30 Fun Beach Activities for Kids this Summer Vacation

Keep the kids occupied this summer on the beach with these fun activities:

1.) Take beach pictures and build a sandcastle:

Make it a competition between two different sand castles, or give the kids a time limit to finish. Need kids beach toys? WE love this one with a zipper bag.

2.) Oil drilling:

Tell the kids they have five minutes to dig as deep in the sand as they can – the winner is the deepest.

3.) Summer vacation activity: Build a Sandman:

Build a traditional snowman model…using sand. This one works best if you bring a carrot for his nose. Then sit back and watch the double takes. Build a sandman with these cool beach shovel and pail sets.

4.) Sand sculptures:

You can get really creative with these, sculpting turtles, aliens, or anything you want. Decorate with shells and pebbles for added effect. There’s some inspiration here.

5.) Everyone loves body-boarding:

A body or boogie board for a child should be less than £20. Check out this site for tips on how to teach your kid to body-board.
Once they’ve got the hang of body-boarding, you might want to try surfing. There are some good tips about modifying an adult longboard to suit children here.

6.) Beach activities – Try castle battles:

Two teams build a sandcastle each, about 20meterss apart, and place a flag (or towel) on top. Each team has to get the other’s flag. Very simple and a lot of fun.

7.) Play beach games like Sand Bullseye:

Draw three circles in the sand and collect some stones and shells – players have to throw the stones into the circles for points (one for the big outer circle, two for the middle circle and three for the center circle).

8.) Ping pong race at the beach:

Dig a series of sloping channels of equal length and big enough to take a ping pong ball. Put a colored ping pong ball at one end of each channel and race each other blowing the ball down the channel to the finish.

9.) Beach volleyball:

Bring your own net or improvise with windbreakers or picnic baskets.

10.) Nostalgic Beach activities: Cricket or rounders:

Bringing a soft ball and a bat is best for either game, but if you’re playing impromptu you can improvise with what you find on the beach – a piece of driftwood for a bat and a crumpled drinks can for a ball.

11.) Beach activities treasure hunt:

One of the oldest and best – hide objects and coins in the sand for the kids to find. Get a pre-made treasure hunt for kids, here.

12.) Bowls:

Invest in a set of plastic bowls and bring it to the beach with you, or improvise with a few plastic bottles and a tennis ball.

13.) Fill a bucket relay:

Place small plastic beach buckets about ten meters from the water, one bucket for each team. The aim is to be the first to fill the bucket with water from the sea, using only hands to carry it.

14.) Frisbee:

Have one person in the water and another on the sand and toss your favorite frisbee back and forth. We love this glow in the dark frisbee!

15.) Limbo:

Get two people to hold a stick, or tie a ribbon between two trees, and have players go under it as it gets lower and lower. This is great for the beach as the soft sand means no-one’s afraid to fall.

16.) Squirt ball:

Bring water guns and a beach ball to the beach, and draw a line in the sand for each team. Place the beach ball between the two lines. Players have to use the squirted water to get the beach ball over the other team’s line.

17.) Beach Activities: Enjoy the sand with sand memory:

Draw two 4×4 grids in the sand (or smaller for younger children), and get the other team to look away while you place shells on some of the squares in one grid. They have five seconds to look at where the shells are before you cover the grid with a towel, then recreate the pattern on their own grid.

18.) Jewelry making:

Look for shells with holes in them and thread them onto a cord to make a necklace.

19.) Sand art:

Draw pictures in the sand using hands, sticks or shells. You can draw a frame first that each child has to draw their picture inside, or judge the best picture.

20.) Speech pics:

Sit with your back to the players and describe an image in your head or one you have on a piece of paper. Players have to draw their version of it in the sand – the winner is the one whose picture is closest.

21.) Seek and retrieve:

Assign a part of the beach as a boundary, and tell everyone to bring back the most interesting thing they can find within the boundary area. Bonus points for whoever gets back first.

22.) Fly a kite:

If it’s too windy for volleyball, get the kite out and fly it on the beach.

More Beach Activities:

23.) Sharks and minnows:

Get everyone into the water and designate one person as the shark and the rest as minnows. The shark stands in the middle of the group. On ‘go’, the shark has to catch the minnows.

24.) Towel tag:

Dip a towel into the water and roll it up, then tag people by throwing the towel at them. If the towel hits them, they’re ‘it’.

25.) Beach Activities – Try a foot race:

Have a race at the water’s edge, where the sand is wet and harder to run on.

