All you do it put as many drops of food coloring in a small amount of water and then paint it onto the surface. You can also dip it. This will take several layers of painting and drying before you get a saturated color. You can also use non-toxic watercolors. After the wood dries, which takes several hours, I sealed the wood with coconut oil. This also darkened the color. This is a great activity to do with your children as well! 

Supplies

Food Coloring 

Unfinished Wood Toys

Distilled White Vinegar 

Coconut Oil 

Instructions

1. Put water and food coloring in a cup or plastic bag. You can either paint the food coloring onto the surface, or leave the food dye in the cup or bag until saturated. I chose to paint it on with several layers. I found that this made the dye consistant.
2. Let dry. Continue to paint or dip your dye until you are satisfied with the color saturation. 
3. Let dry completely.
4. Rub coconut oil onto the surface. This will make the dye more pigmented and protect the wood.