In my experiences, there is nothing kidlets love more than getting colourfully grubby with finger paints. And most days they will of course stick 10 million tonnes of paint in the one spot until the paper is tearing & decomposing - but that's okay, they are still learning. My only problem with the over-use of paint by kidlets is the price you pay for store bought paint which is never as 'non-toxic' as they say and always comes with that funny smell and hard to get off stain it leaves on clothing & walls. So over the years I have resorted to making my own paints at home - from everyday things you will always find in your cupboard. Both edible and non-edible, tempera powder and food dye - I have tried almost every recipe imaginable, many fails & many successes (as expected!) so to help you avoid all the trials & errors I have compiled my 3 most favourite paint recipes below to share with you all!

Homemade Finger Paint!
What You Need:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tb salt
2 cup cold water
3 1/2 cup hot water
food coloring

What To Do:
1. In saucepan, mix dry ingredients together.
2. Slowly add cold water to the dry ingredients, whisking as you add.
3. Bring to boil, over medium heat, as you add hot water, whisking continuously.
4. Boil mixture for about 1-2 minutes, whisking continuously, until thick and lumps are gone.
5. Allow to cool slightly in pan then transfer to separate bowls to add color.
6. Mix in a few drops of food coloring to achieve desired color.
7. Allow to cool completely before painting.

Up until recently I had assumed that everyone knew how to make rainbow rice until I was asked by quite a few how to make it and where I had purchased it from. I shocked a few people when I said I had made it myself at home and because of this I came to the conclusion that it would be far easier and of more value to share this simple trick with the world for those who were unaware that you can make rainbow rice with 3 simple ingredients that everyone has in their home!

To make rainbow rice you will need: 2 cups of long grain rice for each colour you would like to make, 1/4 cup of vinegar for each colour you would like to make, ordinary food dye & a ziplock bag for each colour.

First, place 2 cups of rice in each bag (measurements don't need to be precise, just a rough measure is fine - just get as close as possible or you may end up with a soggy lump of rice). One bag at a time add 1/4 cup of vinegar then the drops of food dye to the mix. Ziplock shut the bag and give it a good shake. Repeat this step for each colour you would like. To dry out the rice you may leave it in the bag with the ziplock open overnight, lay it flat for 4 hours on a piece of baking paper or you can place it on a lined baking tray in the oven at 100c for 10-15 minutes to quick dry it (be sure to let it cool before allowing the kids to play with it!) 

You can mix whatever colours you want and add as many dye drops as you like to get the vibrancy that you are after. It is completely safe for children to eat (if you have those little ones that believe EVERYTHING belongs in their mouth!) & it's much easier to clean than playdough!

That's all there is to it! Remember - rainbow rice is not just for schools & daycares, it is awesome for sensory play and motor skills, even art & craft if you wanted. 

With so much tragedy going on in the USA over the last week, it has got me wondering about the safety of our kids. First there was the bombing at a public event in Boston. Then a horrific explosion in Waco Texas and the shooting at MIT today. Although, we are in Australia, do you ever wonder if this sort of tragedy will reach us here? And, if it was to, how do we keep our kids safe?

Mr Rogers, a legendary TV host, teaches us to explain to our kids, in a time of crisis “To Look For The Helpers”. To show our kids to look for those heroes that run into fires and save people. Helpers who are the first on scene to rescue and bring relief. We look up to these heroes as super heroes, and we honestly believe they are. I really believe that it is a great way to comfort our young ones when it comes to world tragedy. But, it still doesn’t teach our kids how to keep safe, or protect our own hearts when we send our kids out into the world without us.

A dear friend’s son was involved in a horrific car accident yesterday. He is lucky to escape with his life, let alone survive with only a singed eyebrow from the airbag. He’s an adult and she still cannot comprehend how to keep her adult son safe. So, its not just us with young ones who panic, who worry and who look to whatever higher power to keep our little ones safe.

The debate continues. Do we show our kids tragedy and prepare them for what life can bring? Or do we shelter them from danger in the world. How do we balance what is right and what is wrong. Only trial and error can really tell, and evaluating the maturity of the child and what they can handle.

I’ve covered stranger danger with my kids (who are mostly teens now), and the “icky factor” that some people carry that make them nervous. I wonder if it helped or harmed my almost 15 year old son recently. He was with his friends, out at a day at the beach when he was confronted by a gaggle of older boys. About 8 20 year old boys approached him when his instinct was to be cautious. That little voice inside of him said “beware”. I’ve always told my kids that the little voice inside of them is God’s way of teaching us right from wrong (although we are not an overly religious family). The “Lads”, as he described them, assaulted him and stole his precious iPhone he got for Christmas. He was distraught at the vulgarity of these Lads, and gave into their demands. Even more so, he was distraught at himself for not fighting for himself. So, did I teach him right from wrong? Did I teach him how to handle danger? I thought I had, but I never covered this. But, his inner voice told him to give in to them, and perhaps that saved him? I will never know.

I guess in summary I am saying, bad stuff happens in the world. We have to trust that our young people know what is right and what is wrong when it comes to danger. We have to trust our own parenting to teach them. No matter how much or how little exposure to violence or global tragedy will make them prepared for the adventures they go on, when you think they are safe. Maybe this is the time for belief in a higher power than us. My friend, who’s son was in the car accident, believes in angels and that angels watched over her son. So what harm can come if we just step back and have a little faith.


Written by guest writer Alice Slamani. Known as The Laundry Fairy and also Creative Consultant at gFocus Photography (www.gFocusPhotography.com)

There are hundreds of ways to make scented playdough, but I would like to share some of my favourites with you all. Playdough is fun enough as it is but it's even better when you can make playdough cupcakes and playdough bikkies that actually smell like the real deal! Traditional playdough has a pretty funky smell that some people find hard to mask - well here is a list of other ways to make scrumptious smelling playdough that have all been tried and tested by yours truly! :)

Those are the basic ones to get you started, feel free to change it up and experiment - maybe add some glitter, or some pony beads, or even some hundreds and thousands! The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination allows. ;)