Little Green Dot

Category: Kids

Homemade Kiddie Prize Soap
This has to be the cutest (and easiest) soap craft ever – no fancy equipment, no special soap-making ingredients… And the best part? Your kids are going to want to wash their hands!

We all know it’s important to wash our hands – but did you know that to kill germs, we’re meant to rub vigoursly with soap for 20 seconds – on average, most only wash for six seconds. I think my kids do it in half that time! So, it’s no wonder products like antibacterial soaps have become so popular, it’s reassuring to have that extra help…

The problem is, these products don’t actually work the way we think they do – and may actually be causing more risk than benefit. For antibacterials to be effective, you still need to wash for 20 seconds – just like with plain soap. But unlike plain soap, antibacterials often contain chemicals like Triclosan that are now being linked to health issues, including bacterial resistance. So to keep your family healthy – the simplest measure remains the best: good hygiene.

But, there’s still that question: how do we get our kids wash their hands? Well – how about we give them a little incentive…

This prize soap is all about making washing up, fun. Here’s the idea: Go into their toy box, and pick out a few little toys. I chose these zoo animals that the girls have ignored for months – but now captured in soap – they’ll be like new again!

Instead of buying specialty soap ingredients – you can actually repurpose a bar of glycerine soap and use your muffin pan as a soap mold. It’s too easy! Melting the glycerine is effortless, it’s like melting ice cubes… you just set it in a bain marie and it melts down in a few minutes.

The trick to getting the prize right in the centre of the soap is to let it set it in batches. First, fill your mold half-way with melted soap and let it harden in the freezer. (keep the rest of the soap in the warm bain-maire)

TIP: to eliminate bubbles you need to spritz rubbing alcohol immediately after you pour the melted soap. You’ll see, the bubbles will disappear!

Once the soap has cooled, you’ll be able to place the prize and then pour in the rest of the soap.

The whole project takes less than 30 minutes and true story: my kids begged to take a shower because of this soap! Give it a try!
DIY Kiddie Prize Soap
Materials:

clear glycerine soap (I bought six bars of soap for $8 and it made me six Kiddie Prize Soaps!)

mold – cake or muffin pans. Silicone ones make it easy to pop out.

rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle

the prizes
cut the soap bars into small squares

melt the soap in a bain-marie, or a bowl set over a pot of boiling water

fill the mold half way with soap. Set it in the freezer for 10 minutes

place your prize on top of the hardened soap and pour in the remainder of the melted soap

back in the freezer for another 15 minutes and it’s done!

pop them out and watch your kids clean their nails as they try to dig out the prize
PS: this is the exact soap that I used.
August 12, 2014
Ten Summer Eco Crafts your Kids Will Love!

Here are 10 great summer crafts that will keep your kiddo happy all afternoon. Or at least for an hour, which honestly is all we need sometimes! 🙂 The great thing is they’ll be creating fun crafts with bits and pieces of materials that we would have thrown away – but now – can happily repurpose. How clever is that?!

I hope you find some inspiration here to create a simple but super-fun afternoon together.

Bubble Snakes

This is my daughter playing with a craft that I put together for her birthday. The kids went pretty much insane over it and played for hours!! Easiest birthday ever.
Get the tutorial: Little Green Dot

Kitchen Roll Kaleidoscope

This looks like a good lazy afternoon activity… for the family to just sit around, happily construct and play.
Get the tutorial: Kitchen Roll Kaleidoscope

Newspaper Fort

I tried this out with my girls – I mean, a fort craft is always a winner!
Get the tutorial: MPMK

DIY Wind Chime

I really love this idea – taking litter and turning it into art – what a great thing to do with our kids!
Get the Tutorial: Handmade Charlotte

Recycled Bottle Bowling

Perfect for outdoor fun!
Get the tutorial: Moon Frye

Tin Can Monster Feet

Did you makes these when you were a kid? I remember loving this! I reckon every kid need to experience this one!
Get the tutorial: The Allison Show

Pom Pom Shooters

This one takes a minute to make and your kiddo will be happy for the next hour! I’m speaking from experience – you’ll love this one!
Get the tutorial: LindsayandAndrew

Jellyfish in a Bottle

I recently did a similar craft – a bottle lava lamp – and the girls loved it. I’m thinking this one would be great fun too!
Get the tutorial: Bhoomplay’s Blog

Floating Ball Activity

Another simple craft that makes for lots of fun!
Get the tutorial: All for the Boys

Ice Cube Race

A perfect activity for hot days!
Get the Tutorial: Lemon Lime Adventures

PS: If you haven’t yet, check out our Eco-Craft Box for ideas on how to store craft materials and have them ready-to-go, when inspiration (or necessity) strikes!

