For the kids Archives - Sweet Frugal Life

50 Free Screen Free Summer Kids Activities

May 4, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

The Ultimate List of Screen Free Summer Kids Activities

Summer break is just around the corner. I have been looking forward to summer for weeks! I just love having my kids home with me and I always look forward to a more relaxed schedule full of fun family activities. There are so many free summer kids activity, and we love to take advantage of all of them!

Outdoor Summer Kids Activities

Picnic at The Park

Enjoy some time outdoors with a picnic at the park. We love going to a new park each week exploring different areas of our city. We bring these Rate The Park sheets with us and my kids love critiquing each park we attend.

Get your free Park Rating Sheet Here for even more park fun with the kids.

Play Frisbee

Get out a Frisbee to throw around with your kids. Check to see if your local parks have a Frisbee golf course for something new.

Run Through the Sprinkler

I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to run through the sprinkler without having fun. There is just something about this simple activity that brightens up the day.

“Paint” with Water

Get out a bucket of water and an old paintbrush. Let your kids use the water and brush to “paint” the sidewalk, house and anything else they want. It’s so fun for them to watch the color change as they paint.

Go on a Walk

Get outside and get moving with a nice walk. We love to walk around our neighborhood or try out a few of the walking paths in our city. Make a family goal to walk 100 miles over the summer and celebrate with a treat once accomplished.

You can print my free 100 Miles Challenge Printable here.

Picnic in Backyard

Move the meal outside with a simple backyard picnic. Lay a blanket down in the shade and eat dinner outdoors enjoying nature.

Draw With Sidewalk Chalk

Get out some sidewalk chalk and draw pictures on your driveway. You could draw a hopscotch course or a road for your bikes to travel through.

Draw on Sidewalk With Ice Cubes

Don’t have any side walk chalk? Draw with ice cubes instead! They will melt on the hot pavement as you are drawing your picture.

Go On A Bike Ride

Go on a fun bike ride together as a family. Make sure to log your bike miles on your 100 Miles Challenge printable.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Give your kids a paper bag and a list of items to find out in nature. This might be a rock, pine cone, dandelion, etc. Have them go out and collect their findings in their bag. When they get back let everyone show up their new treasures. Such a fun way to get kids outside exploring.

Go On A Hike

Take your kids on an easy hike. Make sure everyone finds a hiking stick! That’s always a necessity in our family.

Plant A Garden

Have your kids help you plant a garden. They will be so proud when they harvest their veggies.

Jump On The Trampoline With Water Balloons

Fill up a few water balloons with water and put them on the trampoline. The kids love jumping with them and the surprise of when they pop and spray out water.

Play Catch

Get out a ball and play catch. Try to see how many times you can catch it without letting it drop.

Blow Bubbles

Go outside and blow bubbles together. See who can make the biggest bubble!

Go Geocaching

We love geocaching. It’s such a fun way to explore new places, and the kids love finding the treasure!

Play Night Games With Flash Lights

Invite a group of friends over to play night games together. Our favorites are Ghost In The Graveyard and Kick The Can.

Catch Bugs

Look for bugs to catch. Keep them in a jar for an hour to watch and observe. Then set them free again.

Star Gaze

Stay up late one night so you can watch the stars. Show your kids a few of the constellations and try to find a shooting star.

Make a Fairy Garden

Use your creativity and put together a Fairy Garden in your back yard. Build a mini house out of twigs and decorate with twigs and flowers around. We did this a few years ago and it was such a fun summer activity!

Give The Bikes a Wash

Set up a car wash, but for the bikes! Kids love using the hose, rags and soap to wash off their bikes.

Play Jump Rope

Get out a few jump ropes to play with. Try to see how many times you can jump over the rope before it stops or play a few games like Double Dutch.

Make An Obstacle Course

Use your backyard to make an obstacle course for your kids. They might have to walk across a “balance beam” (piece of wood or jump rope), run around all the cones (or chairs), jump on the trampoline three times, and then throw a ball. Use your imagination and get creative while setting it up. Use a timer to see how fast they can get through the course.

Set up a Lemonade Stand

Mix up some lemonade and sell it in front of your home. This is a fun way to socialize with the neighbors and help the kids learn about money.

Make a Nature Journal

Start a Nature Journal. This will be a place to save some of the fun things you find outside, draw pictures of the places you visit and write all about what you love about nature.

Indoor Summer Activities

Make Play Dough

Whip up some homemade play dough to play with. This play dough recipe is so quick and easy! Or, if you want to try something different (and my kids fave) check out this Peanut Butter Play Dough recipe.

Try A Science Experiment

Try out a new science experiment. We love this Magic Toothpick Experiment. It’s super quick and mess free (just the way this mamma likes it!)

Bake Cookies

Spend a few hours in the kitchen together baking your favorite cookies. We personally love chocolate chips! This is a great way to help kids learn how to read a recipe too!

Make Up A Play

Encourage your kids to make up a play that they can perform. Set up a little stage area to help them feel official. Invite over a few grandparents to watch the big performance!

Build A Fort

Get out some blankets and build a big fort. You can drape them over the kitchen table or a few chairs. Once your fort is built you can cuddle up and read books together or watch a movie!

Make A Dream Catcher

If your kids enjoy crafting, make a dream catcher together. It’s a great craft for older kids who are able to sit still. I love this tutorial for making a beautiful dream catcher.

