Wordless Wednesday: Splash

Homemade Crayons: How To

Our crayon bin is nothing less than a disaster. I honestly have no idea where all the random crayons have come from, or even how we've ended up with so many over the last few years. With tons of broken crayons in the bottom of the bin, we decided to make some new ones.

We filled the molds a few weeks back (using our Sillycone ones). We removed any wrappers from the crayons and broke them into small pieces. Little Man's job was to fill the molds and decide which colors to combine in each.I read some where that you could sit them outside in the sunlight to melt the pieces. Unfortunately, it didn't work well for us. The crayons never got hot enough to melt completely, so we finally decided to pop them in the oven instead.

How To:
1. Remove crayon wrappers and break crayons into small pieces.
2. Fill molds.
3. Bake in oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes. But keep an eye on them as some brands may melt quicker.
4. Allow to cool completely and pop out of mold.

Tip:
Use crayons from one brand. We tried mixing brands together and some of our letters turned out very bumpy.

Little Man is loving his custom crayons (even though some of them broke as I removed them from the mold), and has been having fun creating words out of them as well.

Summer Pool & Play Set Safety Tips

It seems that as summer hits and the heat increases, so does my little one's energy. I'm constantly getting him out to play just to burn off a little of the extra energy. We went swimming for the first time last week, and I think he is now absolutely in love with our local pool.

With outdoor play and swimming, there comes a risk of accidents. It's been reported that over 200,000 kids children go to the emergency room for play set related injuries each year. Another 4,200 people are taken to the ER for pool or spa related injuries.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a leading product safety testing organization, wants to see people taking the proper precautions this summer. They've offered the following tips on staying safe while playing and swimming.
Before Installing a Play Set:

• Make sure your yard is big enough for the equipment. It should offer good visibility, security, and be free of any obstacles.
• Read and follow the manufacturer's directions. Check weight limits as well.
• Install a protective surface under equipment. Rubber tiles or mulch should extend 6 feet in all directions under the equipment.

Before Going Out to Play:

• Inspect equipment carefully. It should be securely anchored and in good working order. S-hooks should be closed and there should be no protruding bolts.
• Check for gaps a child could get stuck in. Spaces should be less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
• Always supervise children on equipment.
• Watch for obstacles that a child could trip on, such as rocks, tree stumps, or toys.

Home Pool Safety:

• Install a fence. It should be at least 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate.
• Cut overhanging tree limbs.
• Keep grates and drain covers secured and in good condition.
• Make sure you know infant and child CPR.

Safety While Swimming:

• Supervise children at ALL times. Use the 10/20 rule. You should scan the pool every 10 seconds and be close enough to reach the water within 20 seconds.
• Always have rescue devices nearby, like UL-listed life preservers.
• Remember floaties and toys are not safety devices.
• Always drain kiddie pools after using.
• Have a phone nearby and keep emergency numbers posted.
• Remove toys from pool when not in use. They could attract children to the unattended pool.

UL and Disney have also produced a safety video featuring Timon and Pumbaa. Watch it with your kids to learn more about staying safe this summer!

Have fun and stay safe this summer!

I wrote this while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Underwriters Laboratories. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.