Making Homemade Soaps with Kids

We tried our hand at homemade soaps yesterday.  I had purchased a soap making kit from a craft store earlier this summer and we finally got around to using it.  The kit comes with soap, molds, colors and scents.  We added some homegrown lavender and some nylon cording to make soap on a rope.

The kit came with a special mold to make this soap above.  It was really simple to make, but really pretty too.  We cut it with a crinkle cutter to make the ridges in the sides.  

Little J dropped the colors directly onto the soap and swirled them with a toothpick to get the tie dye effect.  The colors didn't quite reach the top of the soap, but it still turned out really pretty.  He turned it into soap on a rope by adding a nylon cord right after he finished the colors.  

My favorite was the lavender soaps we made using the lavender from our sensory garden.  We picked lavender and dried it earlier this summer.  It floated to the top of the soap, but it still smells and looks beautiful.  We may make a few more of these and wrap them to give to teachers on meet the teacher night.

Overall, this was a fun and easy craft for the kids.  I melted the soap in the glass pitchers they use for pouring their water or milk.  I think it helped them to pour the soap without spilling.  The melted soap is obviously hot, and the kit tells you to use caution in just about every step in the instructions, so use your judgement for what ages you let make these soaps.  I kept a wet kitchen towel next to us just in case someone did spill on them we could wipe it off quickly.

 

Linking to:  Show me What Ya Got, Tip Toe Through Tuesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Weekly Kids Co-op, Red Ted's Arts Blog, For the Kids Friday