Sometimes on those really long-reaching days, when the winds are howling outside, the temps dip into the single digits, and the snow is falling, we get stir crazy! We have a pretty solid swath of boredom busters we turn to for those days, but sometimes even the boredom busters get old. What do you do then?! How do you refresh the ideas???
There is a big movement in my area to shop locally and support small business over the chain stores. So in the spirit of trying to shop local, we visited a local apothecary that has the most amazing soaps, lotions, and bath fizz. More expensive for sure because you are supporting a small business (and a family!), but those are great for gifts and wonderful for a little self-indulgence. I think the tub is a great place to reset your mind (ah, a little reverie of days when I would enjoy a bath).
I love supporting small business, but for weekly tub play, I do not have the means to spend up to $8 per bath fizz for the kids’ entertainment. Those are saved for gifts and occasions! (and 100% they would not appreciate the moisturizing properties of a luxury bath fizz!)
So an idea is born!
This activity takes about 15 minutes of prep and overnight to set, but makes weeks of tub time entertainment! So a small bit of planning is needed for this one in terms of supplies, but once you have them, you can make so many batches! Involve the kids in the prep too. Getting them involved in the start to finish of an activity makes them more invested! And my kids L.O.V.E. mixing!
Things To Use:
- 1 cup Citric Acid
- 1 cup Baking Soda
- ½ cup Cornstarch
- ½ cup Coconut Oil (warmed)
- 6-8 drops Lavender essential oil (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
- Muffin tray
- 1 Mixing bowl & spoon
- Small spray bottle
- Small figurines/toys (optional)
In my research into bath fizz DIY, the overwhelming consensus is that citric acid is needed to make the best fizz reaction. Otherwise, there is hardly a reaction when the bath fizz drops into the tub; it’s more of a plunk. And no one wants to waste prep time for a lame fizz!
The Recipe:
- To start, mix your dry ingredients together in a medium bowl (citric acid, baking soda, cornstarch), and set off to the side.
- Next, mix your wet ingredients together in a small bowl or just add to the sprayer and swirl, which is what I did (coconut oil, essential oil).
- Take the sprayer and mist the dry ingredients while stirring in with a spoon. The key is to not soak the dry ingredients. You will notice if your technique is too strong; small white fizzing may start. Just adjust to mixing more while spraying less. The mixture (smelling oh so calming) should look like this. A bit crumbly, like a damp dry mix almost.
- Now you could add food coloring (only a couple of drops) if you wanted to change the color of the water. I suggest separating the batch into a few smaller ones so you can have a few batches of different color bath fizz.
- Once you’ve added and stirred the colors you want, press a spoonful or two of the mix into each muffin cup.We used a mini-muffin pan this go around, and the Mickey toys I wanted to add are way too big. I’m just trying to supply a fun little surprise for after the fizz wears out!
- Let set overnight! Save the extras in an airtight container or plastic bag for use over the next few weeks!
This is the final product as we let ours set overnight. Yes, the kids tried to scoop the mix into the mini-muffin cups, it was amusing until we lost mix to the floor, the chairs, the table…per my usual, wipes were on standby! I have no action shots of the bath fizz – my tub is ancient and biscuit color, not the most pleasing thing to photograph! Another DIY project for another month!
Tomorrow morning, your bath fizz will be set and ready to use!
Enjoy the fizz,
Jules
P.S. Using the sprayer is so important! Three failed attempts at strategizing on how not to venture to the store for the $1 travel size spray bottle, and I relented. Sprinkling, drizzling, etc. did not work. It caused the fizz reaction while mixing, which left no fizz reaction for the tub. I hate waste, and it delayed the bath fizz fun!
P.P.S. I washed the kids hair before adding the bath fizz; the coconut oil can make their hair a little oily, although it moisturizes skin without feeling greasy!
New England Niche 