My plan
Fun Littles

Fun and easy kids activities

Sudsy Goop

Jul 14, 201351,972 views
Messy Play
Sensory Activities : Sudsy Goop Save
goop soap Save
sensory fun Save
sensory patting Save
good old oobleck Save
adding kool aid Save
scratching Save

by TurkeyMom in Messy Play

Ages2–8 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessHigh
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Mix sudsy body-wash water into cornstarch until it reaches a pancake-batter consistency, then color and scent it with food color and Kool-Aid. The result is a bubbly, squishy goop that still behaves like regular oobleck.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Not taste-safe: this goop contains soap (body wash or baby wash). It smells like lemonade from the Kool-Aid, so remind kids not to taste it and supervise mouthing toddlers closely.
  • Soap can sting eyes. The author suggests baby wash to keep it tear free. Keep goopy hands away from faces and rinse eyes with water if needed.
  • Supervise sensory play at all times.
  • Spilled goop is slippery. Wipe up drips on hard floors right away.
  • Food color and Kool-Aid can stain hands, clothes and surfaces.

Before the kids arrive

  • Cover the play area or set the tub where spills are easy to clean, and dress kids in old clothes (or as little clothing as possible for toddlers).

Steps

  1. Squirt a few squirts of body wash or baby wash into a bowl of water and swish to make sudsy water.

  2. Put cornstarch in a bowl or tub.

  3. Pour the sudsy water into the cornstarch and mix. Kids can do the mixing too!

  4. Stop mixing when it looks like pancake batter.

  5. Add yellow food color and a packet of pink lemonade Kool-Aid for color and scent.

  6. Want more goop? Add more cornstarch and soapy water and pour it into the play tub.

  7. Squish the soapy goop with your hands.

  8. Scratch it with your fingers and make marks.

  9. Pat it and pop the bubbles.

  10. Pick it up and watch it drip: it feels solid when you squeeze it and runs like a liquid when you let go.

Tips

  • Adding sudsy water to cornstarch gives a different consistency than regular goop. Stop mixing when you get a pancake-like batter.from the author
  • Match the Kool-Aid flavor with the body wash scent. Next time I'd add lemon Kool-Aid and a body wash with lemon essence.from the author
  • To keep it tear free you can always use baby wash.from the author
  • Add lavender fragrance to calm down, or maybe lemon or orange to make play time exciting and fun.from the author
  • My toddler was in sensory heaven with this one. I can't say enough about the scent: Kool-Aid plus baby wash!from the author
  • The best part is that the soapy goop is bubbly and squishy but still behaves like regular goop.from the author
  • Use powdered paint for color if you don't want it to stain.from readers
  • A teacher found it a hot mess to clean up with 3rd-5th graders. Dress a toddler in as little clothing as possible.from readers

Make it your own

  • Use lemon Kool-Aid with a lemon-scented body wash for a matching lemon goop.
  • Add lavender fragrance for a calming goop, or lemon or orange for an exciting one.
  • Make several colors for a rainbow goop (see the author's Rainbow Goop post).
  • Let the leftover goop dry and revive it for another play session (see the author's 'Reviving Soapy Goop' post).

Questions readers asked

What is goop?

Goop (oobleck) is a non-Newtonian fluid. It acts like a solid when pressure is applied, like holding and squeezing it, and like a liquid when left alone.

How is sudsy goop different from regular goop?

Using soapy water instead of plain water gives a different, bubbly, pancake-batter consistency, but it still behaves like regular goop.

How is the cleanup?

The post doesn't cover cleanup. A teacher replied that it's a hot mess to clean up with 3rd-5th graders and suggested having a toddler in as little clothing as possible.

Will it stain?

Food color and Kool-Aid can stain. A reader suggests powdered paint for color if you don't want staining.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · July 2013
soap water goop
I added the soapy water and cornstarch and kept mixing them together until I got the right consistency. I even had my toddler do the mixing for extra fun.
1 / 9

Sudsy Goop: the original post

You all know how to make oobleck/goop. Just in case you are not aware of this wonderful play compound, goop is a non-Newtonian fluid which acts like a solid when pressure is applied ( holding and playing) and acts as a liquid when left alone. Check out our Rainbow Goop post to see how we made play time more fun. For more sensory activities visit our category page. That particular day my 2.5 year old toddler was demanding bubbles and oobleck. So that’s what we did. I added a few squirts of body wash and made sudsy water and added that to cornstarch.

