Kids Archives | Maker Faire Saskatoon

In an age where iPads and television are very prominent within our children’s lives, it can be worrisome to think about the loss of curiosity, creativity, and innovative thinking. When our children spend too much time on these devices, it causes a dependence and can have an impact on their mental health.

Children are creatures that do not need much to keep entertained. They can be happy colouring, painting, playing dress up, amongst many other activities! There are no limits to a child’s imagination, and it is very important that as parents and teachers, we help cultivate it! Giving a child the tools to get creative and let their imagination run free is an important component for both their cognitive development as well as their socio-emotional development.

Limit screen time

First and foremost, children’s screen time needs to be limited. Studies show that children spend an average of 4-6 hours of screen time per day! Although there are ways to monitor our child’s devices, we are not able to know all the time what they are watching. This means that there is a much higher risk of our children being exposed to violence, sexual content, cyberbullying, amongst other things. On top of these issues, too much screen time can also disrupt our children’s mental health. Some of the most common problems are with sleep, mood, and social anxiety.

As a parent, you can also influence how your children spend their screen time. There are plenty of educational shows and games to be found on the internet. Click here for free online kid’s stories!

Stock up on Craft Supplies

Making sure to have craft supplies available is a great way to keep kids busy and off their screens. Try to prepare a craft box full of supplies that children can use to be creative. Make sure the craft box is accessible to them anytime without needing to ask for help to get it. Include a variety of different things such as glue, crayons, cotton balls, and basic craft supplies. Once your child creates something new, ask question such as their thought and story before their creation. Asking these questions can them process their artistic expressions.

Another idea would be to create a gallery in your home for your children’s art and crafts. By framing or putting pieces on display, your children will feel appreciated and perhaps motivated to create more!

Try one of our STEM activities for inspiration!

Storytime

When a child is very young, it is common to read stories to them before bed. As they get older, we stop incorporating stories in their upbringing. Stories are a great way to let a child’s imagination wander. Instead of reading to them, try setting aside a time to do activities involving stories. Whether reading a chapter of a book all together, writing a story together, writing poetry, or having them read on their own, stories are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to creative thinking!

Play Pretend!

Every child loves to play pretend and get silly with dress-up clothes and props. It is nice to have a dress-up trunk available to children to reach in and step into a new character of their own imagination. This is also a great way for siblings to do an activity together or have friends over to play! Make use of old Halloween costumes, dance recital costumes, or thrift store finds! You can even incorporate stories from story time and act out scenes that the children created or read in a book!

Artistic Pursuits

Ask your child what sort of activities they would like to be a part of outside of school. Many times, parents decide what activities they will put their children in, without asking the child first if that is what they would like to be doing. First, make sure any class your child is taking is something they actively enjoy. If it feels like a chore to them, it will not be aiding in their creative thinking. Whether it is a one-time workshop or weekly lessons, let your child decide the route they take in their young lives. There are plenty of options to choose from including dance, art, music, photography, language, and writing.

Get Involved!

Many times, parents are busy and when it comes to play times, they let their children play on their own or with their friends. Although, it is very important to be a part of these creative moments as well as the more serious moments. You will get to see first-hand what your child’s creative process looks like and what they are more receptive to.

Try sparking a child’s ‘what if’ questioning which help trigger creative thinking. Asking what if can lead to thinking outside the box. Ask question that can spark their imagination such as “what if animals could talk”. Questions like these allow children to think about the world in new and creative ways, not only logical ways.

Saskatoon has immensely developed over recent years into a thriving city with so much to offer! There are a wide variety of activity option for any age!

A couple weeks ago, we posted about creative workshops in Saskatoon for adults, but now it’s time to take a look at what there is to offer in the city for the little ones! Children are like sponges so why not allow them to soak in all that Saskatchewan has to offer!

