DIY Toys: Magnetic Fishing Rod

One of our favourite Waldorf-inspired toys to date. The concept is really simple: use a magnetic bait to attract magnetic fish!

Roy in particular enjoyed the woodwork. I think it made him feel like a man! The children really enjoy making their own toys. It makes them feel empowered and they realise that they can create anything they need or want out of everyday materials. Our kids don't ask us for things. They've started to make their own!

No ready-made, smooth-finished, brightly-coloured, battery-operated, plastic toys for us. When toys can speak, talk and move, there's nothing left for the child to imagine or create. Therein lies the beauty of natural toys. Our fishing rods double up as magic wands!

How to make a magnetic fishing rod

1. Go for a nature walk and pick some nice branches.
2. Scrape off the bark with a paint remover. Remember to scrape AWAY from the body.
3. Sandpaper the branch to smooth out any bumps.
4. Drill a tiny hole and insert a metal eye-hook. (optional - you could just tie the strong to the rod.)
5. Tie a piece of string to the eye hook and attach a magnet on the other end.
6. Make magnetic fish using felt, magnets and fabric glue, or twist pipe cleaners into fish shapes.
7. Go fishing!

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Coconut Crush II: What we do when we don't feel like washing dishes

We all have bad days. Sometimes, from the minute we wake up, everything seems to go wrong. The kids are cranky, the adults are frazzled, the day is filled with spills, knocks, accidents and boo hoos, and by the afternoon, we're ready to call it a day, let alone think about preparing dinner and washing the dishes...

That's when we whip out my chopper and... whack our coconuts really hard.

Voila! Refreshing coconut water, and 8 disposable coconut bowls to use for dinner, minus the carbon footprint! In mummyspeak, that means a quick clean up, kids in bed earlier, and more time to relax with the husband.

* * *

Coconut Cracking for Dummies

If, like me, you don't have much arm power or aim, here's an easy way to crack a coconut. Rinse the coconut, place it in a plastic or metal bowl, whack the coconut hard using the BACK of a chopper. Thanks Felicia, for the tip!) The coconut will crack open and the coconut water will flow out into the metal bowl. You may need to pry it open a bit more. Pour the coconut water into a glass and enjoy your coconut water with a straw!

Related post:

Coconut Crush: 3-minute Desserts (Raw)

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Coconut Crush I: 3-minute Desserts (Raw)

We've fallen in love with coconuts.

When we're feeling under the weather, coconut water rejuvenates us. The list of health benefits is endless (go google coconut water benefits). In a nutshell, it's full of electrolytes and nutrients and helps with everything from skin, digestion, hydration, blood pressure, weight loss to hangovers.  It works wonders for fevers too. When our three-year-old had a 39 degree celsius fever, he just drank water and coconut water all afternoon (and a few slices of apple when he felt hungry). By dinner time, he was down to 37 degrees celsius! He completely recovered within just 6 hours, but he refused to drink coconut water for the next few days!

"Coconut water is a universal donor and is identical to human blood plasma. This natural isotonic beverage has the same level of electrolytic balance that we have in our blood. During the Pacific War of 1941-45, coconut water was used to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers. Coconut water was used as an IV drip in WWII. Coconut water has been used as an emergency short-term intravenous hydration fluid. The high level of sugar and other salts make it possible to be used in the bloodstream. This is why coconut water is now referred to as the “fluid of life." Conscious Coconuts

When we need some rich creamy dessert, we blend the white coconut flesh to make yummy desserts! Here are some tried and tested recipes - raw, vegan, (dairy-free, wheat-free) that the kids love! They basically taste like creamy chocolate and don't have a strong coconut taste. (I don't like dried coconut desserts.)

Why raw? The enzymes in food are destroyed at temperatures above 47 degrees celsius. Raw food contains a third more vitamins than cooked food. Read more at Raw Food Life.

1. Banana / Chocolate ice-cream (no milk, no chocolate!)

• 2x fresh frozen coconut flesh (buy botak coconuts from NTUC/Giant, and scoop out the white flesh)
• raw carob powder from Organic Paradise (for chocolate ice-cream)  / frozen bananas (banana ice-cream) 
• 2 dates (pitted. I used organic Medjool dates)
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Blend everything and serve immediately, or refreeze.

Here's the Original Banana ice-cream original recipe


2. Chocolate-flavoured mousse (no milk, no chocolate!)

(same recipe as above, but not frozen)

Blend everything and serve in pretty glass cups. Add raw cacao nibs as toppings (optional)


3. Truffles (no milk, no chocolate!)

• 2x fresh frozen coconut flesh (Buy botak coconuts from NTUC/Giant, and scoop out the white flesh)
• raw carob powder from Organic Paradise
• Hemp seeds
• 2 dates (pitted. I used organic Medjool dates)
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Blend everything and shape into balls. Sprinkle carob powder over finished balls.

Here's the Original Chocolate truffles recipe


Related post:

Coconut Crush II: What we do when we don't feel like washing dishes

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