26.) Beach ball bash:

Stand in a circle and hit the beach ball to each other, counting out loud how many times it can be hit without falling. Try and beat the record, or have players shout out something as they hit the ball.

27.) Sand hopscotch:

Draw a hopscotch grid on the sand and use shells as markers.

28.) Beach activities: Moat and bailey:

Build a sandcastle a couple of metres from the water’s edge just before the tide comes in, and get the kids to protect it for as long as possible from the water. They can build a dam of shells, rocks and seaweed, or try a moat for the tide to go into.

29.) Sand Twister:

Draw a Twister board on the sand, using symbols such as crosses, squares etc instead of coloured circles. Assign ‘right foot, square’ and so on.

30.) Collect beach treasures:

See who can find the most interesting beach treasures. From seashells and starfish to beach glass.

For more travel ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

How to Improve Your Home with House Water Filtration

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In some instances, this water is not typically healthier or cleaner, and is just filtered tap water.

If you are an eco-conscious consumer looking to have pure filtered water that tastes great, you can remove any concerns of the quality of your tap water by using a water treatment system that removes contaminants.

Whole house water filters reduce the number of foreign elements and chlorine in your water and makes the water you drink, shower in, cook and wash clothes in odor-free and healthier.

If you are thinking about eliminating the expense of buying bottled water every week, here are the important benefits of using a total water filter, instead of using tap or bottled water.

How will water filtration help your home?

One ton of plastic bottles can produce 3 tons of CO2 or Carbon dioxide, which is a major source of climate change. And 80% of bottles that don’t get recycled end up in landfills, or in the ocean where they can harm fish and other sea creatures.

Installing a water filter, instead of using bottled water, makes a substantial improvement on the environment and our oceans.

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How easy is a water filter to install?

You can purchase a home water filter online and in home improvement and plumbing supply stores.

Also, if you are comfortable with installing modifications to your pipes and valves, you can install this water filter yourself. Attach the whole house filter next to your water meter, where your house’s water line comes inside the home.

Some models offer a tiny storage tank to give you an uninterrupted and fresh supply of water.

What type of maintenance is required for a water filter?

For a home water filter, the product is generally covered under a warranty for half a million gallons of water or for 10 years. Several companies, however, sell self-cleaning filters that help to minimize the maintenance of the product.

If you are looking to save your cash, a filtered water product helps you save money on your bottled water habit. Replacement filters for pitchers and faucets are $20 to $30 for up to 100 gallons for water.  While whole-house filters are the cheapest per gallon with less than a penny per gallon or $40 for 6,000 gallons of water.

For more wellness and kitchen and bath topics on Stagetecture, click here.

4 of the Best Foods to Keep you Hydrated

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Drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day is recommended. But other than drinking water directly in a glass, you can also get water from the food you eat. These foods will keep you hydrated by providing water in your body. Here are 4 of the best foods to keep you hydrated:

1. Cucumber

This food is considered to have the highest water content of any solid food. You can mix it up with your salad ingredients or blend it with your favorite nonfat yogurt, ice cube and mint. You can also make a soup out of cucumber to increase the hydrating power of cucumber.

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2. Iceberg lettuce

This food may have lower nutrition content than darker greens like romaine lettuce. However, when it comes to hydrating your body, the iceberg lettuce can top them all. This food should be present in your fridge, ready to be inserted in your sandwich for fillings.

3. Celery

Celery is another green leafy vegetable that should pump up your body with water. You can also get fiber from celery aside from water. Also, it contains vitamins A, C and K. These nutritional contents are great for your body.

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4. Radish

Not only that radishes are very refreshing, but more importantly it supplies water in your body. This hydrating veggie is packed with flavors and a crunchy texture that everyone will surely love. You can add radishes in several recipes that are perfect for any occasion.

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Consider these foods seriously to maintain proper hydration in your body. You can start by planting some, if not all, of these hydrating veggies in your home garden. Keep hydrated!

For more health & wellness tips on Stagetecture, click here.

A relaxing coastal home interior is definitely welcome for every homeowner. This makes every person living at home feel utmost experience and accommodation. And you don’t have to be near a coastal area to achieve this beautiful interior idea.

Although this isn’t an overnight task, but the beauty of its output is enough motivation to push through. You will also be amazed on how you feel the relaxing and vibrant ambiance of a coastal interior.