Creative Kids Sask

Creative Kids Sask is an organization that offers programs for Saskatchewan kids between the ages of 4 – 19. The organization believe in helping children explore their creativity without the financial burden. With Saskatchewan being one of the provinces with the highest child poverty rates in the country, this organization works towards providing opportunities regardless of economic barriers.

“Creative activities are fundamental to the positive growth and development of children and youth”

Nutrien Wonderhub

Nutrien Wonderhub is located on Spadina Crescent and is Saskatchewan’s first children’s museum! Parents can take their children to wander through the museum which offers two levels of interactive exhibits. Along with the museum, Wonderhub offers classes, workshops, and camps for kids!

“All of our classes and workshops incorporate STEAM learning and encourage children, families, and adults to understand and appreciate the intersection of science, technology, engineering, art, and math.”

We Move Sask

We Move Sask is a business that offers a variety of children and adult classes focused on dance and music. Music Together is a mixed-age class that allows children to get creative and experiment with music! Children can join anywhere from ages 1 – 7. Parents can attend the class as well and join the ‘family zone’ to experience this workshop together!

“It is a highly effective learning dynamic because it allows every child to personally create their own musical challenges and successes”

U of S Art Classes

The University of Saskatchewan offers art classes for children between the ages of 9-11 and 12-17. Class sized are kept small (8 students or less) in order to give each child the attention and focus they need from the instructor. Some of the classes offered include: visual arts intensive, sculpture, comics & graphic novels, journaling, and drawing.

“Classes are delivered live/synchronously through short lectures, demonstrations, time to work on projects, instructor feedback, and class sharing.”

Remai Modern

Remai Modern is a public art museum located on Spadina Crescent in Saskatoon. There is a center inside the museum called the Cameco Learning Studio which is meant to be a creative space for workshops and events. There are a variety of classes held throughout the month which are sometimes free! The activities are focused on artmaking and education on the creative arts.

Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority

Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority is a non-profit organization set in the Northern Plains, dating back to over 6,000 years ago. It was once grounds for herds of bison and a gathering place for Indigenous peoples. There are still archaeological findings being discovered here, shedding light on the depth of the culture that once lived here.

“Wanuskewin strives to grow and develop as a centre of excellence and a place for gathering, sharing and learning.”

WHPA is open to all visitors whether you would like to simply wander the galleries, attend an event, or go on a tour. Along with day visits, there is also the option to stay overnight in a traditional Tipi. This allows guests to relive stories and walk in the footsteps of the indigenous tribes that once walked these grounds.

Western Development Museum

The Western Development Museum is located on Lorne Ave in Saskatoon and is the largest human history museum in Saskatchewan. The collection holds over 75,000 arkeological artifacts found throughout the province. The museum is open to the public year-round and people are able to wander through the museum or attend one of the varying educational programs or special events.

“The WDM’s mandate is to collect, preserve, and exhibit objects of historical value and importance connected with the economic and cultural development of western Canada and to stimulate interest in western Canadian history. Our vision is a Saskatchewan where everyone belongs and histories matter.”

The WDM has an Education Room and hold a variety of activities throughout the day for children. The activities are for kids from the ages of 3 – 6 and give the children the chance to learn and play with hand-on artifacts in an interactive way! There are three different zones of learning, the schoolhouse zone which allows kids to play school as if they were in the 1900s, hands-on zone which allows kids to participate in sensory engaging activities, and the cozy story zone which allows kids to sit back and relax for story time.

STEM activities are a great way for kids to learn and have fun! For those of you new to this term, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM is very important within the educational curriculum because it teaches children critical thinking skills and plays with creativity to help with innovation! STEM activities can range from very basic and easy but can also be very complex and time consuming. Depending how much time you have, try some at home STEM activities to get your children excited to learn and be creative!

There are thousands of STEM activities to be found on the internet, plenty of which can be done at home with little supplies needed! We will be posting some easy at-home STEM activities for some inspiration. This week, we are going to learn how to make a cloud in a jar!

