wildrootedfamily.com

Blog

  • Non-Toxic Baby Wipes Brands Worth Buying: A Real Mama’s Guide

    Non-Toxic Baby Wipes Brands Worth Buying: A Real Mama’s Guide

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    If you’ve ever stood in the baby aisle squinting at ingredient lists while your toddler tries to escape the cart, you’re my people. I remember those early days of motherhood when I thought “fragrance-free” meant a product was safe. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. And once you start reading labels — really reading them — you can’t unsee what’s in most conventional baby wipes.

    Here in Florida, we use wipes for everything. Sweaty summer foreheads, sandy beach feet, sticky popsicle hands, and yes — the occasional chicken coop incident when little hands get a bit too curious. Our wipes work overtime, which means whatever’s in them is touching my kids’ skin multiple times a day.

    So let’s talk about non-toxic baby wipes brands worth buying — the ones I actually keep stocked in our diaper bag, car, and that basket by the back door.

    Why Non-Toxic Baby Wipes Actually Matter

    Here’s the thing: baby wipes sit on skin. They don’t get rinsed off. Whatever ingredients are in that wipe — the preservatives, the surfactants, the mystery “fragrance” — they’re absorbing right into your little one’s body.

    Conventional wipes often contain:

    • Fragrance (which can hide hundreds of undisclosed chemicals)
    • Parabens (hormone disruptors)
    • Phenoxyethanol (a preservative linked to skin irritation)
    • Polyethylene glycol (PEGs) (often contaminated with carcinogens)

    And babies? Their skin is thinner and more permeable than ours. What goes on absolutely goes in.

    I’m not saying this to scare you — I’m saying it because once I understood the “why,” making the switch felt obvious. It’s the same reason we use Wondercide for pest control around the house and yard instead of conventional sprays. We’re building an intentional home, one small swap at a time.

    What to Look for in Clean Baby Wipes

    Before I share my favorite brands, here’s my quick checklist when evaluating any wipe:

    Ingredients That Get a Yes

    • Water (should be the first ingredient)
    • Aloe vera
    • Vitamin E
    • Chamomile or calendula
    • Coconut oil or plant-based cleansers
    • Citric acid (a natural pH adjuster)

    Ingredients That Get a Hard No

    • Fragrance or parfum
    • Parabens
    • Phthalates
    • Chlorine bleach
    • Alcohol (drying and irritating)
    • MIT/MCI preservatives

    I also look for brands that are transparent about their ingredient sourcing and manufacturing. If a company hides behind vague terms, that’s a red flag.

    My Favorite Non-Toxic Baby Wipes Brands

    After years of trial and error (and a few rashes that taught me hard lessons), these are the brands I trust:

    Water Wipes

    These are about as simple as it gets — 99.9% water and a drop of fruit extract. No funky preservatives, no fragrance, no nonsense. They’re gentle enough for newborn skin and effective enough for my kindergartner’s post-playground hands.

    The only downside? They’re on the pricier side and can dry out quickly if you don’t seal the pack well. But for diaper changes on sensitive skin, they’re gold.

    MADE OF Organic Baby Wipes

    These are USDA-certified organic and use ingredients like organic aloe and chamomile. They’re thick, sturdy, and don’t fall apart mid-wipe (you know what I’m talking about). I love that they’re also Environmental Working Group (EWG) verified.

    Caboo Tree-Free Bamboo Wipes

    If sustainability matters to you — and it does to our family — Caboo makes wipes from bamboo instead of trees. They’re fragrance-free, paraben-free, and actually hold up well. Plus, teaching our kids about resource stewardship is part of our Charlotte Mason approach. Even our wipes can be a conversation starter.

    Natracare Organic Cotton Wipes

    Natracare has been in the clean product game for decades, and their baby wipes are no exception. Made with organic cotton and certified by multiple third-party organizations, these are a great choice for families prioritizing organic materials.

    Honest Company Wipes

    I know Honest Company has had some controversy over the years, but their current wipe formula is quite clean. They’re affordable, widely available, and EWG-verified. For everyday use when you’re going through wipes like water (Florida summers, y’all), these are a solid budget-friendly option.

    Beyond the Diaper Bag: How We Use Wipes Around Here

    Let me be honest — my youngest has been potty trained for a while now, but we still go through wipes like nobody’s business. Here’s how they earn their keep in our home:

    • Nature study clean-up: After sketching in our nature journals with watercolor pencils, little hands need wiping down.
    • Post-chicken duties: When the kids help collect eggs or refill the waterer, a quick wipe handles the mess before we head inside.
    • Beach days: Sand gets everywhere. Everywhere. Non-toxic wipes plus clean sunscreen are our beach bag essentials.
    • Car stash: Because Florida heat plus snacks equals sticky situations.
    • Quick face wipes: After a sweaty afternoon of free play, sometimes a cool wipe is all we need before quiet time.

    A Note on Cloth Wipes

    I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention cloth wipes. For families ready to take the leap, reusable cloth wipes with a simple water-and-aloe solution are the most non-toxic option of all. Zero waste, zero mystery ingredients.

    We use a mix of both — cloth at home, disposable non-toxic wipes on the go. It’s about finding what works for your family without the guilt spiral.

    I get my cloth wipes wet with a homemade solution and keep them in a small wet bag. For cleaning supplies and refills, I love shopping through Grove Collaborative because they curate cleaner options and it saves me from wandering Target for an hour.

    The Bottom Line

    Switching to non-toxic baby wipes isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress. Every small swap reduces the chemical load on our kids’ bodies. And honestly? Once you find brands you trust, it becomes second nature.

    Our family’s approach to raising kids is pretty simple: more time outside, more curiosity, more getting dirty, and fewer unnecessary chemicals along the way. Whether we’re out exploring the Gulf Islands National Seashore, checking on the chickens, or just playing in the backyard with our pup, clean wipes are part of our toolkit.

    You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Start with one pack of cleaner wipes and see how it feels. Your little one’s skin will thank you — and so will your mama heart.

    Here’s to raising wild-rooted kids, one intentional choice at a time.

  • Backyard Chickens Smell Management Tips That Actually Work (From a Florida Chicken Mama)

    Backyard Chickens Smell Management Tips That Actually Work (From a Florida Chicken Mama)

    Let’s be honest — when I first told my husband I wanted backyard chickens, one of his biggest concerns was the smell. “I don’t want our backyard smelling like a barn,” he said. And you know what? That was a fair concern. Nobody wants to be that neighbor, the one whose yard makes people wrinkle their noses when they walk by.

    But here’s the good news: backyard chickens don’t have to smell bad. After keeping a small flock here in Northwest Florida for a few years now, I can tell you that with the right management, your coop can stay surprisingly fresh — even in our ridiculous humidity.

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    Why Do Chicken Coops Smell in the First Place?

    Before we talk solutions, it helps to understand what causes that telltale chicken smell. It’s not actually the chickens themselves — they’re pretty clean animals. The culprit is almost always a combination of:

    • Ammonia from droppings (especially when wet)
    • Moisture buildup from humidity, spilled water, or poor ventilation
    • Decomposing organic matter that isn’t being managed properly

    Here in Florida, we have the added challenge of heat and humidity working against us. A damp coop in August can go from fresh to funky in about two days flat. But once you understand the “why,” the “how to fix it” becomes a lot more straightforward.

    The Deep Litter Method: Our Game-Changer

    I’ll be honest — I resisted the deep litter method for a while because it seemed counterintuitive. You’re telling me to add more bedding instead of cleaning it all out? But this method has been absolutely transformative for smell management in our coop.

