My one-year morning gratitude experiment

Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted to start a homestead. Oh, how satisfied and happy she thought she would be.

Until one day she moved to a farm. Only to realize that, in fact, she wanted more. She didn’t just want to homestead, she wanted to start a blog and learn 52 homesteading skills in one year. And then oh, how satisfied and happy she would be.

So, she started writing. Only to discover herself thinking how nice it would be to grow the farm, get more animals, and write a book. And then oh, how …

Wait a second?

It took me a while to catch on (I’m a little slow) but I finally realized that I’m living with a little happiness-sucking gremlin. His name is “hedonic adaption”.

“The hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, is the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes. According to this theory, as a person makes more money, expectations, and desires rise in tandem, which results in no permanent gain in happiness.” – Wikipedia

Maybe you are too. Have you ever thought: I will be happy when (fill in the blank ie: find the right person, promotion, earn $X amount of money, achieve my homesteading dreams, retire)

I’ve been chasing “satisfied me” my entire life and every time I think I’m about to finally reach her, the hedonic adaptation gremlin grabs her arm and skips away to a new point in time.

Many years ago I read the book, “How to get from where you are to where you want to be” in preparation for an interview with the author, Jack Canfield (you may know him as the co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Souls book series).

It was a great motivational read, but I couldn’t help wondering: “What about the people who are happy with what they have?”

Mr. Canfield admitted it was possible (he mentioned Buddhist monks), but that most people want more.

I thought he was right. I love setting goals and then testing myself as I try and climb up the next exciting peak to a new adventure. This, as it turns out, can be a positive trait.

“We know that people are happiest when they’re appropriately challenged—when they’re trying to achieve goals that are difficult but not out of reach,” says Daniel Gilbert, Harvard psychology professor and author of Stumbling on Happiness.

The problem is that I always discover more “fun” challenges and off I go on my incessant chase, which, if I’m not careful, can leave me feeling depressed and exhausted at the end of the day.

But what if I was on to something in that interview all those years ago? What would happen if I consciously made an effort every day to truly enjoy the journey. To take pleasure in whatever I have right NOW which, I should point out, just so happens to be the things I was wishing for not that long ago.

The Morning Gratitude Experiment Begins

I don’t know about you, but I’m terrible at gratitude.

I go from bringing the kids to the school bus in the morning to collecting eggs from the coop and bringing water to the sheep – often without ever stopping for a second to think how nice it is to have that time with the kids, how lucky I am to have fresh eggs or how much fun it is to own a few smiling sheep.

Instead, I might complain about the cold as I walk to the bus. I might get annoyed at the chickens for laying their eggs under the ramp, which means hunting for them on my hands and knees on the floor of the poopy chicken coop. Or I might question my life as I pick burrs out of the sheep’s wool because they somehow tangled themselves in another patch of the annoying stuff.

It’s not that I never appreciated all that I have. I know I am extremely fortunate! But I certainly was not giving thanks often enough.

So, at the beginning of this pandemic when I was feeling particularly low, I decided this was the ideal time to make more of an effort to consciously focus on the good (read: ordinary) things in my life whether that was sipping a large mug of foamy hot chocolate or listening to the sound of my goofy kids’ laughing. Instead of letting these moments pass by without much thought, I took the time to really savour them and think to myself as the author, Kurt Vonnegut, says:

Since the pandemic hit, every morning I’ve written three different things I’m grateful for every day. It may sound a little woo-woo, but I can honestly say that this one minuscule, 5 minute action (or longer depending on how grateful I’m feeling at that particular moment) has made a huge difference in my life over the past year.

Are the Touted Benefits of a Morning Gratitude Practice True?

Gratitude increases mental strength

It turns out that a pandemic may be the best time to start a morning gratitude practice. Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – especially during the worst times of your life supposedly fosters resilience.

For example, highly grateful Vietnam War Veterans experienced lower rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, according to this 2006 study.  Gratitude was also a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11, according to research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

My results: Being grateful has forced my brain to remember there is still so much to be thankful for each and every day despite the never-ending anxiety-inducing media reports and the real-life tragedies of a pandemic. PS. It also helps if you don’t watch/read the news (or at least limit the amount you take in).

Gratitude improves relationships

It turns out that you can not only get used to things but people too. Of course, I personally have never nagged my partner about leaving his towels on the bathroom floor or leaving his tools scattered in random places throughout the house. I always appreciate everything he does for our family and I constantly say thank you. You believe me, right? No? OK, so maybe I can be a little naggy at times. Maybe I learned a lot from this new gratitude habit. I think you will too because this is not just my experience.

In this study, couples who took time to express gratitude for their partner not only felt more positive toward the other person but also felt more comfortable expressing concerns about their relationships.

In fact, everyone around you will benefit from your new morning gratitude practice. Here’s why. Many days I found myself writing things like:

I am thankful for…

• Jack (my 7-year-old son) for making me laugh at myself as I try my best to copy the movements of my online pilates class instructor (apparently it’s very funny to watch me try and bend and contort myself into ridiculous positions).
• Jeremie for staying up past midnight to help me edit my video for the Mother Earth News Fair.
• Ella (my daughter) for feeding the sheep this morning.
• My mom for making me the most delicious gluten-free squares.
• My friend Isabelle for inviting us over to swim in her pool (during the yellow phase of Covid-19 when we could still do fun things like this).
• A nice comment a reader left on my blog post.

The more I wrote, the more grateful I became for all the amazing and caring people in my life. And guess what? The more grateful I became, the more I expressed this. And how did that make the other person feel? I actually have no idea. But I’m guessing they felt happier and more positive too.

It’s like doubling your income

Sadly, I didn’t double my income over the past year. But the happiness boost injected into my everyday life may have been equivalent. (P.S. If you already earn $75,000, more money will not result in more happiness, according to the experts.)

Skeptical? Doubling your income will improve your happiness levels by 10 percent, according to this study from the American Psychology Association. But participants in this study who kept a weekly morning gratitude journal showed a 15 percent increase in optimism. Let’s hear it for gratitude! The theory is if you believe your everyday life to be positive, you will also believe your future to be just as awesome. Of course, when we are feeling optimistic, we are also likely feeling happy.

My results: Let’s be honest. It would have been really nice to have doubled my income. But my happiness levels did increase. I can’t say exactly how much. I do know it’s waaaaay too easy to get used to whatever you have and to start wanting more or a better version. Being grateful has helped me fight my hedonic adaption monster but it is a skill I continually have to work at.

Say goodbye to feelings of envy and insecurity

Envy can be positive. Sometimes it can be used as a beacon to point you to what you want to have or achieve in life. For example, I often feel envious when I see photos on Instagram of cupboards full of preserves. Yes, you read that right. Some people may envy gorgeous bodies, beautiful homes, or happy couples frolicking on beaches. But all that is lost on me. I get canned goods envy.

