Another rainy day called for a fun indoor art activity! Here's a wonderful Oooey Gooey Play Recipe that was so simple, and L just LOVED this stuff. It's called Clean Mud, and it combines a child's love for unrolling the toilet paper roll and then mushing it into some great stuff!
Materials
Cheese Grater
1 bar of Ivory soap
2-3 Rolls of Toilet Paper
1/3 C of Borax
Warm Water
Large container or bowl
Optional: Spoons,Cups,Mashers, Scooper
What You Do
2-3 Rolls of Toilet Paper
1/3 C of Borax
Warm Water
Large container or bowl
Optional: Spoons,Cups,Mashers, Scooper
What You Do
Let your child unroll the toilet paper rolls while you grate 1 bar of soap using cheese grater
Add remaining ingredients and put all materials into a large container or bowl
Add enough warm water to saturate the mixture
What THEY Do
Let them mix it using their bare hands and other child friendly tools to explore
Add remaining ingredients and put all materials into a large container or bowl
Add enough warm water to saturate the mixture
What THEY Do
Let them mix it using their bare hands and other child friendly tools to explore
The mixture is pretty mushy at first (which is fun too!), but when most of the water is soaked up, it becomes more moldable, almost resembling something like lumpy mashed potato playdough. I doubled the mixture which seemed like just the right amount!
Half of the fun for L was unrolling the toilet paper!
All the ingredients before adding water
And the fun begins
I couldn't resist the mushy stuff (plus it smelled so clean and fresh too!)
After most of the water is absorbed, you can start somewhat molding it like playdough.
This project was really simple, and provided some good CLEAN fun for L (and me!)
Warning
Borax can be harmful if ingested.
Please use parental discretion based on your child's age and developmental abilities.
and as with any sensory bin containing anything not edible, or containing small pieces...be present and ever vigilant in watching your child! Choose activities using parental discrestion based on your child's age and developmental abilities.
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does it need to be ivory soap, or would any bar soap work?
ReplyDeleteabigail@ryanhood.com
I'm actually not sure Abby. The recipe calls for Ivory soap specifically.
Deleteokay, thanks for your response! :)
DeleteJust so you know...It does have to be ivory soap. It didn't work for me with another I had in the closet!
ReplyDeleteCool idea.... but just curious as to what role the borax plays in the mixture. I would hesitate to add it as it is toxic if ingested and little hands move very fast.
ReplyDeleteI just tried this today with ivory soap and no Borax and it worked perfectly! Great idea thanks!
ReplyDeleteLooks fun, but I'd worry about soap in eyes.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, but FYI Borax is toxic if ingested. One teaspoon can kill a child. I use it in cleaning and laundry, and it is wonderful, but I am very careful where I store it. I would never turn my back on a child if you included borax in this project!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.greenfootsteps.com/borax-information.html
I love the idea of this but I just cant bring myself to wasting toilet paper!! I wish I could think of a substitute, but I dont wanna waste my paper towels either. I think its cute and to whoever said Boric Acid is toxic=DUH lol This is for MOLDING not eating! Im sure there was proper monitoring during and proper hand washing was used afterward
ReplyDeleteBorax is poisonus, it can be used to kill ants, idk my lo likes to suck on his fingers......
ReplyDeleteThis is real cool to play with my kids. Thank you. If they will touch their eyes with soapy hands, just wash the eyes with water. Borax gives a more exciting texture to the project. If you let your child ingest the "borax" per se yes! that is dangerous. How about this putty that Target or Walmart or Dollar Store are selling? They have Borax isn't it? And these toys are for kids. EVERYTHING is dangerous if you are not keeping an eye on your kids. Jessie I am proud of you and I know your boy's intellectual ability will be ahead with the other kids by the time he will start schooling.
ReplyDeleteBorax is used so that the dough doesn't get moldy. It is good if you are molding something. An older child might want to keep her sculpture, however, with a younger child I would live it out of the recipe.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea for my two year old. I am just wondering if anyone has tried to store this? Will it dry out if I keep it in a sealed container?
