Browsing Tag:

kids

  • Babies & Kids, DIY & Recipes

    Easy Homemade Bath Paint Recipe!

    diy bath paint nontoxic easy

    Unleash your inner artist with this easy-peasy homemade bath paint recipe! Soon, you’ll be on your way to creating a beautiful bathtub masterpiece – and best of all, clean-up will be a breeze (you’re welcome, mamas and dadas)!

    INGREDIENTS:

    DIRECTIONS:

    1. In a saucepan, whisk cornstarch, water, and soap together until it dissolves and appears pasty.
    2. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir constantly to ensure a smooth consistency.
    3. Lower the heat and continue to stir until the mixture becomes gel-like.
    4. Scoop mixture into airtight containers. Then, add desired food coloring to each and stir. Baby food jars work great – we used these by OXO. If you’d like to make just 1 paint color, you can add the food coloring directly to the saucepan.

    Store any leftover paint in an airtight container and stir well prior to each use as the paint will separate a bit. Happy Painting!


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    Full Disclaimer and Disclosure here.

  • Babies & Kids, DIY & Recipes

    100 Fun (& Free) Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer

    Are you looking for a dose of inspirational fun this summer? Make the most of the season by cycling these creative activities into your routine!

    1. Plant your own vegetable garden and flowers!
    2. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
    3. Fill a pool with water balloons or have a water balloon toss competition.
    4. Create a ‘mud kitchen’.
    5. Wash the car.
    6. Create your own ‘Twister’ game using chalk or paint.
    7. Build a garden tee-pee or willow fort.
    8. Camp in the backyard. We love this ‘flame retardant-free’ tent option!
    9. Build a sandcastle (with the best sand toys ever!)
    10. Host a tea party.
    11. Use paint to stamp your family’s hand prints on a canvas board!
    12. Draw with chalk. And write inspirational messages for all to see!
    13. Write your own storybook and create your own illustrations.
    14. Host a campfire & snack on s’mores.
    15. Play with Walking Cups and flip them over for more open-ended uses.
    16. Ride a scooter – my kiddo loves zipping around on this one.
    17. Create a giant sized memory matching game with paper plates.
    18. Decorate your bike & parade down the street.
    19. Bury a time capsule.
    20. Decorate rocks and hide them around your yard.
    21. Fly a kite! This is our favorite brand.
    22. Play mini golf in the yard.
    23. Play croquet.
    24. Complete a puzzle.
    25. Build with magnetic Tegu Blocks.
    26. Make your own fairy garden.
    27. Make a bird feeder. Don’t forget to paint it!
    28. Paddle a canoe or kayak.
    29. Curl up with a new book in your favorite hammock!
    30. Clean out your closets and see what cool things you’ll find!
    31. Try yoga or a DIY fitness class. Take turns being the ‘instructor’.
    32. Play badminton.
    33. Play with bubbles. Best bubbles for only $2 and they’re non-toxic!
    34. Make your own slime.
    35. Picnic at a local park or in your backyard.
    36. Light up the night and go on a flashlight adventure!
    37. Make homemade popsicles. These molds will last a lifetime and are a great non-toxic, eco-friendly version!
    38. Bake homemade cookies (on stainless steel trays, of course!)
    39. Make edible ‘Dirt Pudding’ or simply bake a cake and decorate it!
    40. Go bike riding or rollerblading.
    41. Host a luau! Think: Hawaiian food, dress, and music!
    42. Jump in puddles! We love these boots for rain or snow – they’re ACTUALLY natural rubber unlike many other brands.
    43. Enjoy an at-home spa day! Let your little one do a ‘makeover’ using non-toxic nail polish like this one!
    44. Play in the sprinkler.
    45. Swim in the pool. Add freshly picked flowers for some natural fun.
    46. See how many creative uses you can come up with using open-ended silks.
    47. Create an obstacle course – indoors or out.
    48. Make your own wind chime using items from your home.
    49. Reuse cardboard boxes – create a marble run, fort, or play furniture!
    50. Create homemade musical instruments.
    51. Sing karaoke.
    52. Adopt a pet.
    53. Dye a t-shirt.
    54. Play ‘I-Spy’!
    55. Catch fireflies.
    56. Try a new sport.
    57. Use a water table for sensory fun! Try adding pebbles, sand, dirt, oatmeal, rice, beans, coffee, or pasta!
    58. Paint outside – easy clean-up!
    59. Pick berries at a local orchard or grow your own!
    60. Visit the beach.
    61. Explore a park.
    62. Go on a treasure hunt.
    63. Go horseback riding.
    64. Shop the local Farmer’s Market.
    65. Explore a local forest or pond.
    66. Build a fort.
    67. Visit a zoo.
    68. Gaze at stars!
    69. Go fishing.
    70. Visit a farm.
    71. Volunteer.
    72. Watch a movie outdoors.
    73. Photography Day! Let your kiddo take ‘instant pictures’ of your fun-filled day with this camera. Create a memory box or collage.
    74. Make your own pizza. Yum.
    75. Squeeze your own lemonade and setup a lemonade stand.
    76. Go on a nature walk. Collect the most unique rocks, leaves, and flowers you can find.
    77. See how many creative uses you can find for a jump rope (Example: tent building, pulley, etc.)
    78. Make your own window art.
    79. Create DIY play dough.
    80. Make a DIY swing for the outdoors – customize it to your liking!
    81. Create your own scrapbook.
    82. Create a DIY dream catcher.
    83. Make your own friendship bracelets.
    84. Make a ribbon twirler wand.
    85. Press flowers and create a collage.
    86. Host your own puppet show.
    87. Conduct your own science experiments.
    88. Make your own rock candy.
    89. Create DIY edible finger paint.
    90. Create your own ‘Family Olympics’ Day.
    91. Host a bean bag toss competition.
    92. Make your own paper beads.
    93. Create personalized jewelry using noodles, string, and paint.
    94. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner outside to change up the scenery! Choose a different theme for each meal and dress the part!
    95. Play ‘ghost-in-the-grave-yard’.
    96. Visit your local library.
    97. Freeze toys in a bucket or Legos in ice cube trays.
    98. Host a dance party.
    99. Create a ‘naturescape’ in your backyard!
    100. Use your imagination and get creative!!!!