Of course, envy and insecurity can have dark sides. The goods news is you can’t feel envy and gratitude at the same time. So, instead of being jealous of all those canned goods, I say a silent thank you for inspiring me to get busy planning next year’s harvest and hopefully jars and jars of preserves, which I will definitely post on Instagram.

Counting your blessings is better than counting sheep

Next time you can’t sleep, start thinking of the people and things you are most grateful for. If you’re being thankful, you’re not worrying or stressing about work, the kids, or your mile-long to-do list.

My results: I’m usually too exhausted by the end of the day to have trouble falling asleep. But we do have a household rule that we don’t discuss any potentially stressful matters in the hour before bed.

The Cons

Less money

There is a good chance that if you focus on gratitude, you will end up spending less time chasing money and achievements. Instead, you will find yourself spending more time with friends and family and pursuing your passions. If that’s not your jam, don’t practice gratitude.

Your smile lines may deepen

If your mind is busy feeling grateful for a kind word or your favourite pair of woolly socks, it will be difficult for your brain to also ruminate on whatever might not be going well in the moment. Giving thanks shifts your focus to the smile-worthy!

How to start a morning gratitude practice

Set aside 5 minutes

Five minutes of gratitude is all it takes to increase your happiness and the more often you do it, the bigger the boost. I can’t think of a better investment of my time.

Nowadays, I don’t need to set time aside although I still do. But if you can’t, simply make a point of noticing opportunities to be thankful throughout the day.

Don’t expect overnight success

It takes between 4 to 12 weeks of consistently practicing gratitude before you will see any mental health benefits, according to the John Templeton Foundation Expanding Gratitude Project. So be patient. This is a new skill you’re learning. You are training your brain to remember to be grateful. If you’re terrible at gratitude like me, this won’t be easy. But over time, you will start giving thanks throughout the day without even having to think about it.

Make gratitude a habit

Pick a time every day to sit down and write at least three things you are grateful for or, if you are a meditator, why not try focusing on what you’re grateful for in your next session? The important thing is that you take a few minutes every day to actually feel grateful, which brings me to the next point.

Don’t just write. Feel grateful.

You can’t just chuck a few nice things on paper and expect to see results from your morning gratitude practice. They have to be authentic. You have to actually feel grateful for what you are expressing. It helps if you are specific when you are writing. So, for example, instead of “I’m thankful for my husband”, I’ll write: “I’m thankful for Jeremie for taking the time to massage my feet at the end of the day even when he’s tired.”

Try thinking about the people, places, things, and activities you are thankful for and how much you’d miss them if they were gone. If you start to run out of ideas, here are some great journal prompt ideas.

I didn’t think a morning gratitude practice would work either…

To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for my morning gratitude practice when I started last year. It sounded absolutely ridiculous that something so small could make much of a difference. But I needed help! Desperate COVID times called for desperate COVID measures. So I ordered a fancy-schmancy gratitude journal (not necessary) and began to write.

On top of writing, I also took time to savour some of the simple things in my life based on advice from the most popular Yale University Course – The Science of Well-Being. Combined (gratitude and savouring), can give depression a powerful one-two punch.

So, what is savouring? Basically, taking the time to appreciate experiences in our lives. It may be as simple as an excellent singing session in the shower, a walk in the fresh air, or a particularly delicious meal. Take a second and capture the moment in your mind (and/or with your camera – maybe not if you are in the shower) and think about how lucky you are to have those experiences. Then share them with another person for bonus happiness points.

The astonishing result: A morning gratitude practice is life-changing!

Over the past year, I discovered something about myself. I’m not (or at least I wasn’t) a very grateful person. I took A LOT for granted.

Not only do I get used to bad things that happen in my life but the good too. And I don’t want to take my husband or my kids for granted. I don’t want to take chocolate, sunsets or the funny sounds my sheep make when they baaaaaa at me to hurry and feed them in the morning for granted. I don’t even want to take my two functioning legs for granted.

But the truth is. I still can’t say I am thankful for everything all the time. But I am 100% appreciating my life much more than I used to. My happiness has at least gone up by a few percentage points, my stress levels are lower and I feel more connected with those around me.

Gratitude has not made the bad things go away. But I think it has increased my chances of mentally surviving the tough times and really appreciating and savouring the good ones.

I have also discovered that my happiness is actually found in ordinary moments and everyday things – but only if I take time to savour and actually feel grateful for them.

Will I still set goals to try to get where I want to be? Will I still try and improve myself every day? Absolutely! But will I remember to enjoy the journey and be grateful for what I have? I am determined to try my best.

If you’re like me, maybe you too are skeptical of starting a morning gratitude practice. But I hope I’ve convinced you to at least give gratitude a try. It’s free. It only takes a couple of minutes. And it could just be the best, most life-changing, and easiest habit you’ve ever begun.

PS. Thank YOU for reading and following us along on our life/homesteading journey.

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

I bought 200 wool dryer balls.  And they were not returnable.

You should have seen my husband’s face when I told him how many hundreds of dollars we spent on dryer balls. It wasn’t woolly great, my friends.

On the positive side, I now know more than I EVER wanted to know about using and caring for wool dryer balls.

Click here to jump to the guide.

After skirting, handwashing (several times) and drying our wool from our four Babydoll Southdown Sheep, we brought it to a local mill.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have time to process the wool right away and it became too brittle in storage to use for yarn. But they assured me it would be perfect for dryer balls. So, having no clue as to how many wool dryer balls four sheep can produce, I said, Great idea!

A week later I got an email saying my 200 dryer balls were ready for pick up and payment. At first, I thought there was a mistake. 200? I questioned. She assured me that yes, each of my four little sheep grew 50 dryer balls in one year.  

Thankfully, many of my amazing local friends, family, neighbours and subscribers (I SINCERELY LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO, SO, SO MUCH!!!) purchased dryer balls.

If you are interested in a set of 3 wool dryer balls from our sheep ($25 Canadian), please message me on Facebook or Instagram. I have 16 sets left. You can also find lots of wool dryer balls online or make your own (a post coming soon!).

In the meantime, as you can imagine, I have quickly learned more than I (and likely you) EVER wanted to know about using and caring for wool dryer balls.

So, without further ado, here is….

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO USING AND CARING FOR WOOL DRYER BALLS

• What are wool dryer balls?
• What are wool dryer balls made of?
• How do wool dryer balls work?
• How do I use wool dryer balls?
• Do wool dryer balls reduce drying times?
• What are the benefits of using and caring for wool dryer balls?
• Can I add essential oils to wool dryer balls?
• How are wool dryer balls different from plastic dryer balls or tennis balls?
• What is the difference between wool dryer balls and dryer sheets?
• How do wool dryer balls soften clothes?
• How do I store and care for wool dryer balls?
• How many dryer balls should I use?
• Should I only use the dark brown balls with dark coloured loads and light, cream balls with light coloured loads?
• Will wool dryer balls lint on dark clothes?
• Do wool dryer balls leave lint?
• Can I use wool dryer balls with baby clothes or cloth diapers?
• Can they help remove pet hair?
• What do I do if I have static cling?
• Help! My wool dryer balls are pilling!
• Do wool dryer balls smell like sheep?
• Can I use wool dryer balls if I’m allergic to wool?
• Can wool dryer balls cause itching?
• Can I clean my wool dryer balls?
• How long will my wool dryer balls last?
• How do I know when my dryer balls need to be replaced?
• It’s time to replace my wool dryer balls. What should I do with the old ones?

