One rainy day occupation which will appeal to an astonishingly wide spread of age groups is finger painting. However, since its proper preparation requires a bit of preliminary cooking, the wise parent will prepare some of the "stock" during sunny days, and store it away when cool against the coming of inclement weather.

To provide a smoothly "smearable" body for the paint, dissolve \-lb. of dry starch in a saucepan in just enough water to cover. Then add 6 cups of boiling water to the mixture, stirring well. Boil until it becomes thick and clear, then let it cool.

To make the paint, place two rounded tablespoons of the cooked starch stock in a dish and add one teaspoonful of colored tempora powder. Stir the powder into the starch so that it is thoroughly mixed; the fingers will do a better job than a spoon.

For the "canvas," a piece of glazed shelf paper is ideal. Spread a layer of the paint on a good sized piece of the paper with the palm of the hand. Then work out a design in this smoothly flowing medium with the fingers. There is no limit to the creations which will result from individual imaginations. Two or three dishes of colors can be used for vari-colored designs and pictures.

There is a limit, however, to what Mother will stand for in the way of smearing tables, desks, or floors, so place several sheets of newspaper under the dishes of paint, contiguous to plenty more under the paper "canvases." Excess paint can be stored up in screw top or mason jars for the next emergency.