    Here’s how it works: instead of scraping the coop clean every few days, you start with about 4-6 inches of carbon-rich bedding (we use pine shavings), and then you just keep adding more on top as droppings accumulate. You stir it occasionally with a rake or pitchfork, and the beneficial microbes do their thing — breaking down waste and actually composting right there in the coop.

    The key is keeping it dry and adding fresh shavings regularly. I toss in a handful of food-grade diatomaceous earth every week or so, which helps with moisture and pest control. By the time we do a full cleanout (twice a year for us), we’ve got beautiful compost for the garden.

    Ventilation Is Non-Negotiable

    This is where I see a lot of new chicken keepers go wrong. They build a cute little coop, seal it up tight to keep predators out, and then wonder why it smells like an outhouse by day three.

    Chickens need airflow — a lot of it. Your coop should have ventilation near the roofline where hot, ammonia-laden air can escape. We have hardware cloth-covered openings on two sides of our coop that stay open year-round. Yes, even in our (admittedly mild) Florida winters.

    If you’re dealing with smell issues, I’d look at ventilation before anything else. More airflow almost always equals less smell.

    Keep That Water Under Control

    Wet bedding is the fastest path to a stinky coop. And if your chickens are anything like ours, they treat their waterer like a splash pad.

    We switched to a nipple-style chicken waterer a couple years ago, and the difference was immediate. No more puddles in the bedding, no more that soggy-corner smell. The chickens figured it out in about a day (they’re smarter than we give them credit for), and our bedding stays so much drier.

    I also keep our waterer outside the coop in the covered run area. The girls go in to sleep and lay, but their water stays outside where any drips won’t affect the bedding.

    Location, Location, Location

    When we were planning our coop placement, I thought a lot about sight lines and convenience. What I should have thought more about was drainage and airflow.

    If your coop is in a low spot where water collects, or tucked into a corner with no breeze, you’re fighting an uphill battle. Our coop sits on slightly elevated ground with good drainage, and it gets the Gulf breeze that comes through most afternoons. That natural air movement makes a huge difference.

    If you can’t move your coop, consider adding a small fan for circulation during our hot, still summer days.

    The Automatic Door That Changed My Mornings

    Okay, this isn’t directly about smell — but hear me out. An automatic chicken coop door means the chickens let themselves out at dawn, which means droppings from overnight roosting get spread out and dried up faster.

    Before we had one, I’d sometimes sleep in on weekends and the girls would be cooped up (literally) until 8 or 9 AM. All that morning activity happening in the coop instead of the run made a noticeable difference in freshness. Plus, I get to drink my coffee before dealing with chickens, which makes me a better chicken mama overall.

    Quick Daily Habits That Make a Big Difference

    You don’t need a complicated system. These small habits keep our coop fresh:

    • Morning poop board scrape: We have a dropping board under the roost that catches most of the nighttime deposits. A quick scrape into a bucket each morning takes 30 seconds.
    • Afternoon stir: When I go out to collect eggs, I give the bedding a quick fluff with a rake. This aerates it and helps everything dry out.
    • Weekly diatomaceous earth: A light sprinkle helps with moisture and keeps mites at bay.
    • Monthly deep bedding add: I toss in a fresh bag of pine shavings about once a month, more in summer when things break down faster.

    When the Kids Want to Help

    One thing I love about chicken keeping is how naturally it fits into our homeschool rhythm. The kids help with egg collecting and feeding, and my oldest has started keeping notes in her nature journal about chicken behavior and egg production.

    If you want to go deeper with your kids, Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens is a fantastic reference for the adults, and there’s also a wonderful kid-friendly chicken guide that breaks things down for elementary-age helpers.

    Teaching kids about composting, nitrogen cycles, and why we manage the coop the way we do? That’s real science happening right in our backyard. Charlotte Mason would approve.

    A Fresh Coop Is Possible — I Promise

    Look, I’m not going to pretend our coop smells like roses. It smells like… a coop. There’s pine shavings, there’s a slight earthiness, and if you stick your head right in the nesting box after Henrietta’s been in there, well, you’ll know it.

    But that barn smell? The one that hits you from twenty feet away? We don’t have that. Our neighbors don’t complain. Our labradoodle doesn’t come back inside smelling like a farm. And most importantly, the chickens are healthy and comfortable.

    If you’re on the fence about backyard chickens because of smell concerns, I hope this helps ease your mind. With a little intention and some simple habits, you really can have a backyard flock without the funk.

    Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some eggs to collect. 🐔

  • Best Homeschool Science Experiments in the Backyard (No Fancy Equipment Needed)

    Best Homeschool Science Experiments in the Backyard (No Fancy Equipment Needed)

    If you’ve ever felt like science class requires a bunch of expensive supplies and a dedicated lab space, I want to encourage you today: your backyard is the best science classroom you could ask for.

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    Seriously. Some of the most wonder-filled learning happens right outside our back door — no curriculum box required. Charlotte Mason called this “the science of relations,” and I’ve found that when my kids are digging in the dirt, watching our chickens, or catching bugs in a jar, they’re learning more than any worksheet could ever teach them.

    Here in Northwest Florida, we’re blessed with mild winters and a whole lot of outdoor days. We use that to our full advantage. So if you’re looking for the best homeschool science experiments you can do in your backyard, here’s what’s actually working in our home.

    Why Backyard Science Works So Well

    Before I get into the experiments themselves, let me just say this: backyard science isn’t a lesser version of “real” science. It IS real science.

    Observation. Questions. Hypotheses. Testing. Recording. That’s the scientific method — and it happens naturally when kids are outside exploring. My elementary-age kids have learned more about ecosystems from our backyard than they ever would from a textbook chapter.

    Plus, this kind of learning sticks. When my daughter watched a caterpillar form a chrysalis on our milkweed plant, she wasn’t memorizing stages of metamorphosis for a test. She was LIVING it. That’s the magic.

    Simple Backyard Science Experiments We Actually Do

    Bug Observation and Collection

    This one is a favorite around here, especially in the warmer months (which, let’s be honest, is most of the year in Florida). We keep a bug catcher kit on our back porch, and whenever someone finds something interesting — a beetle, a caterpillar, a moth — we catch it gently, observe it up close, and then release it.

    We pair this with our pocket microscope, which has been worth every penny. Looking at a dragonfly wing magnified? That’s the kind of thing that makes a kid fall in love with science.

    Afterward, we sketch what we saw and jot down observations in a simple nature journal. Nothing fancy — just a record of what we noticed.

    Chicken Science (Yes, Really)

    If you have backyard chickens, you have a built-in biology lab. Our flock has taught my kids about:

    • Anatomy — We’ve examined molted feathers under the microscope and talked about how they’re structured for flight (or in our hens’ case, short bursts of flapping chaos).
    • Life cycles — We’ve hatched eggs in an incubator and watched the whole process unfold.
    • Animal behavior — Pecking order is a real thing, y’all. My kids have observed it firsthand and we’ve had great conversations about instinct vs. learned behavior.
    • Nutrition and health — What do chickens need to thrive? What happens when they don’t get enough calcium? Science in action.

    If your kids are into chickens too, I really recommend A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens. It’s written at a perfect level for elementary kids to read and take ownership.

    Soil and Decomposition Studies

    This one sounds boring, but kids actually love it. We dug a small hole in our backyard and buried several items: a banana peel, a piece of paper, a plastic bottle cap, and a leaf. Every few weeks, we dig it up and check on the decomposition.

    Cue the gasps. “The banana is GONE!” “The plastic looks exactly the same!”

    This has led to incredible conversations about ecosystems, bacteria, waste, and why we try to be intentional about what we bring into our home. Real-world learning, no textbook needed.

    Bird Watching and Identification

    We keep a simple bird feeder near our kitchen window, and identifying backyard visitors has become part of our daily rhythm. Florida has such a variety — cardinals, mockingbirds, blue jays, woodpeckers, and during migration season, some real surprises.

