You know I love a good sensory activity!
As I planned my "Let's Eat" small group for the week, I remembered how much I enjoy incorporating play dough into sensory play. Then it dawned on me. As a way to lead into snack time for a therapy session, I will create aromas for the play dough using essential oils and food flavoring oils.
The recipe I used can be found below, along with various ways we used the playdough prior to diving into
our meal time.
The recipe for the playdough is from kidsactivities.com
2 Cups of Flour
2 Tbsp of Oil, I used fractionated coconut oil
1/2 Cup of Salt
2 Tbsp Cream of Tartar
1 1/2 Cup Boiling Water
Gel Food Coloring ( You can use regular food coloring but the color will not be as vibrant)
You will need citrus essential oils and/or the LorAnnfood oils of your choice.
To create the playdough, first put 1/5 cups of water on the stove to boil. While you are waiting, add the flour, oil, salt, and Cream of Tartar to a bowl. Mix well. Once the water is boiling, power the water over your flour mixture and begin to stir. It will be hot so please be care. Continue to manipulate the mixture until it is the consistency of dough. Set aside and allow to cool.
Once cool, separate into four equal parts to create four balls of dough. Create a divot into each ball with your thumb. Add several drops of desired dye to each ball of dough. Manipulate the dough until the color is well mixed.
Next, create the balls of dough and create a divot in each once more. Add 10-15 drops of your essential oil/food oils to the dough and knead until well mixed. You should be able to hold the dough to your nose and be able to identify the aroma.
Try to match your color with a corresponding aroma. For instance, Lemon was yellow dough, Orange was orange dough, Strawberry was red, and Green was apple.
Store each ball of dough separately in a small jar or individual bags.
How do you incorporate this into a feeding focused sensory activity?
Simple! You touch, smell, look, and manipulate that dough. Talk about what it smells like. Describe what you think it smells and tastes like. Provide the child with vocabulary so they can associate certain words with smells. All them to roll, cut, smash, explore the different color dough. Ask them what it reminds them of.
You can even help them create food with the dough! This activity will get them excited and get their senses excited to explore their upcoming meal or snack time.
It will be a huge hit for everyone!
Enjoy!
Whether it is the stinky feet of two little boys or the stench of an outdoor loving puppy, we have some odors to combat in our house these days.
My go-to was once the fragrance filled sprays and powders that would simply mask the odors and contribute to air pollution within the home (not that I knew that at the time). Now, I save money on all the odor masking products and whip up some simple recipes that get to the root of the problem.
Essential oils are made up of chemical compounds that serve a purpose. When I grab an oil such as Tea Tree, I know that it is going to work its magic on the funk and bacteria that are contributing to the odor itself. We eliminate the toxins and address the root of the problem.
When selecting your oils for odors, I suggest using Purification, Lemongrass, Thieves, Melrose, Kunzea, or Tea Tree. To sweeten the aroma and provide an extra punch to your concoctions, reach for the citrus oils. If you prefer a flora aroma, Lavender is a great aroma to add.
Here are three of my favorite essential oil recipes for combating odors in your home:
Carpet Powder:
2 cups baking soda
10 drops Purification
10 drops Lemon
10 drops Lavender
Put the baking soda in a 16-ounce mason jar. Add the essential oils. Place the lid on top and shake until well combined. Put a shaker top on the mouth of your mason jar. Sprinkle powder onto carpets and upholstery. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Vacuum when done.
Shaker Lid for mason jar here!
Room and Upholstery Spray:
4 ounces distilled water
4 ounces witch hazel
7 drops Purification or Kunzea
5 drops Orange
3 drops Lavender
Combine liquid and oils in continuous spray mister. Spritz air, linens, and upholstery as needed.
Continuous Mister here!
“At the Spa” Diffuser Blend:
90 drops Lemongrass
90 Drops Spearmint
90 drops Lavender
Add oils to a 15 mL bottle. Add 9 drops of mixture to your diffuser when trying to get rid of leftover odors in the air. This diffuser bombs will get you 30 uses.
I hope that you enjoy the above recipes, and they refresh those lingering odors in your home. If you try any of the above recipes, I would love to hear how you enjoy them!
Whether you are run down, sick, or overworked, you may be struggling with aches that you just cannot kick to the curb.
This is a simple tool to keep on hand. Store it in a glass jar with a lid so that it's ready to go when you need it. The last thing you want to be doing when you aren't feeling yourself is whipping up remedies in the kitchen. Be prepared!
