Having access to homeschool resources to begin this journey has been tough. Although the teachers, school and staff are doing a brilliant job sharing all of the materials what we need, additional activities to include in our daily routine are a must to keep busy.
Craftzee offers a variety of craft boxes you can have delivered right to your home! We had a blast with the candle-making and soap-making kits; they also have DIY Bath Bomb Making Kits! Who knew it was so easy to create your very own bars of soap and scented candles! The first thing I thought was, “These would be perfect to mail out to family and friends.”
Candle Making Kit
Comes With:
- 1 Pouring Pot
- 1 Thermometer
- 4, 8-ounces Bags of Wax
- 4 Dye Chips
- 4 Scented Bottles
- 4 Candle Wicks
- 4 Glue Dots
- 4 Bowtie Clips
- 4 Candle Tins
- Stirring Sticks
Instructions:
Note from one parent to another – before beginning this fun and messy activity, cover your workspace for an easy cleanup! I used wax paper; newspaper works well, too!
Have your kids put the glue dots on the bottom of the wicks. Carefully stick on the bottom of the candle tin.
This next part will need an adult! After pouring one bag of wax into the pouring pot, an adult should fill a separate pot with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and place wax pot inside the larger pot for it to melt. This part was a bit tricky; I let the kids do the safe and easy tasks while I talked them through the melting part. Silly me didn’t realize this kit already came with a thermometer! I was like a kid eating candy for the first time when I discovered it in the box! Use the thermometer to ensure your wax doesn’t reach over 185 degrees.
Once melted, remove from heat and have your kids choose a dye block of their choice. Carefully have them place it in the wax (I had to assist, the wax was of course, hot!). Stir, then have them add a delightful fragrance.
Finally, help your kids pour the wax into the candle tins, careful not to pour over the wicks. Allow to dry and voila! You are a professional candle-maker! Tip: I clipped off the top of our wicks once the candles dried; they were a bit long. We also ended up with some extra wax in each batch, so I poured half in one tin and waited for it to dry. Then, I topped it off with the other mix we created (hopefully the two smells go together!)
Enjoy your candles or send out to your friends and family as a gift!
Soap Making Kit
Comes With:
- 1 Pouring Pitcher
- 2 Block Soap Bases
- 4 Dye Liquids
- 4 Fragrant Oils
- 2 Plastic Mold Holders
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Stirring Stick
- 4 Soap Boxes
Instructions:
You will want to cover up your workspace for a mess-free environment!
First, cut one of the block soaps into 1-inch squares and place them in the pouring pitcher. This was a fun activity to do together – I cut some medium-sized blocks out for the kids to work with. From there, they cut out their own cubes and plopped them inside the pitcher. The soap blocks are a little tough at first to cut, so an adult can cut (butter knife works!) first to get it started.
Next, simply melt the cubes in the microwave! This can be done on stovetop, too, but by this point in the day, the microwave would suffice. Plus, the kids can get involved more!
Add your favorite color and scent! Note: again, silly me didn’t realize you are only supposed to put in a few drops or more of the color. I told Will, my oldest, to dump it all in! Needless to say, we ended up with really red soap. Add enough to meet your desired color, don’t do what this tired mama did! 
Now, help your kids pour the mix in their favorite soap molds! Let dry for about 12 hours and you are now a soap-making genius! Our soaps began to harden a bit sooner than that.
Each of these STEAM craft activities took less than 30 minutes to do – perfect amount of time for tiny attention spans!
Find out how to order your candle and soap making kits and more at craftzee.com.