Seamus Hammond
Making perfume is a fun activity for kids and can be a great way to introduce them to sensory play and fine motor skills. It is also a fantastic science experiment for children who are curious about scents and fragrances. The process is simple and involves using easily accessible ingredients such as flowers, herbs, fruits, and essential oils. Children can create their own unique perfumes by mixing and matching different scents, and the activity can be made even more exciting by allowing them to design custom labels for their creations. This activity not only provides a fun learning experience but also encourages creativity and exploration of the senses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Activity Type | Sensory, motor skills, science experiment |
| Ingredients | Flowers, herbs, fruits, water, essential oils, food colouring, glitter, vodka, glycerine |
| Equipment | Mason jars, bottles, funnel, scissors, squeeze droppers, stickers, pipettes |
| Scents | Floral, oriental, woody, fresh, citrus, lavender, rose geranium |
| Benefits | Fun, educational, customisable, safe alternative to shop-bought perfumes |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing your base notes
When making perfume at home with kids, choosing your base notes is an important step in the process. Base notes are the fundamental smells in a perfume that give it depth, and they are usually longer-lasting and heavier than top and middle notes. They are the notes that sink into your skin and linger for several hours or even days, depending on the fragrance composition, skin chemistry, and external factors.
To choose your base notes, it's important to understand the different types of base notes available and their unique characteristics. Some common base notes include woody, musky, and earthy scents, such as sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss, and vetiver. These base notes provide an earthy, rich, and warm aroma to the perfume.
Another popular category of base notes includes sweet and nutty scents, such as cocoa, vanilla, and tobacco. These base notes add a decadent, warm, and nuanced aroma to the fragrance. You can also find fruity base notes, like blackberry, which adds a rich and musky scent to the perfume.
When selecting your base notes, consider the overall theme or mood you want to create with your perfume. For example, if you're aiming for a calming and relaxing fragrance, you might choose base notes with lavender or rosemary. Or, if you're looking for something energizing and uplifting, you could opt for citrusy base notes like orange or bergamot.
Additionally, think about the harmony between the top, middle, and base notes. A well-rounded perfume should have a balance of all three layers, creating a fragrance that unfolds beautifully throughout the day. You can experiment with different combinations of notes to find the perfect blend that aligns with your personal scent preferences and creates a captivating aroma.
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Selecting your flowers
Selecting flowers for your perfume is a fun and sensory experience. It is important to choose flowers that are fragrant and will release their scent when plucked, smashed, or torn. Flowers with strong scents include lilacs, plumeria, roses, mint, and rosemary. You can also opt for lavender, which is commonly used in perfumes and can be found in gardens. If you are making perfume with younger children, it is a good idea to pick the flowers yourself and present them in baskets for your children to explore and select from. This way, you can ensure that the flowers are safe for them to handle.
When selecting flowers, it is also important to consider the scent families. Scents can be divided into different categories, such as floral, oriental, woody, and fresh (citrus). Using scents from neighbouring families will create harmony in your perfume. For example, if you choose a floral top note like rose, you might want to select a middle note from the same family, such as rose geranium, or a neighbouring family, like coriander or basil.
In addition to flowers, you can also use dried botanicals in your perfume. These can add an interesting visual element to your creation and are easily sourced from your kitchen. Just be sure to select pleasant-smelling botanicals that your children will enjoy. You don't want any unpleasant surprises in your final product!
Once your children have selected their flowers and any additional ingredients, they can begin to explore the different scents by smelling and evaluating them. This is a great opportunity for them to personalise their perfume and create a unique blend. They can use pipettes or droppers to transfer the liquid into their bottles and watch as their very own perfume comes together.
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Adding fruits and food colouring
To make perfume at home with your kids, you can add fruits and food colouring to water to create a colourful, sweet-smelling concoction.
Adding Fruits
Start by letting your kids choose their favourite fruits. Good options include oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and elderberries. Let them smell each fruit and decide which ones they prefer. If using citrus fruits, assist your kids in cutting or tearing the fruit into small pieces using child-safe scissors. The fruit pieces should be small enough to fit inside a mason jar. You can also let them pluck petals or smash herbs in their hands to release their scent. Some fragrant herbs include mint and rosemary.
