Bath time can sometimes feel like a chore, both for parents and little ones. But what if you could transform it into a vibrant canvas for creativity? Enter the magic of bath crayons! These colourful tools let kids doodle directly onto the tub and tiles, turning cleaning time into playtime. While store-bought options exist, crafting your own homemade bath crayons is not only surprisingly simple but also adds an extra layer of fun and allows you to control the ingredients. Plus, it’s a fantastic rainy-day activity to do together!
Making your own bath crayons means you know exactly what’s going onto your child’s skin and your bathtub surface. It’s often more economical than buying pre-made sets, especially if your little artists go through them quickly. The process itself is a mini science experiment and craft session rolled into one, offering a great opportunity for kids (with supervision, of course) to get involved in choosing colours and shapes.
Gathering Your Creative Supplies
Before you dive in, you’ll need a few key items. Most are readily available online or at craft stores, and you might already have some at home.
- Soap Base: The foundation of your crayons. A clear or white melt-and-pour glycerin soap base is highly recommended. It melts easily, holds colour well, and is generally gentle on the skin. You could also use a pure Castile soap bar, but it might require more effort to melt smoothly. Aim for about 1 cup of chopped or grated soap to start.
- Colourant: This is where the fun begins! You have several options:
- Food Colouring (Liquid or Gel): Easy to find, but be aware that some intense colours, especially reds and blues, *might* slightly stain porous grout or older tub surfaces. Test in an inconspicuous area first if concerned. Gels provide more vibrant colour with less liquid.
- Soap Colourants: Specifically designed for soap making, these are less likely to stain and come in a huge variety of shades. Available as liquids or powders (like mica).
- Mica Powders: These cosmetic-grade powders add colour *and* a lovely shimmer! Ensure they are skin-safe.
- Molds: This determines the shape of your crayons. Get creative!
- Silicone Ice Cube Trays: Flexible and easy to pop the crayons out of. Look for fun shapes or simple stick forms.
- Silicone Candy Molds: Often come in smaller, intricate shapes perfect for little hands.
- Push-Up Tubes: Think empty lip balm or deodorant stick containers (thoroughly cleaned!). These create a more traditional crayon feel, keeping little hands cleaner.
- Small Paper Cups or Clean Yogurt Pots: For chunkier crayon blocks.
- Microwave-Safe Bowl or Double Boiler: For melting the soap base safely. Glass measuring cups with handles work great for microwaving and pouring.
- Stirring Utensil: A silicone spatula, wooden craft stick, or disposable spoon works well.
- Knife or Grater: To break down the soap base into smaller, evenly sized pieces for faster melting.
- Optional: Coconut Oil or Shea Butter: Adding a teaspoon or two per cup of soap base can make the crayons glide more smoothly, but add sparingly as too much can make them too soft or greasy.
- Optional: Essential Oils: A few drops of kid-safe essential oil (like lavender or chamomile) can add a calming scent, but always ensure they are suitable for children’s skin and used in very small quantities. Patch test first.
Crafting Your Colourful Crayons: Step-by-Step
This process uses the simple melt-and-pour method, which is generally the easiest and most reliable way to achieve solid, usable bath crayons.
Step 1: Prepare the Soap Base
If using a block of soap, carefully chop it into small, uniform cubes (around half an inch) using a knife. If using a bar, you can grate it using a cheese grater. Smaller pieces melt more quickly and evenly. Measure out the desired amount into your microwave-safe bowl or the top part of your double boiler.
Step 2: Melt the Soap Gently
Microwave Method: Place the bowl with the soap pieces into the microwave. Heat on high for short bursts of 15-20 seconds. Stir well after each burst. Continue heating and stirring until the soap is completely melted and smooth. Avoid boiling the soap, as it can make it brittle or foamy. This usually takes only a minute or two depending on the amount and your microwave’s power.
Double Boiler Method: Fill the bottom pan of the double boiler with an inch or two of water and bring it to a simmer. Place the top pan containing the soap pieces over the simmering water (ensure the bottom of the top pan doesn’t touch the water). Stir occasionally until the soap is fully melted and smooth. This method provides gentler, more even heat.
Step 3: Add Your Colours (and Optional Extras)
Once the soap is completely melted, remove it from the heat source. Now it’s time to add colour! Start with a small amount of your chosen colourant – you can always add more, but you can’t take it away. Stir gently but thoroughly until the colour is evenly distributed. If you want multiple colours, divide the melted soap into smaller containers before adding different colourants.
