Edible Pumpkin Playdough

This is a fun and tasty Halloween recipe for the kids! Let this sweet treat bring out the creativity in your “little monsters.”

• Servings: Yield=2 1/4 cups
• Time: 10 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) pumpkin spice–flavored liquid coffee creamer
  
• 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
  
• Food coloring
• 2 Tbsp. (24 g) coconut oil
  
• 1 toothpick cinnamon essential oil

Instructions:

1. In a mixer, slowly mix powdered sugar with the coffee creamer.
2. Beat until combined into a stiff, dry dough. Add coconut oil and cinnamon essential oil.
3. Add in food coloring until you achieve your desired color.
4. The dough should be shiny, pliable, and ready to play with!

 

Extra-Veggies Sloppy Joes with Basil Essential Oil

If you need a great recipe to help your kids eat a few vegetables, this is it! Now you can feel good about feeding your kids some great vegetables with added essential oil benefits in a dish they will love!

Extra-Veggies Sloppy Joes with Essential Oils

• Servings: 4
• Time: 30 minutes active; 20 minutes inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil
• 1/2 cup (80 g) onion, minced
• 1/2 cup (50 g) celery, minced
• 1/2 cup (75 g) green pepper, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1–2 drops basil essential oil
• 1 lb. (454 g) ground beef
• 1/2 cup (35 g) mushrooms, minced
• 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
• 1/4 tsp. (1.5 ml) chili sauce, optional
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• Pita bread rounds or hamburger buns

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the minced onion, celery, and green pepper until soft.
2. Add minced garlic and basil essential oil; continue cooking for about 30 seconds.
3. Add ground beef, and cook until browned.
4. Add mushrooms, tomato sauce, chili sauce, and water. Simmer for 15–20 minutes uncovered.
5. Serve on pita bread or buns.

Note: The easiest way to make these sloppy joes is to simply pulse the vegetables in a food processor until they are small enough to blend in with the ground beef.

Soothing Lavender Lotion

Help your kids sleep at night by massaging a little bit of this soothing lavender lotion on their feet. This lotion is so smooth and smells amazing—you may even be tempted to just apply it to yourself!

• Servings: Yield=8 oz. (240 ml)
• Time: 15–20 minutes active
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Print

Ingredients & Supplies:

• 1 Tbsp. (14 g) Shea Butter*
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. (7 g) Beeswax Pellets
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. (18 g) Coconut Oil
• 5 Tbsp. (75 ml) Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 3 Tbsp. (45 ml) Jojoba Oil
• 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. (195 ml) distilled water
• 25 drops lavender essential oil
• 8 oz. Purple Plastic Bottle with Black Pump Top

Instructions:

1. In a double boiler, melt shea butter and beeswax pellets over low heat. Once melted, add coconut oil, and continue heating until almost melted. Remove from heat, and stir until everything finishes melting.
2. Stir in fractionated coconut oil and jojoba oil.
3. Heat distilled water until warm.
4. Using a hand mixer, start beating water and slowly add the oil mixture while continuing to beat. Keep beating for a couple minutes. As you blend, you will hear a change and feel the lotion thicken. Let stand for a few minutes. If lotion separates during this time, continue to blend it again for a couple more minutes. If it doesn’t separate, then it has emulsified properly.
5. Mix in lavender essential oil.
6. Pour lotion into a plastic bag. Snip off a corner of the bag, and squeeze the lotion into the 8 oz. bottle with pump top.
7. To use, pump a little into your hand, and massage into the skin as needed.

*Shea butter contains latex. If you are allergic to latex, substitute 1/4 oz. Cocoa Butter and 1/4 oz. Coconut Oil for the shea butter in this recipe.

Essential Oils for Back to School

The lazy days of summer can make going back to school hard for kids! Time to use that brain power again at a time when cold and flu season can really do a number on the immune system. Essential oils can help your child concentrate, fortify the immune system, and calm stress.

Concentrate

It’s easy for a child to feel fidgety and distracted in class. This can make it difficult to retain information and understand what is being taught in the classroom.  According to the Reference Guide for Essential Oils, some essential oils can help with that.

