Why do we need these fun DIY bug repellant bracelets in Fall?
My family is headed on a trip to the Caribbean next month. We’re returning to the Beaches Resort in Turks & Caicos. The kids are counting down the days. We cannot wait! We love love love this resort and everything about it.
Except possibly one teeny tiny little thing… we don’t love mosquitoes. Mosquitoes, on the other hand, seem to love us.
The mosquitoes are not particularly bad in Turks, to be fair. But during the wet season, in any tropical climate, they are there. So we’re planning on being prepared.
My mosquito defense strategy is a multilayered one. I use sprays, lotions and wipes. When and where possible, I like to layer non toxic products, like essential oils. My kids tolerate my homemade sprays and such. But there is a far more fun and fashionable way to layer on a little extra bug repellant.
Bracelets.
This may be one of the easiest and most effective DIY projects ever. Your 5 yr old can help you, which means they will want to wear the bracelets, which means they are less likely to get bug bites and less likely to be super grumpy.
The bracelets are made from naturally porous beads, in materials like wood, lava rock and ceramic (with the centers of the beads unfinished). To assemble you string the beads on some stretchy cord. Make them to fit yourself or your kids. Tie a knot.
Next take a few drops of your favorite bug repelling oil and drop onto a cotton ball. Here are a few of my favorites ones:
Note: Put the oil on the cotton ball, not the bracelets, especially if you use pure essential oils – you don’t want to put the oils directly onto sensitive skin. Pop the cotton balls and the bracelets into a zip lock bag and store until ready to be worn.The scent will permeate the porous material of the bracelets just from being left to sit in the bag with the cotton ball. Store back in the bags between uses.
You can also make bug repellant necklaces, using leather cord and porous beads.
This may not be your only line of defense against bug bites, but it will probably be one of your most fun and fashionable ones!
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