Supplies Needed:

Glass jar with a lid (mason jar)
Cup of hot water (not boiling, but hot)
Ice (a few cubes)
Aerosol spray (something like hairspray)

Step 1: Pour hot water (not boiling) into jar and close lid

Step 2: Swirl the jar around to heat up the jar

Step 3: Fill lid (upside down) with ice cubes, not yet placing it onto the jar

Step 4: Spray aerosol into jar and quickly place ice filled lid on top of jar

Step 5: Watch the cloud form inside the jar. Take the lid off to watch the cloud escape from the jar.

What is happening?

Well, clouds need a few things in order to form. There needs to be a mixture of warm, moist air which was the reason for swirling the hot water around to warm the jar at the beginning. Secondly, clouds form from a cooling process which was why we added the ice sitting on top of the jar. Lastly, clouds need a nucleus in order to allow water vapor to condense which was created when we added particles with the aerosol spray!

Here is a great link from the NASA Climate Kids website that further describes this process in a kid-friendly manner!

If you are interested in trying out another fun, easy (& yummy) STEM experiment, check out or ‘Ice Cream in a Bag’ STEM activity up on the blog!

If there are any STEM activities you would like to see on the blog, reach out and let us know!

STEM is an abbreviation for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. There are many creative projects for kids that incorporate the educational component of STEM. Incorporating STEM into daily activities fosters learning, growth, and curiosity. Not only does it help kids learn new things but can also spark new interests, helping them to know themselves better which can be very helpful for the future!

Nowadays, it can be easy to hand kids a tablet or remote for the T.V but this makes it especially important to foster and support educational activities. With summer break right around the corner, it can be fun to plan a few different STEM activities to learn and play! One easy and fun activity is ice cream in a bag. Ice cream in a bag is a fun project which involves science and chemistry!

Supplies

Measuring cups & spoons
1 tbsp sugar
½ cup whipping creams, milk, or half-and-half
¼ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup salt
Ice cubes
Sandwich bags
Gallon-sized bags
Towel
Timer

Procedure

First, you need to combine the sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla in one sandwich bag. Next, combine 4 cups of ice cubes and ½ cup of salt to a gallon-sized bag. Next, you will need to add the sandwich bag into the gallon-sized bag. Wrap a towel around the bag and shake the bag for approximately five minutes. Afterwards, add 4 cups of ice cubes to a new gallon-sized bag and transfer the ice cream sandwich bag into this one. Wrap a towel around and begin shaking again for approximately 5 minutes. Once you finish shaking the second time, the ice cream should be frozen and ready to enjoy!

Science

There is science behind this fun little project for the reason the ice reacts. Water is made up of fast-moving molecules but when temperatures drop, the molecules slow down and begin to line up in a pattern, thus forming ice crystals. As ice melts, the water droplets are still in a low temperature environment, slow-moving, and re-crystallizing.

There is a different reaction that happens between the bag of ice with salt added and the other bag with only ice. You will notice that the bag with ice and salt gets a lot colder and melts a lot faster. The reason for this is as the ice begins to melt, the water molecules mix with the salt. The salt interferes and does not allow the water molecules to create a newly crystallized patterns and therefore remain as water droplets. The rate of re-freezing is a lot lower in this bag although the temperature is colder. The reason for this is because the ice cubes are absorbing the heat available but the salt causes something called a ‘freezing depression’. During the freezing depression, it is possible for the bag to have a temperature of below 0 without actually freezing the water. The interference of the salt can change the temperature at which water freezes in its pure form to a temperature even colder than below 0.

Creating your own bath bomb is a fun project with a great outcome! Jumping into a hot bath after a long week is a great way to unwind and relax, but even better if you have all the bubbles, great smells, and beneficial properties! Bath bombs can be pretty pricy in stores but are fairly easy to make and very customizable.