What are wool dryer balls?

They are “amaze” balls. At least that is what my friend, who bought a set from me this summer, nicknamed them. She was genuinely surprised by how much they actually reduced her drying time.

For example, if it normally takes you an hour to dry a load of towels, it will only take about 45 to 50 minutes with the addition of dryer balls. Test it for yourself! You will be baaaffled and amazed.

As the name suggests, they are made of 100% wool and are shaped like tennis balls. They are extremely durable and the felted wool will not unravel for many years. In fact, they can work their magic on thousands of loads of laundry. Best of all, using and caring for wool dryer balls is a breeze.

What are wool dryer balls made of?

Wool dryer balls are completely natural and eco-friendly. They are made of 100% wool and will not only reduce your energy use but help eliminate static cling and pet hair. Wouldn’t ewe know it?

How do wool dryer balls work?

If you throw a pile of wet clothes in your dryer, you will notice everything clumps together until the items are dry enough to allow warm air to circulate between them. But if you add a few dryer balls to your laundry, they will happily bounce between and separate the pieces of clothing so warm air can immediately travel evenly amongst the layers of clothing and dry them 20% to 25% faster.  The balls also retain the heat they receive from the dryer and therefore quicken the drying process.

BONUS: Because wool dryer balls are made of wool, they also absorb water (some sources claim up to 30% of their weight).

PRO TIP

Do not cram your dryer full of clothes. Leave some room for the dryer balls to do their magic.

How do I use wool dryer balls?

It’s so simple that all you have to do is open your dryer and add three or more dryer balls in with your laundry. Now turn on your dryer and let those amaze balls save you energy. It is recommended to use at least 3 balls. Personally, I use 6 or more especially for extra large loads.

If your dryer doesn’t have a sensor that automatically turns off the machine when your clothes are dry, keep an eye on your load to ensure you don’t over-dry your clothes. This can not only wear out your clothes faster but it can cause static cling.

Do wool dryer balls reduce drying time?

Yes! If it normally takes you an hour to dry a load of towels, it will only take about 45 to 50 minutes with the addition of dryer balls. Test it for yourself. Do an equal load of towels with and without dryer balls and time the difference.

What are the benefits of using and caring for wool dryer balls?

Before buying 200 dryer balls and spending hours researching and putting together this guide on using and caring for wool dryer balls, I thought the main benefit of dryer balls was that they reduced your energy costs, but there is so much more to these woolly balls:

DRYER BALLS ARE WOOLY GREAT BECAUSE:

You will save money $

Not only will you reduce your energy costs (about .10 per load, which works out to $36.5 per year if you do a load a day), but you will also save money on dryer sheets. A dryer sheet costs about 0.12. If you use one per day, you would spend $43.8 per year. Switch to dryer balls and you can save a total of $80.3 per year. Admittedly, that may not sound like a lot (you may want to save even more money by making your own laundry soap), but there are many more reasons to choose dryer balls.

You will cut your energy use

If you save just 10 minutes on every load of laundry you dry and you do one load every day, you would save 550 watts (depending on the electricity use of your dryer). That’s a savings of more than 200 KW of electicity each year. Now imagine if every person in North America switched to dryer balls. Since there are over 126 million households in the US alone, we’d save millions and millions of KW of energy. Let’s hear it for dryer balls and the little sheep who grow them!  

Shrink your drying time by 20% or more

When you are waiting impatiently for your favourite pair of jeans to dry, you’ll appreciate those extra 10 or 15 minutes you’ll save by using dryer balls.

Eliminate static cling

You would think all that bouncing around would contribute to static cling, but by preventing your clothes from rubbing together, you also prevent static from building up.  

Wool also absorbs and holds onto moisture, which means they actually elevate the humidity levels in your dryer and limit the chance of static.

WARNING: Whatever you do, do not over dry your clothing! If the air becomes too dry, it will cause static.

If you have problems with static, try spraying your wool dryer balls with water before starting your next load to ensure the humidity remains high.  

Reduce wrinkles

One surprise benefit of using wool dryer balls is they help reduce wrinkles. This is most likely because of how they keep clothing from clumping together.

100% natural, eco-friendly and non-toxic

Made of 100% wool, dryer balls are environmentally friendly unlike disposable products such as plastic dryer balls, dryer sheets and fabric softeners and conditioners.

Since we wear our clothes all day and then sleep all night in our sheets, what we choose to wash and dry them with affects our health. For example, dryer sheets are covered in harmful chemicals, which can get absorbed into your clothes and hence your skin. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s review of Bounce Dryer Sheets, which scores a D for high concern to our health and the environment. Wool dryer balls are a great non-toxic alternative that will also save you energy.

Reusable (1000 loads or more!)

I’ve had the same dryer balls for years and their drying magic has not worn off. Some say after 1,000 loads you may need to replace them. Still, this is much better than dryer sheets.

I couldn’t find an exact number as to how many dryer sheets end up in the landfill, but the global fabric softeners and conditioners market size in 2018 was estimated at 16.53 billion USD. If one dryer sheet costs 0.12, that’s billions of dryer sheets that end up in our landfills every year.

Big deal, you may think. It’s just a dryer sheet. But it’s not.  In addition to the chemicals and the artificial fragrances used in these products, dryer sheets are coated with other environmentally harmful chemicals. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s review of Bounce Dryer Sheets, which scores a D for high concern to our health and the environment.

Compostable

Don’t throw those wool dryer balls in the garbage. Use them in your compost. Plants love the water retention abilities of wool.

Can be naturally scented with essential oils

Most laundry products smell nice, but are synthetic perfumes good for our health? The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) lists 3,059 materials that are reported as being used in fragrance compounds. Of these 3,059 ingredients, some have evidence linking them to health effects including cancer, reproductive toxicity, allergies and sensitivities. Is any of this true? I really don’t know. But if you want your clothes to smell nice, why not try essential oils instead.  

Can I add essential oils to wool dryer balls?

Yes, but with caution.  Only use a few drops per dryer ball and let dry (you don’t want any oil stains on your fabrics) before using in your laundry.

You should also use caution when choosing which essentials oils to use in your dryer. In some cases, heating essential oils to a high temperature in a clothes dryer has caused fires. Yes, you read that right. But don’t freak out. I have been using essential oils in my laundry for more than 10 years and have never started a fire. But, I wanted you to be aware that it is possible. Please read this article from Emma Loewe, Senior Sustainability Editor at mindbodygreen, which says:

“Different essential oils have different flash points. The flash point is the temperature at which enough of that oil has vaporized into the air that it could ignite. Once oils are exposed to temperatures that exceed this flash point, they become a potential fire hazard. This is why it’s important to check on the flash point of any oil before popping it directly into a hot machine.”