Make Slime

Slime is all the rage in the kid crowd. It only requires a few ingredients and brings hours of fun play. Here’s a super easy slime recipe.

Play Hide-and-Seek or Sardines

Play a few family friendly games in the house. We love Hide And Seek or Sardines!

Color Hot Rocks

Try out our favorite twist on painting rocks. All you need is a rock and some crayons! Find the tutorial here.

Write Letters To Friends or Family

Everyone loves to get an old fashioned letter in the mail, or at least I do! Spend an afternoon writing letters for friends or family.

Play Board Games

My daughters and I love spending an afternoon playing board games together. It’s such a fun way to pass the time!

Related: 20 Family Board Games, all Under $20

Make A Summer Scrapbook

Put together a summer scrapbook of your favorite summer memories. Include pictures and any special events.

Sing Karaoke

Find free karaoke songs on YouTube and have an old fashioned karaoke party. We have this karaoke machine and love it so much!

Make A Nature Bookmark

Preserve flowers you find on your nature walk by turn them into a Nature Bookmark.

Fold Origami

Learn how to fold origami. There are many easy tutorials on YouTube. I would start with a frog, they are my favorite!

Put On A Puppet Show

Make puppets out of brown paper bags and put on a puppet show.

Make Homemade Butter

Teach your kids about life on the prairie by making homemade butter together. All you need is some cream and a jar!

Indoor Treasure Hunt

Put together a simple indoor treasure hunt for your kids to go on. You can hide different items around the house with clues to find each one.

Go To The Library

Visit your local library for a fun day out. We always set a goal to read 50 books in a summer, the library is the perfect place to get to that goal!

Play Dress-Up

Get out a few dress up clothes for your kids to play in. If you don’t have any, let them dress up in some of your clothing.

Have A Dance Party

Turn on some music and have a dance party in your living room! I have a playlist on my phone with all of our favorite dance tunes, it’s so fun!

Put Together A Puzzle

Spend the day doing a puzzle together. It’s so relaxing and a great way to bring out some conversation. We love Eric Dowdle Puzzles!

Make Ice Cream In A Bag

Make homemade ice cream in a bag. It’s really easy to do and the perfect activity for a hot summers day!

Have An Impromptu Photo Shoot

Get dressed up and have an impromptu photo shoot. Let your kids choose the poses and locations. It’s always so fun to see what they come up with!

Learn Magic Tricks

Look up a few magic tricks on YouTube. Once you have a few tricks learned, put on a magic show for your friends!

In Conclusion

There are so many fun kids summer activities out there, and many of them won’t cost you any money at all. Kids grow to fast! I hope you will use summer time as a way to reconnect and build lasting memories.

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What are your favorite summer kids activities???

15 Free At Home Spring Break Activities for Kids

February 29, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life13 Comments

Check out these fun ideas for kids to do with your kids at home during Spring Break.

Spring break is just around the corner….and that means a lot of time at home with my kids. I love having them home and getting to spend some special time together. However, the ground is still covered with snow, which means we will be spending a lot of time indoors. I’ve been brainstorming some fun, easy at home spring break activities for kids. Here’s what I’ve come up with!

1. Board Games

We are HUGE fans of board games at our house. You can get them for fairly cheap from the thrift store.

If my kids ever tell me they are bored, I always tell them to play a game! Most times, they listen and then proceed to have hours of fun.

Related: 20 Family Board Games, all Under $20

2. ABC Day

Have an ABC Day! Choose a letter and plan the day around that letter.

For the letter R we might eat Raisins and Red apples, play Ring around the Rosies or have a Race, and make an art project out of Ribbon (you get the idea).

My kids have a lot of fun trying to come up with different ideas based around the letter. This is also a fun teaching activity for preschoolers.

3. Picnic

Spend the day in the sunshine with a picnic at a park. Bring a Frisbee (or not) and spend time enjoying the sunshine and letting your kids play.

If it’s not warm enough to picnic at the park (like where I live!) just lay a blanket down on the living room floor and picnic at home. Your kids will love getting to eat somewhere other than the kitchen!

4. Crafts

Crafts are always a big hit at my house. All it takes is a quick search on pinterest and you will find many easy craft ideas.

A few of our favorite crafts for spring is this easy Nature Bookmark, Fun Easter Egg Sun Catcher, and Hot Rocks.

Related: 5 At Home Kids Activities

5. Ice Cream in a Bag

No need for a fancy ice cream maker! You can make ice cream at home just by using a ziplock bag and a little muscle!

I have an easy Ice Cream in a Bag tutorial all written out for you here. My kids love this activity because they each get their own bag to customize and shake (yes, shaking is required!). This is fun for ALL ages!

6. Family Movie Night

Let your kids stay up late one night watching a movie together as a family. Pop some popcorn and enjoy a few other treats.

Check out your local library for free movies you might not have seen yet. We love our library!

7. Library

Did I mention we love our library? We do! And, we make a stop there at the beginning of every Spring Break.

We love to stock up for the week on books, movies, and CDs. The library offers SO many more free resources than just books.

8. Bake a Treat

One of my favorite ways to bond with my kids is in the kitchen. We love to crack up the music, sing out loud, do some dancing, and bake together (all done at the same time, preferably 😉 ).

