Maybe you’ve seen foam recipes before using chickpeas, lentils, or beans. Those recipes didn’t really appeal to me. I don’t know how I feel about using the left-over water from those foods, but this recipe got my attention for one main reason other than I had all the ingredients. It got my attention because it uses baby shampoo + wash! I LOVE the smell of baby wash and shampoo. I love when it’s bath night for Riley because she smells amazing afterwards! This foam comes with an added bonus: while Riley is making a mess playing in the foam, she’s also kind of getting a bath, right? This foam smells wonderful, and it should definitely be your next sensory tray! I found this recipe on the Honest Company’s Instagram page.
Materials
- 1 cup water
- 2 – 3 Tablespoons baby shampoo + body wash (I used Sweet Orange Vanilla Honest Shampoo + Body Wash. It is gentle, hypoallergenic, and tear free! For a bedtime foam tray activity, use a lavender scented baby shampoo + body wash.)
- Food coloring (I used a few drops of orange food coloring.)
- Blender
- Heavy dish or container (I used my 9 x 13 Pyrex dish for sensory trays because Riley isn’t able to flip it over.)
- Toys and utensils for baby to play with in the foam (we used wooden spoons, rubber scrappers, and some plastic eggs)
- Water proof mat or large plastic table cloth
- Painters’ tape
Directions
- Set up the play area first. The foam will begin to separate shortly after its been poured into the container. This happens slowly, but you want the play area prepared first before making the foam. We did this activity outside so I didn’t set up a play mat, but if you are doing this inside, tape your mat down to the floor. Have the toys and utensils ready on the mat.
- Add water, baby shampoo + body wash, and food coloring to the blender. Blend together for about a minute until it’s all blended together and foamy all the way through.
- Pour foam into the container and set on the play mat.
- Have fun! Be sure to talk about the amazing smell of the foam with baby!
Riley's experience
It was a beautiful day so we decided to take this activity outside. I'm looking forward to summer for more outdoor play! Riley loved mixing the foam around with the spoon, covering the eggs with the foam, and pulling them out again. Since we were outside, I put shoes on her which she then found fascinating as something to cover in foam. Not what I was thinking when I put Riley in fuzzy, white shoes ~yikes!. Thankfully, after a little stain remover and a quick pop in the wash no harm was done! By the end of the activity, the deck and Riley were splattered with foam. Everything smelled delightful!
Play Modifications
- I have seen this type of activity done in muffin trays. Place foam in muffin trays and top with pom poms or smaller toys for your child to grab. This would be a fun sensory addition to a tea party for older children. They can pretend to be enjoying cupcakes as they play with this sensory tray.
- This is a great activity for introducing color mixing. Whip up two batches of foam, and use different colors for each batch. When you pour the foam into the container, pour one color on one half of the tray, and the second color on the other half. As your child plays in the foam, talking about what is happening to the two different colors as they mix together.
Benefits
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Fine motor development: Riley is strengthening her hand and finger muscles as she is grabbing and stirring with the utensils and eggs. She is also working on hand-eye coordination as she is grabbing for and playing with the utensils.
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Language development: Riley is learning new contextual vocabulary as I narrate what she is doing and experiencing. Words are being spoken as she experiences the different textures and interacts with the activity. Connections are being formed between the words and the experience.
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Cognitive development: I kept talking about the wonderful smell of this activity. The smell is more than just a wonderful bonus. It is an added sense being used during this sensory tray activity which means more neural connections are being made. Sensory play promotes more, stronger neural connections as more senses are involved.
Links to materials
