Making Arts And Crafts With Non-Toxic Materials
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Making arts and crafts with your family should a be fun-filled activity, but more importantly it should be safe. Many arts and craft materials are chock-full of harmful ingredients these days, and who can enjoy finger painting or learning to color inside the lines with harsh fumes and toxic ingredients involved?
Don’t worry, here are three steps you can take to make sure that craft time is safe:
1. Read labels. Avoid craft supplies with key phrases such as “DANGER”, “POISON”, “WARNING” or “CAUTION”, as these may be extremely toxic. Also beware of any product that includes words such as “HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED”, “AVOID SKIN CONTACT”, or “FLAMMABLE” on their labels.You can find a quick rundown here
2. Be aware of potential hazards. We all know kids (and perhaps some adults) don’t always use craft supplies in the way they were intended. A felt-tip marker quickly becomes “makeup” or a paint covered brush becomes a chewing stick. Always provide constant supervision during craft time in a well-ventilated area.
3. Provide non-toxic substitutions. Use craft supplies designed for childrens’ use instead of adults to avoid toxic pigments and solvents. Look for water-based paints, glue, and markers; not only are they safer, but also easier to remove from the walls when things go awry! Making your own craft supplies such as a flour and salt-based dough or flour-based finger paints are also great ways to to ensure craft time is toxin-free, as well as expanding the crafty fun!