    We use our Sibley Birds field guide to look up what we see, and the kids record their sightings in their nature journals. This kind of slow, patient observation is such a gift in a world that’s constantly rushing.

    Weather Tracking

    Florida weather is… dramatic. We get afternoon thunderstorms that roll in like clockwork in the summer, and tracking them has become a science experiment in itself.

    We keep a simple weather journal where the kids record daily temperature, cloud types, and precipitation. Over time, they’ve started noticing patterns — “It’s humid and there are cumulonimbus clouds building… I bet we’ll get a storm by 3!” That’s meteorology, friends.

    Plant Growth Experiments

    We’ve done several variations of this:

    • Growing the same seeds in different locations (full sun vs. shade)
    • Testing different soil types
    • Seeing what happens when plants don’t get water for a week (spoiler: Florida heat is unforgiving)

    My kids have learned about photosynthesis, variables in experiments, and plant biology — all from a few seed packets and some patience.

    Tips for Making Backyard Science a Habit

    You don’t need a perfect setup or a detailed plan. Here’s what helps us:

    1. Keep supplies accessible. Our bug catchers, magnifying glasses, nature journals, and field guides live in a basket by the back door. Low barrier = more likely to happen.

    2. Follow their curiosity. If your kid is obsessed with worms right now, lean into it. The best experiments come from genuine wonder.

    3. Don’t over-complicate it. You don’t need to turn every observation into a formal lesson. Sometimes we just watch. Sometimes we sketch. Sometimes we look something up later. It all counts.

    4. Get outside even when it’s not perfect. Some of our best science days have been overcast or right after a rain. A good pair of rain boots makes all the difference.

    The Real Goal Here

    I want my kids to grow up knowing how to observe the world carefully. To ask questions. To notice things most people walk right past. That’s what backyard science really teaches — and it’s a skill that will serve them far beyond any standardized test.

    This is the 1990s childhood I’m trying to give them. Less screen time, more dirt under their fingernails. More wonder. More slow discovery.

    So if you’re feeling pressure to buy a fancy curriculum or set up elaborate experiments, take a breath. Walk outside with your kids. Watch the clouds. Dig in the dirt. Catch a bug.

    That’s science. And it’s more than enough.

    —

    What’s your favorite backyard science activity? I’d love to hear what’s working in your homeschool — drop a comment or send me a message!

  • How to Do Hymn Study in Your Charlotte Mason Homeschool (Without Overthinking It)

    How to Do Hymn Study in Your Charlotte Mason Homeschool (Without Overthinking It)

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    If you’ve been circling around hymn study for a while now — pinning ideas, bookmarking blog posts, maybe even buying a hymnal that’s still sitting on your shelf — I get it. When I first started our Charlotte Mason homeschool journey, hymn study felt like one of those “nice to have” subjects that kept getting bumped for math drills and read-alouds. But here’s what I’ve learned after a few years of actually doing this: hymn study is one of the simplest, most soul-filling parts of our week. And it takes almost no prep.

    Let me show you how we make it work in our Florida homeschool — chickens crowing in the background and all.

    Why Hymn Study Belongs in a Charlotte Mason Education

    Charlotte Mason believed that children deserve a rich, full education — one that feeds the whole person, not just the academic mind. She called this a “feast” of ideas, and music was always part of that table. Hymns specifically offer something beautiful: they combine poetry, melody, theology, and history all in one.

    For young children especially, hymns become a way to store up truth in their hearts through song. My kids might not remember every history timeline date, but they can sing “Be Thou My Vision” from memory while swinging in the backyard. That sticks.

    And honestly? In a world full of noise and screens and overstimulation, there’s something grounding about gathering together and singing something old and true. It’s the kind of slow, intentional moment I want woven through our days.

    How to Start Hymn Study (Keep It Simple)

    Here’s the good news: you don’t need a music degree, a piano, or even a good singing voice. You just need a hymn and a willingness to learn it together.

    Step 1: Choose One Hymn Per Term

    Charlotte Mason recommended studying one hymn per term (about 12 weeks). That’s it. One hymn, learned slowly, sung often. Don’t overcomplicate this.

    You can choose based on:

    • The liturgical season (Advent, Lent, Easter)
    • A theme you’re studying in history or nature
    • Personal family favorites
    • Hymns your church sings regularly

    We usually pick hymns that connect to what we’re already learning. When we studied birds last fall and spent time with our Sibley Birds field guide, we learned “All Creatures of Our God and King.” It just fit.

    Step 2: Listen First

    Before we even try to sing, we listen. I find a good recording on YouTube or a hymn app and we play it during breakfast or morning time for the first week or two. The kids absorb the tune without any pressure.

    This is how children learn best anyway — through immersion. They’re hearing the melody, catching phrases, maybe humming along while they eat their eggs (fresh from our girls out back, of course).

    Step 3: Sing Together

    Once the tune feels familiar, we sing. I pull up the lyrics or grab our hymnal, and we just… sing. Some days it’s beautiful. Some days the dog howls along and someone argues about who gets to hold the book. That’s fine. We’re not performing. We’re learning.

    We sing our hymn a few times a week — usually during our morning basket time. It takes maybe five minutes. Sometimes less.

    Step 4: Add a Little Context (Optional)

    If you want to go deeper, you can share a bit about the hymn’s history or author. Kids love a good story, and many hymns have fascinating ones. “Amazing Grace” written by a former slave trader? “It Is Well” penned after a man lost his four daughters at sea? These stories make the words come alive.

    We often do this casually — I’ll just mention something I read while we’re eating lunch or taking a walk. No formal lesson required.

    Our Simple Weekly Rhythm

    Here’s roughly what hymn study looks like in our house:

    Week 1-2: Listen to the hymn daily during breakfast or morning time

    Week 3-6: Sing together 2-3 times per week; introduce any backstory

    Week 7-12: Continue singing; by now, the kids mostly know it by heart

    That’s it. No worksheets. No quizzes. Just slow, repeated exposure — the Charlotte Mason way.

    Tips for Hymn Study with Young Children

    If you’ve got littles (mine are elementary age), here are a few things that help:

    • Use hand motions or simple movements. Kids remember better when their bodies are involved.
    • Don’t worry about perfect pitch. Joyful noise, y’all.
    • Let them illustrate the hymn. We keep our nature journals handy, and sometimes the kids will sketch something inspired by the hymn’s words. A sunrise, a shepherd, a flowing river. We break out the Faber-Castell watercolor pencils and let them create.
    • Connect it to nature study when you can. So many hymns reference creation — birds, mountains, seas, seasons. Living in Florida, we see God’s handiwork every single day, from the Gulf shores to our backyard garden. Hymns give us words for the wonder.

    Hymn Study Resources We Love

    You don’t need much, but here are a few things that make hymn study easier:

    • A good hymnal: We use a traditional one from our church, but there are many options. Look for one with both lyrics and music notation.
    • YouTube or Spotify: Search for hymn recordings — there are beautiful acapella versions, instrumental versions, and even kid-friendly ones.
    • Ambleside Online’s hymn rotation: If you need help choosing hymns term by term, Ambleside has a lovely free list.
    • A nature journal for hymn illustrations: We already use ours for nature study, so it’s easy to add a hymn page here and there.

    When you’re ordering homeschool supplies from Rainbow Resource or Timberdoodle, keep an eye out for hymnals and music appreciation resources. They often have great options tucked in their catalogs.

    What Hymn Study Has Given Our Family

    I’ll be honest — I didn’t expect hymn study to become one of my favorite parts of our homeschool. But there’s something about standing in the kitchen on a humid Florida morning, singing an old hymn with my kids while the sun streams through the window, that just fills me up.