July 22, 2014
Get Crafty
Organised junk? Yes! Absolutely – your kids (and you) will love this! Instead of buying crafting materials, set up this craft box to reuse what’s around you. As you collect materials that can be re-purposed, just add them in. That way, instead of keeping a stash of toilet paper rolls around the house – you’ll have this beautifully organised craft box – making all of your junk seem more purposeful! When ever your kiddo get a little restless – pull this out and let them get creative! It’s so much fun – check out below how to put together your own eco craft box!

I think it’s important to set yourself up for success. Having everything in one place will make your life so much easier – and this craft box will inspire hours of fun! If you don’t have a little one – hopefully this idea inspires you to organise your own crafting box!

Here’s what you can include:

The container – I love Ikea’s see-thru containers. Get the caddy attachment, which helps to organise everything nicely and it’s dead cheap!

The tools – In mine I have: markers, crayons, paint, paintbrushes, tape, scissors, a stapler, glue and a hole puncher. The basics that they need for crafting.

The materials – Look for things that you can repurpose, even if you don’t yet know what you’ll do with them! Stretching their creativity is half the fun. Here are some ideas:
- disposable plates, cups, straws, chopsticks and cutlery
- juice & cereal box containers
- scrap paper
- wrapping paper and ribbon
- left over party supplies – balloons, decorations
- old magazines
- newspaper
There’ll be lots of cutting, gluing – making collages… but if you need a little inspiration for a certain item – use the internet! Search on pinterest for chopstick kids craft or cereal box kids craft – and you’ll have a ton of instant ideas.

Have fun making!
July 3, 2014
Learn // How to Choose Plants at the Nursery

We’re week two into our month long school holiday and today we hung out all day with Nova from Cultivate Central, an urban farmer here in Singapore. We’re working on a new project together and she offered to help me pick out edible plants from the nursery. I thought – perfect – that means I have an activity for Maria!

Plant-shopping with Nova, was like shoe shopping for some. We all got giddy over the finding the perfect pair of roselle bushes and I found myself becoming incredibly excited over a pomegranate tree that I just had to have. Passion is contagious and Maria was getting into it too!

On the way home, Daddy calls. Maria jumps on the phone and to my surprise – starts giving him the rundown on how to properly choose a plant from the nursery. You should have seen her face as she explained in great detail all of Nova’s tips. I had no idea she had taken so much in! I’m sitting there thinking – it’s incredible how valuable these experiences are for our kids. Her face lit up as she passed along these new ideas to her father… and I know that it’s those moments, that inspire an eternal love for learning… May she never, ever stop!

So, I want to share with you Nova’s nursery tips too! Otherwise, a six-year-old knows more than you – and honesty, we adults need to keep up with these kids!

TIP 1: Check the roots. If the roots are long and dangling out from the pot, it means the plant has been neglected for a while and may not be strong and healthy.

TIP 2: Check for bugs – you don’t want to introduce pests into the garden. Have a look under the leaves to spot them. If there are a few, you can wash them off before bringing them into your garden, but if there are a lot – it’s a bad sign.

TIP 3: Don’t go for mature plants. When it comes to big shrubs, and fruiting trees – the ones that are already big and bushy are tempting but, instead, do choose a younger plant. The big guys can go into shock when replanting – and you’ll risk spending a lot of money just see it die.

Hope that helps next time you’re plant-shopping!

Gardening is definitely an exercise in patience – which may be a lesson I need to learn. It doesn’t come easy to me, but I’m excited about creating those moments in my day where I can take a break, disconnect from it all and step out onto the balcony to be among nature. l’ll be dreaming of picking our first pomegranates with my daughters…

It’s a good thing I have friends who can teach me how to care for my plants! If there’s anything that you want to do in your life, I encourage you to join a group of people who are already doing it – it’s the best way to learn!

