How to make Fluffy Soap Foam for Sensory Play

Soap foam is such a fun and easy sensory play recipe to mix up. It can be whizzed up in minutes using only 2 ingredients, water and washing up liquid (dish soap), and it feels so soft and fun to play with. What's even better is that soap foam can be made in any colour of the rainbow just by adding a little food colouring. Playing with soap foam is such a fun sensory play experience for toddlers and preschoolers (and big kids too!) that is suitable for both outdoor or indoor sensory play.

How to make Fluffy Soap Foam for Sensory Play




Mix up one colour of soap foam or make several batches in different colours.  Whatever you decide to do the kids are sure to have fun! Add extra interest to this sensory play activity by including a selection of scoops, whisks, containers or mini figures for your little one to bring into their play.

The easiest way to make soap foam is using a food mixer,  you can make a batch of soap foam in about a minute! If you don't have a food mixer it isn't a problem as you can use a hand mixer instead, it just takes a little longer.

If your child enjoys making and playing with this soap foam they might also like to play with sand foam. Sand foam has a different texture to explore that is just as fun! 

If you are looking for more fun ideas then check out our list of 25 fun messy play ideas



Soap Foam Recipe and Sensory Play



soap foam sensory play


How to make Soap Foam


Soap Foam Supplies:



  • Dish Soap (washing up liquid) or bubble bath
  • 1 Cup of Water
  • Food Colouring
  • Food Processor


Soap Foam Recipe


STEP 1: Add ingredients to food processor.


Making soap foam is really easy, simply pour one cup of water into a food processor and then add a squirt of dish soap. If you want to make coloured soap foam add a drop or two of food colouring at this stage.

TIP: You need about one squirt of soap foam per cup of water, but this isn't exact. Have fun playing around with the amount of dish soap and water you add until you get a soft fluffy foam you are happy with. Some sensory play activities are better with a firmer soap foam whilst others are better with a more runny soap foam.

soap foam recipe



STEP 2: Whizz up soap foam.


Put the lid on your food processor and whizz up your water and dish soap until is becomes a fluffy foam. You want your foam to be firm and fluffy.

How to make soap foam



STEP 3: Spoon soap foam into play tray.


Now your soap foam is ready spoon it into a play tray and invite your little one to have fun learning, playing and exploring with their soap foam.

The soap foam stays fluffy for about half an hour so it's important not to prepare it too far ahead of when you would like to do this activity.


Soap foam sensory play for toddlers and preschoolers


under the sea soap foam sensory play


Soap Foam Sensory Play



ocean soap foam sensory play


Soap Foam Play Supplies:



  • Small play tray
  • Whisks, scoops, small plastic containers
  • Mini plastic figures

Soap Foam Sensory Play Ideas


Whilst playing with soap foam is a fun sensory play activity by itself, creating small worlds using soap foam as the base can add to the fun. We decided to set up an ocean full of sharks, but any theme could work.

foam sensory play

If going for an ocean theme you could extend this even further by adding a selection of different underwater creatures as well as some shells and even a treasure chest! (You could also use your ocean animals to create an ocean sensory bin using different base materials).

shark sensory play

Other fun themes to try could be creating a duck pond with plastic ducks and pieces if nature, setting up a letter or number hunt or making rainbow soap foam. You could use coloured soap foam alongside a play tea set so little ones can serve up a soap foam cup of tea or a yummy soap foam treat!

Adding more than one coloured foam creates an interesting effect and could even introduce children to the idea of colour mixing. We used blue and white soap foam to create our ocean effect.

soap foam sensory play for toddlers and preschoolers

Kids just love tipping, pouring and scooping! Soap foam is perfect for this, just provide a few whisks, scoops and small plastic containers along side your soap foam and invite the kids create their own fun!

soap foam sensory bin

soap foam messy play tray

Enjoy making and playing with your own batch of fluffy soap foam! Soap foam sensory play is so much fun!

How to make soap foam fo sensory play. An easy sensory play recipe for toddlers and preschoolers.


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