    These songs are becoming part of our family’s collective memory. I imagine my kids grown, maybe with families of their own someday, and a hymn comes on — and they’re right back here, in this kitchen, in this season.

    That’s the gift of a Charlotte Mason education. It’s not just about academics. It’s about forming souls, building memories, and passing down things that matter.

    —

    So if you’ve been putting off hymn study because it feels like “one more thing” — let this be your permission to keep it simple. One hymn. One term. Sung imperfectly but joyfully together.

    That’s enough. That’s more than enough.

    Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go let the chickens out and start our morning time. We’re on verse three of “Come Thou Fount” this week, and my youngest has been requesting it on repeat. I’m not complaining.

  • Non-Toxic Mold Remover Safe for Family Bathroom: What Actually Works

    Non-Toxic Mold Remover Safe for Family Bathroom: What Actually Works

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    If you live in Florida — or really anywhere with humidity — you know that bathroom mold isn’t a matter of if but when. Between our Pensacola summers that feel like living inside a warm, wet sponge and the constant battle against moisture in enclosed spaces, mold has tried to take up residence in our bathroom more times than I can count. And when you’ve got little ones splashing in the tub and brushing teeth at the sink, the last thing you want is to spray harsh chemicals all over the surfaces they touch.

    I spent way too long assuming I had to choose between actually killing mold and keeping our home non-toxic. Turns out, that’s not true at all. So let me share what I’ve learned — the hard way, as usual.

    Why Conventional Mold Removers Are a Problem

    Most commercial mold and mildew sprays contain bleach, ammonia, or other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can irritate lungs, trigger headaches, and leave behind residues I just don’t want my kids touching. Have you ever sprayed one of those products and immediately had to open every window and leave the room? That’s your body telling you something.

    For our family, switching to non-toxic cleaning wasn’t about perfection — it was about reducing the overall chemical load in our home. We spend so much time thinking about what goes in our bodies, but what goes on our surfaces matters too. Especially in a bathroom where everything is wet, warm, and constantly touched by little hands.

    What Actually Kills Mold Without Harsh Chemicals

    Here’s the thing: mold isn’t invincible. It just needs the right approach. These are the non-toxic options that have genuinely worked in our bathroom.

    White Vinegar

    Plain white vinegar is my first line of defense. It’s mildly acidic, which disrupts mold growth and kills most common household mold species. I keep a spray bottle of undiluted white vinegar under the bathroom sink and spray down the shower walls, grout lines, and around the base of the toilet regularly.

    The smell dissipates quickly — usually within an hour — and it’s completely safe around kids and pets. Our mini labradoodle likes to follow me around while I clean, and I never have to worry about her breathing in something harmful.

    Hydrogen Peroxide

    For more stubborn spots, 3% hydrogen peroxide (the kind you probably already have in your medicine cabinet) works beautifully. Spray it directly on the mold, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then scrub with a brush. It’s antifungal, antibacterial, and breaks down into just water and oxygen.

    I love this for the grout between our floor tiles — that’s always the first place mold tries to creep in during Florida’s rainy season.

    Baking Soda Paste

    For textured surfaces or really stubborn grout mold, I make a paste with baking soda and a little water. Apply it, let it sit, scrub, and rinse. It’s gentle enough not to scratch surfaces but abrasive enough to physically remove mold. Plus, baking soda naturally absorbs odors, which is a nice bonus in a bathroom.

    Tea Tree Oil Solution

    Tea tree oil is a powerful natural fungicide. I add about 10-15 drops to a spray bottle filled with water and use it as a preventative spray after showers. The smell is strong and medicinal, but I’ve grown to associate it with clean. A little goes a long way.

    Products That Make Non-Toxic Cleaning Easier

    I’ll be honest — some days I don’t have time to mix up homemade solutions. For those days, having good products on hand makes all the difference.

    Grove Collaborative has been my go-to for stocking up on non-toxic cleaning supplies. They carry concentrated cleaners, refillable bottles, and brands that actually meet my standards without me having to read every single ingredient label. It’s also nice to have everything delivered so I’m not wandering Target with three kids trying to comparison shop.

    I also use Wondercide products throughout our home — primarily for pest control, but their plant-based formulas remind me that effective doesn’t have to mean toxic. Same philosophy applies to cleaning.

    Prevention: The Best Mold Strategy

    Killing mold is one thing. Keeping it from coming back is where the real work happens. Here’s what’s made the biggest difference for us:

    Run the exhaust fan. During every shower and for at least 20 minutes after. This is non-negotiable in Florida humidity.

    Squeegee the shower walls. It takes 30 seconds and removes the moisture mold needs to grow. We hung a simple squeegee on a suction hook and even the kids help with this now.

    Wash bath mats weekly. They hold so much moisture. I toss ours in the wash with hot water and a little vinegar in the rinse cycle.

    Keep surfaces dry. Wipe down the sink and counter after morning routines. It sounds tedious but becomes automatic after a while.

    Check for leaks. That slow drip under the sink? It’s a mold invitation. Fix it sooner rather than later.

    Our Whole-Home Approach to Non-Toxic Living

    Switching to a non-toxic mold remover was just one piece of our family’s shift toward more intentional living. It started when my oldest was a toddler and I realized I couldn’t control everything — but I could control what I brought into our home.

    The same philosophy guides how we homeschool (Charlotte Mason all the way, with lots of time outside), how we care for our backyard chickens (we use food-grade diatomaceous earth in their coop for natural pest control), and how we spend our days. Less stuff, more intention. Fewer chemicals, more fresh air.

    When the kids come inside covered in dirt from the backyard or mud from a nature walk, I want to clean up after them with products that are as gentle as the life we’re building. Not because I’m trying to be perfect, but because it just makes sense.

    What About Serious Mold Problems?

    I want to be clear: these methods work beautifully for surface mold — the pink stuff in the shower, the black spots on grout, the mildew around the tub caulk. If you’re dealing with mold inside walls, under flooring, or covering large areas, please call a professional. That’s a health hazard that goes beyond DIY cleaning.

    But for everyday bathroom maintenance? You don’t need the harsh stuff. I promise.

    Simple Is Usually Better

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of trying to live more naturally — whether it’s in our homeschool approach, our backyard, or our cleaning routine — it’s that simple usually wins. Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and a little consistency go a long way.

    Your bathroom can be mold-free and safe for your family. You don’t have to choose. And honestly? Knowing I’m not filling our home with chemical fumes while I scrub the shower makes the whole chore feel a little less annoying.

    Now if someone could just invent a non-toxic solution for getting kids to actually hang up their wet towels, I’d be all set.

  • How to Make Chicken Keeping Easier: Automation Tips From a Busy Homeschool Mama

    How to Make Chicken Keeping Easier: Automation Tips From a Busy Homeschool Mama

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    If you’re anything like me, you started keeping backyard chickens because you wanted fresh eggs, a little homesteading magic, and maybe a living science lesson for your kids. What you might not have anticipated was becoming a full-time chicken butler — running out at dusk to close the coop, refilling waterers in the Florida heat three times a day, and wondering why on earth you thought adding six more living creatures to your already-full plate was a good idea.

    Friend, I’ve been there. And I’m here to tell you that chicken keeping doesn’t have to feel like another full-time job. With a few smart automation upgrades and some intentional systems, you can get back to enjoying your flock instead of just managing them.

    Why Automation Isn’t Cheating — It’s Wisdom

    Let me be honest: when I first heard about automatic coop doors and fancy waterers, I felt a little twinge of guilt. Wasn’t the whole point of this slower, more intentional lifestyle to do things the old-fashioned way?