Supplies:

1 cup baking soda
½ cup citric acid
½ cup Epsom salt
½ cup cornstarch
Few drops colouring pigment
2 tbsp oil (coconut, almond, olive)
12 – 15 drops of essential oil
Bath bomb mold
Optional: dried flowers, sugar cake decorations

Instructions

Begin by measuring out and mixing together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together all wet ingredients. Next, add the wet ingredients into the larger bowl of dry ingredients. Make sure to add slowly since the reaction of the citric acid causes the ingredients to begin fizzing. The last step is to add the mixture into the bath bomb mold. You can use a variety of molds such as a muffin tin, candy tray, or actual bath bomb molds that you can buy online. Let the bath bombs sit and dry in the mold for at least 24 hours before taking them out.

Essential Oils

When customizing your bath bomb, think about specific benefits you want. When steaming up your bathroom with a hot bath, it is a good idea to add essential oils with some beneficial properties. Not only do essential oils smell great but each aroma can provide different benefits such as stress relief, treat fungal infections, promote sleep, and balance mood. Aromatherapy has become very popular and is seen as a natural alternative medicine to support health and well-being. Here are a few examples of types of essential oils and their benefits:

Lavender: known to relieve stress and promote relaxation
Rose: reduces anxiety
Lemon: reduces inflammation and boosts mood
Peppermint: alleviates headaches

Other than scents, you can get super creative with bath bomb shapes, colours, and decorations! Try adding layers to the mold to make a fun multi-coloured bath bomb. Another way to get creative is to add dried flower petals such as roses, which will also have a great smell! You can also add exfoliating ingredients to your bath bombs such as coffee grounds or sugar! There are countless ways to get creative and have fun making new bath bomb recipes!

If you want some other self-care recipes check out last weeks blog here!

After a long and cold winter, most of us are eager to get outside and play. Getting outside is very important for our mental and physical health and should therefore be made a priority!

Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep busy and spend time outside! It can be fun to make the hunt for your family and friends, making it as easy or hard as you want! If you haven’t made a scavenger hunt before, try getting outside for a walk first to figure out what sort of objects are in your area – certain types of leaves, rocks, flowers, animals, and overall environment! The most sustainable way to do the scavenger hunt is to get everyone to take pictures rather than picking and collecting.

Hiking

Another great way to get outdoors is to explore while hiking! We are lucky enough to call this vast country of wilderness our home, why not get out and see it? Hiking is great exercise for strength and endurance – it provides many benefits for overall health. There are countless hikes to choose from in Saskatchewan from easy to moderate to difficult. Listed below are some of the top regions to hike in Saskatchewan:

Meadow Lake Provincial Park
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
Prince Albert National Park

Saskatoon Farmers’ Market

One of the great things about the spring and summer is all the local produce, canned goods, baked goods, and a variety of other goodies. The Saskatoon Famers’ Market is running this year both virtually and in person. The Farmer’s Market is a great way to support our local people, network, and feel part of the community!

Picnic

An easy activity to enjoy the outdoors is picnicking! Picnics are simple but can be a nice and memorable experience. It can be a very fun experience to prepare your picnic basket and head out to an amazing location to enjoy a meal. Try heading out to higher grounds and watch the sun go down as you indulge in some tasty finger foods!

Camping

Camping is definitely one of the best outdoor experiences for people who love the wilderness. Each camping experience is unique and completely customizable based on gear, timeframe, and comfort level. Camping is not only an outdoor escape but is also educational as you learn to build fires, make food with minimal sources, and discover the surrounding flora and fauna.

Spring is in full bloom! The weather is warming up, birds are singing, grass is getting greener, and the winter cold has washed away. Spring is a fresh start and a perfect time to get busy with some fun crafts! The following crafts are great for adults but can be adjusted to a simpler version for kids as well!