    Most of all enjoy time with those you love! Happy Summer!

    Looking for outdoor favorites? Check out our favorite non-toxic toys on our Amazon Storefront!

    This post contains some affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

  • Clean Living

    Plastic: Why I Avoid It As Much As Possible

    plastic, waste, pollution, recycle

    Plastic is EVERYWHERE. Think: cups, plates, bags, lined soup cans, shampoo bottles, toothbrushes, toys, baby teethers (yikes!), furniture, food containers, shoes, cars, jewelry, phones, clothing, even cosmetics … and the list goes on and on. 

    Plastic not only is bad for our environment, animals, oceans, OUR water, but it is also not good for our children or our bodies. Tiny bits of micro-plastics are created which often end up in oceans, are then eaten by aquatic life, and later end up in our bodies through many forms which include ingesting fish and other animals. Research shows, “Americans ingest at least 74,000 microplastic particles every year,” according to the Washington Post.

    It takes hundreds of years for plastics to biodegrade and the sad part is, approximately only 9% of plastic is actually recycled. Most plastic is not able to be recycled, contrary to popular belief, and ends up in landfills, our oceans, and water ways.

    With so many resources in today’s day, there are much better AND safer alternatives which include: clear glass, stainless steel, and silicone.

    IF you MUST buy plastic… here’s what you should know…

    PVC is the most toxic. I avoid it whenever I can. It is not only toxic to consumers, but extremely toxic to those who manufacture it and the surrounding communities who breathe in the pollution it creates.

    The 7 Plastic Numbers & What It Means For Your Health

    Plastic items are often coded with a recycling number 1-7. This number indicts the type of plastic and is used in the recycling process. Unfortately,

    1, 2 – Usually recyclable
    3,5,6 – Some recycling companies are able to recycle it
    4, 7 – Not usually recyclable.

    Plastic #1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
    PET is considered a safe plastic, but can leach the toxic metal antimony, and brominated compounds. Water bottles, soft drink bottles, sports drink bottles and condiment bottles are some products that contain this type of plastic.

    Bromine is known to cause acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms while antimony causes a host of health issues ranging from heart and lung issues to vomiting, diarrhea and stomach ulcers. The longer a bottle of water sits on the shelf, the more antimony it contains. This may vary based on exposure to sunlight, temperature, and pH levels.

