I have been hearing a lot about the dangers of sunscreen and an article I read yesterday really made me stop and think about the sunscreen that I am putting on my kids, and myself actually. Did you know that many of the chemicals that are in traditional sunscreens actually cause cancer and can be linked to reproductive issues.

I am trying to protect my kids from the harm that the sun can cause and I think I may actually be doing more damage than good. For the past few years my kids have been wearing the rash guard/swim shirts, so we have been using a lot less sun screen. But, they do need something on their exposed areas.

I searched for hours yesterday trying to find a natural sun screen that would not break the bank.

The brand California Baby received very high reviews and came highly recommended. Being that it costs $15.99 for 2.9 ounces I kept searching.

My final search took me to a product called Mexitan. I know, it sounds strange, but it has everything that I am looking for. Good price and good ingredients. This product is $16.95 for a much larger 8 ounces.
Here is their ingredient list:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

* Titanium Dioxide
* Zinc Oxide

OTHER NATURAL INGREDIENTS

* Deionized Water
* Sunflower Oil
* Lecithin (Soy-based)
* Coconut Oil
* Glycerine
* Xanthan Gum
* Green Tea Extract
* Jojoba Oil
* Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
* Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
* Shea Butter
* Eucalyptus Oil

They also have a bug repellent that I will probably purchase because we have a lot of mosquitoes here and DEET scares me, but so do the diseases that the mosquitoes carry.

It is time for another felt giveaway!

This month I am giving away The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

This set comes with one adorable old lady and four flies, four spiders, four birds, two cats, two dogs, two cows and two horses. It also includes a copy of the Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly poem.

To enter the contest this month just leave a comment below. In your comment let us know about one of your favorite activities that you like to do with your children in the summer.

I will kick things off by share one activity that we do a lot. Making bubbles is always a huge hit for us in the summer. Not only do we make our own bubbles, but we have fun making our own different bubble blowers and testing them out.

The drawing for this contest will be June 13th, so get your entry in before then!

I am happy to announce the addition of two new wonderful felt board sets!

The first set is all about bugs and creepy crawlies.

The second set is a wonderful collection of tall tales that are all about American folk heroes.

There is a lot included with these sets, these are just the backgrounds. They include literature and the Tall Tales set includes coloring pages and a CD. (The CD is currently on backorder and will be shipped as soon as it become available.)

Can you rearrange the letters in the words new door to make one word?

Answer:

You can rearrange New Door into the words One Word.

Can you rearrange the letters in the words new door to make one word?

Don’t forget to post your answers below!

I read a teacher’s blog today and she tells about an activity that she did with her students.  She gave them each different left over craft kits without the instructions and asked them to put them together and write the directions to the craft.

What an excellent way to use up some old and miscellaneous crafts.  From what I read it was an interesting exercise and there were some crazy outcomes.

At the end of the school year many parents struggle with what to give their child’s teacher. As a teacher myself I always loved to receive items for my classroom because I know that it is something that I will use and that will benefit many of my students.

These hands on items are a great addition to the classroom and there is a lot to choose from.
Here is just one of the wonderful Science Felt Board sets.

There are also Math Felt Sets

and items for the preschool classroom.

I would love to know, as a teacher, what your favorite gifts are.

The answer to yesterday’s Thursday Thinker, A Strange Occurrence is:

The Letter M

Both of my children have studied butterflies in school and what made the biggest impression on them was actually watching the whole process. Over a year later, my son still talks about the chrysalis that he was able to take home. He remembers how to tell the difference between male and female Monarch butterflies because they identified every butterfly that they released.  This is probably the science topic and activity that gets the kids most excited.

This butterfly pavilion includes the habitat, free mail in certificate for 10 Painted Lady butterfly larvae with special food and complete instructions. (It’s on sale too!)

Another short, but sweet Thursday Thinker for today!  Be sure to share your answer or come back tomorrow to see the solution.

What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment and never in a thousand years?