Fun Littles

Fun and easy kids activities

Floating Shaving Cream Art

May 11, 20148,757 views
Art Projects
Ages3–6 yrs
Prep5 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessHigh
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Squirt shaving cream onto a shallow container of water, then drip liquid watercolors on with pipettes to make colorful art that floats. When the art is done, kids swirl and mix it for sensory play.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Shaving cream is not taste-safe. Keep it out of mouths and eyes, and wash hands after play.
  • Adult handles the shaving cream can, or closely supervises kids using it.
  • Supervise young children around any container of water at all times.
  • Liquid watercolors can stain hands, clothes and surfaces. Cover the table and dress for mess.
  • Scented shaving cream may bother sensitive skin. Check for skin sensitivities before play.

Steps

  1. Fill a shallow container with water.

  2. Squirt shaving cream onto the water to make lines, squiggles or lumps.

  3. Look at the shaving cream floating on the water! Talk about why it floats.

  4. Drip liquid watercolors onto the shaving cream with pipettes.

  5. Keep adding colors until you are satisfied.

  6. Save your art, or swirl and mix it with the pipette.

  7. Start a new bowl of water and make another floating creation.

  8. When the art is done, stir, swirl and mix it all up for play time.

Tips

  • Barbasol gave us clear, consistent lines if you are keen on making patterns. Dollar Store shaving cream gave us fluffy lumps. Both are fantastic in their own ways.from the author
  • The shaving cream art floats on the water for a long time unless it is disturbed.from the author
  • With my 3.5 year old in charge, our creations mostly turned out as squiggly lines and gorgeous white lumps. Go ahead and create anything beautiful with a can of shaving cream.from the author
  • Add a quick science lesson: look at the shaving cream floating on water!from the author
  • We can't stop with just one color, can we? Start a fresh bowl of water to keep the art going.from the author

Make it your own

  • Save the finished art and start a new one on another bowl of water.
  • Try different color combinations in each bowl, like orange and purple, red, yellow and blue, or blue and green.
  • Use a shaving cream that gives consistent lines, like Barbasol, to make patterns.
  • Turn it into sensory play afterward with lots of stirring, swirling and vigorous mixing.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · May 2014
Art Activities for kids : Floating Art
Art that floats! Easy to create, simple art activities for kids are the best, and this one fits the bill.
1 / 10

Floating Shaving Cream Art: the original post

Art that floats! Easy to create simple art activities for kids are the best and this one fits the bill. Materials

  • Shaving Cream
  • Water in a container
  • Liquid Watercolors
  • Pipettes

Fill up a (preferably) a shallow container with water. Set out a can of shaving cream. Then start creating with the shaving cream.

shaving cream art

Given that my 3.5 year old was the one who was very interested in this art project our creations mostly resulted in squiggly lines and gorgeous white lumps. But you go ahead and create anything beautiful with a can of shaving cream.

We also noticed that Barbasol brand gave us clear, consistent lines if you are keen on making patterns. The following images is from a can of Dollar Store shaving cream which gave us fluffy lumps. Both are fantastic in their own ways. A quick science lesson can also be incorporated. { Look at the shaving cream floating on water!}

Kids art with shaving cream The shaving cream art floats on the water for a long time unless it is disturbed. Then color those gorgeous fluff with liquid water colors dispensed from pipettes. Doesn’t it look beautiful? You can save the art and start a new one on another bowl of water or you can do what we did.

coloring floating art

Let the kid go to town with mixing the art by swirling and mixing. mixing shaving cream art Well we can’t stop with just one color now can we? So we extended the art activity by starting a new bowl of water and created shaving cream art that floated for a long time! KIDS ART with shaving cream (2) Spice up the art with gorgeous colors from liquid watercolors. coloring shaving cream sensory play Until you are satisfied. art projects with shaving cream for kids The other can of shaving cream gave us a consistent lines without breakage. Floating art with shave cream Once the art was done, play time started which involves copious amounts of stirring, swirling and vigorous mixing. play with shaving cream

More kids activities with shaving cream here

Art activities for kids on our category page

Floating art project for kids

What readers say

💬 2 comments

🎉 Worked for us

Shaving cream fans found a new twist

A fellow blogger whose family already loves shaving cream play said they had never made such lovely art with it.

“We love shaving cream play here but we've never made such lovely art with it!”
Emma @ P is for Preschooler, May 2014

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 2 comments
  1. Emma @ P is for Preschooler · May 2014

    How fun! We love shaving cream play here but we've never made such lovely art with it!

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