Others have already said it, but do use some liquid dish soap with tempera paints. At the ages of your children, it's also a good idea to use a plastic smock or cover-all bib when they are using the paints. Be aware that little ones are adept at getting their hands inside of those protective coverings, so they are not fool-proof! When the painting is done, be sure to immediately check for stains and rub them with more liquid soap and rinse with cold water until the stain is gone, before laundering. If you use warm or hot wash water (which is, by the way, not necessary for most laundry) or put the clothing into the dryer without checking first to be sure the stains are gone, you will end up with set in stains that probably will not come out at all. It may take several rinsings, but if you've used the soap in the paint, and put the smock or bib on the child, the cleanup should be fairly simple and easy. Another good idea is to have a set of paint clothing that you put on your child for these projects so you won't be so concerned about a little paint not coming out of them. If you have some clothing that already has stains that won't come out, this would be a good use for those items. We're all assuming, I believe, that you are the one who has allowed the chilren to use the paints. If it is a childcare person who has had them painting, pass along the information to that person and do all the parents and children a favor.