Feeling Achy Bath Soak
10 drops Panaway ( If you do not have this, try Peppermint, Wintergreen, or Cool Azul)
10 drops Frankincense
10 drops Copaiba
2 cups Epsom Salt
2 Tablespoons Baking Soda
Combine the Epsom Salt and baking soda in a glass jar with a lid. Once mixed, add oils and mix once more. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of mixture to warm bath and soak for 20 minutes. Do this 1-2 times a day until all is well again!
It is September 22, which means, fall is officially here! What is one of the first things that comes to mind when you think about fall? I think of the leaves changing, cooler temperatures, and all the aromas that come along with the season. We switch out our home decor, we change up our wardrobe, AND we starting reaching for fall scented products to make our home feel warm and cozy. Well, I am here to tell you how to DIY a couple of those products that you long for in the fall using clean, toxin- free ingredients!
There are three things I see people reaching for in the store. They are candles and room sprays, hand soaps, and fall scented cleaners. I am right there with you. I want nothing more than to make my house smell warm and cozy all season long! My mind was blown when I realized that I could create these items, at home, affordably and simply. To top it off, I was able to keep everything nice and clean for the air in our home and the lungs of our family. These items also make GREAT gifts when looking to show some appreciation to the ones we love!
Here are some of my favorite recipes: (links to supplies at the bottom)
Fall Forest Foaming Hand Soap:
1/3 cup Citrus Castile Soap
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
5 drops Clove
5 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
5 drops Cedarwood
10 drops Bergamot
Combine ingredients in foaming soap dispenser. Use to wash hands as needed.
Fall Forest Room Mist:
(Notice this calls for Thieves Household Cleaner and witch hazel. This spray serves a purpose outside of making the air smell good)
1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
Here are some of my favorite recipes: (links to supplies at the bottom)
Fall Forest Foaming Hand Soap:1/3 cup Citrus Castile Soap
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
5 drops Clove
5 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
5 drops Cedarwood
10 drops Bergamot
Combine ingredients in foaming soap dispenser. Use to wash hands as needed.
Fall Forest Room Mist:(Notice this calls for Thieves Household Cleaner and witch hazel. This spray serves a purpose outside of making the air smell good)
1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
5 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
3 drops Clove
3 Cedarwood
10 drops Bergamot
4 ounces witch hazel
4 ounces distilled water
Combine ingredients in continuous mist sprayer. Shake before use. Mist throughout the room to keep the air clean and smell fresh.
Fall Forest All-Purpose Cleaner:
1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
3 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
3 drops Clove
3 drops Cedarwood
10 drops Bergamot
16 ounces distilled water
Combine ingredients in a 16 ounce glass spray bottle. Mist surface and wipe clean.
To shop the Fall Forest Essential Oils click here!
Continuous Mist Bottle click here!
Witch Hazel click here!
Citrus Castile Soap click here!
Foaming Soap Dispenser click here!
Enjoying your these simple recipes! Would love to here how you are enjoying them.
What does it mean when my oil bottle has a white label?
Well, that while label means you have your hands on a Vitality oil. What does this mean? It is considered GRAS ( Generally Regarded as Safe) by the FDA. Young Living's Vitality labels mean that the oil you have in your hand is okay to use for ingestion purposes. Does that mean go a guzzle a bottle of lemon oil? Um, no. There is a safe way to ingest your oils and I am here to share a couple of those ways with you today.
I am about to start the 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse. The Digest and Cleanse supplement is out of stock so I am creating my own capsules using Peppermint and Digize Vitality oil. If you have ever applied these oils topically, then you know that taking them in a capsule is about to work all sorts of magic on my GI tract.
There are various ways to use your vitality oils in capsule form. Some may create an immunity support blend, or a weight loss support blend, or even an oil to aid with those seasonal sniffles. Here are some examples of recipes I snagged from the Simply Wellness book from Oil Supply Store.
Now, these capsules look amazing, right? Only, creating your own essential oil capsule sounds slightly intimidating. I am here to show you that it is actually quite simple! Whether you are making a single capsule or a large batch to store in the fridge, this video will walk you through how to create your own.
This option is perfect if the oils you are looking to use aren't the best tasting. I used to drop my oils onto a teaspoon of honey but Digize is a little too strong for my liking.
Don't forget about adding your oils to your water! I like mixing up a large pitch of ice cold water to have ready to go all week long. Here are a few of my favorite recipes...
Cucumber Mint Pick Me Up
1 pitcher of cold water
5-7 drops of Peppermint
7-10 drops Orange/Tangerine
Sliced cucumber to float on top.
Citrus Boost
1 pitcher of cold water
7 drops Lemon
7 drops Grapefruit
7 drops Lime
Float sliced oranges on top.
Afternoon Tea
3 drops Orange
1 drop Spearmint
Mug of warm green tea
Enjoy these recipes and this fantastic tool in supporting your wellness with essential oils.