Enjoy some time in the kitchen this spring break with a few new recipes. A few of our favorites are these homemade graham crackers or Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.

9. Nature Walk

If you are one of the lucky ones with a warm spring break, go outside on a nature walk.

Bring a sack with you and collect different rocks, pine needles and pine cones. Turn it into a fun treasure hunt to see how many interesting treasures you can each find.

Once back home, have everyone show what they found and admire the collections. Turn this into a research project and spend some time that day learning about your new finds.

10. Start your garden

Spring Break is the perfect time to start planning your garden and getting some seeds started indoors.

Gardening is a fun activity to get kids involved with. Let your kids choose a few things to plant in the garden. Bring them to the store and let them help buy the seeds and materials. Then, back at home they can help with the planting and watering.

Watching the little seeds sprout is so exciting for the kids (and me!).

Related: 9 Vegetables to Grow in Your Beginner Garden

11. Friend Day

Plan a play date (or two!) with a few of your kids friends. Let them entertain each other and work on those social skills.

Maybe invite a friend over for you too! It’s always nice to get a little adult conversation in.

12. Spring Cleaning

Alright, I know spring cleaning probably isn’t an “activity” and it’s definitely not that “fun”, but it is free and something we try to work on each Spring Break. Plus, it is more fun to do the work together…..right….??? That’s what I’m telling my kids anyways!

Getting your kids involved with some heavy spring cleaning is a great way to teach them responsibility and hard work.

Related: 5 Homemade Cleaner Recipes that Work Just as Well as the Store Bought Version

13. Make Slime or Play Dough

Slime is all the rage these days. We have tried out a few recipes and loved how easy it was to make. You can find a lot of slime recipes on pinterest.

A great alternative to slime is homemade play dough. We love this easy play dough recipe and this peanut butter play dough recipe for a little twist.

14. Paint Rocks

Find some rocks outdoors and bring them in to paint. You can paint a cute design, turn the rock into an animal, or whatever you feel inspired to paint. This is so easy, cheap and fun!

Make it even more fun by hiding them around your city. We love finding painted rocks hidden at parks or the library. But, I think it’s even more fun to be the person hiding the rocks!

15. Science Experiment

Try out a fun science experiment. We love the basic volcano experiment, where you mix baking soda with vinegar. Or this Magic Toothpick Experiment is another go to at our house.

I think the most important thing to remember when planning spring break activities for kids is that it doesn’t cost any money to make memories. All kids want is our time and love….and that is free!

Liked what you read? Pin it for future spring break ideas!

What are your plans this spring break??

Yarn Hearts: An Easy Valentine Craft for Kids

February 7, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life3 Comments

An Easy Valentine Heart Craft for Kids!

A friend shared a brilliant idea with me the other day! She said she uses a small Christmas tree for Valentines Day; instead of decorating it with Christmas ornaments she has a little box of Valentines decorations that she brings out every February and her kids get to decorate a Valentines Tree. I thought this would make a fun valentine craft for kids.

So, I got to work putting together my own valentine tree. I already had a small tree that I use for Christmas each year, the only problem is that I didn’t have any decorations for the tree….and I did NOT want to buy any.

We got to work crafting. First, we made a few hearts out of beads and pipe cleaners. They were so easy, just stick beads on a pipe cleaner and shape it as a heart. Done and done!

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Next, we made this darling Pom-Pom Garland. I loved it so much and I can’t wait to make more! You can find the tutorial here.

And last, but not least, we put together these Yarn Heart Ornaments. They were SO fun to make and easy enough for my 6 year old to join in. I love the projects that all three kids can enjoy together!

Yarn Hearts Tutorial

First, you need some cardboard hearts. I grabbed a box from my large stash of amazon boxes and cut out a few hearts.

Choose your favorite yarn color. Here is one of my favorite yarn brands. Use a little bit of tape to attach the yarn to the cardboard heart.

Now for the fun part. Just start wrapping your yarn around the heart. Try to wrap it in different angles to make the design interesting. It wasn’t easy to get all of the small nooks and crannies, but we kept working it and was able to get the entire heart covered.

When your cardboard heart is all covered and looks just right tie a small knot and cut off your excess yarn. I tucked the knot underneath some yarn to try to hide it, which seemed to work well!

And guess what! You are done! That’s it! We attached a few ornament hooks through the yarn and hung it up on our Valentines Day Tree.

I just love how these crafts and little tree turned out, and what’s even better….my kids love it! They are so proud that they helped make all of the decorations; and seeing my kids happy faces is the best kind of valentine gift I could ever receive!

Related Easy Craft Projects:

Tissue Paper Pom-Pom Tutorial

The Easiest Halloween Pumpkin Tutorial

How to Make an Easy Nature Bookmark Tutorial

Easter Egg Sun Catcher

Now it’s your turn to make this easy valentine craft for kids!

How to Make A Yarn Pom-Pom Garland

February 6, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life1 Comment

Easy Yarn Pom-Pom Tutorial

I recently discovered how to make a yarn pom pom. These pom-poms turned out to be easy to make and so cute! My daughters and I spent all evening making pom poms and experimenting with different sizes and techniques.

We decided to turn these yarn pom poms into a cute garland for Valentines Day. I love how it turned out and am already planning more garlands in other themes and colors!