If using coconut oil, shea butter, or essential oils, stir them in now until fully incorporated. Remember, just a small amount is needed.
Important Safety Note: Melted soap is hot! Always handle it with care. Adult supervision is crucial for this entire process, especially the melting and pouring stages. Keep children at a safe distance during heating and pouring.
Step 4: Pour into Molds
Work relatively quickly, as the soap will begin to set. Carefully pour the coloured, melted soap mixture into your chosen molds. If using push-up tubes, make sure the base is pushed all the way down before pouring. Fill them almost to the top. If any bubbles appear on the surface, you can try spritzing them very lightly with rubbing alcohol from a spray bottle (optional, but it helps break the surface tension).
Step 5: Cool and Harden
Let the molds sit undisturbed at room temperature until the crayons are completely hard. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the size and shape of your molds and the room temperature. You can speed up the process slightly by placing them in the refrigerator (not the freezer) for about 15-20 minutes once they’ve cooled down a bit initially.
Step 6: Demold and Enjoy!
Once the crayons are firm to the touch and fully solidified, carefully remove them from the molds. Silicone molds are great because you can gently flex them to pop the crayons out. If using push-up tubes, they’re ready to go! Your homemade bath crayons are now ready for artistic adventures.
Tips for Bath Crayon Success
Choosing the Right Colours
While food colouring is convenient, remember the potential for staining, especially on unsealed grout. Test first! Soap colourants are formulated specifically for this purpose and are often the safest bet against unwanted colourful remnants. Mica powders offer beautiful, shimmery results that wash away easily.
Mold Mania
Think about usability. Stick shapes or thicker crayon forms are often easier for small hands to grip than very small or intricate shapes. Silicone is king for easy release. If you find crayons sticking slightly in rigid plastic molds, a *very* light wipe with petroleum jelly inside the mold before pouring can sometimes help, though it’s usually unnecessary with melt-and-pour soap.
Perfecting the Process
- Don’t Overheat: Scorched soap smells unpleasant and won’t perform well. Gentle heat is key.
- Stir Gently: Vigorous stirring incorporates air bubbles, which can make the crayons weaker or look less appealing. Slow and steady wins the race.
- Be Patient: Ensure the crayons are fully hardened before trying to remove them from the molds to prevent breakage.
- Colour Testing: Mix a tiny bit of melted soap with your colourant in a separate spoon first to check the shade before colouring the whole batch.
Using and Storing Your Creations
Using the crayons is simple – just let your child draw on the bathtub walls or tiles (avoiding grout lines if possible, especially with food colouring). The warmth of the bathwater sometimes helps them glide more smoothly. When bath time is over, the crayon marks should easily wipe or rinse away with water and a cloth or sponge. Because they are essentially soap, they help with the cleaning process!
To make your crayons last longer, store them in a dry place between uses. A soap dish with drainage holes or a small container kept outside the immediate splash zone is ideal. Letting them sit in water will cause them to dissolve quickly.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Crayons too soft/greasy: You likely added too much extra oil (like coconut oil). Reduce the amount next time or omit it entirely.
- Crayons too hard/draggy: The soap base itself might be very hard, or it could have been slightly overheated. Adding a tiny bit more oil next time might help, or try a different brand of soap base.
- Colour not vibrant enough: Be more generous with your colourant next time. Powdered colourants (mica, soap powders) often provide more intense colour than liquid food colouring.
- Bubbles in crayons: Stir more gently and/or try the rubbing alcohol spritz trick just after pouring.
Verified Fun Fact: Making bath crayons is a great way to use up leftover bits and pieces from larger soap-making projects. Simply collect the soap scraps, melt them down, add colour, and pour into molds. It reduces waste and gives you colourful new bath toys!
Make It a Family Affair
While adults need to handle the hot soap, kids can definitely participate in the fun! Let them help choose the colours they want to make. They can assist with stirring in the colourants (once the soap has cooled slightly but is still liquid) under close supervision. Picking out fun mold shapes is another great job for little helpers. This involvement makes the final product even more special for them.
Creating your own bath crayons is a rewarding, relatively simple project that transforms an everyday routine into an opportunity for colourful expression. It’s cost-effective, customizable, and most importantly, loads of fun for the kids. So gather your supplies, embrace a little mess, and get ready to make bath time the most artistic part of the day!
