2024. Bees.

2024.  Mamabeesimple has been inactive for a few years now and it's time to really live up to this name.

I finally qualified as a beekeeper here in beautiful Marlborough in New Zealand!

I now have my hive in the back yard with our chooks. 

Where do I start?

More to come...

Christmas Giveaway!

New Product!

#Excited #MamaBeeSimple #Handmade #NewZealand

Coconut Oil Beauty Recipes: Products You'll Want To Eat

Coconut Oil - This tropical oil has become widely talked about the past few years. The versatility and health benefits of coconut oil are endless. The popularity has probably risen due to the low cost and it's endless uses.

Many people want a reliable and versatile product they can trust, (of course) but did you know that Coconut Oil has got hundreds of different uses? From cleaning the home to cooking and using in you skincare? There would be an endless list of what coconut oil can be used for.

When I started using Coconut Oil (2 years ago) I can honestly say I was blown away by the results as well as my savings. I'm currently using it during my pregnancy to help with stretch marks, it's fantastic! I have also been eliminating harsh chemicals (daily) and saved money from costly moisturisers and makeup removers. Who doesn't want that?
I have set up a list for you to browse, learn & enjoy some D.I.Y Coconut Oil beauty recipes, so good in fact you'll want to eat them! NOM!

D.I.Y Cranberry Coconut Lip Gloss & Cheek Stain Hello Glow have shared an incredibly easy & beautiful DIY lip gloss and cheek stain. Maybe your looking for some cute gifts to make? Or trying out new ways to make yourself something healthy & safe to use. It looks so delicious, what product do you know is safe to eat? Full printable instructions are in the link

Lemon and Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub Who doesn't want a fresh, zesty sugar scrub to wake you up in the morning? Chic California have shared a genius and simple recipe for you to make for yourself or as cute gifts!

D.I.Y Coffee Scrub for Glowing Skin For me, nothing beats the smell of fresh coffee. There is something about coffee that just makes me feel warm and good. Having found this coconut oil & coffee scrub and learning it's benefits has made this the ultimate skincare D.I.Y!

Whipped Chocolate Body Butter The Coconut Mama has shared an all natural, velvety chocolate body butter - you can actually eat! Although not recommended, there is no harm licking it off your finger! Yum!

D.I.Y Orange Body Butter A fresh & energising shaving foam or moisturiser you can make from home, delicious! And only 4 ingredients...

Edible Brown Sugar Lip Scrub With Honey & Coconut Wow, how great does this look? What another lovely gift idea, get's rid of dead skin on your lips and moisturises at the same time with honey... delicious!

DIY Oatmeal Brown Sugar Scrub Leaves your skin feeling super soft & it's great for sensitive skin too. The oatmeal makes it look so tasty!

Cooking is a life-skill. We benefit so much from cooking such as embracing culture, learning where our food comes from and understanding what ingredients work together. 

When it comes to introducing basic cooking skills to a toddler, it is important to let them be creative. A messy kitchen and dirty bowls are certain but by letting your toddler use their instinct and creativity skills, this will lead to a confident and happy cook. Cooking is fun and a great way to relax. There are thousands of recipes out there you can use - no matter what age you are!  Let's start with the basics:

Tools: Bowl & Spoon

Placing essential tools used in the kitchen is a fantastic way for your toddler to identify what is used for basic cooking and preparing. The most practical ones such as a bowl & spoon is a great way to start. Watch what they do with it and explain what it is used for. This should already be a useful starting point for a little helper in the kitchen. (The mixer of course!)
Add some flour and water in the bowl for some playtime fun!

Techniques: Rolling, whisking, kneading, sifting
After showing your toddler certain tools used in the kitchen it's on with the techniques. 'Roll those sleeves up!' . The rolling pin is a fantastic tool to roll and create, how about some basic biscuits or rolling out some dough?

How about the whisk? Whisking can be great fun and it's actually very energetic. You can be brave and let your child crack an egg in the bowl or use some regular milk and make some bubbles. Whisk away!

Kneading dough is a great task for a child loves that play-doh feeling. Just pull and fold or roll the dough around , I'm sure they will create an 'original' loaf! If you cook your child's creations they will be over the moon.

Using a sieve is another tool that your child is bound to love using. Watching flour go into the bowl in a soft and fluffy texture is going to get messy but teaching various techniques in baking and cooking will ensure a happy & confident cook!