  • Make soapy water with a few squirts of body wash or baby wash
  • Add sudsy water to cornstarch
  • Mix until you get a batter like consistency.
  • Add Food Color or Kool-aid for added color/scent

soap water goop I added the soapy water and cornstarch and kept mixing them together until I got the right consistency. I even had my toddler do the mixing for extra fun. Adding sudsy water to cornstarch gave us a different consistency than regular goop.

adding kool aid We got a pancake like batter and that’s when I stopped mixing. I added yellow food color with the plan of making a lemon goop. To give it more zing I added a whole packet of pink lemonade Kool-Aid and it smelt delicious. Kool-Aid is a drink mix readily available on Amazon. (Refer to links to the materials used at the bottom of the post)

goop soap

Since my toddler wanted more goop, I added more cornstarch and soapy water and let her have a go at it.

playing with goop

Our sudsy goop looked beautiful and smelt wonderful!

soap water oobleck

She squished the soapy goop.

sensory fun

She scratched and made marks.

scratching

and patted..

sensory patting The best part was that the soapy goop in addition to being bubbly and squishy, behaved like regular goop.

good old oobleck We stopped to pop the bubbles and were playing with it just like plain old goop. Sensory activities are great for children to both calm down and explore and learn. Add lavender fragrance to calm down and may be lemon or orange to make play time exciting and fun. TIP: Next time I’d add Lemon Kool -Aid and add a body wash with lemon essence. Generally match the Kool aid flavor with the matching body wash. To keep it tear free you can always add baby wash.

But, that’s not all. Come back tomorrow and see our “life after goop” post.

Thanks for reading.

Check out our rainbow goop colorful goop oobleck

sensory activities dry goop

;

What readers say

💬 11 comments ✍️ 3 answered by the author 🍎 tried with 1 classes or groups

🍎 In the classroom

Messy cleanup with 3rd-5th graders

A reader who made goop with 3rd, 4th and 5th graders warns cleanup is a big mess. For a toddler, she'd use as little clothing as possible.

“its a hot mess to clean up with 3,4,5 graders. I'd for sure have the toddler in as little clothing as possible.”
Patti Gosse-Gram, Jul 2021

✨ Readers' twist

Powdered paint to avoid stains

A reader suggests coloring the goop with powdered paint instead of food color or Kool-Aid if you want to avoid staining.

“If you don't want it to stain, use powdered paint for color :)”
txags, Jul 2013

🎉 Worked for us

Simple twist on classic goop

A reader loved how adding soapy water gives classic oobleck a simple new twist, and planned to try it soon.

“Such a simple twist on a classic, and it looks amazing!”
Allison, Jul 2013

Tried it?

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

Read all 11 comments

  1. Kimberly Ray · Jul 2025

    How would the goop do with my pre-k guys? I was thinking of making it, but I also have to consider the cleanup. It does look like fun to make and play with.

  2. Patti Gosse-Gram · Jul 2021 · replying to Beth

    its a hot mess to clean up with 3,4,5 graders. I'd for sure have the toddler in as little clothing as possible.

  3. Beth · Jun 2014

    I've never played with goop before and just want to know before making it with my toddler: how is the cleanup? Does it wash off, peel off, do I have to bathe her afterwards... etc. :)

  4. TurkeyMomAuthor · Aug 2013 · replying to Kelly Innes (@domesticgoddesq)

    Thanks Kelly Innes. My toddler was in sensory heaven with this one.. I can't say enough about the scent- Kool Aid+ baby wash!

  5. jackie · Jul 2013

    Your goop recipes are awesome!!! Love the intense colours! I can't believe we haven't made goop here. Putting your goop on my MUST DO list for next fall!

  6. TurkeyMomAuthor · Jul 2013 · replying to Vanessa Hancock (@HancockVanessa)

    Thanks Vanessa..

  7. TurkeyMomAuthor · Jul 2013 · replying to Allison

    Thanks Allison! You are very kind :)

  8. txags · Jul 2013

    If you don't want it to stain, use powdered paint for color :)

  9. Allison · Jul 2013

    I LOVE this! Such a simple twist on a classic, and it looks amazing! I want to try it soon. Great photos and great idea. :)

Similar activities

1-Ingredient Edible Rainbow Slime

40 min2–6 yrs

Lemon Suds Eruptions

40 min2–7 yrs

Colorful Rainbow Oobleck

45 min2–6 yrs

Homemade Rocks and Gems

40 min4–8 yrs
🛒 Materials