Using Food Colouring
Once your kids have chosen their fruits, it's time to add some colour! Fill the mason jars about three-fourths of the way with clear water. Your kids can then add liquid watercolours or pre-mixed bottles of food colouring. They can use squeeze droppers to mix the colours and watch as they dissolve in the water. For an extra touch of sparkle, they can also add some glitter using their fingers or a salt and pepper shaker.
Combining the Ingredients
After adding the food colouring and glitter, it's time to mix everything together. Have your kids gently shake the mason jars or use a small spoon to stir the ingredients. Once the colours and glitter are evenly distributed, secure the caps on the jars and let them sit for about 30 minutes. This allows the ingredients to fuse and the colours to intensify.
Filtering and Bottling
After 30 minutes, it's time to filter and bottle the perfume. Assist your kids in using a funnel to carefully pour the mixture into smaller glass or plastic bottles. The funnel will help filter out larger ingredients, such as fruit pieces and flower petals. Your kids will be left with a sweet-smelling, colourful perfume that they can call their own. Help them choose a fun label to print out and decorate their perfume bottles.
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Using a funnel to bottle your perfume
Once your children have added all the ingredients to their perfume, capped the mason jars, and allowed the ingredients to infuse for 30 minutes, it's time to transfer the perfume to the bottles. This can be done using a funnel. If you are using a funnel, assist your kids in carefully pouring their mixture into smaller glass or plastic bottles. The funnel will filter out the larger ingredients, such as citrus fruits or large pieces of flowers, resulting in a sweet-smelling perfume.
If you don't have a funnel, another option is to use a pipette or a glass eye dropper. This method allows children to control the amount of perfume they transfer to the bottles and can be a great way to practice fine motor skills. They can carefully transfer the liquid into their chosen spray bottle, evaluating how the scent changes with each new addition.
After bottling your perfume, it's important to protect it from light to preserve the fragrance. If you are using clear bottles, cover them with aluminium foil or wrapping paper. Alternatively, you can use coloured glass bottles, which not only protect the perfume but also add a decorative touch. Reusing old bottles is a sustainable option, but be sure to sterilize them in the dishwasher first.
Finally, choose a fun label to complete your custom perfume. You can print custom labels onto sticker template sheets or thick paper. If you use paper, cut out the labels and attach them to the bottles using glue or tape. With their very own custom-designed perfume, your children are sure to feel proud of their creation!
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Designing your label
Choosing a Theme
Start by deciding on a theme for the labels. This could be based on the ingredients used in the perfume, such as floral or citrus themes, or it can be something more fun and imaginative. For example, if your child has used a lot of pink or red flowers and fruits, they could go for a "Princess" or "Love" theme. Or, if they have used a lot of green herbs and citrus fruits, they could go for a "Nature Adventure" or "Jungle" theme.
Selecting Colours and Designs
Let the kids choose their favourite colours and designs for the labels. They can use markers, coloured pencils, or crayons to create their own designs. They can also use stickers, glitter, or other craft supplies to make their labels fun and unique. If you want to print the labels, as mentioned in the sources, you can use thick paper or sticker template sheets.
Adding Text
Help the kids write a name for their perfume and include it on the label. They can also add other text, such as their name, the date they made the perfume, or a fun slogan. For older kids, you can look up the properties of the oils used and include words that describe the mood or effect of the perfume, such as "Calming Blend" or "Energising Spray".
Finalising the Label
Once the kids have finished designing their labels, help them cut them out and attach them to their perfume bottles. They can use glue or tape if they've designed the labels on paper, or they can simply peel and stick the labels if they've used sticker sheets.
Displaying the Perfume
After the perfume bottles are labelled, set them up on a display for the kids to admire. This can be a simple shelf or a special box where they can store their creations. They will love showing off their custom-made perfumes to their friends and family!
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