How to Make Laundry Soap Balls

Prairie Laundry: Making Soap Balls for a Little House on the Prairie Unit Study

One of the joys of homeschooling is the freedom to bring history to life through meaningful, hands-on experiences. During our Little House on the Prairie Unit Study, we explored an often-overlooked but essential part of pioneer life: Prairie Laundry. In this post, I’ll be showing you how to make laundry soap balls and washing up soap balls.

Catch Up! If you haven’t read all about our first week on the prairie, I would encourage you to go and read my Little House in the Big woods post. This covers everything we did from making nightdresses, to prairie cooking and making button strings. It also gives you a good idea of everything we achieved with our own little house on the prairie renovations!

This simple project allowed even the youngest children to participate while learning an important life skill from the 1800s—how families kept clothes and dishes clean long before modern detergents. By making laundry soap balls and washing up soap balls, our homeschool lesson blended history, practical skills, and sensory play in a memorable way.

Prairie Laundry in the 1800s: A Homeschool History Lesson

In the 1800s, washing clothes and dishes was labor-intensive. Soap was commonly made from lye and animal fat, then shaped into small balls or chunks. These soap balls were dropped into water, where they slowly dissolved and helped remove dirt and grease.

While making soap from scratch is fascinating, it can be time-consuming and tricky, especially in a busy homeschool. Thankfully, we found a perfect shortcut that still honoured historical accuracy while keeping the project kid-friendly.

Check out week two! Last week we focused on Farmer Boy. This is the second book in the Little House on the Prairie book set. During the week we did lots of prairie cooking (hasty pudding, making a sour dough starter and some prairie bread) and also made some button lamps, a prairie ladder, and some peg hooks. Gary and the little ones did some gardening in our prairie garden and we tried to make some more of our rag rug.

Our Homeschool Approach to Laundry Soap Balls

A year ago, we made traditional soap using lye and fats. Although it worked well, it wasn’t pretty enough for gifts. However, it turned out to be perfect for this summer’s Little House on the Prairie Unit Study.

By repurposing those soap bars, we skipped the complicated soap-making step and focused instead on how pioneer families actually used their soap.

Full Instructions: How to Make Prairie Laundry Soap Balls

Materials Needed

• Plain homemade or natural bar soap (no heavy fragrances)
• Cheese grater
• Large bowls
• Boiling water
• Spoon
• Parchment paper or trays
• Jars or containers for storage

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Grate the Soap
   Grate the soap bars using a cheese grater until you have fine shavings.
2. Divide the Soap Shavings
   Split the grated soap into two equal portions. (Save one half for a future hand soap project.)
3. Add Boiling Water
   Place the first half of the shavings into bowls. Slowly pour boiling water over the soap until it softens into a thick, moldable paste.
4. Mix Carefully
   Use a spoon to stir until combined. Let it cool slightly so little hands can safely work with it.
5. Form Soap Balls
   Give each child their own bowl. Have them roll the mixture into small balls—just like pioneer families did.
6. Dry the Soap Balls
   Place the soap balls on parchment paper or trays and leave them to dry for several days until firm.
7. Store and Label
   Once dry, package the soap balls into jars. Label one jar for Prairie Laundry and another for dishes to create a Little House kitchen display.

How We Used Our Soap Balls in Our Homeschool

These laundry soap balls and washing up soap balls became part of our pretend-play Little House kitchen. Later, we’ll use them in practical demonstrations, washing small cloths and dishes the pioneer way.

The second half of the soap shavings will be used next week for a fun homeschool hand soap-making project, extending the learning even further.

Check out week three! We focused on The Little House on the Prairie. This is the third book in the Little House on the Prairie book set. During the week we did some of prairie cooking (soda biscuits) and also made some curtains, hay sticks and a hammock net. Gary and the little ones did some gardening in our prairie garden and we tried to make some more of our rag rug.

Hands-On Extension Ideas for Your Homeschool

• Wash doll clothes or cloth napkins using the soap balls
• Compare modern detergent with pioneer soap (observation only)
• Keep a “Prairie Chores” checklist for a day
• Create a Little House kitchen or laundry room dramatic play area
• Journal the process with drawings or photos

Reflection Questions for Homeschool Students

1. Why do you think laundry was such an important chore on the prairie?
2. How is washing clothes today different from pioneer times?
3. What skills did children need to learn to help their families?
4. How did making soap at home help pioneer families survive?
5. What modern conveniences are you most thankful for after this lesson?

Week four we focused on ‘On the Banks of Plum Creek’ and the children learnt about herbal medicine, stained a rocking chair for the corner of the house, made some baskets and began a productive Little House vegetable garden. And lastly, we made some home-made yogurt and a blueberry pie.

Why This Project Works So Well for Homeschool

This activity naturally integrates:

• History
• Life skills
• Fine motor development
• Family teamwork
• Imaginative play

It’s a perfect fit for a Little House on the Prairie Unit Study and an easy way to make history tangible for homeschool students of all ages.

Last week, we focused on By the Shores of the Silver Lake. We made signs for over the front door and inside the cottage, wove our own baskets, Thomas began building a stove for the cottage, made some molasses popcorn balls and a very tasty prairie chicken with home grown green beans.