How to Clean Your Children’s Toys

By in Parenting No Comments

Right now, health is at the forefront of all of our minds. We all want to do what we can to keep our homes clean and our children as safe as possible, so Spares2You have asked me for the best tips on disinfecting children’s toys.

Cleaning children’s toys is not always a straight forward matter. There are so many toys, each with different types of materials from wood, to plush teddy bears, fabric toys, bath toys or toys with batteries which can’t be immersed into water… so how do we handle these, and how often do you need to clean your child’s toys in the first place?

Bath toys 

Bath toys are great fun, but if you’re not careful you might start to spot some mould building up in these toys – particularly the squeezy water squirter variety! One way to get around this issue before it even begins, is to seal holes in your bath toys shut using a hot glue gun. Some bath toys are also made specially with no holes nowadays, to help combat this common bath toy cleaning issue.

Regardless of the holes, bath toys are still an area which need extra care due to the possibilities of mould. You may want to check the bath toy storage caddies too, and regularly clean these out. After your baby or child has finished their bath, it’s best to take out all of the toys and dry them, squeezing out any water that has seeped inside any of the toys, before putting them away.

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10 Health Benefits of Watermelon

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Watermelon is one of the most popular fruits with children, especially during the summer months when it’s so refreshing. Luckily, as well as being a delicious treat, it also offers a lot of great health benefits for your children and entire family. Here, we will take a look at ten of the health benefits of Watermelon 

  1. Hydration

Watermelon is made up of 92% water, so if you have little ones who are not drinking enough water during the hot summer days then watermelon could be an extra tool in your belt to keep your child hydrated.

   2. Highly Nutritious 

One cup of watermelon goes a great way towards your recommended daily allowance of many vitamins and minerals…

  • Vitamin C: 21% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
  • Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI
  • Potassium: 5% of the RDI
  • Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
  • Vitamins B1, B5 and B6: 3% of the RDI

3. High in Vitamin C

As you can see from the figures above, watermelon is a great source of Vitamin C. This is such a super vitamin, helping to boost the immune system and fight against colds as well as helping the body to produce collagen which helps keep your eyesight sharp.

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Unbelievably dark and delicious Wahaca chocolate brownie

By in Food No Comments

Recipe and images provided by WAHACA AT HOME

This sophisticated, crater-like, deeply chocolatey cake, with the merest hint of cinnamon and a generous scrunch of sea salt, is so popular amongst my friends that it comes out at almost any opportunity.  I stole the recipe from a friend of my parents when I was eight (which gives you an idea of how easy it is).  Do not be put off by the look of the cake when it comes out of the oven – it is utterly delicious and looks fantastic when decorated!

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Osmo Creative Starter Kit

By in Toy Reviews No Comments

Osmo is a great way to make screen time a lot more hands on, and allow kids to get more out of using their iPads (or fire tablets). We were sent the Creative Starter Kit to try out with the kids and it’s a great tool for the times we are in right now with school closures, and parents needing to find ways to keep children occupied, and their minds active.

The Osmo creative starter set includes an Osmo base, which you can use with any Osmo games if you expand your collection further (there are lots available!) and a creative board with a set of four dry wipe pens and a pencil case to keep them in – which also functions as a wipe cloth for the board.

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How to Make Your Own Piñata

By in Crafts, Play No Comments

Activity and images provided by WAHACA AT HOME

Make your own Piñata

Looking for the perfect way to stop your kids smashing up the house? Here’s our step by step guide to making your own Piñata.

STEP 1: Assemble your equipment

You’ll need

  • flour
  • water
  • newspaper
  • balloons
  • string
  • scissors
  • glue
  • paint
  • tissue paper
  • and lots of treats to put inside!

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Outdoor Garden Play Ideas for Families

By in Play No Comments

Right now we are in unprecedented times, with households across the UK going into our second month of ‘lockdown’ due to the Corona Virus outbreak. This break from the norm can be quite stressful for children – we don’t know when this situation is going to end, when we will see our families and friends again, or what our new ‘normal’ is going to be once the lockdown starts to lift, and that can be a lot to process for little minds.

As parents are trying to juggle working from home, with homeschooling, feeding the family and just getting everyone through the day – the importance of play has never been more vital.

“We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing.” -Charles Schaefer

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3 Home Safety Checks You Can Do in Minutes

By in Home and Lifestyle No Comments

Amidst the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, it’s easy to overlook safety issues in your home. With these three simple checks, however, you can improve your home’s safety quickly and easily. If you’re short on time, don’t panic. These three checks take just minutes to perform and will give you unrivalled peace of mind.

1. Fire Alarms

Having smoke, fire or heat alarms installed in your property is non-negotiable. If you don’t already have them, you can pick them in most supermarkets, online or free via numerous charities. The fire brigade will even pop round and install them for you, if you’re unable to do this yourself. 

Many modern fire alarms last for years but you still need to check them regularly. With a test button situated on the alarm itself, it takes seconds to ensure they’re working. 

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Design A Family-Friendly Bathroom Children Can Use for Home Learning

By in Home and Lifestyle, Parenting No Comments

The average bathroom renovation cost ranges from £1,400 to £6,000 across the UK, according to mybuilder.com. We all escape to the bathroom to enjoy some self-care. If you have young kids, however, the bathroom will be more than a space to relax. Kids bath time creates room for reconnecting with your child and exploring their learning abilities.

Incorporating bath games with Tomy Poppin’ Penguin Island, for instance, assists your child in gaining different skills like color matching, counting, and identifying numbers. Adding kid-friendly design elements in your family bathroom can also help improve your child’s cognitive and coordination skills.

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