Painted Mason Jars / Flower Vases

Painting is always a fun project, but have you ever tried painting a mason jar or flower vase? This can be as simple or as detailed as you would like and is also very kid friendly! Grab some mason jars or flower vases, a range of paint colours, brushes, and get busy! A nice design is to first paint the jar white as a base, let it fully dry, and then add a design on top! Try playing around with spring colours such as yellow, pink, and green. When you are all finished, take a walk to go pick a bouquet of wildflowers to put in your new vases!

Tissue Paper Flowers

If you didn’t get a chance to find some fresh wildflowers for your new vases, why not try to make some cute tissue paper flowers that will last much longer? Tissue paper flowers are simple to make and are a nice touch to add a pop of colour to your home for spring! All you will need are pipe cleaners and tissue paper! Simple how-to below:

Layer about 8-12 pieces of tissue paper of either the same colour or a couple colours that go well together
Using a cup, trace a circle out onto the top sheet of tissue paper and cut it out
Cut two small holes in the center of the layered tissue paper
Take a pipe cleaner, put in through one hole and loop it through the other
Lastly, you just need to scrunch up each layer of the tissue paper, going from the top to bottom
You can also create leaves with extra pipe cleaners

Nature Clay Impressions

Clay impressions are a fun and simple little project but make for beautiful decorations and memories. Before you get started, go for a hike or walk through the outdoors and pick some leaves or plant materials that catch your eye. Be mindful and do research before you pick something – you want to make sure you are not picking a protected flower or plant.

To make the clay, you will need the following:

Flour
Salt
Water

Mix together equal parts flour and salt – add teaspoons of water and continue mixing until a soft, smooth dough is formed. Grab a piece of the mixture and roll in your hands to form a ball. Put the ball down on a sheet of baking paper with flour sprinkled over. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to at least ¼ inch thickness. At this point, you can create any shape you’d like using a cooking cutter.

Once you have prepped your clay to the thickness and shape you want, take your flower or leaf and press it into the clay mould. After, lift the flower or leaf to reveal a nice pattern on the clay. Allow the clay to set by leaving it out for approximately two days in a well-ventilated room. Alternatively, you can bake the clay at 100 degrees for approximately 3 hours. Once the clay impression is dry, you can leave as is or add some paint!

Faux Stained Glass

Stained glass is beautiful but can be fairly expensive so why not try your hand at a faux stained-glass project? There are a variety of ways to make faux stained glass, but using acrylic paint allows for the most intense colour results.

Supplies:

Acrylic paint
1 bottle white glue / 1 bottle clear glue
8×10 photo frame (or other sheet of glass)
Craft blade
Painter’s marker (black tip)
Super glue
Clear acrylic spray sealant
Paint brush

Before you get started, you will need to find a template that you want to use. If it is your first time, try going for a simpler design. Put the printed template underneath the glass and outline the picture with the black painter’s marker straight onto the glass. Once you’ve finished outlining, let the paint dry overnight. The next day, your design will be ready for paint. Mix one colour at a time – with 3 tablespoons of clear glue and a few drops of acrylic paint. Make sure the paint is thick so that the colours show up vibrantly.

Nutrien Wonderhub is a local organization and museum which focuses on intergenerational creativity! The purpose behind the organization is to foster curiosity and lifelong learning through interactive and hands-on exhibits and programs. The Wonderhub museum is located on Spadina Crescent in Saskatoon. The mission of the organization is to combine play and education by bridging the gap between school and home!

Mission and Values

The values of Wonderhub focus on curiosity, child-centricity, and sustainability. They wish to make the establishment more than just a museum but an inclusive meeting-place. They want to use our natural wonder and curiosity as a catalyst for educational experiences. Wonderhub offers both in-house and outreach educational programs, made for playful learning!