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If you want to experience ultimate comfort, here’s how to bring relaxing coastal ideas for your interiors:

Choose Neutral Coastal Colors

Giving your interior a neutral look will definitely make it cool and relaxing. You can have shades of blue on your walls and match it with floral fabric throw pillows on your sofa. Curtains can also do the trick. A nice and well-designed blue curtain will be a great accessory. Hang your favorite artworks that will complement the neutral looks of your interior.

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Enhance your lighting

Proper lighting illuminates the beauty of your interior. It will highlight areas where you want to emphasize. You can also provide accent any area of the interior where you want your guest to pay attention. Also, by enhancing your lighting, it will make your interior look spacious. This idea will certainly complement your neutral settings.

Prioritize comfort

There’s no better way to achieve comfort than having comfortable furnishings. For instance, acquire the best, comfortable sofa available for your living room. This will make your guests feel utmost comfort while staying in your interior. You may also include interesting magazines or reading materials that can be reached easily.  Use colorful furniture such as rich navy and royal blues, turquoise, coral, and natural coastal colors to bring a focal point to your furnishings.

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These are just a few relaxing coastal ideas for your interiors. It’s an exciting and rewarding makeover idea that you will definitely enjoy the experience afterwards. So, take your first step to a relaxing coastal-inspired interior!

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Water is one of the elements on this planet that is great for the Earth and your body.  Water is a necessity to the human body’s survival.  A person can live a month without food but only about a week without water.  That just goes to show how important water is for everyone.  Plus, just taking in sips of water a day will ensure a healthy body for life, and you can try delicious flavored water recipes here!

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Your Body will be More Comfortable

Drinking more water will help to keep your body warm in the winter and cool in the summer.Your body’s temperature-regulating system is controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain which constantly collects information that allows it to make adjustments to maintain a fairly steady core temperature. Your internal thermostat works better when you are well hydrated.

Your Skin Will Glow

Water naturally moisturizes skin to ensure proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy, glowing appearance.

You will Keep Healthier

Hydration keeps your mucus membrane in top working condition—they are known as the gatekeepers to the natural defense system that helps keep out the germs such as the cold and flu virus.  When these tissues dry out, the germs can become more easily to penetrate where the nasal passages and mouth meet.  The severity of an illness you catch can be a lot lower if you drink plenty of water.

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Help you to Lose Weight

Water is a filler, so when you drink the minimum amount of water you will feel full and will eat less.  Studies have shown that those who drink water before meals consume an average of 75 fewer calories per meal.  Plus when your body is working closer to maximum efficiency it enhances the digestion, muscle function and exercise.

Helps to De-Stress your Body

Just by sipping water throughout the day you can help to soothe stress-induced symptoms like headaches, tense muscles, fuzzy thinking, a pounding heart and low energy.  That’s because stress pulls all of your basic body systems—and when you’re not hydrated, the effects are intensified.  So keep a battle of water on you to be reminded to drink your water.

For more wellness tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Whether you are traveling for leisure or business, the more number of time zones you cross, the more chances you stand of being caught by jet lag. Some people are lucky and never get affected, however for many jet lag can be quite bothering and can take days to fully recover. In the meantime, you are most likely to experience the disruption of your sleep cycle. Most common symptoms of jet lag includes insomnia at night, sleepiness during the day, poor concentration, and, loss of appetite. In a nutshell, it is something you would really want to avoid, so here are some tips to fight jet lag.

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Tune your internal clock

Few days before the departure, gradually change your sleeping time to coincide with your destination time. Depending on the zone you are traveling to, half to one hour change everyday will make the difference. For instance, if you are traveling from the West to East coast of the United States, you would face an approximate three hour time difference. So, sleeping one hour early for three days will help you adjust your internal clock.

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Stay hydrated

Drink lots of water before, after, and, during the flight. The humidity is extremely high in the aircraft and dehydration is one of the leading causes of jet lag. At the same time, avoid consuming alcohol or anything with caffeine when on board as both will only add on to dehydration.

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Consider overnight flights

This is perhaps the easiest way to avoid jet lag. You will have dinner at your normal time and will be more likely to sleep. Depending on the length of your flight, you will arrive at your destination during the daytime. Overnight flight is an ideal way to replicate your daily schedule.

Reset your watch

The moment you board the flight, reset your watch to the time zone you will be visiting. This will prepare you psychologically for the coming time change and will help to combat jet lag.

Jet lag affects different people in different ways and it may take a little trial period before you can zero down the methods that works best for you. Till then, we suggest you to follow these basic tips in order to keep the jet lag at bay.