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These were so fun (and cheap!) to make, I thought I would share an easy tutorial with all of you! I was able to use items I already had at home and didn’t need to spend any money (yay!), but you can find some quality yarn for less than five dollars and it will make hundreds of pom-poms!

easy yarn pom pom tutorial - how to make yarn pom poms

How to make yarn pom pom

Take a small string of yarn (the softer yarns seem to work best) and begin wrapping it around two of your fingers.

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Keep wrapping until the yarn looks a good size. I just eyeballed it, but I probably twisted the yarn about 70-100 times.

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When the pom-pom looks right, cut the yarn leaving about 6 inches of a tail. You will then push the tail through your two fingers and pull it out the other side.

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Bring the tail up on top of the yarn and push it through the top of your two fingers. Pull it tight.

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Now, gently slide the yarn off of your fingers, making sure to keep the yarn pulled tight and kept across the middle (this was a little tricky, but you can do it!).

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Knot the tail and wrap the remaining tail across the other middle, this will form a plus sign. Pull it tight and knot it. This will form four sections. Tie another knot securing the yarn.

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Next, grab some sharp scissors. I used my fabric scissors (aka: “if anyone uses these for anything other than fabric they will be in HUGE trouble” scissors). Begin cutting the loops apart in each section. Make sure you do not cut the tied tail. We only had this happened once, but it’s important to remember.

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Continue cutting all of the loops. Once finished, it will not look very good and you’ll wonder if you did it right! You did. I promise.

The pom pom just needs some fluffing. Shake it, separate the pieces and try to fluff it out as best as you can.

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Once your little ball of yarn is all fluffed out it’s time for a haircut! This is when you will see your pom pom begin to take shape.

Trim the yarn pieces until they are all nice and even. I like to cut them fairly short, but not to short.

Play around with it a little bit and you will find the style you like. My daughters kept theirs a little more long, it’s all personal preference.

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That’s it! Your pom pom is done! Isn’t it cute???? The first one takes the longest…..to be honest, I threw away my first five.

But, once I had a little practice I was able to whip them up much quicker.

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Stick some googly eyes on those pom poms and make little monsters for your kids, OR you can string it together to form a cute garland. I chose the garland.

Pom Pom Garland Tutorial

DIY pom pom garland tutorial

After browsing through my house unable to find a string for my garland I resorted to the garage (I was refusing to spend money on this project!).

I found some string in my husbands stash of “stuff” and it worked really well. Twine or even embroidery thread will work great too.

Tie a knot at the end of your string and use the string to thread a needle. You will then stick your needle right through the middle of your pom-pom, pull it along the string until it reaches the knot, and continue until your garland is at the desired length.

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Knot off the end and you are done! You can hang your yarn pom-pom garland around your house, but we came up with a different idea.

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We decided to decorate one of our little Christmas Trees as a “valentine tree.” We have been making little crafts for it all month and decided this garland would be the perfect addition!

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Let me know if you make a pom pom garland! I would love to hear how it went.

I hope this helped you understand how to make a yarn pom pom!

Dollar Tree Easter Basket Ideas

March 19, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life10 Comments

Cheap kids Easter basket ideas!

I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

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A common misconception is that the only way for kids to have a childhood full of memorable holidays and fun traditions is to spend a lot of money…..I’m here to tell you that is just.not.true.

This is one of the many reasons why I LOVE The Dollar Tree. I love watching their season aisle. It’s fun to see what they bring in every year.

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Every year I buy my kids Easter Basket Stuffers from The Dollar Tree spring section. This year I spent a total of $6 per basket, making the grand total for 3 Easter Baskets only $18! AND! I know my kids will love them (yay!). Today, I’m sharing these Dollar Tree Easter Basket ideas with you!

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The Baskets

Fortunately I didn’t need to buy baskets, grass filler or plastic eggs because I save each of these things to use year after year. These current baskets have last me over 5 years and I’m sure they will last another 5! This saves me a few bucks every year, but those few dollars add up to big savings!

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However, if you are needing new baskets or plastic eggs The Dollar Tree has you covered! Their Easter aisle is packed full of eggs and grass in every imaginable color and Easter Baskets for every personality.

Teen Girl Easter Basket

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My 13 year old daughter loves all things artsy, tendy and girly; and I found the PERFECT items for her basket that fit these categories.

I was so excited when I found these darling faux potted cactus’s at The Dollar Tree. My daughter has a slight obsession with cactus’s at the moment (and tells me so do all of her friends….) so I knew this would be PERFECT in her basket.

I also found a fun Calligraphy book to help teach her pretty lettering, white nail polish, and a colorful kite.

Tween Girl Easter Basket

Next up was my 10 year old daughters basket. She is pure girl and loves using her hands in the kitchen or at the table crafting.

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I found a nice selection of hands on science kits at The Dollar Tree and ended up buying this Crystal Growing Kit. We have tried to grow our own crystals at home and have failed every time! I’m hoping to have much more success with this kit!

She’s also getting a kite, some chapstick (don’t you love those spring colors!) and a Spiral Art set. Did you love Spiral Art as much as I did as a kid???? So fun!

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Boy Easter Basket

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Last, but certainly not least is my 6 year old sons Easter Basket. He is all boy through and through and just wants to be busy and active all of the time.

