Back-to-School Scavenger Hunt and Eco-friendly school supplies

My daughter starts kindergarten this year. We have decided to homeschool. This year. Just meaning I have no earthly idea if either one of us will take to it so I have no expectations whatsoever of what we'll do next year. But since we are doing it this year, I'm needing to get things in order around here.
I've been caught up in researching our teaching/learning materials and haven't thought much about preparing my daughter for the event. She's never been to preschool so the whole concept of school (except, of course, for her experience in our one-morning-a-week co-op last year) is still foreign to her. And homeschool is foreign to me. I think we both need something special to kick off the new year.
I prepared the idea for this back-to-school scavenger hunt for the Celebrations radio show, but didn't have a chance to share it. I've decided to use it with my daughter, whom I expect will be thrilled. Ours will, of course, be the start-of-school version.
Here you go....

Collect some of the items your child will need for school: pencils, crayons, glue, scissors, maps, book (on a topic they've chosen to study or one you know they'd enjoy reading), homemade reusable sandwich/snack bags, lunch bag, thermos or water bottle, interesting ribbon or key chain for house key, favorite snack, bracelet, socks, tiny tissue pack, markers, clay, paint, etc .
Find a school-related image (books, bus, globe, crayons, map, school building, etc.) online or scan one into your computer then print out several small copies onto cardstock. Cut them out and fold like cards or leave them flat like postcards. Use these for your scavenger hunt clues.
Hide the supplies/gifts around your house or outdoors and create clues to lead your child on a hunt for each item. Provide your child with something for collecting her goodies or lead her 1st to a new school bag or box.
Print or write your clues inside or on the back of your clue cards. Be cute and simple.
Example: I'll carry water or milk for you to drink. Look for me under your kitchen sink. (New drinking bottle in the play kitchen).
Monster, bug or bike. Sculpt me how you'd like. Stretch me, roll me, push me, pull me. Find me next to your blanket that's woolly. (New clay hiding on the bed).
After your child has collected all her new items, help her open them and prepare them for school, putting in her bag or arranging in her home study space.

If you're thinking of going green this school year, here's a short list of resources.

Stylish and eco-friendly snack bags, boxes, and bottles
Betz White's sandwich wrap
LunchSkins Reusable Sandwich Bag
Fresh Snack Pack
Stainless steel lunch box
Stainless steel lunch bowl and boxes
Not your plastic Strawberry Shortcake thermos

Eco-art and school supplies
Smencils and more at Stubby Pencil Studio
Recycled newspaper colored pencils and cute stuff
Adhesive paste
Binders, notebooks, and paper

Green Clean Sample Kit

Green cleaning (using cleaning products and methods that are non-toxic to people, Earth and its environment) has not become habitual in our home yet, but I am taking some steps toward becoming more eco-minded when it comes to what we do and how we clean in our home.
To stock our pantry, and share the fun of playing chemist, I compiled some recipes for simple cleaners, gathered the supplies and led a group in making their own Green Clean Sample Kits at the Craft Social last night. I chose these because they are the most-used cleaners in our home (kitchen, bath, laundry) and because these particular recipes could be quickly and safely made in our venue.
I purchased some small spray and squeeze bottles and raided our recyclables for screw-top glass and plastic jars to share with the group. (Some guests planned ahead and brought their own recyclable containers to fill). Most of us made one spray, one scrub and one batch of detergent.
The ingredient list for these solutions is short: white vinegar, baking soda, washing soda, castile soap, glycerin, essential oil, a few aspirin, and tap water. I found the washing soda at a local Jewel/Albertson's grocery store, the castile, oils and glycerin at Whole Foods.

I considered sewing very simple bags for guests to use in carrying their cleaners, but you know how things go (well, you do if you're a procrastinator like I am), but I did happen to come across directions for this great newspaper cleaner caddy in a book at the library. I couldn't resist trying it out. I love it! It's from The Newspaper Everything Book: How to Make 150 Useful Objects From Old Newspapers by Vivienne Eisner and Adelle Weiss, 1975. I'll have to make some time to practice modifications for other uses and then write up a tutorial for it.
For now, here are the recipes I made available for use in our sample kits. For more green cleaning tips, follow the links below.

Green Clean Sample Kit

Powdered Laundry Detergent
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup baking soda
1 cup washing soda
¼ cup liquid castile soap

Mix well and store in sealed container (glass or plastic jar).
Note from article author: I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stir in the washing soda, baking soda, and add vinegar in small batches. The mixture will foam at first, become a thick paste then break down into a heavy powdered detergent as you stir. Break down any hard clumps while stirring. (It helps to make sure the baking soda isn't clumpy to begin with). I used ½ cup per full with great results.
From Tipnut

Soft Scrub for toilets and tubs (and more)
1 cup baking soda
3-5 drops tea tree oil
¼ cup liquid castile soap
2 aspirins, powdered

Mix all ingredients and add enough water to make a paste. Store in a squeeze bottle. To use, apply with a sponge, scrub and rinse thoroughly.
From Make Your Place by Raleigh Briggs, 2009.

Creamy Soft Scrub
baking soda
liquid castile soap
vegetable glycerin

Pour about ½ cup baking soda into a bowl. Add enough liquid detergent (castile soap) to make a texture like frosting. Add 1 teaspoon of glycerin to the mixture to keep the product moist and store in a sealed glass jar. To use, scoop the mixture onto a sponge and wash surface. Perfect for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.
5-10 drops essential oil can be used to scent the scrub. For a citrus scrub, add 5-10 drops orange or lemon essential oil.
From Care 2 Make a Difference and Best Green Home Tips

All Purpose Spray
½ teaspoon washing soda
A dab of liquid castile soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine ingredients in a jar and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Pour into spray bottle. Spray and wipe with a sponge or rag.
From Care 2 Make a Difference

Disinfectant All Purpose Spray
liquid castile soap
2 cups water
tea tree essential oil
lavender essential oil

Mix a few drops of natural soap (castile), 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender oils. Spray on all surfaces like cutting boards, counters, toilets, and walls, but not glass.
Note from article author: You can use 30 drops of one oil, I just like the mix. You need to keep either the tea tree or lavender essential oil in the mix to make it a disinfectant. Castile (like Bronner's) is great for general cleaning, but real essential oils of tea tree or lavender have antiseptic/antibacterial aspects. I like to mix them, because too much tea tree scent alone makes me loopy.
From Tree Hugging Family