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/essential-oils-in-dryer-safety-guide

So, which essential oils do I use? Sandalwood, geranium and cedarwood are all safe for the dryer. Emma recommends avoiding oils that have low flash points (closer to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) such as the mint family, citrus family and eucalyptus.

How are wool dryer balls different from plastic dryer balls or tennis balls?

Plastic dryer balls and tennis balls are both made of plastic which, once heated, can release harmful chemicals. Wool dryer balls, which are made of 100% wool, are completely natural. They are also much gentler on clothing and make less noise bouncing around the washing machine than plastic balls.

What is the difference between wool dryer balls and dryer sheets?

Dryer sheets are coated with artificial fragrances and other environmentally harmful chemicals. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s review of Bounce Dryer Sheets, which scores a D for high concern to our health and the environment.

Dryer sheets are also not reusable and billions of them end up in our landfills every year.

Wool dryer balls, on the other hand, are made of 100% wool and are completely natural. Wool dryer balls also have the added benefit of speeding up your drying time and reducing energy usage in the process. They are also reusable and compostable.

How do wool dryer balls soften clothes?

I’m not sure they do. I couldn’t detect a noticeable difference in the softness of my clothing with or without dryer balls.

How do I store and care for wool dryer balls?

Caring for wool dryer balls is easy. I simply leave mine in the dryer. But you can also keep them in any well-ventilated area. Wool needs to breathe so don’t store them in plastic.

How many wool dryer balls should I use?

It really depends on your dryer and the size of the load. Never use less than 3 balls. I prefer to use 6, especially for large loads. But you can use more than that especially if you do a lot of extra-large loads. The more balls you use, the less time your laundry takes to dry. Isn’t that woolly awesome?

Should I only use the dark brown dryer balls with dark coloured loads and light, cream dryer balls with light coloured loads?

We have one black sheep in the family and she produces beautiful, chocolate brown dryer balls, which you can use in any coloured laundry load. There is no risk of the colour transferring to your favourite white t-shirt.

Will wool dryer balls lint on dark clothes?

This is similar to the question above. No, they will not.  I’ve been using and caring for wool dryer balls for years and have never had any such problems. They can be used with any coloured load.

Do wool dryer balls leave lint?

No, they should not leave any lint on your clothing although I have read that this can happen with new dryer balls. This hasn’t happened with my own, but if it did occur, it should stop after a few loads or you should try a different brand of dryer balls.

Can I use wool dryer balls with baby clothes or cloth diapers?

I would argue that wool dryer balls are the best choice. Made of 100% pure wool, they are completely safe and non-toxic.

Can wool dryer balls help remove pet hair?

Yes! Wool dryer balls separate the items in your laundry so air can circulate evenly between them, which helps loosen pet hair. At least that is what I’ve read. Here is an article from USA Today, which confirms that wool dryer balls remove pet hair and offers some other suggestions to help remedy this problem.

What do I do if I have static cling?

Make sure you are not over-drying your clothing, which can cause more static and wear out your clothing prematurely. Synthetic materials such as polyester can also cause static. Try hanging them to dry or stopping the dryer prematurely and letting them air dry. You can also try spraying your wool dryer balls with water (this will not increase drying time) before starting your next load to ensure the humidity remains high.

In some cases, the balls can become so dry that they can’t absorb humidity. You can restore them by placing each ball in the bottom of a clean sock and washing them in hot water on a gentle cycle. Dry them on high heat. This will regenerate the wool.

Help! My wool dryer balls are pilling!

Your wool dryer balls may start to pill over time (bits of lint attaching to them).  You can remove the pills or leave them. It won’t affect their effectiveness.

Do wool dryer balls smell like sheep?

Thankfully, no. The wool used to make dryer balls has been thoroughly washed and cleaned. Wool dryer balls smell just like any other wool product such as a 100% wool yarn or a 100% wool sweater.

Can I use wool dryer balls if I’m allergic to wool?

Yes, the dryer balls will not shed or pill onto your clothing. If you have an allergy to lanolin, it has already been washed away during the cleaning of the wool itself. If it is the bristly fibres that cause an allergic reaction, don’t touch the dryer balls directly. Use gloves or a cloth instead.

Can wool dryer balls cause itching?

No, they will not cause itching as they do not shed or pill onto your clothing. However, if you are sensitive to the bristly fibres of the wool, you may want to wear gloves while handling the dryer balls themselves.

Can I clean my wool dryer balls?

Yes, you can clean wool dryer balls! Simply wash them with your next load of laundry. Place each ball in the bottom of a clean sock and wash them in hot water on a gentle cycle. Dry them on high heat.

How long will my wool dryer balls last?

I have been using my wool dryer balls for more than five years and they still get the job done. However, I have read that after 1,000 dryer loads, they may start to look scraggly and unravel.

How do I know when my wool dryer balls need to be replaced?

Eventually, your wool dryer balls may start to unravel. Time wool tell. Mine haven’t yet – even after using them for five years. But when they do, it is time to replace them. But don’t throw them in the garbage. Use them in your compost!

It’s time to replace my wool dryer balls, what should I do with the old ones?

Use them in your compost. Plants love the water retention abilities of wool.

I hope this guide to using and caring for wool dryer balls has encouraged you to make or get your hands on some wool dryer balls (just maybe not 200 of them). If there is something I missed, please leave your question in the comments below and I will be happy to answer you.

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

(and that time I scalped myself)

I didn’t bother to put on my veil. This was my first mistake.

It was hot and I loved the feel of the light breeze teasing my hair and cooling my neck. I was cleaning around the bee yard and placing pails of sugar water into the hives that nearly starved over the long winter. It was easy work and I was enjoying listening to the song of the bees… – until that rhythmic hum started echoing a little too close to my ear. A bee had accidentally blown into my tangled locks.  Of course, it got stuck.

Now, before we continue with this story, you should know that I hate being stung. During my first hive inspection, I flinched so many times my beekeeping mentor had to tell me several times to stop moving or I really was going to get stung.

So, my first instinct was to get that bee out of my hair as fast as I could before it panicked and jabbed me with its stinger in frustration. I had my hive tool in hand so I thought I’d use that to help free it.

Let’s pause for a moment. I decided to use a sharp, metal object to get a bee out of my hair. Yes, you guessed right. This was my second mistake.

I may have freed the bee, but I also scalped myself. I thought I had been stung but when I reached up to touch my head, I found blood.  Fortunately, I didn’t cut off any of my hair but my head was definitely cut and remained sore for the next couple days.

So, it will come as no surprise that the very top item on my list of essential hive tools is a full body, bee suit including a veil, which you should ALWAYS wear.

As I mentioned before, I really don’t like being stung (it has only happened twice in four years) so I not only like to feel protected while I work my hives, but I also like to work them quickly and efficiently with as little disruption as possible.