I found a box of sidewalk chalk at The Dollar Tree and decided this would be the perfect way to get him outside during spring.

His basket is also filled with a kite, a cute robot on canvas to color and a slinky. He has ALWAYS wanted his very own slinky (little bother problems, amiright???) and I can’t wait for him to see this one.

The Candy

What’s Easter without some candy???? The Dollar Tree has you covered! I’m serious. I have a slight (ok, serious) addiction to Sweet Tarts Jelly Beans….have you ever tried them??? So good! I was very proud of myself that I left the bag at the store, otherwise, the entire bag would have been gone before I even left the parking lot (only kinda kidding…).

I DID buy a few pieces of candy for the kids though. Starburst Jelly Beans (also so good!) and chocolate bunnies to name a few.

Do you love filling Easter eggs with candy? I totally do! There is something so fulfilling about it!

My kids will wake up on Easter Sunday, anxiously walk into our living room area, run to their Easter Baskets and proclaim with excitement about what it’s inside. They will laugh, they will smile, and they will remember their childhood with all the warm fuzzy memories we want them to have…..and all it cost was $6. Thank you Dollar Tree.

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I hope these dollar tree Easter basket ideas gives you some inspiration as you stuff your kids baskets this year.

A Month of Kids School Lunch Ideas

February 24, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

What I pack in my kids lunchboxes!

Any other moms out there feel like they are constantly trying to come up with new kids school lunch ideas??? My kids complain I make the same thing all the time, I complain because I get tired of making the same thing all the time! (mom probs, right?!?!)

I decided to document what I pack in my kids school lunches. Hopefully this will help others get new ideas, and inspire me to try new things!

These are all very basic lunches, nothing fancy here, real talk from a busy frugal mom who is trying her best to save money and raise great kids.

My parenting philosophy is always, “Keep it Simple. Keep it Frugal.” If you are looking for fancy cute lunch ideas, this article isn’t for you! I love those lunch ideas, but just not my talent.

If you are looking for some frugal kids school lunch ideas that the busy simple mom can do, you have come to the right spot!

I am able to save roughly $350 per year simply by packing a lunchbox for my kids to bring to school. This is such a simple way to cut out a few extra bucks from your monthly budget!

Full Disclosure: I started writing this article in October, and then kind of forgot about it until February…..so this wasn’t one complete month, but a couple mashed together. It IS a wonderful example of our regular lunches.

Week 1

Day 1: Bagel with cream cheese, goldfish crackers, orange, two peanut butter cookies

Day 2: Cut up pancake, syrup, oranges, gogurt

Day 3: PB&J Sandwich, pretzels, oranges

Day 4: Pear Butter Sandwich, oranges, goldfish crackers, granola bar

Day 5: Bagel with cream cheese, banana, granola bar

Related: A Month of After School Snacks

Week 2

Day 1: Cheese and lunch meat sandwich, applesauce, granola bar

Day 2: Two Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, granola bar, animal crackers, grapes

Day 3: PB&J sandwich, carrots, dried apples, cookie

Day 4: Crackers, pepperoni, lunch meat, applesauce, homemade graham cracker

Day 5: Pear butter sandwich, orange, gogurt

Week 3

Day 1: Tortilla wrap with lunch meat and mayo, roll, applesauce, peanut butter crackers

Day 2: PB&J sandwich, dried apples, carrots

Day 3: Turkey/Cheese on a Dinner Roll, Pretzels and Raisins, Orange slices

Day 4: Lunch meat and cheese sandwich, orange, applesauce, rice krispie monster

Day 5: Crackers, lunch meat, pepperoni, applesauce, grapes

Related: What I have learned about living a sweet and frugal life on ONE income

Week 4

Day 1: Waffle Strips, syrup for dipping, orange, and a granola bar

Day 2: Peanut Butter & Honey Sandwich, Energy Bites, Orange

Day 3: Bagel with cream cheese, Crackers, Banana, Chocolate Dipped Valentine Cookie

Day 4: Frozen smoothie, cheerios, turkey/cheese roll

Day 5: Frozen Gogurt, Apple slices, Ritz Crackers, Pepperoni

Share some of your favorite kids school lunch ideas in the comments!

A Frugal Family Valentines Day

February 18, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

How to celebrate valentines day with kids and on a budget!

If you’ve been following me on Instagram you’ve probably learned that my philosophy on parenting (and basically life) revolves around easy and cheap! Our Family Valentines Day Celebrations are no different.

Did you know that the average person spends around $140 on Valentines Day. This shocked me! I understand that it’s fun to splurge a few times a year and I am a big fan of celebrating love and budgeting for joy.…but, I really believe this can be done without spending a lot of money.

Our Valentines Day is a celebration that includes my husband and I, and our three children. I like to include my children because I love them too! Valentines Day doesn’t have to only be about romantic love, it can be about all types of love! We have a fun family day on Valentines day and then a frugal valentines date the next night.

Family Celebrations

Our Valentines Day may be frugal, but that doesn’t make it any less special. Even though I spend very little money, our day is still just as lovely and fun as ever. My 6 year old has actually been counting down to the day for weeks (not joking).