    But here’s what I’ve learned after a few years of keeping chickens while homeschooling elementary-age kids, training a very enthusiastic mini labradoodle, and trying to maintain some semblance of sanity: automation isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about protecting your time and energy for the things that actually matter.

    I’d rather spend an extra twenty minutes doing nature study with my kids than racing outside at sunset because I forgot to close the coop. Again.

    The Automatic Coop Door: A Total Game-Changer

    If you only automate one thing, make it your coop door. I cannot overstate how much an automatic chicken coop door has changed our daily rhythm.

    Before we had one, I was that mama setting phone alarms for dusk, interrupting evening read-alouds, and occasionally dragging kids out in their pajamas because I’d lost track of time. In Florida, our sunset times shift pretty dramatically throughout the year, and keeping up with it was genuinely stressful.

    Now? The door opens at dawn and closes at dusk automatically. The chickens put themselves to bed (they’re surprisingly punctual), and I don’t have to think about it. We’ve had ours for over a year with zero issues.

    Most automatic doors run on batteries or solar, and you can set them by light sensor or timer. I prefer the light sensor option since it adjusts naturally with the seasons — no reprogramming needed when daylight savings hits.

    Upgrading Your Watering System

    If you’ve ever kept chickens through a Florida summer, you know the struggle. That red plastic waterer from the feed store? It’s full of algae by noon, knocked over by 2 PM, and bone dry by dinner.

    Switching to a nipple waterer system was one of the best decisions we made. The chickens learn to use it quickly (honestly, they’re smarter than we give them credit for), and the water stays clean because it’s enclosed.

    We use a 5-gallon bucket with horizontal nipples attached near the bottom. I fill it once every few days instead of twice daily, and the water stays fresh because there’s no open surface for algae, debris, or chicken feet.

    Pro tip: in the summer heat, I’ll toss a frozen water bottle into the bucket to keep things cool. The girls appreciate it, and happy chickens lay better eggs.

    Managing Pests Without the Hassle

    Here in Northwest Florida, we deal with our fair share of mites, flies, and mosquitoes. Staying on top of coop pests used to feel like a constant battle until I simplified my approach.

    I sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth in the nesting boxes and dust bath area about once a week. It’s natural, non-toxic, and helps keep mites and lice at bay. The chickens do most of the work themselves when they take their dust baths — they’re literally treating themselves.

    For flies and mosquitoes around the coop, I use Wondercide spray. It’s plant-based and safe to use around the kids, the dog, and the flock. I spray down the coop area every week or so, more often during our humid summers.

    Simple Feeding Tweaks That Save Time

    We haven’t gone fully automatic with feeding yet, but a few small changes have made a big difference:

    Larger feeders. We switched from a small hanging feeder to a larger capacity one that holds about a week’s worth of feed. Less refilling, less thinking about it.

    Scheduled kitchen scraps. Instead of randomly tossing scraps to the chickens throughout the day, we have one designated “chicken scrap time” in the afternoon. The kids love being in charge of it, and it’s become part of our homeschool rhythm — a natural break between subjects.

    Fermented feed. This takes a little setup, but fermenting your chicken feed improves nutrition and means they actually eat less because they’re getting more from it. I do a batch every few days in a big jar on the counter.

    Making Chicken Keeping Part of Your Homeschool

    Here’s where automation really pays off: when you’re not constantly stressed about chicken chores, you can actually enjoy them as a family.

    Our chicken keeping has become genuine nature study. The kids observe the flock, notice behaviors, and ask questions. We’ve learned about molting cycles, egg production, and the pecking order — all from our backyard.

    If your kids are interested in learning more, A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens is a wonderful resource. It’s written at an accessible level and covers everything from breeds to health care. My oldest has practically memorized it.

    For us adults, Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens is the comprehensive reference I turn to whenever something comes up. It’s detailed without being overwhelming.

    A Few More Quick Wins

    • Deep litter method in the coop. Instead of cleaning the coop weekly, I add fresh bedding on top and do a full clean-out just twice a year. The deep litter actually composts in place and keeps things surprisingly fresh.
    • Phone reminders for monthly tasks. Worming, coop deep-cleans, nipple waterer checks — I have recurring calendar reminders so nothing falls through the cracks.
    • Designated chicken shoes. Keeping a pair of slip-on boots by the back door means no more tracking coop mess through the house. Simple, but it matters.

    You Don’t Have to Do It All the Hard Way

    I think sometimes in this homesteading-homeschooling world, we can feel pressure to do everything from scratch, by hand, the way great-grandma did it. And there’s beauty in that, truly. But great-grandma also had a lot fewer demands on her time, and she definitely would have used an automatic coop door if she’d had the option.

    Giving yourself permission to make things easier isn’t giving up on intentional living — it’s protecting it. When chicken keeping is sustainable, it stays joyful. And that’s what I want for our family and for yours.

    So if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by your flock, I hope these tips help. Start with one change — maybe the automatic door or the waterer upgrade — and see how it shifts things for you. You might just find yourself actually enjoying those morning egg checks again, coffee in hand, kids running barefoot through the yard, chickens clucking contentedly in the background.

    That’s the good stuff, right there.

  • Florida Gulf Coast Shells Identification: A Kid-Friendly Guide for Little Beachcombers

    Florida Gulf Coast Shells Identification: A Kid-Friendly Guide for Little Beachcombers

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    There’s something almost magical about watching your child spot their first lightning whelk half-buried in the sand, wet and glistening in the morning light. They don’t just see a shell — they see treasure. And honestly? They’re right.

    If you’ve spent any time on the beaches around Pensacola or anywhere along the Florida Gulf Coast, you know our shores are absolutely loaded with shells. But when your kindergartner holds up shell number forty-seven and asks “Mama, what’s THIS one?” — well, let’s just say I got tired of saying “I don’t know, baby” and finally did something about it.

    So here’s everything our family has learned about identifying Gulf Coast shells, plus how we’ve turned beachcombing into real nature study that sticks.

    Why Shell Identification Makes Perfect Nature Study

    In our Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschool, we believe kids learn best when they’re handling real things in real places. There’s no worksheet that can replace the feeling of running your fingers over the ridges of a scallop shell or noticing how a moon snail shell spirals just so.

    Shell hunting teaches observation, patience, and wonder — all things I want my kids to carry with them long after they’ve forgotten what year the War of 1812 started (it’s in the name, y’all).

    And here in Northwest Florida, we have easy access to some of the best shelling beaches in the state. Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Fort Pickens, the whole Gulf Islands National Seashore — these are our classrooms, and admission is free.

    The Shells You’ll Actually Find on Florida Gulf Coast Beaches

    Let me save you some time. You’re not going to find a perfect conch shell just sitting there on Pensacola Beach (I know, I was disappointed too at first). But what you WILL find is honestly just as interesting once you know what you’re looking at.

    Bivalves (Two-Shelled Creatures)

    Scallops — These are the ones with the fan-shaped ridges. We find calico scallops constantly, usually in pieces but sometimes whole. The kids love how they come in different colors.

    Coquinas — Tiny, colorful, and if you catch them at the right time, you’ll see them burrowing back into the wet sand. My kids call them “butterfly shells” because of how they look when open.

    Arks — Look for thick, ribbed shells that are often a bit lopsided. Turkey wings (a type of ark) are especially pretty with their brown and white stripes.

    Cockles — Heart-shaped when viewed from the side, with pronounced ridges. We find giant Atlantic cockles fairly often after storms.

    Oysters — Not glamorous, but everywhere. Good for talking about how creatures adapt to their environment.

    Gastropods (Single-Spiral Shells)

    Lightning Whelks — The crown jewel of Gulf shelling. These spiral “backwards” (left-handed) compared to most shells. Finding a whole one with good color is a BIG deal in our house.

    Pear Whelks — Smaller and more pear-shaped than lightning whelks. Still exciting!