With that in mind, these are my favourite hive tools.

Take a peek inside my toolbox – my favourite hive tools

The Bee Suit (or my superhero, alien costume)

I love my bee suit so much I leave it hung on my coat hanger year-round. Or maybe I’m just too lazy to put it away. But either way I do enjoy wearing it.  I feel like a superhero about to embark on an exciting discovery every time I begin putting it on. It’s my uniform and it’s my protection so I invested in the very best.

Although there are many bees suit options out there, I suggest a full body, ventilated suit like mine, which will keep you well-protected and cool even on the hottest days. Many beekeepers simply don a veil or bee jacket. This is fine too as long as you feel comfortable. Whatever you do, don’t wear any dark clothing that makes you resemble a bear. Also, don’t forget to seal your pant legs tight or you may find yourself doing a painful dance around the bee yard.

Warning!

Wash your bee suit frequently. You don’t want any alarm pheromone to build up on your clothes or your hive’s guard bees will likely pay you an unwanted visit.

Gloves

Gloves may make you feel safer when you are working your hives but they are also cumbersome and remove all feeling from your fingers. This could lead to you accidentally squishing a bee.

Instead, you may want to skip gloves or at the very least choose a pair that fit well. Personally, I still recommend buying and wearing gloves – especially if the bees are having a cranky day.

The Smoker

I admit that I didn’t think I’d use a smoker. I just didn’t like the idea of smoking my bees. It sounds cruel. But I’ve changed my mind. Next to my bee suit, my smoker has become my favourite beekeeping tool.

Just a few puffs of smoke will calm, quiet and move your bees out of your way allowing you to do your job faster and more easily. No matter which size or model you purchase, ensure it has a protective shield on the outside. It will save your hands from being burned. Or at least help prevent getting them burned. Somehow, I still manage to touch it on occasion.

Bonus: Some models come with a hook that you can hang on the side of your hive.

The Hive Tool

You can’t work bees without a hive tool. In fact, it is so essential I recommend buying two just in case you lose one in the grass. Hey, it happens to the best beekeepers.

I use my hive tool every time I inspect my hives. Why? Because bees stick everything together with a magic glue called propolis. Without my hive tool it would be extremely difficult to pull the frames or boxes apart. A hive tool comes with a flat blade on one end that I use to scrape burr comb and separate frames and a rounded end that I use to lift up the frames.

The Frame Holder

I’m not sure why more beekeepers don’t use this convenient tool. A frame holder simply hangs on the side of your super. It gives you an easy, safe and out-of-the-way spot to hang a frame when you want to remove one from the box you are working in. I always remove one frame from the outside edge of my hive box before I do an inspection in order to make room to examine the remaining frames. 

Pro tip: Make sure the queen is not on the frame you place on the holder. You don’t want her to fly away.

Beekeeper’s Toolbox

My dad made this toolbox for me and I love it. As you can see, there is a place to hang my smoker and I can put all my hive tools in the main compartment. Every time I head out to the apiary, I just grab my toolbox knowing I have everything I need.

Feeders

I made the mistake of not buying a feeder my first year beekeeping. That summer we had a nectar dearth. I had no idea we were having one or what exactly that was but my mentor advised me to start feeding my bees. I now know a nectar dearth is when there is a shortage of nectar producing flowers often caused by an excessive amount of hot, dry weather. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a feeder and when I went to the store they were, of course, completely sold out. I was lucky and my mentor lent me a few.

Learn from my mistake and purchase a few feeders to have on hand when your little bee friends need your help. I have tried many different types of feeders but this simple bucket feeder has turned out to be the simplest to use. I also like the fact that they are placed inside my hives so my colonies don’t fight or rob food from each other.

BONUS ITEM! Beekeeper’s Journal

A journal is not necessary, but it has come in handy as my apiary has expanded. The best way to keep track of inspections, observations and your to-do lists is to write them down. I love this journal.

The truth is you don’t need many tools to be a beekeeper (other than perhaps the ability to laugh at yourself!), but if you want to work your bees more easily, efficiently, quickly and safely, you’ll definitely want to stock up on these hive tools.

Of course, when it comes time to extract honey, you’ll need a couple more hive tools.  But that’s a post for another day. It’s time for me to head down to the apiary with my bee suit (including the veil) on and maybe this time I will avoid scalping myself. 

So, do you agree? What are you favourite hive tools? Let me know in the comments below.

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Read more about bees – Here are my previous posts:

Six Secrets to Choosing the Best Beehive for Beginners
The Bees are Coming…
Why You’d Make a Great Beekeeper (and the benefits of beekeeping)
How to Catch a Swarm of Honeybees…
How to Find the Queen Bee…
Healing Honey Hand Salve (and how to render beeswax)

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

I am a vegetable serial killer.  

That’s right. I have a brown thumb. My uncle just about summed up my skills when he once commented on my garden – “It’s kind of like survival of the fittest, isn’t it Kimberlee?”  Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny Uncle Bob.

So, when I publish a post about the easiest organic vegetables to grow, you know they have to produce like weeds or they wouldn’t survive under my neglect care.

The good news is plants really don’t want to die. Surprising, right? And if you’re brave enough to give gardening a try, you’re going to discover that you ABSOLUTELY CAN plant an amazing and productive garden.  You might just have to work a little harder to grow certain veggies or choose to stick to these Top 10 Survivors in my “survival of the fittest” garden.

Easiest Organic Vegetables to Grow

Peas

In my climate, peas are one of the first vegetables I plant in the garden and they are definitely among the easiest organic vegetables to grow. These little guys prefer cool growing conditions and will tolerate light frosts. They will germinate in soil temperatures between 4-24 degrees C.  So, can I get a loud Hooray!!! Come on, let’s hear it for peas!!!! If you live in a cold climate, you feel my excitement.  

Choose an early season variety and dig these seeds about an inch and a half into the ground.  I love that I don’t have to worry about the spring winds whipping them away like the tiny carrot seeds (one reason I don’t plant my carrots early in the season). They stay snug in the soil until it’s time to reveal themselves.

And then they just grow and grow and grow…you’ll need netting or a pea tower for those tall growing varieties.

Tip: You can also plant mid-season and late varieties so you’ll have a continuous supply of peas.

Variety I’m growing this year

Super Sugar Snap Pea
As the name suggests, these guys are sweeter than the regular Sugar Snap and you can eat them pod and all. That is very important to the kids who tend to gobble these up before they even make it to the house.

Radishes

This is another crop that can be seeded directly in the garden as soon as your soil can be worked in spring. In fact, it doesn’t do well in the summer heat so plant them early. Radishes may be seen as simply a spicy salad topper, but they are amazing roasted in the oven and served as a simple side dish.

They also grow so fast, I don’t think there is time for these guys to perish.

Variety I’m growing this year

Cherry Belle Radish
Plant these radishes today and in 3 weeks you could be enjoying your first crop. Easy and fast to grow, you’ll love these bright red, cherry radishes.