For more travel tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Because of global climate change, cities that used to be safe from flood are getting flooded. Since most people on those cities are not prepared for floods, they will often have water-damaged appliances after floods. What should you do when your appliances are damaged by water?

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Before you do anything . . .

It may be possible to repair water-damaged equipment or appliances. But it takes a trained technician to do it. If you don’t have a good working knowledge of electrical systems and that particular equipment, do not try fixing it yourself.

The first thing you should do is contact the manufacturer to get information on how to fix it or if the appliance can be fixed at all.

Trying to fix it yourself can put you and those around you in danger. Plus, it can worsen the damage on the equipment.

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Replace equipment if . . .

According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, equipment must be replaced if the following parts are damaged by water:

• Molded case circuit breakers
• Low voltage fuses
• Switches
• Components containing semiconductors and transistors
• Electronically controlled and solid state contactors and starters
• Overload relays
• Electronic trip units or LV power circuit breakers
• All kinds of transformers except current transformers
• Fittings
• Outlet and junction boxes
• Wire or cable listed for dry locations
• Surge protective devices
• Wiring devices
• Arc fault circuit interrupters
• Ground fault circuit interrupters
• Lighting fixtures, ballasts, LED drivers
• Signaling, protection and communication systems

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May be reconditioned if . . .

Some damages may be reconditioned with the help of the manufacturer. If the following parts are damaged by water, contact manufacturer for guidance and how to get the device reconditioned.

• Panelboards
• Switchboards
• Manual and magnetic controllers
• Motor control centers
• High-voltage circuit breakers
• Low-voltage power circuit breakers
• Protective relays, meter and current transformers
• Low voltage switchgear
• Medium voltage switch gear
• Conduit and tubing
• Wire or cable suitable for we conditions
• Cable tray
• Fire pump controllers
• Motors

Why they’re Dangerous

Electrical distribution equipment and motor control equipment both have protective components. These components are essential to ensure safe operation of these machines. Flood water contains minerals and contaminants can result to corrosion. Aside from that, water can cause loss of lubrication and insulation.

According to the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Guide:

“Corrosion, loss of lubrication and insulation quality can also be expected in contactors and starters. Solid-state motor controllers, adjustable speed drives and those electromechanical contactors or starters with integral electronic circuitry will be more severely affected by water.”

Water can result in corrosion, insulation damage and also damage to the core winding. Water can also damage the fluids inside the transformer. When these things happen, the transformer won’t be able to do their intended jobs.

It may be tempting to try to recondition expensive equipment on your own but to keep yourself safe, always consult the manufacturer. When in doubt, the best course of action would be to refrain from using the equipment altogether until a qualified technician repairs it.

Duke Briggs is a DIY enthusiast and writer. He contributes to www.GosuReviews.com, a site that helps consumers make informed decisions on their purchases. 

For more maintenance tips on Stagetecture, click here.

March is an extremely hot month in India and one that manages to dampen everyone’s spirits. That’s why it almost seems like the festival of Holi was placed with the perfect timing!

Traditionally a Hindu festival, but today celebrated by all, Holi is known as the festival of colors. It is celebrated because of a mythological story that tells the tale of a king of demons, who could not be killed “during the day or night, inside home or outside, neither on earth nor in the sky, not by a man or by an animal, and finally neither by a weapon or applied science”. However, his son refused to respect him and that angered the king. He ordered for his son to sit on the lap of his sister Holika (who had been given a boon that she would not be burned by fire) while she sat in a pyre of fire. His son prayed to the Hindu God, Vishnu, and survived, while Holika perished.

And so, to this day, we celebrate the victory of Gods over Demons, by playing Holi!

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On this day, people arm themselves with colored powders, water guns, water balloons and even buckets of water! The aim is to get everyone wet and colorful. Children have the most fun, trying to dodge their friends’ attacks with water. You can hear them scream in excitement as they run around playfully!

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For adults, Holi is a day of good food, drinks and revelry. People meet with their families and friends outside their houses, usually in a common area or park, apply color on each other faces (and bodies!), greet each other with sweets and spend the afternoon outside. Even though Holi falls in the middle of a hot summer, the celebration with water cools people and allows them to enjoy themselves. These days, residential building societies are even organizing “rain dances” for their residents!

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Holi is also the day that people indulge in bhaang, a preparation of the leaves and flower buds of the cannabis plant. Instead of drinking alcoholic beverages, many people in India take to bhaang for this one day. It is mixed with a cocktail of milk and dry fruits such as cashews, pistachios and almonds, and is an extremely potent beverage! Interestingly, with so much cannabis in circulation, Holi has always been a safe day, free of any kind of violence.