Lemon, jasmine, vetiver, cedarwood, and lavender oils are known to heighten the senses and aid in memory recall. Try diffusing these oils while your child studies, and then send him or her to school with a nasal inhaler made with the same oils. Click here for 6 Nasal Inhaler Recipes to Take to School.

Immunity Boost

During the colder months of the fall and winter, there are all kinds of bugs to be passed around. The crowded classrooms and gyms of schools are a breeding ground for sickness.

There are many essential oils that are powerful antibacterial agents. Oregano, cinnamon bark, ravensara, and peppermint are said to be more powerful as antibacterial agents than penicillin or ampicillin. One study showed that cinnamon bark, lemon-grass and thyme tested the highest out of 14 oils for inhibitory effects against respiratory tract pathogens Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, including some penicillin-resistant strains.

Diffuse these oils in your child’s room when they sleep, and make sure they are getting plenty of rest and healthy food.

Calming the Stress

Being in school can be stressful! Studying for a test, getting homework done, pleasing the teacher, and worrying about a social life can really add stress and worry to a child’s life.

Lavender, clary sage, bergamot, basil, chamomile, and tangerine are some of the many essential oils that have a calming and uplifting effect. While you cannot remove stress from your child’s life, you can help soothe the stress by spending quality time with your child. Try diffusing some calming oils while you sit and read with your child.

With the use of essential oils, along with proper rest, nutrition, and quality time, you can prepare and support your children as they face the challenges of getting back into the swing of things at school.

Sources:
Reference Guide for Essential Oils, 2016 Edition.

Shigeharu Inouye, Toshio Takizawa, and Hideyo Yamaguchi. “Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils and Their Major Constituents against Respiratory Tract Pathogens by Gaseous Contact.” Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 47, no. 5 (May 2001), 565–73.

Essential Oils Safe For Kids

Parents want the very best in health and safety for their children. Although essential oils are very potent and should be used with caution, they can also offer a wide application of healthful benefits, even for children.

Essential oils have been known to treat and relieve numerous childhood ailments such as colic, allergies, chicken pox, whooping cough, constipation, diaper rash, cradle cap, earaches, rashes, teething, thrush, and hyperactivity. Although they are natural, essential oils are powerful and should be used properly and with caution. When using essential oils with babies or children, it is best to dilute 1–2 drops of essential oil with 1 tsp. of carrier oil, such as Sweet Almond Oil.

The following 20 essential oils are considered safe for children:

• Bergamot
• Cedarwood
• Chamomile
• Cypress
• Frankincense
• Geranium
• Ginger
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Mandarin
• Marjoram
• Melaleuca
• Orange
• Rose Otto
• Rosemary
• Rosewood
• Sandalwood
• Thyme
• Ylang Ylang

Always dilute photosensitive oils, and do not use citrus oils on the skin when in direct sunlight. When using essential oils in the bath, always use a bath gel base.

Keep essential oils out of reach of children. If an oil is ingested, give the child and oil-soluble liquid such as a high-fat dairy beverage, then call a poison control center to seek advice. A few drops of pure essential oil should be safe, but it is always best to take precautions.

See the Reference Guide for Essential Oils to learn more about how to use essential oils for your children.

Source: Reference Guide for Essential Oils, 2016 Edition, pp. 391–95.

Healthy Cranberry Orange Gummy Candies

Do your kids love gummy candies? Try making some of your own with real fruit juice and essential oils—and rest easy knowing your kids are enjoying a healthy treat!

• Servings: Yield=1 1/4 cups (300 ml)
• Time: 15 minutes active; 1 hour inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup (160 ml) cranberry juice, divided
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) orange juice
• 3 Tbsp. (27 g) powdered gelatin
• 1–2 Tbsp. (15–30 ml) honey (depending on sweetness preference)
• 5–6 drops orange essential oil

Instructions:

1. Pour 1/3 cup (80 ml) cranberry juice and 1/3 cup (80 ml) orange juice in a saucepan. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the liquid, and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Turn the heat to medium, and stir until the mixture gets bubbly and the gelatin dissolves. Whisk in the honey, and stir until completely dissolved.
3. Stir in the rest of the cranberry juice (1/3 cup or 80 ml) and the essential oil.
4. Pour into a silicone mold or mini ice cube tray, and refrigerate until set (about an hour).