“The Nutrien Wonderhub community extends far beyond the walls of our home at the Mendel. Through outreach programming, affiliations with community-focused events and initiatives, and our own signature events, we continue our commitment to creating interactive, inclusive opportunities to play, learn, and grow.” – Nutrien Wonderhub, 2021

History

Nutrien Wonderhub first began back in 2002 when a group of passionate volunteers came together to create the Children’s Discovery Museum. Up until 2009, the museum was mobile, with volunteers working with supplies and educational material out of their van. In 2009, they were able to secure a space at the Saskatoon Market Mall and quickly became a mecca for families with young children. The following years showed much success with hosting international travel exhibits, debuting the Kid Approved capital campaign, and obtaining the fundraising goal of $14.5 million to help build a world-class children’s museum. Now, the museum is up and running for the general public. The museum offers general admission or memberships for those who wish to visit more often. There are both individual and family memberships which offers great discounts, special pricing on camps and programs, and access to private events.

Museum & Exhibits

The museum offers exhibits, workshops, and a variety of rooms. There is also a café with quick grab & go snacks and gift shop on site. The gift shop has a selection of toys and learning tools available for purchase so you can keep learning at home!

There are three levels to the museum with wide variety of exhibits, each one offering unique displays and educational toys. One of the most popular exhibits is the ‘Cosmic Commotion’ which is the only permanent installation from internationally acclaimed artist Toshiko Horiuchi in North America. The installation is a giant crocheted structure where kids can climb about, popping up in different pods. The other exhibits allow guests experiment with sound, light, colour, wind, and art. The exhibits have all been created with a purpose, whether it be to trigger sensory development, imagination, motor skills, collaboration, or creativity. Each exhibit is a fun experience not only for the children but for parents too! Wonderhub believes in a method where the child leads the way, without timeline, which guarantees a new and enjoyable experience at each visit!

Programs, Classes, Workshops, and Camps

Along with the exhibits, there is also a workshop, create spaces, and a gathering place which gives guests the opportunity to get involved and attend different programs. The workshops include 3D printing, laser cutting, drilling, and sanding. The create spaces are made for guests to collaborate and explore creativity. The gathering place is a tree-lined space which is used for groups to come to share stories and experiences.

There is a selection of eight different programs available from Pre-K all the way to Grade 6. Each program offers an interesting approach to creative learning and experience. One of the programs called ‘Rock On’, offered for Grades 3-6, focuses on rock formation and erosion to learn how landforms are shaped. Another program called ‘Clang! Bang! Boom!’ explores the science of sound by introducing pitch, volume, sound waves, and vibrations. This program is offered for Pre-K to Grade 4 and gives children the opportunity to create their own sound makers.

The classes and workshops offered incorporate STEAM learning to encourage a balanced education. For those of you new to this concept, STEAM learning is a method that focuses on a blend of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. Summer camps are also up and running which allows campers to experience both the indoors and outdoors of what Wonderhub has to offer! The summer camps are made for kids ages 5-9 and are offered as either day camps or week-long camps. The camps are a great way to keep kids busy, give them a chance to make new friendships, and gain independence in a fun, open, and educational environment. Throughout the camps, campers will get to explore the museum, work together on projects, and interact with the hands-on exhibits and workshops. Each workshop, class, camp, and program are meant to be inclusive and celebrate community!

If you are interested in learning more about Nutrien Wonderhub, check out their website here!

Crafting is a great way to spend time, especially when stuck inside the house! There are unlimited projects you can work on that don’t need a bunch of new supplies. Enjoy getting creative with your family and spend the afternoon keeping busy! Making crafts not only keeps the hands busy but the mind as well. Sometimes, it is important to just let your mind focus on other, less important things if you’re feeling a bit stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. Staying creative is important as it can help increase mental health, motivation, and inspiration.

There are plenty of household items you can use for crafting, such as string, old clothing, old frames…etc. Not to mention, many of these projects upcycle old items that might have otherwise gone to waste so it’s also sustainable!

Listed below are a few fun projects to try with items you can find at home!

