Summer holidays are finally here!  If you are looking for a bit of entertainment for those typhoon days or any day for that matter then I’ve got a few fab recipes for some indoor or outdoor fun.  Great for kids young & old (my firm favourite is goop - I love it!) 

Playdough

Cooked

2 cups of plain flour

4 tablespoons cream of tartar

2 cups of water

1 cup salt

2 tablespoons cooking oil

food colouring or vegetable dye

glitter or essentials (lavender, orange, rose …)

Mix all the ingrediants together in a saucepan and cook gently, stirring all the time until thick.  Cool slightly and knead until smooth.  Store in an airtight container.  This will keep in the refridgerator for weeks.  Add more flour if it becomes sticky.

Uncooked

3 cups of plain flour

2 tablespoons cooking oil

3 cups boiling water

1 cup salt

2 tablespoons cream of tartar

food colouring or vegetable dye

glitter or essentials (lavender, orange, rose …)

Mix the dry ingredients and then add boiling water, colouring (glitter & essential oils if you are using them).  Stir until combined.  Cool slightly & knead until smooth.  Store in an airtight container. 

- Party Bag tip - divide up into portions and put some in each party bag (in a sealed container)

Goop

2 packets of cornflour

2 cups of water

Food colouring or vegetable dye

Mix the water and the colouring into the cornflour in a large container or tub (a baby bath is ideal).  The goop should have a thick consistency; add extra water if necessary.

Put on aprons & the fun begins.  Enjoy the experience as the goop runs through the fingers.  This activity looks messy but it is easy to clean up.  Goop can be picked up off the table or floor and easily washes off hands.

Do not store the goop though as it goes off very quickly & trust me the smell is awful!

Bubbles

1 tablespoon of warm water

4 tablespoons of washing up liquid

1 tablespoon of glycerin (makes the bubbles stronger)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Slime

1 cup Lux soap flakes

2 litres warm water

Food colouring or vegetable dye

Dissolve soap flakes in the warm water in a large plastic container or tub.  Add the food colouring or dye, if desired.  Let the mixture stand until it becomes thick, add more water if necessary.  Beat the mixture with eggbeaters if desired.  Children can help with this too. 

Add kitchen gadgets to pour, scoop, beat & whisk.  Sponges & funnels are great in slime.

Papier Mache Glue

1 cup of plain flour

3 cups of water

Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan.  In a bowl mix 1/4 cup of seived flour with a cup of cold water.  When free of lumps add it to the saucepan.  Add further flour as required.  Gently boil, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until thick.

Have fun!

No matter how hard you may try to keep cheap plastic junk out of your house and toy boxes it often still manages to sneak in. In this age of mass produced, cheap and disposable objects, the value of goods is often not considered.

Shops sell packs of little plastic trinkets very cheap. You can buy 6 low quality toy cars for the price of one quality metal car for example. Great you might think! More stuff and if one breaks there is always 5 others. But that 1 strong metal car will more than likely outlast the 6 cheap low quality cars. Where do the cheap cars end up? They are unlikely to be recycled, unlikely to be bought by someone else and reused, most likely to be thrown out with the garbage and end up languishing in landfill with all the other millions of low quality, disposable, broken toys.

 Not only are these toys often a waste of money but there are other more serious problems that are associated with low quality and synthetic goods.  There are serious health risks associated with them.  Many of us are very lucky to be blessed with more than one child.  This younger child more often than not plays with the same toys as the older sibling.  Depending on the developmental age of the child, he or she will play with the toys completely differently.  Sucking, chewing, biting and throwing these toys could have very dangerous consequences.  From choking on small parts that may break off, to contamination from lead or other toxic chemicals found in paint and decorations.  

Increasingly talked about in the media are the risks of chemical ingestion from the actual compounds that make up plastic toys.  Chemicals that are involved in the plastic process such as Phthalates that make plastic bendable are a very hot topic because of the possible health hazards associated.  The chemicals have been linked to hormone disruption, reproductive problems, allergies and asthma.

To read more about this issue, one informative site is  www.environmentcalifornia.org/environmental-health/stop-toxic-toys/chemicals-in-baby-products

But one of the biggest issues associated with the cheap & disposable lifestyle is featured in this 20 minute animated clip that EVERYBODY should watch.  As consumers we need to be aware of the true costs of our purchasing habits. Only then can we really appreciate the value of the products that we own. 

www.storyofstuff.com

This is one of the trickiest parts of the party planning.  You want something fun that the kids will enjoy playing with, something inexpensive, something that won’t break easily and something that is non toxic (to your child and the environment).  Hmmm, where to start?

We have found a few really cool companies that produce quality products for inspiring and entertaining kids.  Our wooden toy range made by Maple Landmark in the US, uses  sustainably managed hardwood and child safe paints and finishes. The goodies include yo-yos, spinning tops, rattles, fairy wands, cars to make and decorate and cars to play with.  

If it is pencils you are after, then look no further.  We stock a great supply of top quality O’Bon recycled newspaper pencils.  There is the Wildlife Twin Sets (pictured)or the 10 packs of Wildlife, Rainbow or Fruit series that can be divided up for 10 party favours.

O’Bon also produces A6 sized notebooks made from sugarcane pulp (called bagasse).  Completely tree free and sustainably made.  The left over waste from the sugarcane plant after juice extraction, is used to make the paper!

And what about babies?  

Organic cotton is a great fabric to use for babies toys.  It is completely safe to chew on with no pesticide or chemical residue and lovely and soft to hold.  We are happy to offer some of Under The Nile’s range of fair trade and certified organic cotton toys.  These are 100% organic cotton, inside and out. 

Please feel free to get in touch if you would like to know more …

contact@missgreenpartyqueen.com

Prices for party favours

Earth yo-yo        $37        Spinning Tops        $14              

Plain yo-yo        $34         Rattle (3 styles)     $65

Wand (colour)     $28        Car (6 styles)         $35

Wand (plain)       $21        Pencil Twinsets      $12

Gnome pairs       $89