ReplyDeleteIf you microwave the ivory soap, you can just crumble it up.
ReplyDeleteHow long to microwave the soap? Do you need a container of
ReplyDeletewater placed alongside
to preserve the microwave?
Ivory soap expands like a cloud when microwaved for a few minutes. No water needed just a plate. Me and the kids did it a few times and it's so neato. There really isn't an exact time you stop when it stops growing. It's very crumbly and hot at first so be careful when letting the kids play with the soap cloud. It has to be ivory because it's a whipped soap and has air pockets.
ReplyDeleteIvory soap clouds and molding mini soaps. Can be used for cleanMush instead of grating http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/04/kitchen-craft-soap-clouds-and-homemade-kiddie-tub-soaps/
ReplyDeleteWhat happens when your little one thinks he can unroll ALL the toilette paper in the house? Even when your not making mush? Prohects lije these are fun, but its important to teach our children what things are appropriate to play with and what arent. Toilette paper to me constitutes something that is not appropriate and those little minds get so confused so easy.
ReplyDeleteLook people, it's as simple as being a parent! Monitor your kids closely during playtime and they will get the understanding that these playtimes are when you use every day objects for fun. . . . if your kid is unmonitored unrolling all the toilet paper in the bathroom, then that's on you. You're the parent and you get to tell them when playtime is appropriate and when it's not. Her blog is great because it teaches kids to look at objects with endless possibilities, which in the future will teach them to be less confined to limited ways of thinking. This creativity and productivity with the child is invaluable. I noticed you don't really respond to defend yourself in the negative comments, and good for you! If you have criticism of a project, then don't do it or amend it. If you're not going to be right there with your child making sure they don't injest something, then don't do the project. Simple. Great work on this site! I am watching a one year old and expecting my own in December! The ideas are fantastic and allow the one year old to see direct results to his actions while he's having fun!
ReplyDeleteWell said!!
DeleteHere, here!!! :)
DeleteWell said on September 14th!
ReplyDeleteI have a 3 yr old and a nine month old i can't wait to start doing these projects with them too start their creative thinking of using random things for fun. What is a childhood with out a little mess and chaos, even better if monitored and in a controlled environment. As far as eating toilet paper or soap... How much money do people waste in toys or food that gets tossed out or broken, you can't put a price tag on playtime with your children because projects like these that i did with my parents i remember & value way more than memories of my toys and tv, which most kids have too many of these days.
Talk you for all these creative and fun ideas!!
*Wasting not eating toilet paper...wonderful technology....
Deletetotally agree with Sep. 14
ReplyDeleteI have a home daycare and the amount of money I spend on paper and other craft supplies is a lot more than a few rolls of toilet paper.
keep up the great ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!
what a fun experience for the littlies.
ReplyDeletei am definitly going to try this out with my little one this week.
just a query though, once his had his fun playing a mushing and squishing etc. if i let him slop it onto paper (am thinking of adding food colouring to portions of the mush). and leave it to dry, would it create a keepable art piece.
we have an art wall of all juniors creations :)
This is really adorable! I used to scout online for interactive games for my kids and it really takes time to check for the shipping freight. I didn't realize the things we need are just under our noses. Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteI would advise caution when making any play recipe using any chemical, including Borax, however Borax is not as toxic as some here are suggesting. A significant ingestion would be needed to cause severe symptoms. However, I would never advise leaving your small children ALONE with any sensory bin or homemade play recipe involving any chemical or small pieces, and if you your child is a "mouther" and will likely try to eat this, then simply skip this activity. The bottom line, WATCH your children. Be ever vigilant and choose activities that are right for your child based on age appropriateness and their developmental abilities. It really is common sense.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if liquid starch would be a great substitute for the Borax. Does anyone know if it works? If so, how did it turn out?
ReplyDeleteGreat idea,how much money do people waste in toys or food .
ReplyDeletemake your own mud games