If bathtime with your toddler is feeling like a chore, there are some things that you can do to make the bathing experience more exciting for them. Often, toddlers will resist going into the bathtub out of a fear of water or fear of boredom.
The use of bath crayons can help your toddler have a more positive relationship with water and can also keep them from getting bored while they’re sitting in the tub. While you can buy bath crayons from many different retailers, it is also possible to make your own. Here are some of our favorite DIY bath crayon ideas.
What is a Soap Crayon?
If you don’t know what a soap crayon is, you’re not alone. It’s not exactly a phrase that is in the common vernacular! A “soap crayon” is specially formulated for use in the bathroom. It will show up quickly on the ceramic walls of your bathtub and will also come off quickly when scrubbed or sprayed with high water pressure.
It’s a kid’s instinct to treat the world as their canvas — so before you let them scribble all over the walls of your home, why not let them draw on your bathtub walls instead?
Let’s take a look at our favorite DIY soap crayon recipes!
Recycled Soap
Many of us prefer to make our toys and toiletries to do our part for the environment by not contributing to more consumerism and, in turn, waste. So instead of going out and buying some more ingredients to make bath crayons with, why not use whatever you already have lying around the house? That’s exactly what this tutorial instructs you to do. Read it, and you’ll learn how to use shredded pieces of old soap to create the perfect bath crayons.
Watercolor Crayons
Watercolor painting is one of the most beautiful types of painting that there is — soft and abstract. It is a generous artform for beginners and always results in a uniquely beautiful piece of artwork. You probably didn’t think that it would be possible to make watercolor-style crayons for use in the bathroom, but it is. You’ll just have to follow the tutorial found here — it’s a bilingual tutorial, in both French and English!
Ivory Soap
Who doesn’t have a few bars of Ivory soap hanging around their bathroom? While expensive, fancy toiletries have their time and place, sometimes a simple, traditional bar of soap can do the trick and then some. This recipe for DIY bath crayons uses Ivory soap exclusively. This is also a good option for anyone who will buy materials at the store to use to make these soap crayons — it’s probably the cheapest bar of soap out there that you can buy!
Simple Homemade Bath Crayons
Sometimes simple is best. That is definitely the philosophy behind these homemade bath crayons that can be made using only glycerin and food coloring, though you can also add a touch of fragrance if you would like. Of course, you will also want to have a fun soap mold that can be used to make the crayons into a fun shape, though the recipe points out that you can even use a muffin pan.
Marble
What options are out there if you are looking to make a set of bath crayons that have an unordinary appearance? If you’re on the lookout for a pattern that goes beyond a simple color tone, you might be interested in these marbled DIY bath crayons. They look even prettier than anything that you are going to find in the stores!
Creative Galaxy-Inspired
These galaxy-inspired bath crayons are the perfect choice if your child is going through a space phase (and who doesn’t have one of those? Space is awesome). These speckled bath crayons come with a pattern that resembles the stars in the solar system and are truly out of this world. For added effect, you can make them into the shape of stars or planters.
Bath Paint
And now for something completely different. Another fun option for making art in the bathtub is bath paint. Bath paint differs from bath crayons in that it offers a completely different consistency and is made in a completely different way. Word of warning: it’s also significantly messier, which makes it a great craft to do occasionally, but not a great one to take out at bathtime every single night. Get a straightforward tutorial here.
Melt and Pour
We love the way that this bath crayon recipe is as simple as melting and pouring. Okay, so it gets its name from the “melt and pour” product, but our point still stands that it is incredibly easy to follow along with! You can buy melt and pour soap base at your favorite independent craft store or chain.
Starry Night
These starry night bath crayons are also made from melt and pour soap base, as well as a star mold. You can find star-shaped soap molds of all kinds at baking or craft stores, but it’s best if you use a silicone mold since they are not only heat-resistant but will also make it easier to pop out the soaps when you’re finished. These soaps are adorable and two-toned!
Neon Flower
There are two really fun things that stick out about this soap crayon recipe: the shape of the soaps themselves and the bright neon hues. They are made using a large flower silicone mold which is usually a lot easier for little hands to hold (compared with traditional long, skinny chalk). To create the bright highlighter-esque colors, the only thing you will need is a set of neon food coloring!
Christmas
If you are an enthusiast about the holiday season, you will really like how you can make special Christmas-themed crayons to use in the bathroom. It’s a great way to get both you and your child (or children) into the holiday spirit. This recipe shows you how to make bath crayons that are in the shape of a Christmas tree, candy cane, and more.
Bath Crayon Cubes
Here is another recipe that takes the tiny hands of toddlers and children into consideration. These bath crayon cubes are really easy for small hands to hold and are less likely to get lost in the bath. Again, it all depends on the mold that you use — don’t think that you have to solely use crayon-shaped molds when making crayons.
Animal Bath Crayons
Speaking of fun shapes, it’s not only ergonomics that you should take into consideration when making soap crayons for your little ones! You might also want to consider making soap into a shape that your kid will find amusing, like these animals. Just be careful, because they can look good enough to eat.
Dinosaurs
Here is another fun soap mold idea for those whose children are going through a dinosaur phase! No matter what their favorite dinosaur of the moment is, they are likely to be represented with these fun dinosaur-shaped soap.
Popsicle Soap Crayons
Speaking of soaps that look good enough to eat — these popsicle-shaped soaps look yummy even to adult eyes, so you will have to teach your kids not to eat them! The great thing about these is that they are multicolored, which means that you can get a lot out of their use.
Bathtime doesn’t have to be full of resistance and tears! If you make any of these DIY bath crayons, it can also be a time of creative expression.