Twice-as-nice rice for little noses

Eleanor Douglas-Meyers is a crafty mom from Uitenhage who writes about DIY, parenting, natural hair care, fashion, food and fun on her blog

Pre-school kids are prone to the sniffles. I don’t know if its because the little outbreak monkeys keep putting random things in their mouths or are always playing in puddles – does that only count for the ones in my life? – but chesty and stuffy-nosed is even more common at this time of year. To combat that, I have a little homeopathic trick ... coloured eucalyptus sensory rice. I let them play with the sensory rice and it opens up their noses and chests while keeping them busy ... a win-win! Please take note that you will want to lay out a blanket for them to play on. The rice can get pretty messy, so the blanket catches it and helps with the clean-up later. You will need: – A few drops of eucalyptus oil (check with your health shop for a brand which is safe for kids-I’m told not all are); – Food colouring (I used a small cap full); – White rice (I used a mug full); – A bowl that seals or a ziplock bag; – Paper towel, newspaper. You do – Mix everything together in sealed container (you can add a teaspoon of water if the colour does not cover well). – Lay the wet rice out on the paper towel or newspaper to dry. Play time! There are various ways to play with the rice: – Pretend-cooking; – Finding hidden toys; – Use various containers to decant the rice; – Let their imagination run wild When the rice loses its scent, just add a few more drops and leave to dry. See more from Eleanor at a