Crafting with my kids

It isn’t easy to encourage the kids into craft, maybe they’ve reached saturation point?  The latest successful non-screen based activity in our house has been to make bath bombs.  It’s a win-win, they’re off their devices, their hands are busy and they are working with beautiful essential oils (our family favourite is lavender).  We are growing lavender too so every time we have enough to dry we add it into the recipe too.

The kids wear gloves and face masks.  The recipe I have used is:

Mix 1 1/2 cups bicarbonate of soda with 1/2 cup citric acid powder (use fine grade, I get mine online from a candle and soap making supplier).  Once they are combined you will add about 6 drops of essential oil and about 1/2 teaspoon of sweet almond oil (from chemists or health food supplies, usually with the massage supplies).  You’ll want to mix these liquids in quickly to prevent too much fix.  You can add food or soap colourings, I have tried this but it left marks on the bath (which did clean off easily but I feel that I would prefer not to add colour if the bath bomb is going to be a gift).

Once the ingredients are mixed by hand (wearing gloves) press them into your choice of mould.  You need to pack it in as firmly as you can.  I’ve read to wipe the mould with sweet almond oil to help to get the bombs out (I didn’t do this) Recently we used a shallow muffin type pan.  I found that the bombs came out quite well if I banged them on the kitchen bench.  I have also used silicone patty pan cases in muffin trays and that worked too.  Whatever you use you will need to leave the bath bombs to dry for 24-36 hours before you attempt to get them out.