Children are especially vulnerable to toxic chemicals because their bodies are still developing. Chemical exposures can come from a variety of products including toys, personal care products, furniture, and clothes.
It can be daunting trying to figure out how to minimize kids’ chemical exposures in your home, daycare, and school – but it shouldn’t be. There are many practical, cost-effective steps you can take to minimize chemical exposures they will face as you give them their start in life. Explore the resources below to help you learn how you can protect your children (and yourself) from toxic chemicals at home and at school.
Nursery and Playrooms
Five Steps to a Healthy Nursery or Child's Room
Feeling unsure about what materials are safest to use for your nursery or child’s room? Follow these steps to create a room that is healthy for everyone in the family! Read more
Top 10 Tips: A Healthy Playroom
Whether your child’s playroom is a special corner of the house, or the entire basement, make sure it’s a healthy playroom and a safe environment with the following toxic-free tips. Read more
Choosing Safer Products: Mattresses and Changing Pads
Read about choosing safer mattresses and changing pads. Read more
Remodeling the Playroom - The Everyday Superhero
Getting ready to create a special space for your little ones to play? The Everyday SUPERHERO can tell you which paints, flooring, and furniture will ensure hours of happy and healthy playtime! Read more
Toys and Clothing
Top 10 Tips: Choosing Safer Toys
Playtime should be carefree. But gaping holes in laws to protect children from chemicals allow toxics in the toy box. Choose safer toys for kids of all ages with the following tips. Read more
Rain Gear Fear?
Rain, rain, go away… But the rain is here to stay here in the maritime Northwest, where your choice of rain gear can make all the difference. If you’re thinking of buying some new gear, this issue is for you! There are many chemicals used to make waterproof gear, and we’ll help you choose products that are safest for your family and the environment. Read more
Toxics in my T-Shirt?
Are you buying back-to-school clothing to replace the worn out and the outgrown? Under the Children’s Safe Products Act, toxic metals, phthalates and formaldehyde were reported to the Washington State Department of Ecology by makers and retailers of children’s clothing. While the presence of a chemical does not necessarily mean a product is harmful, read on to learn about the chemicals found in clothing and how to minimize exposure until we know more about the risks. Read more
Arts and Crafts Supplies
Creativity Without Chemicals
Creating art together is a lovely way to spend time with children. And since art materials are everywhere in our homes and schools, we tend to think of them as safe. Yet many contain dangerous chemicals like solvents, heavy metals, formaldehyde preservatives, and phthalates. Read more
Choosing Safer Products: Art and Craft Supplies
Read about choosing safer art and craft supplies. Read more
Art and Hobby Materials
Which dry erase markers are the safest? How toxic are the fumes? What are the safest adhesives for children to use? Do crayons contain lead? Are crayons non-toxic? What art products are acceptable for children to use? Read more
Everyday SUPERHERO: Getting Toxics Out of Art Class
We all want to nurture our budding student artists and keep them safe at the same time. The Everyday Superhero can help you set-up a fun, safe, and toxic-free art studio that will ensure your little Van Goghs, O’Keefes, and Rembrandts can reach their full creative potential. Read more
Healthy Schools and Daycares
You work hard to keep your kids healthy at home. But what happens when your kids go to school or daycare? Here are some tips to make sure time away from home is healthy too.
Safe Ways to Keep Daycares and Schools Clean
If you have a child in school or daycare, sanitizers and disinfectants are probably part of your child’s life. But many of these products contain toxic ingredients and are generally not necessary to protect health. In fact, some evidence points to overly sterile environments as possibly leading to more asthma and allergies. There are safer, effective ways to reduce germs at home and at school. Read more
Learn How to Keep Our Schools Clean and Toxin-Free
The Everyday Superhero can show you how to keep your school clean and avoid toxic chemicals at the same time. Read more
Top 10 Tips for Finding Healthy Daycare
Finding great childcare requires a bit of detective work and delicate balancing as parents weigh priorities. Consider placing environmental health near the top of your checklist to minimize children’s exposure to harmful chemicals. Here are ten questions to ask. Read more
A-B-C 1-2-3 Pack Their Back Pack Toxic-Free!
Choosing safer school supplies is as easy as 1-2-3! First, reuse what you can from last year. Next, read on for healthier alternatives. Last, work with your school to develop safer options for next year, especially for items such as markers that require collaboration with the school. Read more
Reading, writing, and toxic chemicals
This past school year, while my kids were learning, several parents and teachers also learned a lesson about healthy classrooms and clean air. At my kid’s elementary school, many teachers endeavor to save paper and efficiently teach a lesson via personal white board/slates and dry-erase markers. So, daily, in up to 15 classrooms, 24 or more students each open up a dry-erase marker, for 10 to 30 minutes, to complete a lesson on their own slate. Read more
Champion Clean Air in the Classroom
Have you ever walked into your child’s classroom and noticed a musty odor, a strong cleaner smell or fragrance? Does your child complain of headaches in class when kids are using dry erase markers at their desks?
These are clues to indoor air quality (IAQ) issues at school. If the air inside is unhealthy, health problems can result such as fatigue, headaches, asthma episodes and allergic reactions. Read more
Pesticides
Since 2001, the state of Washington has had a law that established your right to know about the pesticides used in public schools and day care facilities.
Pesticide-free Parks For Summer Fun!
With the kids out of school, what better way to enjoy a nice summer day than spending a few hours at the park? Kids get a good outlet for all their extra energy and parents get to soak up some much-needed summer sun.
But before you pack up the picnic basket and load everybody in the car, you should consider finding a pesticide-free park in your area. Read more
Lice
Each year in the United States millions of children will be treated for head lice (pediculosis), often with pesticidal shampoo.
Get Ahead of Lice
Uh oh, it’s actually not dandruff. Many a parent knows that awful realization that somehow, her child’s hair has become infested with head lice. But contrary to popular belief, there’s no need to panic and rush to the store for a bottle of Super Strong Lice Killer! Your best bet is safe, simple, and effective tools like a steel comb. Read more
Other
Holiday fun shouldn’t carry the risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals. Keep your family safe throughout the year—even on those special days.
Don't Get Tricked By Toxic Chemicals This Halloween
Don’t let reports of toxic chemicals in face paint and costumes frighten away your fun on Halloween. Follow these easy tips to make sure the only thing scaring you and your kids are ghosts and goblins! Read more