June 11, 2014
School Holidays

My eldest is on her first ever school summer holiday – and I’m experiencing a parenting first…. what am I going to do for her all month? Right away I’m thinking about enrichment programs – maybe ballet or drama, museums, the zoo… I’m making lists of activities and at the same time – wondering how I’ll manage work and house duties and play-dough making sessions all in one day – everyday – for a month..

I was freaking out a little, I can’t lie. Then something happened and it really helped to break this internal stress I was creating.

We spent the first day of her holiday doing nothing special – we cycled to a cafe where I did some work, I always have a notebook in my purse and gave it to her to color in. We picked up some groceries, and cycled home – the whole time talking about this and that…

Later that day, when I looked in the notebook, I saw she had written “I love you mum” Those four words put everything back into perspective. Yes, I’ll plan a few fun activities – but really, my daughter let me know that even a simple day with her mom, is an enrichment program in itself.

That little kid teaches me so much! Parents, I’d love to know how you manage school holidays – what works for you?

June 3, 2014
Cookie Cutter French Toast Recipe
I had to grab a few pics from our breakfast – these little french toast bites were a huge hit with the girls! If you could of seen there faces light up when they sat down for breakfast, it’s exactly how I want them to feel everyday! Sure, I let them sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top – my mission is more about creating beautiful meals together, than stressing over a little sugar… We had a blast making it, and even more fun eating it up. Give this quick breakfast a go and see what you think! 🙂
Cookie-Cutter French Toast Bites
sliced bread

2 eggs

4 tbsp of milk

butter

or coconut oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 tsp coconut sugar
In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, vanilla essence, coconut sugar and salt

Cut shapes out of your bread using a cookie cutter

Dip the bread in the egg mixture for a few second to soak up the liquid, but not too long or it will fall apart

Heat up your pan with butter or coconut oil

Cook up your bites, about two minutes per side

Serve with fresh fruit, maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar
March 21, 2014
Press the Reset Button…
My youngest goes to the park most days – but today, I really wasn’t in the mood. It was one of those mornings where the day was just starting – and I already felt like I did 10 things wrong…

Half-heartedly, I say to her – honey, go get dressed for the park – so she runs in into her room… meanwhile I’m feeling sorry for myself because all I want to do is stay home, and work from bed. I hear “I’m ready” and there she is – dressed in her fairy costume and bright pink shades. I mean she’s three, what else did I expect! I instantly smile…

It totally lifted my mood! I grabbed my camera, we jumped on the bike and ended up having a far better morning than I was setting myself up for…

Some days are incredible, you’re doing well and feeling good, and then there’s the days where you’re barely getting out of the house in clean clothes. It happens to all of us (right? 🙂 We can get overwhelmed and lose momentum. Luckily I have a little fairy that helps lift me up – but having a good reset plan can make us feel empowered and positive again!

So here are 3 things I want to accomplish next week:
1. Set out my daughter’s school uniform every night to make sure it’s clean for the morning 🙂
2. Start the week by planning our menu (full of healthy, quick meals!) and do a good shop to stock up.
3. Buy a bucket to start my compost!
What on your list?
March 13, 2014
On being different…

I cycle my daughter to school. I always have. It’s much easier than dealing with the line-up of cars in the morning, plus it’s fun. Throughout kindergarden, she didn’t even think about it. But things are different now, she started big girl school…

On the first day, I realised that I was the only parent on a bicycle – and being the only one certainly makes you feel different. I’ll be honest, something about being at a big school – I started to reconnect with those old feelings of just wanting to fit in. Which is funny, because now I’m so drawn to people who are doing things differently. And then my daughter said this to me:

“Mom, I think I feel weird for being on the bicycle”

I felt a lot at that moment. Proud of her for being able to vocalize her feelings. Sad for her that she’s already started this so young. Frustrated that I was the cause of her weirdness. Mostly I understood that this is only the beginning. Being different is not always easy. But living a life of frustration for not being true to yourself – is much harder.