    Moon Snails — Round, smooth, and often a pretty grayish-blue. These are the creatures responsible for those perfectly drilled holes you see in other shells.

    Murex — Spiky and dramatic. We don’t find these as often, but when we do, the kids lose their minds.

    Olive Shells — Smooth, shiny, and cylindrical. These feel like polished stone.

    How We Document Our Finds

    Here’s where homeschool magic happens. We don’t just collect shells and dump them in a bucket (okay, sometimes we do). But our best beach days include a little documentation.

    We bring a simple nature journal and some Faber-Castell watercolor pencils for sketching shells right there on the beach. Watercolors are forgiving, and even my youngest can capture the basic shape and colors of what we find.

    Sometimes we bring a pocket microscope to look at shell textures up close. The tiny ridges and patterns are wild when magnified, and it gets the kids thinking about WHY shells have the structures they do.

    Making Beach Days Work (Practically Speaking)

    Okay, real talk. Taking elementary-age kids to the beach for “nature study” can devolve into chaos pretty quickly. Here’s what helps us actually accomplish something:

    Go early. We try to hit the beach by 8 AM. The shells are better (fewer people have picked through), the heat is manageable, and everyone’s in a better mood.

    Bring a mesh bag. Dollar store finds work great. We each get one so there’s no fighting over who found what.

    Wear protective footwear. Broken shells are sharp, and Florida sand gets scorching hot by midday. Good rain boots actually work surprisingly well for wet sand and tidepools.

    Sunscreen matters. We slather everyone in non-toxic sunscreen before we leave the house. Reapplying at the beach is a sandy nightmare, so front-load that protection.

    Don’t forget water and snacks. Hungry kids don’t care about gastropods.

    The Science Behind the Shells

    For older elementary kids, shells open up great conversations about marine biology. We talk about:

    • How shells form — Creatures build them from calcium carbonate, adding layers as they grow
    • Predator/prey relationships — Those drill holes mean a moon snail ate somebody’s lunch
    • Habitats — Why certain shells show up after storms (they’re washing in from deeper water)
    • Classification — Sorting shells into bivalves vs. gastropods is real taxonomy work

    This is living science, the kind Charlotte Mason talked about. No textbook needed — just attention and curiosity.

    Creating a Shell Collection at Home

    We keep our best finds in a shadow box in our school room. Each shell gets labeled with what it is, where we found it, and the date. It’s become a visual timeline of our beach adventures.

    Fair warning: shells can smell. Soak anything questionable in a diluted bleach solution outside for a day, then let it dry completely in the sun. Your future self will thank you.

    Resources We Love

    We don’t use a formal curriculum for shell study, but a few things have helped:

    • Local field guides from the library (the Audubon Society has good ones)
    • The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum website has great ID resources
    • Rainbow Resource carries nature study guides if you want something more structured

    Honestly though? The best teacher is repetition. The more beaches you visit, the more you start recognizing shells instantly.

    It’s About More Than Shells

    I think about how I spent summers as a kid in the 90s — no phones, no schedules, just hours of unstructured exploration. My parents weren’t teaching me anything “official” when we walked the beach. They were just… there. Present. Letting me discover.

    That’s what I want for my kids. Yes, we’re homeschoolers. Yes, I care about education. But some of the best learning happens when we put away the plans and just see what the tide brought in.

    So grab your bucket, pack your sunscreen, and get out there. The Gulf is waiting, and so are about a thousand shells your kids are dying to show you.

    —

    What’s the best shell your family has ever found? I’d love to hear about it — come share with us!

  • Best Nature-Based Preschool Activities at Home: Simple Ways to Learn Outside

    Best Nature-Based Preschool Activities at Home: Simple Ways to Learn Outside

    If you’ve ever watched your three-year-old spend forty-five minutes completely mesmerized by a roly-poly bug, you already know something important: little kids don’t need fancy curriculum. They need dirt, sticks, bugs, and time.

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    When I started homeschooling my oldest during the preschool years, I felt this pressure to have a structured “school” setup. The tiny desk. The laminated alphabet cards. The worksheet packets. But every time I tried to pin my wiggly kid down for “circle time,” it felt forced. Meanwhile, they’d spend hours outside watching our chickens scratch around or collecting acorns in a bucket.

    That’s when I realized: nature IS the curriculum at this age. And honestly? It’s better than anything I could buy.

    Here in Northwest Florida, we’re blessed with mild winters and a whole lot of outdoor days. But these activities work whether you’ve got a big backyard, a small patio, or just a nearby park. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s presence.

    Why Nature-Based Learning Works for Preschoolers

    There’s real science behind why outdoor play is so powerful for little ones. Preschoolers learn best through their senses — touching, smelling, listening, watching. Nature delivers all of that without any batteries required.

    Charlotte Mason, whose educational philosophy guides a lot of how we homeschool, believed young children should spend the majority of their time outdoors. She called it “education by atmosphere” — the idea that being in nature teaches children things no textbook ever could.

    And let’s be honest: when kids are outside, they’re happier. They sleep better. They argue less. I don’t know the exact science there, but I know it’s true in our house.

    Simple Nature-Based Preschool Activities to Try at Home

    You don’t need a nature center membership or expensive supplies. Most of these activities use things you already have (or can find in your yard).

    Nature Walks with a Purpose

    We take a lot of walks, but giving preschoolers a simple “mission” makes it feel like an adventure. Try:

    • Finding five different leaf shapes
    • Listening for three different bird sounds
    • Collecting small treasures in a bucket (pine cones, interesting rocks, fallen flowers)
    • Looking for animal tracks after rain

    My kids love having a little bug catcher kit to bring along. We catch, observe, and release — it’s become a whole ritual. A pocket microscope is another favorite for looking at leaves, bark, and (yes) dead bugs up close.

    Mud Kitchen Play

    If you don’t have a mud kitchen yet, you can set one up in about ten minutes with some old pots from the thrift store and a water source. That’s it. Kids will do the rest.

    Mud kitchens teach measuring, pouring, mixing, and sensory exploration. They also teach kids that getting dirty is perfectly okay — something I think our generation of kids really needs to hear.

    We keep ours near the chicken run, which means the kids inevitably end up “cooking” for the hens. The chickens are not impressed by the mud pies, but the kids don’t seem to mind.

    Nature Journaling (Yes, Even for Preschoolers)

    Now, I know what you’re thinking — my preschooler can barely hold a crayon. But nature journaling at this age isn’t about perfect drawings. It’s about observation.

    Give your little one a simple nature journal and some quality watercolor pencils. Let them scribble what they see. Press flowers between the pages. Tape in a interesting leaf. You can write their words for them: “I found a black beetle. It was shiny.”

    This builds the habit of noticing — which is the foundation of all nature study. We keep our journals in a basket by the back door so they’re always ready to grab.

    Backyard Bird Watching

    Here in Florida, we get some beautiful birds year-round. Cardinals, blue jays, mockingbirds, and the occasional hawk circling overhead. Preschoolers love spotting birds, especially if you make it a game.

    We hung a simple feeder where we can see it from the kitchen window. Now my kids yell “BIRD!” approximately seven hundred times a day, which is chaotic but also wonderful.

    Keeping a Sibley bird guide nearby lets us look up what we see together. Even if your preschooler can’t read, they can match the pictures — and they will absolutely remember “that’s a tufted titmouse” forever.

    Chicken Chores as Learning

    If you have backyard chickens (or are thinking about it), the daily chores are genuinely educational for preschoolers. Counting eggs. Filling waterers. Noticing which hen is molting. Watching the pecking order in action.

    My kids have learned so much about life cycles, responsibility, and animal behavior just from our small flock. If you’re curious about starting chickens with little ones, A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens is a sweet resource that’s actually written for children.

