The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

Whisking Up Coloured Sensory Soap!

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Create a wonderfully different sensory experience using old fashioned soap flakes and powder paints!

coloured sensory soap play
To make coloured sensory soap you need:
  • 1 box of soap flakes
  • 4-5 jugs of warm water
  • powder paint, water based paint or liquid food colouring in various colours
  • a variety of whisks 
  • a large, shallow tub

soap flakes

The girls tipped the large, waxy soap flakes into a large under-bed storage box (our favourite type for large sensory play.) The they poured in 4-5 jugs of warm water, which we discovered needed to be at least as hot as kiddie bath water in order to dissolve the flakes properly.

Then the fun began! Using 3 different types of whisk, including an old-fashioned rotary whisk, they were instructed to “make some bubbles appear!” And they put their hearts into it for sure!

It took a while to get all the flakes fully melted into the water, but when they had dissolved the bubbles were formed and it turned into the most wonderful gooey, squidgy, smooth and marvellous substance!
Quite possibly this feels better than anything we have ever played with before, and we have explored a LOT of sensory materials! This really needs to be experienced to be properly appreciated!

The rotary whisk in particular offered a fantastic opportunity for both gross and fine motor skill development, as well as needing co-ordination, hand strength and thinking skills. And all masked as fantastic good fun!

“Look at how it drips off my hands! Take a photo of it Mummy!” It was wonderfully gloopy.

Then, to add some more fun and learning we added some bright powder paints to the soapy base.

They whisked and stirred in the colours and watched as they created beautiful marbled patterns and swirls like ice cream.

As they continued to mix them they began to make new colours and they were delighted by the transformations they were creating.

Glorious, coloured, soapy goodness!

Cleaning up was relatively easy and it smelt lovely and fresh outside. This is definitely an activity we shall be returning to again, next time with feet!


Learning Links:

  • sensory: exploring and investigating new materials and tactile experiences using all the senses, describing how things feel and smell and look based on first hand experience
  • knowledge and understanding: observe and predict how substances will change from dry to wet, predict colours that will be created when 2 or 3 are mixed together, use appropriate descriptive vocabulary such as squidgy, slimy, gloopy etc
  • physical development: gross motor skills: using the different actions of the whisks and circling the arms through the soap, fine motor skills: holding the implements in a tight baby grip, small circular movements of the wrist, squeezing with fingers and fists

Cakie: 3 years 7 months
Pop: 2 years 1 month
Bean: 12 weeks

Comments

  1. Rachel T says

    I have just noticed that my youngest is asking for some sensory play… by which I mean that any food I give her which is even slightly gloopy is immediately tipped up and splodged over her placemat with spoon / fingers / any other implements. We are going to hunt for some soap flakes tomorrow and see if we can do some soapy exploration on the patio in the afternoon after church!

  3. Angie Mae says

    Soap flakes? I would love to try this but I’ve never seen soap flakes. Any alternatives? Thanks for sharing this, it looks like so much fun!

  4. Siobhan says

    I love this activity. We make what we called ‘sponge cakes’ with this mixture by treating it as icing and putting it on bath sponges to make ‘cakes’ (you need to make the soap mixture quite thick and whip it up really well). You can decorate them with small flowers/glitter etc. Watch this space for an imminent post…. messykid.co.uk.

  5. Amelia Mello, M. Ed. says

    Fantastic idea! I never thought about mixing powder paint with laundry soap and beaters. We could even give the kids primary colors to turn into secondary colors, I guess. I usually use only dish soap, water and beaters in a big bowl. I will look for an anti-allergic, gentle laundry soap and use a tub! Fun!

  6. diannaray says

    I love this idea and I’m going to give it a try for my glop obsessed little guy, but I’m not sure how my very hard water will work with this one- cross your fingers for me! and thanks so much for such a great playtime Idea:)

  11. Sarah says

    This is so cool, just pinned it to my bubble board! Normally we focus on blowing big bubbles (our small family run company is called Extreme Bubbles), but this is a really nice soapy activity for younger kids, before they work up to the BIG bubbles! 😉

  13. Nick Story says

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