Beans

Beans are so easy, beautiful and fun to grow. And there are SO many choices. Not just yellow or green, but purple and even striped. Have you heard of Dragon’s Tongue Bush Bean with its glorious purple streaks? Or how about the majestic, bright purple Royal Burgundy, which can handle cooler soils? Or “Scarlet Runner”, which will make you sigh in delight as it proudly shows off its eye-catching red flowers that attract hummingbirds. It’s gorgeous, my friends. And every garden needs a little gorgeous. So, plant yourself some beans.

Varieties I’m growing this year

Jacob’s Cattle (Baking Bean)
This is a favourite bean in our area and its perfect for all your baked bean recipes.

Provider (Bush Bean)
I really love this bean. It is very easy to grow and can be planted earlier than other beans, which means I get to eat fresh beans faster!

Rocdor (Pole Bean)
What can I say? It’s a tasty bean and I need something yellow to go with the above green beans.

Carminat (Pole Bean)
And, of course, to round things out I need a purple bean. Although they turn green after you cook them, these purple pods will “WOW” you with their Instagram worthy lavender blossoms. If you can’t find an organic version, try the Royal Burgundy.

Tomatoes

Even if I lived in a 100 square foot skyrise apartment building, I would find a way to grow a tomato plant because nothing compares to the taste of homegrown tomatoes. And they are so easy to grow. Well, you might want to stay away from those “upside down” tomato planters. They dry out easily. Best to plant your tomato in a large pot or in a garden.  Tomatoes need an even supply of moisture. A thick layer of mulch will help hold in the moisture and prevent weeds from growing.

Just like beans, there are so many colours and sizes it will make your head spin. The most important consideration in our climate, other than taste, of course, is if there is enough time for the fruit to ripen. You’ll also have to choose between indeterminate and determinate varieties. I prefer determinate because a cage is usually enough to support them. The downside is all of your tomatoes will ripen almost at the same time. However, we have such a short growing season in our climate that this doesn’t really matter to me. If you choose an indeterminate, you will get tomatoes over a longer period of time, but prepare to prune and stake!   

Varieties I’m growing this year

Mystery Keepers
This is the best storage tomato in my opinion. They ripen from the inside out so they can stay sitting on your counter for months after harvesting them before they turn red.

Sungold
I grow these cherry tomatoes every year because they are extra sweet and taste like tangy candy. I eat them right off the vine and throw them in salads.

Yellow Pear Tomato
These darling heirloom tomatoes produce the cutest, pear-shaped yellow cherry tomatoes that look like little fairy bells. Try them…just because!

Loose Leaf Lettuce

There is no reason you should have to buy salad greens if you don’t want to. I haven’t taken an official poll but these have to be the easiest of all crops to grow. Every two weeks I simply sprinkle a few teaspoons of seeds in my garden and lightly cover with soil. This will guarantee a fresh, continuous supply of leafy greens for all your salad needs.

Warning: Although leaf lettuce is easy to grow, slugs also love it. So, wash your greens carefully! I learned this lesson the hard way. Slug salad, anyone?

Variety I’m growing this year

Mesclun Gourmet Greens Mixture
Get ready for the most beautiful salads ever! This one package of seeds contains seven different tasty salad greens in varying shades of colour and texture – Arugula, Endive, Red Kale, Red and Green Romaine, Salad Bowl and Lolla Rossa Lettuce.

Carrots

Did you know carrots will grow even in sub-par soil? And that’s why I love the carrot.

Now, if you are a gardener, you may be thinking,” you’re wrong!”. Many sources will tell you if your soil is too heavy or rocky, you’ll need to plant your carrots in a raised bed. But if this were true, I would have never been able to grow a single carrot.

Although they do prefer a lighter soil so they can grow to their full and long potential, I have had success growing decent sized carrots even in my clay soil. In fact, I even managed to grow a carrot in my garden path. So, don’t be afraid to plant carrots.

Varieties I’m planting this year

Purple Dragon Carrot
I prefer a plain, old, regular orange carrot, but the kids get a kick out of the purple ones and they say they taste better. These carrots are actually orange inside with a yellow core.

Danvers Half long Carrot
If you have shallow soil like me, you may want to try the Danvers Half-Long carrot. They are about 6 inches long and have that perfect sweet, crunchy carrot taste.

Nantes Scarlet Carrot
This is another excellent carrot variety that has survived in my garden. Dependable, nearly coreless, sweet and stores well – What more could you want in a carrot?

Beets

As a northern gardener, my vegetable plot would not be complete without beets. This is a frost tolerant vegetable that definitely ranks high among the easiest organic vegetables to grow

The only problem is that I often forget to take them out of the ground until they have grown past their optimal size – making these roots a lot tougher than they would be otherwise.

If you can remember to harvest them on time and keep sowing every few weeks throughout the spring and summer, you can enjoy beets into the fall.

Varieties I’m planting this year

Boro
This will be the first year I plant this variety. They are touted as the sweetest beet variety. We will see.

Detroit Dark Red
This is an heirloom variety grown since 1892 that is still popular today. It’s the perfect all-purpose beet!

Herbs

If you enjoy herbs, then pick up as many as you like because there is a very good chance none of them will die. I have yet to kill an herb. Basil, dill, parsley, oregano, fennel, rosemary…they all grow really easily. In fact, if you are nervous about starting a garden, why not start with a simple herb garden? You don’t even need to plant a garden because they do really well (and sometimes better!) in containers

Onions

Onions have survived since the Bronze Age so it’s not surprising that they are easy to grow, right? Although I’ve never planted onions by seed, I do plant onion sets every spring. And by mid-summer I have good sized bulbs. It’s as easy as that!

Garlic

The most difficult part about growing garlic is not growing it. It’s remembering to plant it. Or motivating oneself to plant it at the end of the growing season. In our climate, you have to plant cloves in the fall and then you reap the rewards the following year.

What about zucchini, cucumbers and squash?

Now this is really embarrassing to admit, but zucchini, cucumbers and squash are also supposed to be among the easiest organic vegetables to grow. And yet I have not been able to successfully grow any of these. But that hasn’t stopped me from trying. Here are this year’s victims.

Let’s take a moment and pray for them before they meet their death in my garden…or not! Fingers crossed!

So, do you agree? Are these the easiest organic vegetables to grow or do you have one to add to the list? Let me know in the comments below!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

You may have heard that you can make soap with nut shells, but do soap nuts really clean?

After much experimenting with soap nuts and presenting a workshop at the online Mother Earth News Fair, I can tell you that yes, they do! They are also incredibly inexpensive. I can make a bottle of cleaner for less than $1.

Soap nuts are also completely bio-degradable, environmentally friendly and work like magic in the laundry, as a dish soap or even as an all-purpose cleaner.

What are soap nuts?

Soap nuts come from a tree called ‘Sapindus Mukorossi’ (the Soap Berry tree). But they are actually not nuts . They are berries that are harvested from September to February each year. Although it takes 9 years for the tree to begin yielding fruit; once it starts producing, it can be harvested for 90 years!