    Sensory Bins with Natural Materials

    Skip the dyed rice and plastic scoops. Fill a bin with sand, dried beans, pine needles, shells, or even just dirt. Add some cups, spoons, and little animal figurines. Done.

    Natural sensory play is calming, open-ended, and doesn’t leave glitter all over your house. We do a lot of these on the back porch during Florida’s hot afternoons when direct sun isn’t an option.

    Rainy Day Nature Play

    Don’t skip outdoor time just because it’s raining. Some of our best nature moments have happened in drizzly weather. Earthworms come out. Puddles form. The whole yard smells different.

    A good pair of kids’ rain boots makes all the difference. Let them stomp, splash, and get muddy. Rinse them off with the hose afterward. Childhood is short — let them have the puddles.

    What About “Academics”?

    I get this question a lot. “But when do you teach letters and numbers?”

    Here’s the thing: nature-based learning IS teaching letters and numbers. Counting acorns is math. Tracing letters in sand is phonics. Sorting leaves by size and color is pre-reading logic.

    At the preschool stage, formal academics aren’t necessary. What’s necessary is building curiosity, attention span, and a love of learning. Nature does all of that beautifully.

    When my kids hit kindergarten age, we do add more structure — a gentle Charlotte Mason approach with short lessons and lots of living books. But even then, we spend most of our time outside.

    Keep It Simple, Mama

    The best nature-based preschool activities aren’t complicated. They don’t require Pinterest-perfect setups or expensive subscriptions. They just require you to open the back door and let your kid explore.

    Some days, that looks like an organized nature walk with a checklist. Other days, it’s just sitting on the porch watching the chickens while your preschooler digs holes for no apparent reason.

    Both count. Both matter.

    I think about how I grew up in the 90s — riding bikes until dark, catching fireflies, building forts out of sticks. That kind of childhood felt magical, and it didn’t require a curriculum guide. Our kids can have that too. We just have to be intentional about making space for it.

    So lace up those muddy shoes, grab a bucket, and head outside. Your preschooler’s classroom is waiting — and it has better lighting than any Pinterest playroom ever could.

  • How to Teach Kids to Bake from Scratch: A Homestead Mama’s Guide

    How to Teach Kids to Bake from Scratch: A Homestead Mama’s Guide

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    There’s flour on the floor, eggshell in the bowl (again), and my youngest is elbow-deep in butter. This is not a Pinterest moment. But you know what? This is exactly what teaching kids to bake from scratch looks like on a real homestead — messy, slow, and absolutely worth it.

    If you’ve been wanting to get your kids more involved in the kitchen but feel overwhelmed by the chaos, I get it. I’ve been there, standing in my Florida kitchen wondering if it would just be faster to do it myself. (It would be. But that’s not the point.) The point is raising kids who know where their food comes from, who can follow instructions, who understand that good things take time and effort. The point is building humans, not just baking bread.

    Why Baking From Scratch Matters for Homestead Kids

    On our little homestead here in Northwest Florida, we’re trying to raise kids the way many of us grew up in the ’90s — with more hands-on experiences and fewer screens. Baking from scratch fits right into that vision. It’s tactile. It requires patience. And honestly? It’s one of the best ways I’ve found to sneak in some real-world learning without anyone realizing they’re being educated.

    When my kids crack eggs from our backyard chickens into a mixing bowl, they’re connecting dots that most adults never think about anymore. They watched those hens grow from fluffy chicks. They collected those eggs that morning. And now those eggs are becoming banana bread. That’s a full-circle moment you just can’t manufacture.

    Start Where They Are (Not Where You Think They Should Be)

    Here’s the thing about teaching kids to bake: you have to meet them where they are developmentally. A kindergartener isn’t going to measure flour accurately, and that’s okay. An older elementary kid might be ready to read a recipe independently but still need help with the oven.

    Ages 4-6: The Dumpers and Stirrers

    Little ones are perfect for:

    • Dumping pre-measured ingredients into bowls
    • Stirring (with supervision and a good grip on the bowl)
    • Washing fruits or vegetables
    • Pressing cookie cutters
    • Cracking eggs (with lots of practice and patience)

    At this age, it’s less about the end product and more about the sensory experience. Let them feel the flour, smell the vanilla, taste the batter (I know, I know — we use pastured eggs and take our chances).

    Ages 7-10: Building Real Skills

    This is where it gets fun. Kids in this range can start:

    • Reading simple recipes
    • Measuring ingredients themselves
    • Learning fractions through real application
    • Using the mixer with supervision
    • Beginning to understand oven safety

    I’ll be honest — this is where baking has become one of our secret weapons for math. When my kids are doubling a recipe or figuring out what half of ¾ cup is, they’re doing the kind of practical math that actually sticks. We use hands-on learning for most of our math instruction (we love Math-U-See for this reason), and baking reinforces those concepts beautifully.

    Essential Skills to Teach Along the Way

    Reading and Following Instructions

    Charlotte Mason talked about training habits of attention, and baking is perfect for this. A recipe requires you to focus, follow steps in order, and not skip ahead. These are life skills disguised as chocolate chip cookies.

    I have my kids read the entire recipe out loud before we start. We talk about what we’re going to do, gather all our ingredients (mise en place, fancy folks call it), and then begin. This prevents the mid-recipe panic of realizing you’re out of baking powder.

    Kitchen Safety

    We talk about hot surfaces, sharp tools, and hand washing constantly. Not in a fearful way — in a matter-of-fact, “this is how we work in a kitchen” way. Kids rise to expectations when we give them real responsibility paired with real instruction.

    Cleanup as Part of the Process

    This might be the most important lesson of all. Baking isn’t done when the cookies come out of the oven. It’s done when the kitchen is clean. We’re raising adults here, not just little bakers.

    Our Favorite Starter Recipes

    Not all recipes are created equal when you’re teaching kids. Here are some that have worked well for our family:

    For beginners:

    • Banana bread (very forgiving)
    • Drop biscuits (no rolling required)
    • Muffins (individual portions = instant gratification)

    For kids building confidence:

    • Simple yeast bread (teaches patience like nothing else)
    • Homemade pizza dough (kneading is great for sensory input)
    • Sugar cookies (decorating is half the fun)

    For your more experienced little bakers:

    • Pie crust from scratch (a true skill)
    • Cinnamon rolls (weekend project)
    • Quick breads with mix-ins they choose themselves

    Connecting Baking to Your Homestead Life

    One thing I love about homestead baking is how it ties into everything else we’re doing. Those eggs from our chickens? We know exactly what those hens eat and how they live. If you’re interested in getting started with backyard chickens, Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens is an excellent resource for beginners, and there’s even a kid-friendly version that my kids have enjoyed.

    We talk about where our ingredients come from — which ones we could grow ourselves, which ones we buy, and why. This naturally leads to conversations about seasons, agriculture, and making intentional choices about our food.

    Making It Work in a Florida Kitchen

    I’ll be real with you: baking in Florida during summer requires some creativity. Our kitchen gets warm, and butter softens faster than you can say “pie crust disaster.” We do a lot of our from-scratch baking in the cooler months, or we start early in the morning before the heat builds.

    This is actually a great lesson in seasonal living. We don’t have to have everything all the time. Summer here is for no-bake treats, smoothies, and ice cream. Fall and winter? That’s when we break out the sourdough starter and make the house smell amazing.

