Teaching Kids

Classrom

Cub Scouts

Fair

Introduction

One goal of the Tri-Valley Carvers of Pleasanton, CA, is to teach carving to kids and show them how much fun it is. Carving soap is a great introduction to the craft, and hopefully, get the kids interested in moving up to carving wood. Eight year olds and up have no problem manipulating the wooden tools and the soap. Children seven and younger will probably need more adult guidance and encouragement.

We have had great success bringing our soap carving program into classrooms and in introducing carving to Cub Scouts. We break the class into small carving groups, each guided by a club member who gives carving tips and step-by-step instructions that will help the new carver be successful. We bring the Ivory soap (4 oz.) and wooden tools made especially for carving soap. Surprisingly, there is very little mess to clean up! They will have a great time trying out the tools and figuring out how to turn a bar of soap into a teddy bear or an owl!

The Tri-Valley Carvers also offer this free soap carving experience to kids who come to the Hobby Building at the Alameda County Fair. Normally, we have over one hundred kids from 5 to 18 and up, who give soap carving a try as well as the parents and grandparents that we can talk into trying it!

Soap Kits

The soap carving kit includes three carving tools made from 1/2” wood dowels – a gouge, knife, and a V-tool – a sheet of patterns, a golf tee to trace the pattern onto the soap, a sheet of helpful tips, a piece of wood to scrape the Ivory logo off the soap, a drop cloth and a bar of 4oz. Ivory soap — all for $8.00, plus shipping.