The soap nut grows on trees native to India and Nepal. Unfortunately, they don’t grow here in Canada or I would immediately plant one in my backyard. I can’t think of a more environmentally friendly cleaning product than a nut I personally plucked from a tree.

Nevertheless, you can buy these soap nuts at the Bulk Barn and package them in a reusable bag and then throw them in the compost when you’re done. Zero plastic. Zero waste. There are also many great sources of soap nuts. If you live in the United States, Amazon sells these award winning Naturoil soap nuts. In Canada, Amazon sells these organic soap nuts in 250 gram, 500 gram or 1 kg reusable bags.

For cleaning purposes, we use the shell of the soap nut. The shells contain a natural cleaning agent called saponin, which acts as a detergent. These natural surfactants break the surface tension of water. So, for example, if you were to use soap nuts in the laundry, they will free dirt, grime, and oils from your clothing and keep them suspended in the water so they can be easily rinsed away.

The nuts themselves are naturally anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-microbial. They’re also naturally organic and I can tell you why.

Soap nuts smell like vinegar and if you were to errr…accidentally put one in your mouth or maybe put one in your mouth on purpose because you were writing a blog post about them, they taste like soap. Absolutely bitter and disgusting. Fortunately, Google tells me they are not poisonous although they may make your tummy upset so try your best to resist sampling them.

Anyway, I don’t imagine any human or animal would enjoy the taste of soap nuts. Except maybe owls. Here’s a fun fact: Did you know owls can’t smell? And that’s why these great hunters will eat skunks. See, wasn’t that fun? I thought so.

Now, let’s move on to the real fun. Making a cleaner out of shells!

Soap Nuts All Purpose Cleaning Base

You could simply combine soap nut shells with water and start cleaning but saponin is released faster when the shells are heated.  So, I boil the nuts to make a concentrated liquid that I can use as a base to clean everything from my dishes and laundry to my floors and bathtub.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soap nuts

3 cups water

Instructions

–       Pour the water into a medium saucepan and add the soap nuts. Bring to a low boil and then reduce to a simmer with the lid on for up to an hour or until the nuts become soft and start to break apart.

–       Stir and mash the berries occasionally.

–       Remove the pot from the heat, strain out the soap nuts and let cool before pouring into your container.

How long does soap nut liquid last?

It has a two-week shelf life or at least a month in the fridge. You can add a teaspoon of citric acid to the recipe to help make the juice last longer.

How do I use soap nuts in the laundry?

If you do your laundry using hot water, you can place 5 or 6 soap nuts in a mesh bag and throw them in the laundry. If you use cold water, make the above liquid and use 1 or 2 tbsp. In both cases, I would add ¼ cup of washing soda (sodium carbonate) to your wash cycle. And then add ¼ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle to remove any soap residue.

Washing soda will “soften” your water (especially important if you have hard water). It binds to the minerals in your water and allows the detergent to be absorbed into fibers properly to clean clothes.

Warning: Washing soda is not the same as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Although both natural substances are made from a mineral called trona, washing soda has a higher PH level, is a more abrasive cleaner and doesn’t dissolve as well in water compared to baking soda.

How do I use soap nuts to clean my dishes?

Pour the above mixture into a soap dispenser and use a few squirts in each sink full of dishes.

How do I use soap nuts as an all-purpose cleaner?

Mix the above liquid with an equal amount of water and start cleaning.

How do I use soap nuts to clean my bathroom?

Mix equals parts of the soap nut cleaner recipe above with equal parts vinegar to help remove mineral deposits. Use to clean the tub, shower stall or toilet.

And that’s it. Have you or will you try making soap nut cleaner? I wanna know. Leave me a message in the comments below.  

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

April 9, 2020…

He didn’t need to utter a word. I could tell by the pained look on my husband’s face that something was terribly wrong.

“It was a stillbirth.”

I cried.

I cried harder when I walked into the barn and saw the perfect, little, brown Babydoll lamb lying motionless in the hay.

April 12, 2020…

“Come, quick!,” yelled my husband. “It’s happening.” I ran like a crazy fool to the barn only to just miss the birth of twin lambs, Henry and Henrik, from our second ewe, Hanley.

We watched as Hanley eagerly began showering her first lamb, Henry, with big, sloppy kisses.

But she didn’t seem to notice Henrick, the second lamb still lying in the hay. So, wearing gloves, we brought the other newborn to her nose. She half-heartedly licked Henrick a couple times and then turned away. From then on, she wanted nothing to do with him.

We waited until morning hoping she would allow Henrik to nurse. No luck. So, we filled a bottle with colostrum and began feeding him.

But it wasn’t easy. Every time we went out to the barn, it was like playing a game of “Where’s Waldo”. Once Henrik got stuck behind the hay feeder and then I found him curled up with the male sheep in another pen.

Fearing for his safety, that evening we snuggled the lamb into a cardboard box and carefully placed him next to our bed, hoping to make those midnight feedings a little easier on ourselves.

Sometime between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning, Henrick passed away.

More pain. And more tears as I write this wondering if there was not something more I could have done to prevent his death.

I know, you’re probably thinking they are just lambs. But my heart broke anyway.

After five months of waiting, I was eagerly anticipating our first births on the farm, this grand milestone of achievement as a shepherdess.

Death was certainly not in the script I had imagined.

But I should have known better. Nothing I have done on the farm (or in life) has gone according to my carefully made plans.

The truth is life on the homestead isn’t always easy or picture perfect. When you sign up to become a farmer, the agreement clearly states in big, bold letters that you are also signing up for death.

We have lost ducks to foxes and chickens to a ferret. We have had chicks drown in their own water and we had to kill our previous rooster when it nearly clawed out one of neighbour’s children’s eyes.

I have lost hives to human error and the long, cold Canadian winters. And, of course, there are the multitude of plants that have perished under my care.  

And then, there are the purposeful deaths. This year, we will be raising our own meat chickens. And these ram lambs I wept over may (I say “may” because I have not yet been able to eat anything I’ve raised) have one day ended up on my dinner plate. Males have a tough life on the farm.

So here I sit writing to you…contemplating life and death, which are never too far from each other here on the homestead. And, although it is to be expected, it’s not easy. Taking a life or witnessing a death never is.

And this heartache makes me want to scream and cry and pound the dirt, throw my hands up in the air and give up.

But I haven’t yet and I don’t think I ever will. Because homesteaders and farmers, we are not only tough, but, we are full of eternal hope and gratitude.

We learn from the painful experiences and we assure ourselves that next year will be better.

We give thanks a million times over for all the blessings we do have and then we dry our tears and we grab our feed buckets and carry on to the next task knowing there is no other life we would rather live.

And so, I have said my goodbyes, I have buried the losses and I will press on taking joy in watching Henry annoy my ewes as he happily frolics around the barn showing everyone just how high he can bounce.