I think it’s incredibly cool to make the choice to create a life you love – rather than just let life happen to you. If that means growing tomatoes instead of roses, cycling to work or standing outside your condo for an hour, photographing yourself holding a glass of water (true story) – then, do it! Don’t let anyone stop you from experiencing your version of life. Even if you do get a few odd looks here and there…

I hope that she figures this out sooner than I did, I was certainly a late bloomer.

Are any of you dealing with this too? I’d love to know how you handle it!

photo source

January 7, 2014
Sandwich Rolls
This weekend I’m going on a picnic with friends who have kids. So the big question with these things is always: what do you bring? Let me show a simple idea that has been a big hit with my family. So, sandwiches are a classic, right – but sometimes you want to make things a bit more fun…

These sandwich rolls are so easy and transforms from something traditional to something magical! Make it and watch them disappear!

You can do any sandwich this way – I’ve tried ham & cheese, peanut butter & jelly even just plain butter for my youngest and her weird cravings. And it’s not for kids only – you can do a plate of finger food with various flavors and it just makes for a fun small bite to eat!

Sandwich Rolls

ingredients:
- sliced wholemeal bread
- toppings: peanut butter, cream cheese, cheese, ham, salmon, shredded lettuce… what ever you like!
directions:
1. cut the crust off a slice of bread
2. roll it out with a rolling pin until it flattens and expands
3. add your toppings then roll up to form a long roll (like sushi!)
4. slice into circles
5. If you have a lot of stuffing, put a toothpick through it to hold the shape.
October 18, 2013
Skin Nourishing Bath Tea Recipe
Here’s a great bath tea recipe (and Christmas is coming ) that makes a beautiful gift too! At the end, I give some suggestions for herbs to use along with their different properties – hope you like it!

We make this bath tea recipe at home – it’s a favorite around here for two very specific reasons:
1. it makes my girls instantly co-operate during bath time, and that means no tantrums, everyone is happy!
2. it takes minutes to make, is really inexpensive – yet feels so luxurious! Make a big batch and it will lasts for months!
Now, this tea is perfect for anyone, of all ages. I make it mostly for my girls, but I also enjoy a soak for myself – It really helps to soothe tired muscles and worries away. I love how it leaves my skin soft, and smelling of flowers…

Parents: On those days when the girls are less than excited about bath time, I’ll ask them “who wants to make a bath tea?” That turns a mood around real quick! Try it!!

Sometimes I’ll pour the bath tea into a toy tea kettle, and the girls will play tea time in the bath.

If this is for you – maybe skip the toy kettle and opt for a candle or book instead 🙂 The scent is beautiful and your skin will love you for it!

Here’s a list of herbs that you can try – each one offering different properties. You can use loose herbs, or even tea packets! Whatever is easiest for you:
- Chamomile – relaxing and skin nourishing, it has a softening effecting on the skin. It’s Also anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, great for skin irritations like insect bites, nappy rashes, skin rashes, eczema…
- Lavender – calming to the senses, it’s great for relaxation. Lavender is antibacterial, great for cleansing the skin
- Rose – beautiful, happy scent, it helps to soothe away stress and headaches. Rose contains vitamin C, the beauty vitamin, which helps to build collagen and maintain youthful skin. It also has astringent properties, helping to clean and tighten pores.
- Green Tea/White Tea – helps to detoxify and replenish. It’s packed with antioxidants, great for ageing skin. It does contain caffeine, so you may not want to use it for kids!
Skin Nourishing Bath Tea Recipe

(I only run the bath half-way, if you run a full bath, double the ingredients)
1/2 cup loose herb or 3-4 tea bags

1 cup boiling water
fill a heat proof container with the herbs, and pour in boiling water

allow to steep for 10-15 minutes

strain and pour tea into the bath
Singapore Shopping Guide
- Herbs: Abundant Earth
- Also, check out iHerb for buying herbs in bulk
I hope you’re getting as excited about whole food skincare as I am. Just get started, and you could have your first natural skincare product in just 5 minutes!

And if you want more, join 17,000+ subscribers who receive a new recipe in their inbox every Tuesday by signing up for my newsletter below.
October 8, 2013