Exploring Textures with Shaving Cream

Suggested Supplies:

• a can of cheap shaving cream
• a plastic comb
• plastic cards (credit card sized) - great for scraping
• a wet washcloth
• a towel
• it helps to do this project near a sink for easier clean up

Some ground rules:

• The shaving cream has to stay on your hands.  
• You may not put shaving cream in your hair or on your clothes, nor on your brother's hair or clothes.  
• You may not put it on your face.  Be careful not to touch your face while you are playing with your shaving cream.  (It really burns if it gets in the eyes.)

I just put a little pile in front of each of them and let them explore.  At first, they were a little freaked out by the texture and wanted me to get it off of them NOW.  I encouraged them to keep trying it, rubbing their hands on the table, squishing it, showed them how to scrape it up and make little designs in it and they were quickly engrossed.  I just LOVE the looks of concentration in this picture:

It was a successful experience!

If you want to expand upon it, you can have your kids draw shapes or letters.  I just let them explore this time.  I tried not to talk to them too much.  Sometimes mama's talking is just distracting them from the learning they are trying to do.  :)

I got the idea for the activity from this book:

101 Answers to the Summertime, "Mom, I'm Bored" Blues

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