There is still life on the homestead, my friends, and it is beautiful.  

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Want to read more about our lambing experiences?

THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST LAMBING

MEET THE GANG OF SHEEP THIEVES (RAISING SHEEP FOR BEGINNERS)

WHAT I WISHED I WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS

I’ll admit I panicked a little. Ok, a lot. Ok, I might have stomped my feet and pouted.

I’m a planner so when it was suddenly announced that schools were going to be closed for an indefinite period of time, I didn’t feel prepared. Now, this shouldn’t have come as a shock but, at the time, there was only one case of COVID-19 in all of New Brunswick.

So, while most people in our province immediately rushed to the stores to stock up on toilet paper and bottled water, my first thoughts were:

1.      Buy more chocolate.

2.      Raid the dollar store for craft supplies. Because what the heck am I going to do to keep my kids entertained, active, learning, off screens and most importantly — from uttering the dreaded words: “I’m bored”?

A friend once told me, “Only boring people get bored.” And while this may be true, it is nice to have a few boredom busters up your sleeve when your kids insist on wearing their cranky pants.

So, what’s my secret? Keeping a schedule. Whether you’re under mandatory quarantine or simply avoiding the crowds, here’s a few suggestions to create a routine to keep your kids entertained, active and learning.

Keeping a Routine with Google Calendar

As many of you know, I like to make plans and detailed to-do lists. So, of course, once I found out the kids would be at home over the next few weeks, I quickly made a daily routine using my favourite scheduling tool – Google Calendar. Here’s how I patterned our day:

1. Schedule what you need to do first

First, I entered all our “fixed” activities such as when we sleep and eat as well as the mornings I work from home teaching English online. Basically, all the things we “need” to do.

2. Schedule what you want to do next

Teaching the kids at home

Next, I blocked off time for things I would like to do such as home schooling. The kids were so excited when I told them they could continue their studies. Ok, maybe not. But I am thrilled!

IXL Learning

There are many online learning options available. I enrolled the kids in https://ca.ixl.com/, which follows our provincial curriculum and offers training in both English and Math.

ABC Mouse

ABC Mouse is another great option for ages two to eight and the first month is free.

Ted Talks for Kids

If you’re looking for some educational screen time, I love TED Talks. Here is a list of talks to watch with kids.

Outschool

“Outschool” has 8000+ video chat classes for K-12 science, art, mindfulness, English, social studies, life skills, and more!

Masterclass

Older kids may enjoy Masterclass, which has many easy-to-watch 12-minute lessons.

YouTube

There are several great educational YouTube channels. I love the Encyclopedia Britannica’s channel where your kids will find answers to everything from: “Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?” to “Is Pluto a Planet?”

Free books

I also stocked up on grade level activity books and books from the public library. If your public library is still open, stock up now or go to your virtual library and take out ebooks or audio books.  

Bonus: You can download unlimited audiobooks and ebooks from “All You can books” for free for 30 days.

Reading lists by grade level

You can find lots of book ideas organized by grade level from Mensa Kids and Goodreads.

Learn a new skill

This is also a great time to extend upon your child’s special interests. Jack loves learning about animals (especially sharks) and Ella likes to make slimy, squishy things in the name of science. What does your child want to learn more about and be sure to sign out extra books on those topics or check out related online learning through sites such as “Outschool” or “Masterclass“

Hint: Now is the perfect time to start your seeds indoors and is a great learning activity that will keep your kids entertained.

Make a mess (aka cooking)

Cooking may not be an official subject at school, but there is a lot kids can learn from whipping up a batch of their favourite cookies or even homemade yogurt. Bonus: The probiotics will help boost your immune system! Older children can even make a simple meal such as this one. Check out this post for a guide to cooking skills by age.

Time to be Creative

Next, I blocked off another hour for crafts and creative play. My kids love to draw, paint and create a mess.  Here are some ideas to keep your kids entertained:

“Save your sanity” supplies                                                  

 I may not have stocked up on toilet paper, but I definitely stocked up on craft supplies from the dollar store. I may or may not have spent over $50.

• Markers, crayons and paint supplies
• Grade level activity books
• Stickers, “make a funny face” books and a few treats as rewards for completing their school work
• Balloons
• Bead kits
• Puzzles
• Melting beads
• Bouncy balls
• Playdoh and clay
• Origami paper
• Craft kits
• Notebooks (especially for older kids who may want to journal their thoughts)
• Mini trampoline (Unfortunately, they didn’t have one. But I would have bought one if they did!)
• etc.

Slime

My daughter is so obsessed with slime and making other gooey things that we bought the book – “Mason Jar Science”, which has lots of sticky recipes to keep your kids entertained.  Here are also a few fun, easy projects you can make with items from around the house.

Story Rocks

Although our kids love story time, they also enjoy making up their own stories. One fun way to do this is using story rocks. Find some rocks or other objects the kids can use to paint pictures on and place them in a box. Everyone can take turns choosing a rock and incorporating it into a story. You can also simply have fun counting the rocks and making piles of numbered groups or pulling a rock out of the box and seeing how many things in the room are the same shape or colour.

Get out the sillies!

I blocked off another hour simply for rough housing and play. Here are some ideas:

Game on!

We have a library of board games and puzzles we purchased over the years at thrift stores that have been gathering dust. Our plan is to take one out a day and battle it out. The winner gets to choose the following day’s game.

Danceathon

Music may just be the ticket to lift the mood in your home. Now may be the time to sign up for that free month on Spotify and take advantage of their music playlists.

Make a fort

Grab some boxes, blankets, pillows and couch cushions and make a fort.

Get moving

Active for Life is an awesome website that has tonnes of ideas to get your kids moving based on age and skill.

Bonus: Exercise helps boost the immune system!

Need more screen free acitivities?
Check out this list of 27 screen free activities for kids.

Get out of the house!

Just like at school my kids are enjoying at least an hour of forced time outdoors. If you happen to live on a homestead like us, this is a great time to clean out the sheep (goat, donkey, etc) pen. Or maybe just enjoy a nature hike followed by a campfire and roasting marshmallows.

Reading and snacks (aka: quiet time for parents)

If you can encourage even the youngest ones in your household to settle down with a book, the afternoon is a great time for a cup of tea while the kids hopefully munch on snacks and enjoy some quiet time.

Clean up and chores

The last hour of the day before supper is reserved for clean up and chores because supermom can’t do it all. Even the youngest in your household can help with chores. Here is a great list of things your kids can do by age.

Pop pilates

This is not for the kids, but for parents. Since most gyms are closed, you might want to consider heading online for your workout. I love the pop pilates workouts from blogilates.com. She has a monthly calendar so all you have to do is follow along with the exercise routine of the day.

I hope this schedule will help you craft your days while at home with the kids. If you have any other ideas, please let me know and I will add them to the list.

Now, it’s your turn. You know your children best. Head over to Google Calendar and create your own sanity saving schedule to keep your kids entertained, active and learning.