Scout Spa Day Test: Jello Foot Baths

For our Girl Scout spa party tests, one of the funnest activities but least repeatable with a large group was foot baths and pedicures.

I found this quirky recipe in an old book I had, "Natural Beauty for All Seasons: More Than 250 Simple Recipes and Gift-Giving Ideas for Year-Round Beauty." In it, we found seasonal ideas for homemade spa products - many of them right from the garden. Well, this one wasn't. It was for jiggly foot baths made out of none other than Jello.

How to do make it:

You will need one box of Jello and container per girl. Mix up the Jello with more water than typically called for in the box directions - approximately 4 cups water to a 3 oz. box of Jello - and let set for multiple hours.

Yes, mom dutifully followed the recipe. And we rolled it out to our girls -- outside -- to see what they thought on the hot afternoon.

The verdict:

They loved it. More giggles ensued. They squished and played in the Jello for a long time.

But here's why I wouldn't necessarily do it with a large group:

1. As you can see, it takes 9x13 baking dishes or large tubs. Which means a large organizing effort or buying a lot of unnecessary tubs to pull this off.
2. (Mom answer.) Not the cleanest project to pull off. I foresee Jello all over our meeting space, whether intended or not.
3. The red Jello we bought tinted the girls' feet red for a few days!