Mailbox Love

Technically our valentines day traditions begin a couple of weeks BEFORE February 14th. Years ago I bought these darling tin mailboxes at the Target dollar spot (I love Target!). I believe they were about $5 a piece, so not super frugal, but they have lasted us for years, and have been one of my favorite purchases ever (for reals). I found a similar mailbox on Amazon here.

We use these mailboxes to “deliver” little love notes and handmade gifts to each other in the days leading up to Valentines Day. It warms my heart every single time I watch one of my kids put a kind note into their siblings mailbox. Real talk…..my kids fight a lot…..so these moments of kindness are just so so special to me. I like to surprise my kids in their mailbox with small little gifts, such as a pencil, eraser, or some type of treat and a few love notes. They love this!

Morning Love

Valentines day at our house always begins with heart shaped pancakes. These aren’t fancy by any means….but guess what! My kids never care. They love their heart pancakes, misshaped and all (kids are pretty awesome this way, aren’t they??).

School lunchboxes are packed in the morning as usual, with the exception of a few extra goodies. I like to throw in a 25 cent box of conversation hearts and a little love note from me. Now that my oldest is 13 I’ve started skipping the extra goodies in her lunchbox….I have learned that teenagers aren’t the biggest fan of mom notes in their lunchboxes….go figure! 😉

Dinner Love

Decorating is not my forte, but I try to make our valentines dinner table a little extra special. I use our nicest tablecloth (which is actually just a cheap one that I bought from Walmart 8 years ago), I always light a few candles, and cut out some red paper hearts to place around the table. So easy right!?!?

Valentines dinner is simple, yet fun. One year we had a heart shaped pizza, this year I will be making a chicken pot pie with the top crust decorated as hearts. The amount of money I spend on dinner is always in my regular weekly grocery budget, so no excess spending here! Woo!

Frugal Valentines Gifts

Every year on our dinner table I include a small gift for each of my kids, and something for my husband. This year I bought each of them a small box of chocolates from the Dollar Tree, my daughters both received a small necklace from Jane, and my son received a stuffed animal from the Dollar Tree. My husband is getting a larger sized box of chocolates and a love letter.

These aren’t anything fancy and hardly cost me anymore, but the gesture means a lot to my kids and I have found them trying to follow my example. The past few years my kids have been making their own little valentine gifts, and then secretly placing them on the table before dinner.

If you are needing a more Valentines Day Gift ideas, I have a few guides listed below:

10 Valentine Gifts for Her under $10

10 Valentines gifts for him under $10!

Gift Ideas for Teen Girls under $25

25 Gift Ideas for Tween Girls; all under $25!

25 Gift Ideas for 5-7 year old boys under $25

Mothers Day Gift Guide: 15 FREE Gift Ideas

This is what Valentines Day is all about! It’s about spending the time and thought to give service and love to someone you care about.

I was going to buy some strawberries and chocolate for an after dinner dessert and activity, but it honestly didn’t fit in this weeks grocery budget, so I didn’t. Maybe next year!

Don’t forget to pin this article for future reference!

You might be interested in a few of my other Valentines Posts:

Yarn Hearts: An Easy Valentine Craft for Kids

Chocolate Dipped Valentine Cookies Recipe

What does Valentines look like at your house? Share a few of your celebrations in the comments. I would love to hear all about it!

20 Family Board Games, all Under $20

January 28, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life1 Comment

Enjoy a budget friendly family game night with these 20 family board games!

If you know me, even at all, you know that I LOVE to play family board games. I love the competition, I love the laughs, and I love spending an evening with my favorite people……while not having to spend any money.

Our little family has Family Game Night every Sunday evening. I brought this tradition with me from my childhood and I have loved sharing it with my children. I will usually pop some popcorn and cut up some fruit while my kids pick out a pile of fun games. Everyone has their favorites and we try to play as many as we can.

I also love to get together with friends and family members for game nights. The great things about games is that their is always something for everyone. With hundreds and hundreds of games to choose from, every personality and preference can find a favorite.

Games are easy to share with others, making it so cheap for everyone involved. Think about it! If everyone bought just one game, and then gets together to share the games, you get to enjoy multiple games for the price of one!

Thrift stores are also loaded with games. I can almost always find a high quality game for just a couple of bucks at my local thrift store. They may not be the “new on the market” games, but they are always big favorites!

I wanted to share a few of my families favorites game so that you can start your own regular game nights. Each of these games are under $20 and family friendly!

Strategy Games

Citadels

Citadels is a quick game to play and easy to learn. It has the perfect mix of strategy and lightheartedness.

Citadels Classic

Sheriff of Nottingham

If you are a good bluffer you will probably be great at Sheriff of Nottingham. I am personally not a good bluffer, so this game is a little stressful for me! But, I do really enjoy playing it. It requires some strategy, the ability to bluff, and a little bit of skill.

Arcane Wonders Sheriff of Nottingham

Bohnanza

Bohnanza is a great game for older kids/teens. It is a game of trading “beans” to plant in your bean fields. It takes a little practice to learn the game, but once understood it is very addicting and has a fun strategy involved.

Rio Grande Games Bohnanza

CodeNames

Codenames is a very popular game, and for good reason. You play on teams and use word association to try to get your teammates to guess which words you are thinking of. It feels a little complicated when you first open the box, but it is actually really easy to learn.

Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is interesting because you do not compete against each other. It’s a strategy game, but everyone is on the same team. Together, as a team you try to “save” the island before it sinks. It can get a little stressful, but I love when our little family is forced (encouraged???) to work together.