1. Reusable Bags

Making reusable bags is fun and handy for your trips to the grocery store! You can sew or hand-stitch the bags using a variety of materials, such as an old t-shirt! Instead of choosing paper or plastic, make of few of these and have them handy in your vehicle whenever heading to the store!

2. Vases

Updating vases is a great way to refresh old vases you have in your house. Grab the collection of vases, some paint, chalk, stencils, or anything else to add a creative touch! You can upcycle these vases to add a new and modern aesthetic to your home. Try stenciling new designs or bright paint colours to be bold! Afterwards you can either leave the vases empty as art piece in the house or get creative with what goes into them!

3. Newspaper Plant Pots

A great at-home project that pays off is starting your own herb garden! You can start off by using old newspaper to create plant pots, fill them up with soil, and plant a couple seeds! You can grow a wide variety of plants indoors, including cilantro, green onions, and even avocado!

Check out some Pinterest idea here!

4. Wreaths

Wreaths are a super fun afternoon activity with endless possibilities! You can make a creative wreath out of old clothing and dish cloths or you can go with something more simple. There are unlimited ideas on sites like Pinterest.

5. Bracelets

There are a lot of different bracelet patterns that can be found on the internet and all you really need is some string! There are unlimited possibilities when it comes to making bracelets, or any jewelry for that fact! Try out different tying patterns, string colours, and beads! Bracelets are fun and easy project because they are not too time consuming.

A few weeks ago, we introduced Amanda Bosiak, a local soap maker and owner of the brand Pithy and Practical. She creates hot process soaps using a slow cooker, and this week she wants to share some tips if you want to try your hand at soap making!

There are a few tools you’ll need before you begin, listed below

Slow cooker
Immersion blender
Kitchen scale
Loaf mold
Vinegar
pH testing strips
measuring cups, spatula, mixing bowls

Ingredients

Saponifiable oils and butters
Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
Distilled water
Optional: essential oils, powdered colourant, plain Greek yogurt/sodium lactate

To make your own soap, you’ll first need to find a recipe to follow which Amanda says you can find on Pinterest! You’ll also need to find a lye calculator which will tell you exactly how much lye you need to use based on the amount of oils you have. The lye amount will also vary based on the type of oils you are using. You’ll also need to make sure that you are calculating for hot press soap and not cold press soap. We’ve saved you some time with a recipe you can follow below!

Recipe

The recipe should include 40% water and 5% super fat. There needs to be quite a bit more water content when taking hot process soaps because as it heats up the water evaporates. So, you’ll need to add more water because you’ll want to keep it as pliable as possible. Superfatting the soap allows it to be softer in the end! Here is the recipe that Amanda works with:

135g	Avocado oil
45g	Castor oil
135	Cocoa butter
225g	Coconut oil
90g	Olive oil
225g	Shea butter
360g	Water
123 g	Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
37g	Fragrance (*optional)
45g	Superfat 5% – Shea Butter
	(note: solid oils make the best superfats)

Step by step process to making soap

Step 1: Add liquid oils and then add solid oils after microwaving

Step 2: Add lye solution with sodium lactate or plain Greek yogurt

Step 3: Cook in crockpot at low heat, covering half with plastic wrap

Step 4: Use the immersion blender, carefully mixing on low power for 10 second increments until it thickens

Step 5: Fully cover with both the plastic wrap and lid. Let cook for 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, checking on it every 10 minutes or so

Step 6: Check the pH level by taking a tsp of the soap and adding it to quarter cup of distilled water. Test with the pH strip and it should read 10pH.

Step 7: Once the mixture is ready, leave it to sit with the slow cooker turned off. During this time, melt down the super fat and add any essential oils and colourants you want for the final product. Once it’s finished, add the mixture to the soap in the slow cooker. Stir until it’s evenly distributed.

Step 8: Add mixture to loaf and decorate the top however you want. As the mixture cools, it begins the saponification process to turn into soap. It takes between 24-48 hours until you can unmold, cut, and cure.