Sherri's Helpful Hints

Making Homemade Playdoh

1 c. flour
1 c. boiling water
2 tbsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. salt
1 tbsp. oil
Food coloring

Mix and knead together. This playdoh is not sticky and does not dry out.


Children's Tips:

Some children these days seem to have a lot of toys, some of which never see the light of day. To keep children interested and to get the best out of their toys divide them into two different toy boxes and rotate them every two or three weeks.

Hand painting is a great way to amuse children as they love to get messy. The finished articles can be used as pictures, borders etc,.

To encourage finicky eaters put a variety of food in a dish to make it interesting for them. For instance you could use an ice cube tray and put things such as nuts, raisins, currents, cheese etc. into each compartment.

Pieces of bread soaked in milk and baked in the oven until crisp, make ideal rusks especially for babies that are teething. As well as being cheap they have the added bonus of no added sugar.

Use role play with children, this encourages their imagination and can help with difficult situations such as pending hospital visits etc.

Place an old washing liquid "ball" over the bath taps to prevent children burning themselves.

For babies suffering with acute diaper rash (the rash from ongoing diahrrea with a virus is so painful) put a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into a bowl of warm water and sit baby in until the water cools. This is both soothing and healing.

Use a visor to prevent soap in childrens' eyes when washing hair.

To make tidying up toys etc. fun use a kitchen timer and make it into a game to see if they can "beat the clock". A small reward at the end makes is extra fun.

The noise made by domestic appliances (washing machines etc.) can be very soothing to babies.

To make home made baby wipes put some hot water into a bowl, add a squirt of baby oil and then lay in some cotton wool squares. Hey presto, home made wipes.

Muslin squares are very useful as they can be used for wiing chins, changing mats, burping and much, much more.

Record an audio tape for your children to hear when they are going to sleep. Nursery rhymes, favorite stories etc. together with a familiar voice can work wonders. These are also useful when travelling.