Decorated Eco Pencil Holder

Does your little monkey love scribbling and crafting with his friends? How about you help him make a lovely eco decorated pencil holder, which he could give as a present to a friend? Making a pencil holder could be very easy and great fun, and more importantly – using eco ingredients makes it safe for your kid and Earth-friendly.

We will be making the pencil holder using playdough, which we will then decorate and bake a bit in the oven to make it hard and steady. So… let’s get started!

What you would need

For the playdough:

1 cup of water
1 cup of plain flour
½ cup of salt
2 tbsps cream of tartar
2 tbsps vegetable oil

Wooden rolling-pin

For the decoration:

A selection of food colourings –
1/2tbs. turmeric powder (yellow)
A few drops of beetroot juice (pink)
A few drops of carrot juice (orange)
A few drops of blueberries juice (purple-blue)
A few drops of parsley and spinach juice (green)

First we need to make the playdough. You will need a saucepan, and mix in the flour, salt and cream of tartar together. Make a small hole well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and then carefully pour in the water, mixing in to create a smooth consistency. Now add the 2 tablespoons of oil, making sure that all ingredients are consistently combined.

The mixture will then need to be transferred onto a medium heat, during which time it will require constant stirring. It’s now time for mummy to take over the kiddie and make sure the child stays away from the hot-plate. Be careful – if you don’t stir the mixture enough or have the temperature up too high, the dough will burn easily.

You will notice that the dough eventually starts to ‘ball’, although it may be a bit sticky. However, once the dough has contracted from the sides of the pan and balled, you can then remove it from the heat and leave to cool for up to half an hour.

Once the playdough is ready, split it into two halves. Take one half and split it again into five equal batches of dough. Using your palms, make them look like balls – nice and round. You can now add your chosen food colouring to the three little balls, so you can have different-coloured balls – yellow, orange, pink, blue, and green.

Then take the other (uncoloured) half of the playdough. Using a rolling-pin, make it a bit flat, but make sure you don’t press too hard. We will need it to be around 1cm thick. Now mummy can take over the child again and using a knife, cut the dough, aiming for a (as perfect, as possible) square. Help your kid then fold the end, making the square a box-shaped – this is going to be your pencil holder. There is another option – you could make it round instead. Going back to the uncoloured part of the dough, take one small part of it away, and then make the rest of it round like a ball. Then using your fingers, start pressing it, so you make a “hole” in the middle. It will look like a tunnel you can see mummy through. Take the outstanding small bit of the playdough and using the rolling-pin, make it flat and 1cm thick. You can use a small glass to cut a round shape, which will be the bottom of your pencil-holder. Stick it to one side of the “tunnel”, making sure the bottom fits the tunnel size.

Now how about decorating it? – Using the coloured playdough and cookie shapes, make star, flower heart-shaped bits. Stick them to the sides of the pencil holder, but don’t press too hard. You could also use make your own natural paints from beetroot juice or mixing some turmeric powder with a few drops of water. Using your fingers or a brush, either colour the outer side of the pencil holder, or draw something. How about a Christmas tree or a star, so you give is a Christmas twist?

Once decorated according to your taste, give it to mummy to bring it back to the oven and bake it on a very slow power for at around 1 hour. Leave to cool and… voila! – You now have a very special home-made eco pencil holder, which you could give as a present to your friend!

If you have eco Christmas toddlers-crafts ideas, please email them to info@greenkiddie.co.uk for a chance to be featured on the website along with a link to your website/blog and a short bio.

Leave a Comment November 8, 2009

How Aloe Vera Can Help Treating Baby and Toddler’s Eczema

Aloe Vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known when its medical applications were first discovered. Aloe vera extracts have antibacterial and antifungal activities. It, actually, has got many properties, and to relieve eczema symptoms by moisturising and reducing the itchiness is just one of them.

In today’s days eczema in babies and small children is extremely common. It worries us as parents, but in many cases we feel unable to help much. The child’s skin gets inflamed and itchy, which makes the poor thing so miserable! The common mistake many parents make while trying to cure baby eczema is that they rely mainly on prescribed medications that only suppress the symptoms but won’t eliminate the underlying cause. There is always a lying problem underneath, no matter food allergy or other external or internal trigger. And infants are most prone to eczema because their immune system and digestive system are still developing. It is difficult to find out the reason usually, but what we can do is to try to avoid medicines fill of chemicals, which may trigger even more severe allergies, eczema and even asthma, and to find a natural treatment for the little sunshine.

It is true that skin care is an essential part in baby eczema treatment, but proper nutrition (baby’s and mother’s if breastfeeding) is also important as this is the only way to naturally strengthen the skin barrier, eliminate allergies and boost the immune system.

So How to Use Aloe Vera to Treat your Child’s Eczema

Aloe Vera is a miracle plant – it can sooth itching, moisturize skin, and reduce inflammation, associated with eczema.

As far as possible, you should use Aloe fresh from the plant, but remember it oxidises quickly upon exposure to air. If you cannot get Aloe fresh but only as a product, then be sure you get one that is as close to the natural plant as possible. Research or organic and 100% natural products online or check at your local health store.