Teaching Safety: Hot! Sharp! Raw!

Of course the kitchen can be dangerous too. Big ovens with buttons, gas hobs and knives left, right and centre. My son loves to come in the kitchen and touch everything so I have to explain there are certain things that grown-ups must use instead on him.

If your child want's to cook all the time, maybe placing red stickers on dangerous tools or objects is a way of telling them it's dangerous, 'adult's only'. You will find a way, but don't scare them away from the kitchen.

bon appetit


Stock source: pixapay.com

Fresh Autumn Morning

Hunting Leaves

Today, Leon & I decided to get our wellies on and go for a walk out in the fresh autumn air. Yes I know, all of you back at home enjoying the summer sun - don't rub it in! 

We decided to find some strange and colourful looking leaves, all shapes and sizes. Leon really was determined to find the biggest leaf and the dragon red colour leaf. We ran through piles of leaves, we threw them in the air and even tried to pick some off the trees. We came home with plenty to show off to daddy and turned our leaves into a fun craft consisting a large tub of 'gloopy glue' and a pretty sheet of pattern paper. 'Ta Da'

Awakening Brilliance For Your Child

Awakening Brilliance For Your Child

All parents want their kids to succeed in life, and be the best they could possibly be by reaching their full potential. By putting in a bit of effort, parents can help their kids achieve this goal. However, they must always keep in mind that their kids have to do all the heavy lifting, while they are there only to guide, and support them. With an approach like that, you will have a healthy attitude in each activity, while you continue your pursuit of awakening brilliance in your child.

Refine Each Learning Method

Regardless of your child’s preferences, and personality, encourage them to adopt all three learning methods – visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Use creative arts and crafts projects, pictures, and vivid colors to help your child visualize a solution. For their listening learning style, let them listen to the music, and speak the material out loud, maybe even through song. And where there is song, and music, there is dance, to help them learn through movement.

Read to Your Child

From an early age, incorporate reading into your child’s life. Not only does reading target developing language, and verbal skills, but it also can challenge kids’ cognitive resources. Reading great books for children that are interesting to them, engages their creativity and imagination through visualization. Kids start drawing inspiration from stories, which can help them create stories of their own, but also find ingenious ways of resolving daily problems they face.

Play to Learn

Use fun, and familiar activities to target tough subjects, and weaker areas of development. Toys can be a great visual stimulation during learning, as they are close to kids, and can motivate them to learn. And since kids learn most about the world around them through play, incorporate games into their curriculum. To help them tackle tougher subject matter like mathematics, introduce kids to interactive online math games, or use cross-word puzzles to make learning language fun.

Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

Because a healthy mind requires a healthy body, encourage your kids to take up a exercise. Physical activity is not only responsible for muscle development, but it also improves oxygen intake. Oxygen is vital for healthy brain development, allowing cells to regenerate quicker, and establish better connections. Incorporate morning exercises, and walking into their daily routine. And as for sports consider encouraging them to take up swimming, as it incorporates all muscle groups, expands lung capacity, and helps with blood flow.

Give Them Brain Food

Provide a nutritional, healthy, and diverse diet to improve cognitive growth in your child. Kids need to have properly divided meals, making sure that they eat a healthy breakfast. A rich protein diet that includes fresh meat, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, can helps kids gain brain mass, and develop healthy synaptic connections. While including fish, nuts, and eggs boosts their Omega-3 essential fats intake, which advance their concentration levels, and help with logical thinking.

Allow Time to Rest

Because each developmental stage has specific sleep requirements, parents need to provide their kids with enough time to rest. A child’s brain needs sleep to be able to recharge, process, and store all the information accumulated during the day. To ensure they always sleep well, use the time right before bed time to focus on successful daily achievements, and transfer positive emotions through touch. This creates a sense of comfort, allowing them to have good dreams that spark imagination.

Finally, when it comes to your child’s brilliance, you need to be supportive, and dedicate yourself to them. Providing them with a positive, and loving environment and boost their self-confidence, allowing them to focus their energy elsewhere. Once they realize this, they will seek out new challenges to improve their intellect, and all that with the help of your guidance.

All images found on: pixabay.com

Author BIO:

Sophia Smith is a freelance writer from Brisbane, Australia with huge interest in beauty and healthy living. She could be described as beauty addict and life lover. She writes mostly in beauty and lifestyle related topics, mainly through blogs and articles. Sophia is regular contributor at High Style Life.

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