Family Fun Times Crafts
I don’t know about you, but I am stuck in a winter wonderland. I am going stir crazy and my kids have cabin fever–bad. But there are a couple of crafts we have done this winter to help us with our crazies.
SOAP CRAYONS
- 1 cup soap flakes
- food coloring
- 1 Tbs. hot water
- 1 large bowl and several small bowls
- plastic ice cube tray or molds
Start with placing the soap flakes in a large bowl and dropping the hot water into the soap flakes, stirring constantly. The mixture should be extremely thick and hard to stir. Spoon some of the soap into each of the small bowls and color each bowl separately, adding the color a few drops at a time until the soap has the consistency of a very thick paste. Pack spoonfuls of the soap into the molds and set the crayons in a dry place to harden. They will take a few days to a week to dry. After they are dry, take them out of the molds and allow them to dry for a few more days before using them.
My kids just loved this craft. We made some of these crayons together. I did make a batch a few weeks ahead of time. So after our soapy creative fun, they could take baths and already have soap crayons to scribble all over the tub with.
HOMEMADE PLAYDOUGH
- 3 cups flour
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups salt
- 3 tsp. cream of tartar
- 3 tsp. cooking oil
- food coloring
- ziploc storage bags
Mix all of the ingredients together in a saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until a ball starts to form. Take the ball and knead it to make it smooth (WARNING…HOT BALL OF PLAYDOUGH). And that is it. Remember to store in ziploc bags so it doesn’t dry out.
My kids enjoyed adding the ingredients for me. I did all the cooking and kneading. My daughter did, of course, steal alittle bite. But with it being homemade, at least I knew what was in it. All that happened was a sour face on her part. Other than that, the playdough was a success.
These are 2 very simple crafts to do with your kids. Now go and make you own family fun times!
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There’s something I’ve never understood about using food coloring in soap crayons: doesn’t the food coloring stain the bathtub or the kids?
Love these ideas….Printed them out and put them in our craft book! Thanks!
FEETFIFOTO: yea…it can stain the kids…but it is all in good fun…they might be red and blue…but they are squeeky clean
[...] some soap crayons and homemade playdough with your little ones and have some fun. I’ve made the playdough before and it makes the kids [...]
I think the kids would love it.
Michaels crafts sells coloring for soaps and candles you might want to check it out.
I think soap in crayons is a cute idea! Food coloring in the bath tub is not a huge problem.
I’m going to use that playdough recipe for myself, lol! Sounds yummy!
This is a great craft for kids. I have been working hard on creating a lot of bible crafts for kids recently. I enjoyed your post.