Beautiful Bath Salt Holiday Gift Jars: Craft Project for Kids

This is a great craft to do with kids. It's fun and teaches them about colors.

Are you looking for something special for your child to give their teacher, grandparents, or favorite neighbor? This easy project makes a great gift for the holidays. There is always somethings special about a gift made by a child.

It involves very little skill and no sharp objects.

It's simple: Epsom salts, food coloring, and a clear glass jar with a lid. All you add is the time and imagination.

These homemade gifts are great for a teacher, grandparent, or aunt.

You can find most of this stuff around the house

You only need a few things to create these beautiful homemade gift jars. You might even find that you have them in the kitchen pantry or the hall cupboard. If you don't have them on hand, check out your local dollar store. You're sure to find most of these items for cheap.

1. Clear jars with lids--These can be mason jars, mayonnaise jars, jelly jars. As long as they are clear, clean, and lidded they will work. If you want to start small, use baby food jars. Be sure to remove labels and the sticky glue residue before starting the project.

2. Epsom salts--Get the largest container and the cheapest kind you can find. Stay away from pre-colored and pre-scented brands.

3. Multicolor food coloring pack--The regular four color package is the best. It comes with the standard colors: red, yellow, blue, and green.

4. Disposable cups--You'll use these to mix the salt with food coloring. You'll need several cups depending on how many different colors you'd like to make. As the cups will be stained with food coloring, use styrofoam, paper, or plastic cups. I've kept cups over multiple projects, so there is no problem reusing them for more gift jars at a later date.

5. Straws or sticks--These will be used to mix colors. They can also be used for making indentations in the salt for designs.

6. Newspaper--You'll need to cover the workspace or you'll have salts and food coloring everywhere.

That's all there is...so let's make our first bath salt jar!

Variety is the spice of life!

This is going to be your child's favorite part of the project!

1. Set up the cups in a line.

2. Pour an equal amount of Epsom salt into each cup.

3. Put two or three drops of one color into a cup.

4. Mix the food coloring in with a straw or stick.

5. Add one or two drops of another color and mix again.

When you are satisfied with the color, set that cup aside, and start on another.

It's good to have several different colors for each jar. No doubt your child will make at least two colors the same (my niece was great at making brownish grey). Try to get several different colors so that the jar will be colorful.

Kids love making a mess

Next, you'll fill the jar with bath salts. You want to pour small amounts that vary in width so that an uneven pattern merges.

1. Take the first cup and pour about an inch of salt in the bottom of the jar.

2. Take the next cup and pour a half an inch.

3. Take the next cup and pour it only on one side.

4. Keep pouring colors. Start over with the first cup when you've gone through all the cups.

5. Gently tap the jar from time to time, so that the salts settle a bit. Don't shake it too hard or you'll mess up the pattern.

6. When the jar is full, put on the lid. You're done!

You can add some designs to your gift jar by using the sticks/straws. When you have a couple of layers poured in the jar, use the stick to make an indentation of an inch or so. This will create a V shape. The next color poured will fill the indentation. Play around with it and you'll come up with some surprising designs.

Epson salt is not just a brand name, it is the actual product.

Epsom salt is really magnesium sulfate. The name Epsom comes from a town in England.

Epsom salt has medicinal purposes, makes a relaxing bath, it's used to ease sore feet, and is used in the garden.

My Niece made this jar when she was 5 years old. I assisted when needed--to prevent the creation of more brownish grey salt. For the most part she did this on her own.

You can dress it up by gluing a ribbon to the lid or adding some lace around the edge.

This one has been lovingly displayed by her Grandma for the last 10 years. And, you know Grandma can't pass up a homemade gift from one of the grandkids!