This week I wanted to talk to several artists and artisans to help us with ideas to stimulate creativity of our children Today we are going to interview Carmen Baker, soap artisan.
TO the artisan Carmen Baker I have known her for years and I am a client of her Aquarian artisan soap shop.
The point is that my son made a workshop of artisan soaps with her and I was fascinated by how this material can stimulate creativity, aesthetic sensibility, the senses and also help children to better understand issues of Natural Sciences and Physics. I loved it and had a long time to tell you about this craft craft activity that we enjoyed so much. Surely your children love it too.
Are artisan soaps a valid craft option with children?
Whenever they work with innocuous materials, of course. It would be best to make all kinds of soaps in glycerin, with food colors and fragrances. And obviously, we must rule out making soaps with soda.
From what ages can we propose this type of crafts?
I do not like to put ages, because each child is different and that will depend on the abilities, skills and demands that the child has. We might consider appropriate to make glycerin soaps from the age of five.
Of course, it is an activity that does not involve significant risks but where the accompaniment of an adult is required as a guide. Ideally, this activity should be done together, parents and children at the same time.
Is it possible to learn to do it at home?
Of course it is possible to do this activity at home. Also, right now I am working on the development of online tutorials to make soap at home. There will be several manuals and tutorials, but one of these tutorials will be intended for parents who wish to perform different activities and crafts with their children. They will learn to make glycerin soaps with fun shapes, to paint and draw on the soaps, to sculpt the soaps, to make sponges with soap, to prepare pumps and bath salts. There are many possibilities and I hope to open my tutorials for children soon.
What precautions should be followed?
When making soaps with harmless materials, there are few precautions to follow. The only precaution to take into account would be when the glycerin is in a liquid state. As it reaches high temperature and it would be convenient for an adult to manipulate the material in that process to prevent the child from burning.
What senses stimulates this type of artisan work?
Working with soap stimulates many senses. On the one hand we stimulate the physical aspects: sight, smell and touch. All the senses are put to work together and the result is an explosion of sensations.
Is it also an activity that can be used to learn?
Of course. We help the child's cognitive development through creativity and imagination.
But it is even we introduce children to a laboratory of natural and physical sciences. They can learn to observe how a matter can change from a liquid state to a solid state and vice versa, or how pigments and aromas mix with matter. Of course, this world is surprising and fascinating for a child.
Does creativity have a place in this type of crafts with children?
Creativity not only has a place, it is indispensable.
What do you like most about working with artisan soaps?
The little ones what they like the most is that they have been involved in soap making. They feel self-sufficient and give a lot of value to that work. It reinforces their self-esteem and motivation. In addition, this activity helps create an environment of ideal coexistence between parents and children. Then bathing with the soaps you have made gives a lot of play, including making soap bubbles. That fascinates them.
We thank the artisan Carmen Panadero the time she has dedicated to us in this interview about what soap making Artesando offers children and I hope you enjoy doing them with your children at home.
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