    One study that looked at 63 brands of bottled water produced in Europe and Canada found concentrations of antimony that were more than 100 times the typical level found in clean groundwater (2 parts per trillion).3

    Plastic #2: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
    HDPE is considered a low-hazard plastic, but like most plastics releases estrogenic chemicals. Milk, water and beverage bottles, cleaning supply bottles, shampoo bottles, grocery bags, cereal liners and many others contain this type of plastic.

    HDPE and other plastics disrupt your hormones and structure of your cells, posing risks to both infants and children. Even products that claimed to be free of BPA, have tested positive for other toxic estrogenic chemicals.

    Plastic #3 or “V”: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
    The MOST toxic plastic for consumers, manufacturers and our environment and should be avoid as much as possible. PVC is often used for shower curtains, bags for bedding, shrink wrap, deli wrap, cooking oil bottles, plastic toys, play-mats, flooring, table cloths and blister packs used to store medications.

    PVC can be rigid (unplasticized) OR flexible & clear (plasticized). During the production process, plasticizers, including phthlates are added to increase flexibility and soften plastics. DEHP is a type of phthalate often used in PVC that causes cancer.

    Toxins enter your body as they are released into the air we breathe and food we consume, causing a number of health issues including cancer, deformations, low sperm count and infertility.

    Tip: If the plastic is soft and flexible – it is probably PVC.
    Avoid children’s playmats made from PVC/Vinyl. You can choose a latex mattress topper as an alternative, Corkimat, or a fun pile of cotton blankets!

    Plastic #4: Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
    LDPE is considered a low hazard and does not contain BPA, but may leach estrogenic chemicals similar to HDPE.

    Bread bags, squeezeable bottles including condiment bottles, fresh produce bags, household garbage and frozen foods bags, as well as in paper milk cartons and hot/cold beverage cups are all common uses for this plastic.

    Plastic #5: Polypropylene (PP)
    Polypropylene is one of the “safest” plastics you can buy. It is said to have a high heat tolerance making it a good choice for outdoor toys and storing food, although I personally wouldn’t recommend any plastic containers for food. PP is unlikely to leach chemicals, but evidence is still inconclusive.

    PP is used for containers including yogurt, deli foods, medications and takeout meals. 

    Plastic #6: Polystyrene (PS) AKA Styrofoam
    Avoid polystyrene as much as possible. This type of plastic leaches styrene into your food, damages your nervous system, and has been linked to Cancer. Benzene, a known human carcinogen, is used in the production.

    Everything from cups, plates, meat trays, packing peanuts, and more can be made from Polystyrene (Styrofoam). Hot food and beverages very well may be the most dangerous due to the amount of styrene they leach from containers. Therefore, AVOID if possible coffee cups, to-go containers, etc. that are made from polystyrene (Styrofoam).

    Plastic #7: Other
    Plastic #7 is often made from a combination of plastics and resins. It most likely contains BPA and/or BPS and most likely other toxic chemicals. Technically, there is only a partial ban on BPA (for example, in baby bottles), but research shows there are much greater concerns and a full fledged ban should be implemented, as described here.

    The reason BPA and BPS are so dangerous is because...

    • They mimic, interfere, and disrupt with your body’s hormones and endocrine system which regulates mood, growth, development, metabolism, reproductive processes, sexual function and tissue function.
    • In utero exposure to BPA compounds, can lead to chromosomal errors in the developing fetus, causing spontaneous miscarriages and genetic damage.
    • Strong evidence shows these chemicals are effecting adults and children, too. Leading to a host of health issues including, but not limited to…
      • Early puberty, decreased sperm count, and cancer.
      • Obesity
      • Insulin Resistance – an underlying factor in many chronic diseases
      • Stimulation of mammary gland development
      • Disrupted reproductive cycles and ovarian dysfunction
      • Heart disease

    Q&A SECTION: PLASTIC

    So, what are the “safest” plastics?
    #1, 2, 4, 5 But, only #1, 2, and 5 are most likely to be recycled which means the others will end up in a landfill. Avoid PVC Plastic #3 at all costs – the entire duration of its life cycle is toxic to humanity. Also, avoid Polystyrene #6 (styrofoam) and Plastic #7 Other as much as possible.

    Where can I find the number(#) plastic on items?
    Often found on the bottom, side, or inside plastic items will be a number. If the number is not present, you can contact the manufacturer for more information.

    How can I tell if something is silicone or plastic?
    If silicone contains plastic (or is plastic), when it bends, it will turn white-ish in the area where it was manipulated.

    Sources:
    https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=330&tid=58