Soap making for school kids

[slam]

Hi all

I am new to soap making so have a few questions about it
I am a school teacher and plan to make soaps with children this term. I want to simplify the process and use basic ingredients so that children can follow the instructions easily.
- I found that many websites use two types of oil to make soaps. I want to ask if it is essential to use two different oils or one oil is fine
- What types of oil can/ cannot be used?
- What essential oils and dyes will you recommend?

Thank you so much

 

[Relle]

You probably need to answer a few questions before we can help you - it's not that simple if your working with children. You just don't look up a website with instructions, buy supplies and off you go.

Have you made soap at all before ?
Have you ever used a calculator for lye ?
Are the children primary or high school ?
Will it be a full classroom of students or only a few?
Will you have any help if they will be using lye ?
Have you sourced out suppliers to get ingredients?
Will you be providing PPE ?
Are you an experienced first aid officer, to know what to do, if anyone burns their skin with lye ?

You would need to get permission from parents doing this, if students are using lye as it can be dangerous, it's not something that they turn up to school and here we go. Myself, as an adult, I have burnt my leg with lye and it took 3 months to heal. Something you need to discuss with your relevant teaching authority.

 

[AliensrReal]

I would do melt and pour if you want to make soap.
You could make soap dough at home and then have the class make their own shaped soap.

 

[lsg]

Making soap with lye is a dangerous undertaking for kids. I would not advise it. IMO, M&P would be a better option.

 

[DeeAnna]

Based on my experience as a college math and science instructor and soap maker, I'd stick to melt and pour soap crafts for now if I were in your shoes. If you want to make soap from scratch, then do a demo to show the process, not a hands on activity.

You don't have the chops yet to be teaching soap making from scratch to adults, let alone children. Build your expertise and confidence as a soap maker before you decide to teach people how to make soap from scratch. And then I might still stick to melt and pour soap depending on the age and maturity of the children and the number of people in the class.

 

[artemis]

What is the goal of the lesson? Science? History?

I considered teaching a scouting troop. I outlined the whole thing from supplies needed to adult help. In the end, the biggest factor was the caustic lye. I could not come up with a way for this to be a safe project. If I ever did do it, I would demonstrate the process, maybe have them measure out the oils and water.

 

[paradisi]

I bet you know other cool things you could have them do instead, for the fun of sharing knowledge of how to make things, that are hands on but don't involve hazardous materials or insurance releases.

 

[Tara08]

I make hp, but did melt and pour with my daughter when she asked about helping. She still really enjoyed the process.