Monday 2 May 2016

Hand Rolled Soap Balls

We made these soft pink, fragrant soap balls over the weekend. They are easy for children to make and involves them in a wonderful sensory process.  The feel of the soap in their hands, the deepening colour as food dye is added and the uplifting fragrance of essential oil and fresh rosemary make for a lovely experience.

Oatmeal and Rosemary Soap Balls

Based on the "recipe" I found here, I experimented with different quantities of grated soap, oatmeal and water to find a mixture that was easy for a child to measure out, combine and shape. The quantities below made two small soap balls. 

Oatmeal and Rosemary Hand Rolled Soap Balls

1/3 cup grated soap 
1/4 cup organic oatmeal
2 Tablespoons water (approximately)
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
3 drops essential oil (*Optional. Make sure it is suitable for use on the skin.*)
food dye (*Optional)

To make these soap balls:

 Gather all the "ingredients".

 Measure out and mix together the soap, oatmeal, rosemary and essential oil (if using).

Gradually add water, a little at a time, while mixing with your fingers.
*Add a few drops of food dye to the water first if you want to colour the soap balls.*

Begin to form a ball when the mixture sticks together easily. 
Keep adding mixture, pressing and rolling it together, to shape it into a ball.

Allow soap balls to dry for a couple of days then package up and tie with pretty string.
Add a tag with a list of ingredients too.

These hand rolled soap balls make sweet little handmade gifts. I'll be making some with a group of young children during the week. I know they'll really enjoy the process and will feel joy in making something special to give to their Mums for  Mothers' Day next Sunday.

Do you make handmade gifts for special occasions?

Meg




4 comments:

  1. At lovely Mother's Day gift from the children.
    I love the size of the soap balls. We are tackling a huge bar of soap at home at the moment...maybe we need to make it into soap balls!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Lucy. The size of the soap balls are really easy for children to handle and to apply enough pressure to squeeze ingredients together. They smell nice too! Meg:)

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  2. Replies
    1. I think the best thing is that a child can do this all by themselves once they have been shown how to grate the soap, mix in the ingredients and roll the soap balls. Meg:)

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