    The Charlotte Mason Connection

    If you’re familiar with Charlotte Mason’s approach to education, you know she valued “the science of relations” — helping children make connections between different areas of life and learning. Baking is rich with these connections:

    • Science: What does yeast do? Why do we sift flour? What happens when baking soda meets acid?
    • Math: Fractions, measurement, doubling and halving
    • Reading: Following written instructions
    • History: Where did this recipe originate? What did people eat 100 years ago?
    • Life skills: Feeding yourself and others is fundamental

    We often record our baking adventures in nature journals, which might seem odd, but hear me out. My kids sketch the process, note what worked and what didn’t, and paste in recipes they want to remember. We use simple nature journals for this, and they’ve become little keepsakes of our homeschool years.

    Embrace the Mess (And the Failures)

    I want to leave you with this encouragement: it will be messy. Recipes will flop. There will be tears (maybe yours, maybe theirs). The bread might not rise, the cookies might burn, and someone will definitely spill the vanilla extract all over the counter.

    But here’s what I’ve learned watching my kids grow into confident little bakers — they remember the failures almost as fondly as the successes. The flat birthday cake we frosted anyway. The bread that could have doubled as a doorstop. The time we forgot the sugar entirely.

    These are the stories they’ll tell their own kids someday. And more importantly, they’re learning that mistakes are part of the process. That you can try again. That sometimes the best things in life require a little patience and a lot of practice.

    So grab your apron, gather your helpers, and make something delicious together. Your kitchen might be a disaster by the end, but your kids will be learning skills that last a lifetime. And really, isn’t that what this whole homestead life is about?

    Now if you’ll excuse me, someone’s calling me to come see if the bread has risen yet. For the fourteenth time in twenty minutes. Patience, friends. We’re all learning together.

  • Non-Toxic Window Cleaner: A Safe DIY Recipe That Actually Works

    Non-Toxic Window Cleaner: A Safe DIY Recipe That Actually Works

    This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    If you’ve ever stood in the cleaning aisle, squinting at ingredient labels and wondering why a simple glass cleaner needs seventeen unpronounceable chemicals, you’re my people. I remember the moment I really started paying attention — my youngest was maybe three, pressing her little nose against the sliding glass door to watch the chickens, and I realized she was basically inhaling whatever I’d just sprayed on that glass. That was the day I started making my own non-toxic window cleaner, and I haven’t looked back since.

    Here in Florida, between the humidity, the pollen, and the fact that my kids treat our windows like a canvas for their sticky fingerprints, I clean glass a lot. I needed something that actually worked, not just something that made me feel virtuous while leaving streaks everywhere. After years of tweaking, I’ve landed on a recipe that genuinely does the job — and I can let my kids help without worrying about what they’re breathing in.

    Why Ditch the Store-Bought Stuff?

    Most conventional glass cleaners contain ammonia, synthetic fragrances, and a cocktail of chemicals that can irritate respiratory systems, trigger headaches, and contribute to indoor air pollution. And here’s the thing that got me: indoor air quality is often worse than outdoor air, especially in our homes where we’re trying so hard to create healthy environments for our families.

    When you’re homeschooling — and let’s be honest, when your kids are home all day — what’s in your air matters. We open our windows as much as Florida’s heat allows, but I still want to know that what I’m using to clean isn’t working against all our other efforts.

    Plus, if you’re already shopping at places like Grove Collaborative for cleaner household products (I love them for dish soap and hand soap), making your own glass cleaner is just the natural next step. It’s cheaper, simpler, and honestly? It works better than anything I’ve bought.

    The Recipe: Simple, Safe, and Streak-Free

    Here’s what I use:

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup distilled water
    • 1 cup white vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol (70% or higher)
    • Optional: 3-5 drops essential oil (I like lemon or peppermint)

    Instructions

    1. Combine all ingredients in a clean spray bottle

    2. Shake gently before each use

    3. Spray onto glass and wipe with a lint-free cloth or newspaper

    4. That’s it. Seriously.

    Why These Ingredients Work

    Distilled water prevents mineral deposits and streaking. If you’ve ever used tap water and ended up with spots, that’s the minerals. Distilled water is cheap and makes a real difference.

    White vinegar cuts through grease, grime, and hard water spots. The smell dissipates quickly, I promise — within a few minutes, you won’t notice it at all.

    Rubbing alcohol helps the solution evaporate quickly, which is key for a streak-free finish. It also boosts the cleaning power.

    Essential oils are totally optional, but a few drops of lemon oil makes the whole experience a little nicer and adds some extra grease-cutting power.

    Tips for the Best Results

    I learned a few things the hard way, so let me save you the trial and error:

    Don’t Clean in Direct Sunlight

    This is especially important here in Northwest Florida where the sun is intense. If you spray your windows while they’re in full sun, the solution evaporates too fast and you’ll end up with streaks. Early morning or late afternoon works best, or just hit the shaded windows first.

    Use the Right Cloth

    Microfiber cloths work beautifully, but so does crumpled newspaper if you want to go really old-school (and save money). Avoid paper towels — they leave lint behind and you’ll end up frustrated.

    Clean the Frames Too

    I use the same solution on our window frames and tracks. With Florida’s humidity, mold loves to creep into those corners. A quick spray and wipe keeps things fresh. I also sprinkle a little food-grade diatomaceous earth into the tracks occasionally — it helps with any tiny bugs that try to make their way in, completely naturally.

    Getting the Kids Involved

    One of the unexpected joys of non-toxic cleaning is that I can actually let my kids help. My oldest loves spraying things (what kid doesn’t?), and window cleaning has become one of her regular contributions to our household rhythm. She’s old enough now to do the lower windows herself, and she takes genuine pride in making them sparkle.

    This is part of what we’re trying to cultivate, right? Kids who know how to take care of a home, who feel capable and useful, who understand that real life involves real work. It’s very Charlotte Mason — the whole idea of habit training and contributing meaningfully to family life. Plus, it frees me up to tackle other things, like keeping our chicken coop clean or planning next week’s nature study.

    Speaking of nature study — clean windows matter when you’re trying to do bird watching from your kitchen table. We keep Sibley’s bird guide near the back door, and there’s nothing more frustrating than trying to identify a bird through smudgy glass while it flies away.

    Beyond Windows: Other Uses for This Recipe

    This same solution works beautifully on:

    • Mirrors
    • Glass picture frames
    • Glass-top tables
    • Stainless steel appliances (spray on cloth first, then wipe)
    • The inside of your car windshield

    I keep a bottle under the kitchen sink and another in the bathroom. It lasts for months since the ingredients are so inexpensive.

    What About Really Tough Jobs?

    For seriously grimy windows — like after a Florida storm kicks up dirt and debris — I sometimes do a two-step process. First, I wipe down with a damp cloth to remove the heavy stuff, then follow up with the DIY cleaner for the finishing touch. It sounds like more work, but it actually goes faster because you’re not pushing around all that grime.

    For hard water stains (a real issue here with our well water), let the vinegar solution sit for a minute or two before wiping. The acetic acid needs a little time to dissolve those mineral deposits.

    A Simpler, Safer Home

    Switching to homemade cleaners was one of the first steps in our journey toward a more intentional home. It wasn’t about being perfect or crunchy or earning some kind of natural-mama badge. It was about looking at the small, everyday choices and asking, “Is there a better way?”

    Most of the time, there is. And most of the time, it’s simpler and cheaper than what we were doing before.

    Our home isn’t Instagram-perfect. There are chicken feathers that drift in when we open the back door, and the dog tracks in sand from the yard, and my kids’ nature collections take up more shelf space than I’d like to admit. But the glass is clean, the air is fresh, and I don’t worry about what my family is breathing while they press their noses against the window to watch a mockingbird.

    That feels like enough.

    If you’re just starting to transition toward a non-toxic home, this is a perfect first project. It takes five minutes, costs almost nothing, and gives you an immediate win. And once you see how easy it is, you’ll start wondering what else you can simplify.

    That’s the beauty of this whole thing — it builds on itself, one small choice at a time.