For those of you who plan to visit India in March, make plans for Holi. The date of celebration is based on the Hindu lunar calendar, so you will have to find out which date it falls on as per the English calendar. This festival is enjoyed more in the north of India, so build your itinerary accordingly. And enjoy a day full of fun and frolic!

For more Travel posts on Stagetecture, click here.

Water problems in a home occur in cities with municipally supplied water and in homes with a well. The best way to treat water problems is to first identify their cause. However, many common problems that face homeowners can easily be solved if the right treatment is used.

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The Solution

The best way to solve water problems is to have a water softener or electronic water conditioning system installed in your home like scalewatcher. This is a proven product for homes that have hardwater and limescale problems. The unit that is added to the water system helps to remove limescale – and if it doesn’t work, customers get their money back.

For further information about Scalewatcher, watch this short video:

Here are 5 common water problems in the home:

Hard Water 

This is the most common problem with homes that have a well as the source or water. Hard water from a well is not typically treated to remove minerals and other dissolved solids. However, homes that have municipally supplied water also face hard water problems. The addition of a water conditioner is the best way to get rid of hard water.

Odour and Taste

Water that is not conditioned to remove dissolved solids can often have a bad taste or smell bad. These dissolved solids typically consist of iron, hydrogen sulphide, and other chemicals can cause your water to smell like strong chlorine or rotten eggs. The best way to solve this problem is to filter water using a sink-mounted filter or a whole house water filter.

Water Spots

This is a problem that typically occurs when clear glasses, silverware and dishes in a dishwasher. If the water is not treated to remove minerals, then this will be a common occurrence. Minerals in water may leave spots on glassware, fixtures, shower doors, and even on clothes. This problem can be corrected if you have a water conditioner installed. The unit will treat water by using salt to remove particles found in water that cause spots.

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Rust Stains

The occurrence of rust stains on clothes, in a sink, or in a tub is the result of iron in your water. Iron is a substance that will typically leave a red or sometimes brown stain on fixtures and clothes. Rust stains are a main reason that money and time is spent to clean or purchase ruined clothes. Iron that is in water can also be the reason why there is a metallic taste when drinking water at home. You can get rid of the iron in your water by installing a new water conditioner.

Additional Information 

If you see that water leaking from pipes leaves a greenish blue stain on piping, then there the water has a high acid content. This can occur on the outside of pipes and on the fixtures of a sink and is the result of acid eating away the inside of your water pipes. The acid that is left unchecked will slowly eat away the inside of water pipe until a pinhole leak occurs. You can easily prevent this problem by installing a water conditioner in your home.

For more plumbing solutions on Stagetecture, click here.

Adding a water element to your existing home decor is always a great idea. The charm and elegance that is added, thanks to a water feature, makes it a popular element for many home decorators to use around the world. Most homemakers enjoy adding a new water feature to their garden or even to their living room because it makes their home tranquil and inviting. After work feeling peaceful near a water source after a long, hectic day is both relaxing and soothing for the mind, body and soul.

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Adding water elements to your home

Most mothers love the idea of adding a beautiful pond to their backyard or garden area. They want to add this special feature to enhance the beauty and charm of their home exteriors. With so much wonderful trends that take over the interior decor, mothers can finally add something beautiful to their garden, which allows their children have a nice time. In fact, a garden with water features is a perfect place to have games and even a tea party for little girls. If you’re running out of space in your garden, then you can also look for pond liners and other similar artificial pond elements that will help you create a magical effect.

You can also purchase a variety of home decor elements that will help you add on to your existing pond area. The www.swallowaquatics.co.uk website is a fantastic site that offers a plethora of options for you to choose from to embellish your garden area. You’ll find furniture, garden accessories, lights, orchid accessories, spring bulbs and a lot more. You can also add beautiful party decor elements to your garden and you will have a blast inviting company over to enjoy your great outdoors. Your garden area will turn into an important part of your exterior and you will look forward to thoroughly enjoying it.

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Outdoor water features

Installing a water feature to your outdoor area is a lot easier today than what it was years prior. Now you can add lighting, splash pumps, artificial garden rocks, pebbles and similar exterior decor elements that are perfect for decorating your garden area. There are expert technicians and professionals that can install a pond within a few days’ time. You can also install a gazebo or a garden shed to your outdoor area or patio, which will add more beauty, space and shelter for you to celebrate special occasions with friends and family.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.