Forbidden Island Card Game

Party Games

Watch Ya Mouth

Watch Ya Mouth is such a fun party game. It is impossible to play without laughing the entire time. Promise. It is probably one of the funniest games I have ever played.

Mad Gab

It’s easy for all ages to play Mad Gab. The game play involves scrambled words that you sound out to try to guess the correct phrase. It’s so funny to listen to your teammates trying to guess the phrase while they sound the words out over and over.

Related: 25 Completely Free Family Winter Activities

Apples to Apples

Apples to Apples Junior is one of our families very favorite games. It’s so easy to play and the rounds go very quickly. Even my 4 year old enjoyed playing his cards and trying to keep up with the game. I love that it is a game for everyone, even people who don’t like games!

Catch Phrase

My favorite party game is Catch Phrase. The game is played in teams and you use word association to try to get your team to guess the word on the game unit. The game goes fast and is easy for all ages. The cool little Catch Phrase Unit even keeps score for you! Yay!

Pit is fast paced and interactive. You try to convince others to trade crops with you while they are trying to convince others to trade with them. It is a race to be the first to collect all of your crops. My kids love playing this game and it’s a great way to bring others out of their shell.

Telestrations

Telestrations is a mix between Pictionary and Telephone. Everyone draws a word, then passes their drawing to the next person who guesses what you drew, this continues through everyone. It’s so funny to see what the end product is!

Easy to Play Games

Cover Your Assets

The game Cover your Assets is fast, easy to learn and seriously addicting. I’ve always loved money games and the ability to feel like a “quick millionaire.” This is a great game for families!

Anomia

Anomia is a fun group game and works well for all personalities, even those normally quiet will start shouting and laughing while playing. You do need to be able to read, so it is more fit for older kids. It is small and compact which makes it easy to carry around on trips or over to someones home.

Everest Toys Anomia Card Game

Bananagrams

I absolutely love Bananagrams, or as my family likes to call it, Speed Scrabble. It has the same strategy as scrabble, use your letter tiles to connect a words together in a grid. But, it is fast paced and has an extra element of stress (in a good way). If you are a fan of word games, you will love bananagrams!

Bananagrams Party Edition

Farkle

Farkle, or The Dice Game as I grew up calling it, is a game of luck and risk. The more you risk, the more lucky you might get. It’s very easy to play, just simple rolling the dice and keeping score. Farkle can turn into a lengthy game or played as a quick time filler.

Spot It

There is really no game like Spot It! It is easy for all ages to play, has many different game play options, and each round goes quickly. My kids can seriously play Spot It for hours! We absolutely love it and I recommend it to everyone!

Related: 20 FREE or FRUGAL Family Christmas Traditions

Spot It!

Clue

Clue is a classic, and for good reason! It’s a good old fashioned mystery game as you make guesses trying to guess who committed the crime. My kids love getting to go from room to room and write their suspicious in their “clue notebook.”

Kids love Exploding Kittens! It’s simple to learn and so much fun to play. The idea behind the game is so unique and original. There is a little bit of strategy involved, but not necessary to enjoy the game.

Sequence

I grew up playing Sequence and it’s been fun to introduce it to my kids again. It’s a very simple strategy, easy enough for young kids to follow.

Sequence Game

For Sale

For Sale is a game of buying properties and then selling properties. It requires a little bit of strategy and a little bit of luck. It’s easy for kids to understand and fun enough for adults to enjoy. This travel version is cheaper than the original version, and more compact!

For Sale - Travel Edition

I’m always looking for new games to play with my family. Comment below with YOUR favorite games!

Cheap family games - best games for families

Light and Fluffy Pancake Recipe

January 17, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life6 Comments

Your family will love these perfect pancakes!

I love to make my kids pancakes for breakfast! They are easy to whip up, VERY cheap to make, and always a huge hit with everyone in my family. The only problem is that I am extremely picky about my pancakes! I have spent YEARS (seriously) trying dozens and dozens of different pancake recipes. Some have been to sweet, others have ingredients I don’t commonly have in my house. A few of the recipes had pancakes turn out way to flat. I came across this fluffy pancake recipe about 8 years ago…and we haven’t looked back since! The pancakes are easy to make, ingredients are always stocked in my cupboards, and they turn out light and fluffy every single time! It is a winner!

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This fluffy pancake recipe is so easy to make! All it takes is a little bit of mixing and stirring, a few minutes of cooking and you’re done!

Buttermilk is one of the secret ingredients for these pancakes, but if you don’t have buttermilk you can use regular milk (they won’t taste as good, but you can do it!).

The other very important pancake secret is to not over stir! You want it slightly lumpy (emphasis on slightly). Get the flour clumps out, but don’t over mix it so much that it loses the light fluff.

Print Recipe

Light and Fluffy Pancake Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions

In a large bowl stir all of the dry ingredients together.
In a separate bowl mix the oil, eggs and milk.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until mixed. (do not over mix)
Pour 1/4 cup batter on hot griddle.
Bake until bubbles appear. Turn. Bake the other side until golden brown.

Enjoy!

