These easy soap carvings for kids are a great first introduction to sculpture and the element of form.
Materials for easy soap carvings for kids….
The supply list for these soap sculptures can be as simple or as specialized as you want to make it!
The have to have list is short. You need Ivory soap. It’s soft and easy to carve. Each kid will need a bar of soap.
You have to have something to carve with. This can be as simple as a disposable plastic knife.
We used the small knives from this set of plastic children’s kitchen knives. They are sharper and sturdier than a typical disposable plastic knife and we’ll also use them in the kitchen! We also used these plastic clay tools we had on hand. They’re great for creating texture and details!
Easy soap carving ideas….
I love starting with the simple rectangular shape of a bar of soap. It’s small enough for kids to hold in their hands and turn over and really feel it. Encourage kids to take a few minutes and imagine what form might be hidden inside their little rectangle of soap.
Soap carving is a type of subtractive sculpture. That means the finished product is achieved by removing pieces of material, as opposed to adding on.
Kids can chat with each other, with you, or sketch on a piece of paper what they imagine their end sculpture will look like.
How to start carving a soap sculpture…
Use a sharp tool to carve the basic outline into the bar of soap. If you don’t have clay tools this could even be a toothpick or a mechanical pencil with no lead. Carve lightly at first. If a mistake is made it can be rubbed out and drawn right over top of.
Remind students that they will likely want to keep one flat edge as a “bottom” which their sculpture can sit on.
Keep carving the soap….
Using the outline that was just carved begin to carve out any excess areas of soap. Do not attempt to remove any large chunks, rather just small slivers or shavings of soap at a time. Craving away a little at a time prevents accidental breakage and allows more control over the entire sculpting process.
Once students are finished with the overall from it’s time to add some texture. Because Ivory soap is so soft it’s very easy create a texture with clay tools, kitchen utensils, toothpicks, combs, you name it.
Next steps….
These easy soap carvings for kids remind of the giant sculptures of English sculptor Henry Moore. Moore’s sculptures were more likely to be made out of porcelain, stone, wood, or fiberglass than to be carved from soap. But the simple color and organic shapes that tend to pop out of these soap carvings bear a resemblance to Moore’s abstract carvings.
Check out this free printable Henry Moore artist study to round out this soap carving lesson with a bit of art history!
Ideas for using leftover soap shavings….
These soap sculptures are subtractive sculptures. As you can see in the photos there will be lots of little scraps and slivers of soap left from the carving process. There’s no need to let these go to waste! Here are a few no waste ideas to use up those soap scraps!
- Combine the scraps to make a new bar of soap: You can melt down the soap scraps and then pour the liquid soap into a mold to create a new bar of soap. This can be a fun project, and you can even add in some essential oils or fragrances to create a custom scent.
- Make soap balls: Roll the soap scraps into small balls, which can be used as hand soap or even laundry soap.
- Create liquid soap: Grate the soap scraps and then mix them with water to create a liquid soap that can be used for hand washing or as a body wash.
- Use as pest repellent: Grate the soap scraps and sprinkle them around the garden to repel pests like deer and rabbits.
