Foam Marbled Paper

What you need

• Plate or tray, 1 tray with sides
• Food coloring, a few drops per color, or watery paint
• Paper, several pieces of card stock
• Clear cups, 3 or 4 for colored water
• Shaving cream, 1 can
• Ruler, 1
• Toothpicks, a few, or a fork
• Paper towels, a few
• Spoon, 1, or a dropper
• Water, 2 tablespoons per cup
• Newspaper, a few sheets, or a wipeable cloth
• Kid scissors, 1 pair, for bookmarks (optional)

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Cover the table with newspaper or a wipeable cloth and have a roll of paper towels and a bowl of soapy water nearby. Shaving cream and food coloring stay away from eyes and mouths, and food coloring can stain.

1. Squirt a thick, fluffy layer of shaving cream into the tray.
2. Smooth the foam flat with the ruler.
3. Drip colors all over the foam, like tiny rainbow raindrops.
   Ask: What do you think will happen when we swirl the colors together?
4. Swirl the colors with a toothpick or fork into stripes, feathers or spirals.
5. Press a piece of card stock flat onto the foam.
6. Lift the paper and lay it color side up on the table.
   Ask: Can you see the swirls that jumped onto your paper?
7. Scrape off the foam with the ruler to reveal your marbled design.
8. Smooth the tray, add new colors, and make more sheets. Turn them into cards or bookmarks!
   Ask: Which pattern is your favorite, and what will you make with your papers?

Play it again

• Color mix: use only two colors and see what new shades appear where they meet.
• Pattern challenge: swirl only in spirals, then only in zigzags, and compare the prints.
• Gift shop: turn your dried papers into cards, bookmarks and wrapping for presents.