These pancakes are also so easy to freeze! Find out how here: Stock Piling your Freezer: How to freeze Pancakes for a Quick Frugal Breakfast

You might also enjoy my overnight oats recipe: Quick and Easy Overnight Oatmeal

Don’t forget to pin this recipe for future reference!

easy pancake recipe

Don’t waste any more time and try this pancake recipe today!

25 Completely Free Family Winter Activities

January 3, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life21 Comments

Enjoy a frugal winter with these free family winter activities!

I absolutely love the snow! There is nothing better than waking up to a fresh blanket of new snow and seeing the sparkle it makes in the sunlight. The only negative about the snow is that it’s so cold!! Unfortunately, I live in an area where it stays cold for many many months! We all get a little stir crazy around here being cooped up for so long. I’ve learned to get creative during these cold months to help us stay sane and stay in budget! Here are my favorite free family winter activities.

2019 Goals

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Fun In the Snow

1. Sledding

Try a few sledding hills around town. See if you can find a new favorite. Enjoy spending the day laughing with friends and family.

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2. Snow Cave

Spend the day outside building a snow cave as a family. You could even have a contest to see who can build the best. Turn it into a castle, add some stairs or windows. Get creative and have fun!

3. Snow Candy

We fell in love with Snow Candy a few years ago after reading the Little House on the Prairie series. Simply place a bowl outside while it’s snowing. When the bowl is full of fresh clean snow, immediately bring it in and pour pure maple syrup on top. The syrup will harden to make a sweet treat!

4. Winter Walk/Scavenger Hunt

Bundle up and go for a walk in the freshly fallen snow. Make a game of it by putting together a list of different items to find; a pine cone, icicle, boot tracks, animal tracks, a snowman, etc.

5. Snowball Fight

Have a family friendly snowball fight. This is guaranteed to bring a lot of laughs and memories!

6. Build a Snowman

Why build one snowman when you can build a family of snowmen??? Have everyone build the snowman that fits their unique personality!

7. Snow Ice Cream

Search Pinterest to find hundreds of easy snow ice cream tutorials. It is a simple recipe using a few cheap ingredients. This is a fun way to enjoy the snow…while staying indoors!

Fun in the Snow for Families -free winter activities

Fun at Home

8. Movie Night

Snuggle up together, pop some popcorn and have a family movie night. Watch a few old classics or try something new. All that matters is that you are spending time together.

9. Bake Bread

I love spending cold winter days in my kitchen baking something warm. Try baking a loaf of homemade bread! Lather it with homemade butter and eat it together as a family.

10. Homemade Cocoa

It only takes a couple of minutes and a few ingredients to make a big batch homemade cocoa. Make the hot chocolate together as a family and enjoy sipping it next to a warm cozy fire.

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11. Family Slumber Party

Haul blankets, pillows and sleeping bags onto the living room floor. Have a large family slumber party together. Your kids will remember this forever!

12. Read a Novel as a Family

My family loves to read a novel together every winter. I usually pick a classic and read it to the kids for 20-30 minutes every evening. A few favorites have been Little House on the Prairie, Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.

13. Paper Snowflakes

Spend an afternoon cutting out paper snowflakes and hanging them around your home. We like to tape a few to the windows and use invisible thread to hang some from the ceiling. You can find countless Youtube video tutorials. This is such a fun, cheap and easy craft!

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14. Play Dough

Make some homemade play dough at home! Use it to build snowmen or other fun creations. You can use my favorite recipe or search pinterest for other variations!

15. Indoor Picnic

You don’t have to have warm weather for a picnic! Spread a blanket out on the floor, bring a few of your favorite picnic foods and enjoy a picnic indoors!

16. Make a Fort

Gather all the blankets and chairs in your house and build a gigantic blanket fort. Play games, read stories and spend the day hiding out in the fort.

17. Make a Sock Snowman

All it takes is a little creativity and a few random items found around the house to turn an ordinary sock into a snowman!

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18. Board Games

We love board games in our family! You can find some cheap ones at your local thrift store, but there are plenty of fun games played with just a deck of cards or dice.

19. Make Friendship Bracelets

My kids love spending an afternoon making friendship bracelets! You can do an easy braid or something fancier. Be sure to make two bracelets! One to give away and one to keep.

20. Family Dance Party

Sometimes our family (or maybe just this tired mom! 😉 ) just needs a good old fashioned dance party! We crank up a few of our fave dance tunes and dance the grumpy faces away!

Fun in Town

21. Visit the Library

The library offers a lot of free activities for everyone in the family. Take advantage of all the many free programs and be sure to check out a book or movie while you are there!

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22. Serve a Meal at a Homeless Shelter

There is nothing better for a child to learn than how to care for others. Pick a day as a family to help serve a meal at the local homeless shelter. This is such a humbling experience!

23. Visit a Pet Store

It’s so simple, but so fun! We love walking around the local pet store and visiting the cats, dogs, and birds. My kids ask to go regularly and I never complain!

24. Donate to a Thrift Store

As a family go through all of the toys, clutter, and household items. Fill up a large box of items to donate to a thrift store. It feels so good to start the new year fresh and clutter free!

25. Visit a Neighbor

Do you have an elderly neighbor who might need a visit? Or maybe someone new to the neighborhood? As a family pay a special visit to someone needing company. It’s a great way to brighten their day and get to know someone new!

Liked what you read? Pin it for future reference!

Free Family Winter Activities