Essential Oil Dilution Stick

Many essential oils require dilution, especially if used on children, pregnant women, or people with sensitive skin. Click here for more information about diluting essential oils. Sometimes, carrier oils can get a little messy and can especially be a hassle when using essential oils on a wiggly child. One way to reduce the mess is to use these Dilution Sticks! Each stick contains a formula of carrier oils that are not only good for the skin, but also remain solid at room temperature. The sticks are so simple to use, even a small child can help you!

This Dilution Stick recipe does not contain essential oils, so it can be used with whichever essential oil you need at the time. To use the stick, simply twist it up and rub it onto your skin before (or after) applying your essential oils. If you have a favorite essential oil you know you will be using a lot, you can simply add the oil to the melted liquid before pouring the mixture into your containers. Or you can add the essential oil after pouring the carrier oil mixture into the containers—just make sure to stir the essential oil in with a toothpick or bamboo skewer before the mixture cools. A good dilution ratio is 1–2 drops per .15 oz. (4.25 g) of carrier oil mixture. This would result in the following essential oil drops per container:

• 1–2 drops of essential oil for each Lip Balm Tube (.15 oz./4.25 g)
• 2–4 drops of essential oil for each Travel Deodorant Container (.35 oz./10 g)
• 20–30 drops of essential oil for the Large Deodorant Container (2.65 oz./75 g)

If you love this idea, but don’t want to take the time to make it, you can always buy a Carrier Oil Stick from Abundant Health™ that is all ready to go. A smaller On-The-Go Stick is also available for purchase.

The following recipe makes 2 Dilution Sticks—1 big and 1 small. Keep the big one at home and the small one in your purse or travel oil bag so you always have one available when you need it!

• Servings: Yield=3 oz./85 g
• Time: 10–15 minutes active; 15 minutes inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients & Supplies:

• 1 oz. (28.5 g) Shea Butter (about 1/4 cup)
• .75 oz. (21.25 g) Beeswax Pellets (about 5 Tbsp.)
• .75 oz. (21.25 g) Coconut Oil (about 1 1/2 Tbsp.)
• .5 oz. (14 g) Sweet Almond Oil (about 1 1/2 Tbsp.)
• 1 Large Deodorant Container (2.65 oz.)
• 1 Travel Deodorant Container (.35 oz.)

Instructions:

1. Place the shea butter and beeswax in a double boiler on the stove over medium-low heat. You can create a double boiler by placing a glass measuring cup (containing the ingredients) in a pan filled with an inch or so of water.
2. Once the shea butter and beeswax are melted, reduce the heat to low, and add the coconut oil. When the coconut oil is melted, add the sweet almond oil, and remove from heat. Continue stirring until all the oils have melted together.
3. Make sure your deodorant containers are clean and twisted all the way down. Pour the oil into your deodorant containers, and allow to cool. You can place them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
4. To use, rub the stick over the skin before applying essential oils.

Extra Idea:

• If you have a favorite essential oil you know you will be using a lot, you can simply add the oil to the melted liquid before pouring the mixture into your deodorant containers. You can also add the essential oil after pouring the carrier oil mixture into the containers. Just make sure to stir the essential oil in with a toothpick or bamboo skewer. A good dilution ratio is 1–2 drops essential oil per .15 oz. (4.25 g) of carrier oil mixture.
• Other twist-up containers will also work, including our Lip Balm Dispensing Tubes (.15 oz/4.25 g).

Note: Shea butter contains latex (a natural rubber). If you are allergic or sensitive to latex, do a skin patch test prior to making this recipe, or use Mango Butter for a substitute and reduce the amount of beeswax pellets used.

Essential Oil–Scented Bouncy Balls

We know it can be hard to get your children excited about essential oils, so we’ve found a fun way to keep them entertained while being exposed to essential oils. Your kids will not only love playing with these bouncy balls, but they will also enjoy the smell they leave on their hands. You can put any kid-safe oils in the bouncy balls. Some of the oils we used were lemon, orange, and lavender.

