How to Carve Soap With a Child

Carving soap with a child is a wonderful memory to create together and it all ends with some good clean fun.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ivory Soap
• Plastic Knife
• Pencil

1. 
    
   Ivory Soap works best

   Start by asking the child what they want to make. They usually have something in mind. If you think it is too complicated make some suggestions such as a ducky, fish (think "goldfish cracker" shape)
   or a butterfly.

2. 
    

   Prepare the soap by scraping off the name imprinted on the sides of the bar of soap.

3. 
    

   Draw the subject on the soap with a pencil.

4. 
    

   Begin carving away the large chunks of soap not needed in the design using a plastic knife.

5. 
    

   Next round the edges of the soap with your knife. You are cutting away the hard edges and shaping the soap into your desired subject.

6. 
    
   Butterfly carved by Mary age 8 and, Fish carved by Austin age 10

   Add final details with your pencil, such as eyes, if your knife seems too big for final touches. You can smooth your carving or bar of soap, with a wet paper towel or leave the "carved look". Now set on the shelf and enjoy or take a bath and end with some "good clean fun"

Tips & Warnings

• If your soap is very dry it will crumble when you shave it with your knife
• If your soap has a lot of humidity in it, it will tear as you cut it or stick to your knife.
• Either amount of humidity can be used to your advantage if you are removing a lot of the bar of soap. Your soap can break easily also. You need extra bars of soap on hand to help keep frustration low with children, because they will break some carvings and want to try again. Some carvings can be repaired by wetting one piece and trying to "glue" it back on with water.

[resinrick]

on 8/5/2009 Fun for all