Sarrah Morose

LEI 4724
Activity File 22
Activity Title: Soapy Paint
Citation: How Learning to Paint Benefits Children. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://raisingsmallsouls.com/how-learning-to-paint-benefits-children/
Educating Autism Art and Creativity to Engage an Autistic Child in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved
March 11, 2016, from http://the-art-of-autism.com/educating-autism-art-and-creativity-to-engage-anautistic-child-in-the-classroom/
Robertson, T., & Long, T. (2008). Foundations of therapeutic recreation. Champaign, IL.: Human Kinetics.
Fowler, S., & Fowler, S. (2007). Sensory stimulation: Sensory-focused activities for people with physical
and multiple disabilities. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Equipment: Warm water, hot water, food coloring, soap flakes, mixing container, electric whisk, power
box, switches, white and black construction paper/card, masking tape, essences/fragrances, cotton wool
balls, Formica table.
Activity description: This is a sensory activity that is used to purposefully have fun with toddlers and
children of all ages. This activity can enhance social skills and cognitive skills; provide tactile, olfactory,
visual experience, as well as develop the brain. It can also decrease stress in children (raising small souls,
2016). It can also encourage imagination and creativity, learning about person-object engagement, learning
to think with an open mind, opportunity to express likes and dislikes, and an opportunity to develop
decision-making skills. In order to complete this activity, the activity leader will tell the participants about
the following steps.
1. Participants sit together around a table in groups of 4.
2. Each person gets a soap flakes
3. Leader dissolves soap flakes in warm water and passes it around for participants to see.
4. Leader puts the essences/fragrances onto a cotton ball and passes it around for participants to
smell
5. Leader pour cup of water into a container, add soap flakes and coloring, whisk by using the
electric whisk, power box and switch, until the paint feels like whipped cream.
6. Pass around to let participants feel the warm paint.
7. Allow participants to put essences in the paint.
8. Participants experiment with painting on paper or card with their hands and on table.
9. At the end of activity, participants clean up, talk about the activity, what they like and dislike about
it and whether or not they would like to do it again in the future.
Leadership considerations: In order to safely participate in this activity, activity leader will assess the
participants to determine functional skills. Leader will pay close attention to participants so that they do not
get too close to the hot water to prevent any burn. Leader wants to warn participants to be careful to not
touch their face with the soapy paint to protect their eyes from hurting. Leader wants to warn participants
about tasting the soapy paint to prevent any accident ingesting it. Leader wants to be careful with electric
cord around participants and makes sure everyone is safe. Leader wants to make sure that participants are
careful enough with the soapy pain to not drop it on the floor to prevent slipping and falls. (Fowler, 2007)
Adaptations
Participants with Pervasive Developmental Disorder :Individuals in this population have a neurological
disorder that affects their ability to communicate, understand language, play and relate to others. (Long &
Long, 2008). Activity leader wants to make sure participant understand how to engage in activity by
repeating the steps to participant while demonstrating the act of using soapy paint to color on white paper
or cardboard. Leader wants to pay close attention to participant to make sure participants are engaging in
the activity and doing what the activity demands to do in order to get desired results. Leader wants to make
sure participants are not just focused on one part of the activity and ignore their environment or other parts
of the activity as they tend to have difficulties to relate to others. Leader wants to make sure that

participants are interacting as much as possible and playing with the soapy paint as much as they can. The
benefits of this activity for this population include enhancement in fine motor skills, enhancement in
creativity skills, a sense of control over their own learning experience, opportunity to interact with others
and engage in their environment. (The art of Autism, 2016)
Participants with Antisocial personality disorder :Individuals who are diagnosed
with this disorder tend to behave in ways that violate the rights of others. They often
have difficulties in conforming to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors. They
tend to be aggressive and irritable and often resolve conflicts with fights. (Durand &
Barlow, 2015).When working with individuals in this category, activity leader wants to
be very careful in getting participants to engage in activity without causing damage
to group members or interruptions during activity. Activity leader wants to be gentle
enough to encourage participant to diminish anti social behavior in public. Leader
wants to inform other participants to be gentle towards participants in this category
to prevent aggressiveness and conflicts that may results to violent behavior. When
participating in this activity, participants with antisocial personality disorder may
develop social skills, a sense of belonging, and learn how to manage their disorder
through the art of playing with others. (raising souls, 2016)