• Servings: Yield: 1 ball
• Time: 5 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. warm water
• 1 tsp. borax
• 1 Tbsp. liquid glue
• 5–10 drops of your favorite essential oils
• 3–4 drops food coloring
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Combine warm water and borax in a small cup or bowl. Stir until borax is completely dissolved, and then set aside.
2. In a glass bowl or cup, combine glue, essential oils, and food coloring.
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the borax solution with cornstarch to the glue. Allow the ingredients to interact for 15 seconds before stirring.
4. Stir the mixture together using a metal spoon until it becomes too stiff to stir. Then, pull the spoon out, and mold the the mixture into a ball by kneading it with your hands. The ball will be sticky at first, but it will solidify as you knead it. Once the ball is no longer sticky, roll it between your hands until it becomes smooth and round.

Extra Ideas:

1. Test the level of bounce on different surfaces. Unlike traditional bouncy balls, these balls bounce better on carpet than on hard surfaces.
2. Conduct a science experiment with your children by testing different ratios of borax, glue, and cornstarch to obtain the highest bounce.
3. Make multiple colors of balls, and combine them for fun designs.

Inspired by: https://sciencebob.com/make-your-own-bouncy-ball/

Don’t be alarmed if your child flattens the ball; they are easy to re-shape and resume the bouncy fun after your child is done smashing and stretching the ball.

Although these balls are not super bouncy, they are fun to play with and a good way to expose your children to essential oils. These are temporary bouncy balls that will eventually lose their elasticity. Keeping them in a sealed bag when not in use will help them stay bouncy longer.

All-Natural Baby Shampoo and Body Wash

Are you looking for a natural shampoo and body wash for your kids or yourself? This recipe is great at getting you clean and even incorporates the relaxing benefits of lavender essential oil. It’s perfect for your toddler’s bedtime bath!

• Servings: Yield=8 oz.
• Time: 5 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Castile Soap
• 2 Tbsp. Vegetable Glycerin
• 2 tsp. Sweet Almond Oil
• 10–15 drops lavender essential oil
• 1/4 cup distilled water
• 8 oz. Plastic Bottle with Pump Top

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in the bottle.
2. Screw the lid on, and shake to combine.
3. To use, pump out a little at a time, and rub on hair and body. Make sure to rinse off well.

Essential Oil–Scented Play Dough

Play dough can be a great tool for sparking creativity in both children and adults. You can make a great sensory experience by adding essential oils to your play dough. This recipe makes a smooth, shiny, colorful, scented play dough that lasts a long time before drying out!

• Servings: Yield=4 play dough balls
• Time: 20 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup salt, divided
• 2 Tbsp. cream of tartar, divided
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water, divided
• Food coloring
• Essential oil
• Vegetable Glycerin
• 4 oz. Salve Jars

Instructions:

1. In four separate bowls, add 1/2 cup flour, 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp.) salt, 1/2 Tbsp. cream of tartar, and 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, and stir together.
2. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, and place 1/3 cup of water in four separate bowls or cups. Stir in a different color of food coloring in each bowl or cup of hot water. Keep in mind that the coloring will be lighter once added to the flour mixture, so you may need more than you think. About 10 drops of food coloring for each bowl should work well.
3. Add a bowl of water to each bowl of flour mixture, but add just a little bit of water at a time as you stir the dough. Continue adding water until the dough feels just right. If you added too much water, you can add a little flour and knead it into the dough until you get the right consistency.
4. Once you have your colored dough balls, make a little well in each one, add a few drops of essential oil and a drop or two of vegetable glycerin to each ball, fold the dough so it closes over the well opening, and then continue to knead the dough for about 60 seconds each ball. If you find the scent of the dough is not strong enough, add  a few more drops of the essential oil.
5. Store each piece of dough in a 4 oz. salve container, ziplock bag, or other air-tight container.

Extra Ideas:

• Adding the food coloring to the water is a much cleaner way to get the color distributed evenly throughout the dough than adding the coloring after the dough is formed. But, if you would rather, you can always just make one bowl of flour mixture by following the measurements above, add the boiling water in increments until you have a good dough, divide the dough as desired, and then add your food coloring just like you would add the essential oil.
• Be sure to choose essential oils that are safe for children. It’s fun to choose oil scents that go along with each color, and this also makes for a fun sensory experience. For example, mix a drop of lemon essential oil in with the yellow play dough, a drop of peppermint essential oil in with the green or blue play dough, a drop of orange essential oil in with the orange play dough, a drop of lavender essential oil in with the purple play dough, etc.