If you apply Aloe topically, the fluids in Aloe Vera form a thin film on the surface of your baby’s skin. The juice will hydrate and moisture the skin. It will also help prevent from bacterial infection – common in cracked and dry eczema skin – due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Aloe Vera has the ability to penetrate to the inner layers of the skin, supplying moisture directly to the underlying tissue.

Another way to benefit from Aloe Vera properties is to be taken internally. So you can give it to your child (6 months +) as a juice – either before breakfast or before going to bed. Dr. Peter Atherton in one of his studies revealed that Aloe Vera works wonders on boosting child’s immune system. And by doing that it heals eczema.

Find other ways to treat eczema naturally.

Leave a Comment October 19, 2009

Attachment Parenting Month 1st – 30th October. Can you take the challenge? – Ten Main Principles of Attachment Parenting.

Babies and children require empathy and respect for their feelings to help them learn to feel safe and secure. Attachment Parenting is all about forming and nurturing strong connections between parents and their children. Attachment Parenting challenges us as parents to treat our children with respect and kindness, and to develop our relationship with them the way we’d like them to relate to others.

According to attachment theory, the child forms a strong emotional bond with parents during childhood with lifelong consequences. Sensitive and emotionally available parenting helps the child to form a secure attachment style. Less sensitive and emotionally available parenting or neglect of the child’s needs may result in insecure forms of attachment style, which is a risk factor for many mental health problems.

Starting from the very beginning, you can build the foundation of trust and empathy by understanding and responding appropriately to the needs of your newborn baby. Babies communicate their needs in many ways including body movements, facial expressions, and crying. Building a strong attachment with a baby involves not only responding consistently to his physical needs, but spending enjoyable time interacting with him and thus meeting his emotional needs as well. So in these early days it is very important to respond to your child with sensitivity.

Attachment Parenting Principles

1. Attachment Parenting starts from the birth. So try forming an early connection to your child, using the first hours after birth to bond with your newborn, having your baby “room in” with you after a hospital birth, and enjoying the skin-to-skin contact – the most gentle and memorable first mother-and-baby hug.

2. Respond quickly to your baby’s cries and know that you can’t “spoil” her by feeding, kissing and holding her whenever she needs you to. This is biological and emotional need for the baby to get your attention and be soothed. What is more natural that following your mother instincts?

3. Breastfeed exclusively and on baby’s demand for at least 6 months followed by the weaning of solids when your child is ready combined with continued nursing. Be aware that it is natural and normal for children to be breastfed for well over one year.

4. Promote closeness and physical connection by wearing your baby in a sling.

5. Separation fears? – Intense fears of separation will naturally subside as the child matures. It may take considerably longer for more sensitive children to be comfortable in the care of non-parental adults. Follow the child’s cues and do not force children to accept strangers or expect them to overcome stranger/separation anxiety before they’re ready.

6. Use gentle discipline techniques. You need to make clear difference between discipline and punishment and to avoid physical or shame-inducing punishment.

7. Try to be flexible when it comes to parenting techniques – we are all human beings, learning every day. You should know that what worked last week might not work this week, and that your child is different from the others. Putting some extra effort to understand and educate yourself about parenting and a battle half-won.

8. Understand that real “quality time” with your kid is every second spent in cuddling, reading, playing, learning or just being together, and not short frantic bursts of “fun” activities.

9. Nurturing is of vast importance in your child! Those early years at the day care might be a necessity for some families or single parents, but if you can afford it, spent at least the first two years raising your child at home. Be a proud to be “stay-at-home-mother” and consider it the most important thing you could possibly do right now. You want to raise your children yourself, not hand them over to someone else to do the job. Your career will be still there for you in a couple of year’s time.

10. Go out of the timed regime and leave your baby to lead you in his own routine. Understand, following and meet your child’s needs. Know that your child has his own schedule for physical, emotional and social development, toilet learning and independence issues rather than trying to force him into an “expected” time frame. Understand that by meeting your child’s needs during infancy and toddlerhood you are encouraging the development of a healthy, happy, independent person.

2 Comments October 14, 2009

Halloween Craft Ideas for Toddlers

Toddlers love to do crafts, and this is great for their development! Besides, crafting with your kids can be fun for the whole family! With Halloween coming up, get inspired and try some easy Hallowing craft ideas.

PUMPKIN ON A STICK

What You Need
Large White Paper Plate
Orange Paint
Black Construction Paper
Glue
Crayons
Scissors

How to Make It

1. Paint the Paper Plate Orange and let dry.
2. Cut out a mouth, nose and eyes from Black Construction Paper.
3. Once Orange paint has dried, glue the mouth, nose and eyes on to pumpkin plate face.
4. Fold one tab forward and one tab back and attach it to the bag.

