🫧Easy soap making with children 🫧
Materials
Plastic soap molds or plastic cups
Vegetable cooking spray or petroleum jelly
Pure glycerin soap (sold in blocks or cubes at craft stores)
Microwave-safe measuring cup
Red, yellow, and blue soap dyes (found at craft stores)
Small plastic animals or trinkets (optional)
A chopstick or popsicle sticks
*Directions*
1
Spray the interior of the plastic molds with a small amount of cooking spray. Make sure to cover all areas. If you use too much spray, wipe away the excess with a paper towel. Likewise, if you are using petroleum jelly, use just enough to lightly cover the mold.
2
Melt smaller amounts of soap; you can always add more. Have your child place cube(s) of soap in the measuring cup. Put the cup in the microwave and set to high for 30 seconds. Ask your child, “What do you think will happen to the soap after it’s been in the microwave?” If some solid soap still remains, microwave in 10-second intervals until it is melted, but not boiling.
3
Remove the melted soap from the microwave. This should be done by an adult or older child, since the soap will be very hot!
4
Have your child add a drop or two of the liquid soap dye to the melted soap. (Too much dye will make your soap dark.) Mix colors to get the desired shade. Then, ask your child to stir the dye into the soap using a chopstick or popsicle stick.
5
Carefully pour the hot soap into the molds about a third of the way to the top. Let the soap cool for about 20 minutes, then have your child place a plastic animal or trinket on top of the hardened soap.
6
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to melt and color the remaining soap. Pour a second layer of soap into the mold, covering the plastic animal or trinket. Let it cool and harden for at least 2 hours. Once it’s cool, turn the mold upside down and pop the soap out. Use hot water to clean the molds.
7
Optional: If your child would like a layered, rainbow look, pour small amounts into the molds and let them harden before adding another color layer. He can also add fragrance to the soaps with a drop or two of essential oils, or natural elements like poppy seeds or citrus peels.
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