Kids' Crafts: Soapmaking: 50 Fun & Fabulous Soaps to Melt & Pour [Hardcover]

Joe Rhatigan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2003 | Age Level: 8 and up | Series: Kids' Crafts

Melt-and-pour soapmaking is the perfect easy and safe craft for kids, and this is the ideal guide to teach them how to do it. All the basics are covered to ensure "sud-sational" success, and 56 fun projects and nearly 300 colorful photos add to the appeal. The fun begins with choosing a soap base and selecting molds, from 3-D seashells and eggs to sandbox toys. Add fragrance, color, or other pizzazzy extras, such as pearlescent powder, shimmery cosmetic grade glitter, crushed dried flower petals, or herbs. Children will have a blast getting wacky with gross-out eyeball soaps, making soap popsicles complete with a wooden stick, getting happy with smiley faces, fashioning a soapasaurus, or cooking up "alphabet soap." Great gift ideas include a Best Friend Soap Bracelet or clear bar with a photo embedded for Grandma. Plus, there are cool soap facts throughout.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-8–This book has a wonderful, "squeaky-clean" appearance and a perfect combination of text, color photography, design, and child models. A precious little dog also appears frequently in comical situations. Major sections include "Great Gifts," "Animals," "Good Enough to Eat," and "Tub Fun." Step-by-step instructions are exceptionally clear. Safety concerns are mentioned as projects involve a microwave oven, sharp knife, rubbing alcohol, etc. Aside from a few general supplies, most items can be purchased at pharmacies, natural food stores, and craft stores. Children will love the dog bone, snowman, gross eyeballs, soaposaurus, etc. They will also find themselves educated and entertained as to the intricacies of soaps and soapmaking from an explanation of the various supplies needed, sidebars on soaps with special properties, and "trivia bubbles." A pleasing color chart is labeled according to the sensations/emotions that the hues convey. This welcome activity book will surely please children and the adults who work with them.–Augusta R. Malvagno, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. This colorful, large-format volume from the Kids' Crafts series begins with basic instructions for making novelty soaps, followed by ideas and directions for 56 projects, from soap fossils to soap snow globes to photos imbedded in transparent soap bars. The instructions are detailed and precise, offering the hope that the finished products may resemble those shown in the many excellent photographs. Though a trip to a well-stocked craft shop for supplies (soap bases, molds, colors, fragrance) is essential, many children will find the projects illustrated to be worth the effort and expense. For those who want to take things beyond making soaps for personal use and gifts, "Start Your Own Soap Business," written by a 12-year-old entrepreneur, comments on matters such as shrink wrap, wholesale purchase, and grumpy people. The book begins with information on molding, scenting, and coloring soap, and it ends with pages of advice for typical problems that might arise. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (August 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579904165
• ISBN-13: 978-1579904166
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,755,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joe Rhatigan is the author of more than fifteen titles for children and adults, including The Kids' Guide to Nature Adventures and Out-of-This-World Astronomy. He's the former editorial director of Lark Books' children's program, which he launched and ran for seven years. The program's biggest successes included 101 Places You Gotta See Before You're 12!, The Boo Boo Book, and My Very Favorite Art Book: I Love to Draw. Joe lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife, three kids, and cat.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun in the Tub!, January 4, 2005

By 

Jessie Gray (Elma, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kids' Crafts: Soapmaking: 50 Fun & Fabulous Soaps to Melt & Pour (Hardcover)

This book is wonderful for teaching kids a new craft. You use basic melt and pour glycerin base that's bought at a craft store, and tons of other items to make a unique bar of soap. This book has recipes for dog soap (soap to wash your dog with), soap balls that look like eyeballs and happy faces, alaphabet soap that you use cookie cutters to cut out the letters, soaps you put small toys into, and moldable play-dough type soap. I really liked making the moldable soap for my friends who had children who hated taking baths. You'll also learn how you can paint designs onto the soap with candle/soap paints.

All of the instructions are very easy to read and easy to follow so kids can't make a mistake. Toward the end of the book, an 11 year old describes how she turned a present into a hobby. She found that her soapmaking kit was so fun to use, she decided to sell her soaps to people and turned it into a business! She explains how other kids can do the same and what stuff they'd need for it.

Overall, Soapmaking: 50 Fun and Fabulous Soaps to Melt and Pour is a wonderful book for kids and adults that want to learn how to make homemade soap.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Soaps, May 14, 2007

By 

Gail F. Roberts (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kids' Crafts: Soapmaking: 50 Fun & Fabulous Soaps to Melt & Pour (Paperback)

Some easy and fun ideas for soap making. Well worth the price - you get a lot for your money here.

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids love it., June 2, 2011

By 

D. Fabro "yarn lady" (Republic, MO.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kids' Crafts: Soapmaking: 50 Fun & Fabulous Soaps to Melt & Pour (Paperback)

This is a great little book. Easy to understand for kids maybe 8 & above. I've made soap all my life & the kids wanted a book of their own to play around with & they have had a ball with it. They made the soap scrubbies for Christmas.