PUMPKIN FACES

What You Need
orange and black (or yellow) construction paper
small scraps of green paper
scissors
glue sticks

How to Make It

1. Simply cut pumpkin shapes from the orange paper, and black triangles, circles and semi-circles or smiling mouth shapes from the black construction paper. Cut stem shapes and leaf shapes from the green paper.
2. If your children are old enough to use safety scissors, encourage them to cut their own shapes.
3. Sit with the children and show them how the different shapes can be used to make different faces on the pumpkins.
4. Hand over the glue sticks and let your kids make you some bright Halloween decorations for your fridge or windows.

GLUE GHOSTS

What You Need
White school glue
Waxed paper
Wiggle eyes
Felt, buttons, pom-poms, etc (all optional)

How to Make it

1. Place a piece of waxed paper on a flat surface.
2. Squeeze glue from the bottle into the shape of a ghost.
3. Place wiggle eyes into the glue.
4. If you would like to decorate your ghost, use felt, buttons, pom-poms or whatever you like to add character. We made a simple bow tie from green felt and added mini pom-poms for buttons.
5. Set aside in an out-of-reach area to dry overnight. Note: Expect for them to take all night – and possibly a few hours more – to dry completely.
6. Once dry the ghosts will look like they blend into the waxed paper. Carefully peel them paper and use them as decorations around the house.

2 Comments October 1, 2009

Colour Therapy

Most of us know that psychologically we are very much affected by colour. And it’s not only complementary therapists who use colour therapy. Indeed, colour therapy is regularly used in hospitals to treat jaundiced babies. Most jaundiced newborns’ livers don’t work well, giving them a yellow colour. To treat the condition, hospitals often now bathe the child in bright blue light or blue-green light, which helps clear the jaundice by breaking down the chemical which makes them yellow. Eye pads, an eye shield or an orange head-shield are used to protect the baby’s eyes.

Red
Red is the element of fire. It stimulates and excites the nerves and blood, releases adrenalin, activates the circulation of the blood and vitalizes the physical body. Red helps overcome tiredness and inertia, as well as chronic chills or colds. It stimulates will-power and courage. Wounds can heal faster if you surround yourself with red while healing. It can help get rid of headaches (try putting a red towel over your eyes).
Too much red can raise blood pressure, however, so everything in moderation.

Eat Red Foods: Beets, black cherries, red berries, damsons, plums, radishes, red peppers, etc.

Orange
Orange strengthens the lungs, pancreas and spleen. It warms the emotions and creates a feeling of well-being. Orange is a stimulating, warming colour and can be used for lack of vitality, as well as muscle spasms or cramps. Use it for asthma and bronchitis, as well as during colon cleansing. Orange can also help boost the appetite.

Eat Orange Foods:
Orange vegetables and fruits, such as apricots, mangoes, peaches, cantaloupe melons, carrots, swedes, butternut squash, pumpkin, oranges, tangerines, orange peppers, etc.

Pink
Pink soothes violent or anxious adults for a few hours and is sometimes used on walls in prisons or hospitals for mental illness. In children it stimulates creativity and strength. It could help with insomnia if you sleep between pink sheets.

Eat Pink Foods: pomegranates, strawberries, water melon.

Yellow
Yellow is a positive colour which acts on the nervous system. It stimulates the intellect and so is good for school rooms, studies and anywhere where good conversation is desirable. Our spirits are raised by looking at yellow and orange, as they most resemble golden sunshine which our bodies crave. Yellow helps the liver with elimination and purifies the intestines. It’s good for skin too. Yellow can be used for nervous exhaustion, for depression, indigestion, skin problems, liver problems and constipation.

Eat Yellow Foods:
Yellow skinned fruits and vegetables, such as lemons, bananas, grapefruit, pineapples and sweetcorn.

Green
Instinctively we know that the green we find in nature will calm us and leave us feeling peaceful and harmonious. Green in springtime brings a feeling of renewal, of new life, freshness and brightness. It has a calming effect on blood pressure and the heart, and can also alleviate headaches and flu. Too much green can leave you too relaxed, however.

Eat Green Foods:
Eat your greens! In the form of cabbage, spring greens, spinach, broccoli, brussels, etc.

Blue
The opposite of red. Whilst red expands and stimulates, blue contracts and restricts. It slows things down so that it can combat infectious diseases where there is a rise in temperature. Blue is antiseptic, cooling and astringent. Psychologically, blue can bring peace of mind, particularly after excessive mental stress. Too much blue, however, can give you ‘the blues’, in which case it needs to be balanced with some red. Blue can be helpful with throat troubles, fevers and children’s ailments such as mumps and measles, inflammation, spasms, stings, itching and headaches. Also use it for shock and insomnia.

Eat Blue Foods:
Blueberries, bilberries, blue plums, blackberries, grapes etc.

Violet
Violet has a soothing and tranquillizing effect on frayed nerves and so is especially useful for those who are nervous and highly-strung by nature. Violet can also be used to help develop the spiritual, intuitive faculty and can be used before and during meditation, perhaps by visualising or concentrating on a violet colour cloth. Violet can be used for all mental and nervous disease, as well as for rheumatism, concussion and kidney and bladder diseases.

Eat Violet Foods:
Aubergines, purple grapes, blackberries, purple broccoli.

2 Comments September 27, 2009