"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever." ~ Author Unknown
The precious third-graders Joe and I teach in Bible class love to do creative projects. Last Mother's Day we made these watercolor mugs. That was a great craft, but we completed it in stages over several weeks. This year, I wanted to plan an activity that we could do in one class period. Making a sugar scrub was the perfect solution!
I packed a picnic basket with all the essentials we would need for slipping into the church kitchen to make Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub after our Bible lesson. I was so excited about making this with our kids, I literally dreamed about it all night!
Class Supplies Needed
Aprons
8-ounce Quilted Crystal Jelly Jars
Small mixing bowls
Measuring cups
Tablespoons
Sugar
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Scrapbook paper
2" round scallop-edged paper punch
Glue stick
Ruffle ribbon
Scissors
Spoons
For the sake of time, I punched scalloped circles of scrapbook paper and cut strips of ribbon before class. But I knew the kids would want to do as much of the project as possible, so we set aside time for each student to don an apron, measure and mix the sugar scrub, transfer the mixture to a jelly jar, and finish off the presentation with a ribbon and tag. In our congregation's large kitchen, I set up four stations, which kept the children engaged throughout our "field trip."
Sugar-Scrub Stations
Mix It Up: Having two mixing bowls allowed me to work with the students in pairs. Each donned an apron, and I stood between them as they measured and mixed ingredients. Then they transferred their scrubs to a jelly jar.
Clean It Up: At the sink, Joe then helped the kids rinse their hands and wipe away any sugar or oil that had spilled from the jar.
Dress It Up: Next, the kids used a glue stick to attach a scrapbook tag to the top of the jar. Then they tied a ruffle ribbon around the rim and completed the presentation by tucking a wooden spoon under the ribbon.
Write It Up: On the other end of the counter, we spread out cards, crayons and markers. This allowed the kids to make cards for their mothers before and after visiting the other three stations. Joe said our only boy in the class wrote in bold letters this sentimental greeting: "DO NOT EAT THIS OR YOU WILL DIE." Not quite accurate, but I did tell the kids that this scrub, though edible, would probably not taste good. Keep reading for the simple recipe!
Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
In a small mixing bowl, stir together sugar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Transfer mixture to an (8-ounce) jelly jar. Keep salt scrub at room temperature. To use, gently rub a spoonful of mixture over hands to exfoliate. Rinse with warm water, and pat skin dry.
I hope the sweet mommies of our beloved third-graders will enjoy their gifts of pampering!
"Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart." ~ Author Unknown
