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Easy Valentine Day Crafts For Kids

December 19, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Check out these easy Valentine crafts!

Valentines day is such a fun time of year. I love showing my loved ones how much I care about them. And it’s even more fun to teach my kids to show love to others! These easy Valentine day crafts for kids are the perfect activities for a fun February day.

Consider helping your kids make a few crafts to give to their friends and family. Or they can make some to help decorate the house with a little bit of festivity. Whichever you choose, make sure to enjoy this fun time together making easy Valentines crafts!

Fun Valentine Day Craft Ideas

Have fun making these easy Valentine Day crafts! Let me know which one is your favorite!

1. Clay Valentine Magnets

Check out these adorable Clay Valentine Magnets! You only need three ingredients and some paint to make them! They are the perfect craft for kids both young and old. I can’t wait to make some and hang them on our fridge.

2. Panda Valentine Craft

This Panda Valentine craft is not only the cutest thing ever, but it also comes with a free template! Which for someone like me (non-expert crafter), a template is a must! Your kids will have so much fun making this craft to give away or keep for themselves, and they will be able to work on their fine motor skills at the same time!

3. Conversation Heart Bookmarks

I’m in love with this next easy Valentine day craft! These conversation heart corner bookmarks are so fun and make a great gift for book lovers! All it takes is a little bit of folding and glue and you have the cutest bookmark ever! This is a craft that anyone can do!

4. Valentines Foam Pencil Toppers

Here’s another fun craft for Valentines, Foam Pencil Toppers. This tutorial comes with a template to help your kids make a hedgehog, owl, penguin and racoon pencil toppers. The instructions are easy to follow and the results are absolutely darling!

Related: Chocolate Dipped Valentine Cookie Recipe

5. Valentine Yarn Hearts

My kids love making these easy valentine yarn hearts each year. They are quick, cheap and so cute! All you need is some cardboard (thank you leftover Amazon box!) and some yarn. The colors are so fun to customize and mix and match. They make cute decorations and gifts.

6. Heart Paint Chip Garland

If you want simple and cheap Valentine decor, I have the thing for you! You can quickly make this Heart Paint Chip Garland. It’s very easy to customize and make with your favorite love-day colors.

My kids love having a few holiday decorations in their rooms, and this would be the perfect craft for them to make and hang over their bead.

7. Heart Suncatcher

I love hanging crafted suncatchers in my windows. The light that comes through is so pretty.

Your kids will love making their own heart suncatcher following this tutorial.

Related: Easy Easter Craft for Preschoolers: Egg Sun Catcher

8. Valentines Day Toilet Paper Roll Vase

Crafts that repurpose are just my favorite type of crafts! They are frugal through and through!

That is one of the reasons why I love this Valentines Day Toilet Paper Roll Vase craft. It turns something that would have been tossed into the trash, a toilet paper roll, into something beautiful and useful. Your kids will love making these vases and placing pretty flowers inside!

Related: Easy Toilet Paper Roll Crafts

9. Valentines Pom Pom Painting

Here’s the perfect Valentines day craft for toddlers and preschoolers, Valentines Day Pom Pom painting. The activity introduces a new way to paint, using pom poms and a clothespin! This method results in a fun, easy to create heart art!

10. DIY Valentine Felt Heart

If you are looking for an easy Valentines Day craft for older kids, try this DIY Valentine Felt Heart!

Felt is very budget friendly, making this craft a perfect option for the frugal conscious. The hearts are perfect for giving to others or to use as a decoration around your home.

11. Love Bug Toilet Paper Roll Craft

Your kids will love making this adorable love bug….and again…I love that it’s repurposing something that would have been thrown away! This is a very easy and cute project, perfect for young kids!

12. Origami Heart

Folding origami is so fun, and with the right instructions can be very simple. Here is a great tutorial for folding an easy origami heart that make great corner bookmarks! Make your corner bookmarks in a variety of colors to giveaway and use in all of your favorite books.

13. Valentines Day Frame

Alright, I have the perfect craft for any non crafters out there! Seriously, anyone can make this Valentines Day frame craft….and it’s the cutest thing ever! So, basically a win-win all around!

I love the idea of using this frame as a decoration, you can put a picture of your family inside of it. Or, it can be a great gift with a picture of you and your loved one together.

Related: Fun Family Valentine Traditions

14. Gnome Paper Craft

Another fun valentine paper craft is to make this darling gnome. It comes with a free template, for easy cutting and designing and it is just so cute! I want to make one just for me!

15. Love You To Pieces Wreath

I’m so in love with this fun puzzle piece wreath! It’s so creative and simple to make!

Related: 25 Free Things To Do In Winter

16. DIY Heart Crayons

My kids use to make these heart crayons all the time. It’s a great way to use up half used crayons, and create something new and fun. The silicone molds come in a lot of different shapes and designs too!

17. Tissue Paper Heart Craft

Crafting with tissue paper is always affordable and kid friendly. The tissue paper heart craft is perfect for helping young ones work on their fine motor skills while creating something new.

18. Popsicle Stick Heart Garland

This popsicle stick heart garland is so cute and unique! It’s something that I haven’t ever seen before, and that just makes me love it even more! I love trying new projects like this with my kids.

19. Mess Free Smush Painting

Want to craft with your kids, but hate the mess?? Try the mesh free smush painting method!

All of the painting is done within a contained plastic bag! This is especially a great craft idea for toddlers!

20. Love Code Bracelet

How cute is this love code bracelet?! I think it’s the perfect craft for kids who love coding….but also need a break from a screen!

21. Crystal Hearts Science Experiment

There just isn’t much better than turning a craft into a science experiment! It will get your kids fingers and creativity working, all while helping them learn!

The Crystal Hearts Science Experiment is the perfect Valentine craft turned experiment to do with your kids this year!

22. Valentine Hugs

I use to make these Valentine Hug crafts all the time when I was young, and they always made me so happy! It’s a very easy craft to make, and this tutorial even provides a free template you can use! I love free templates!

23. Pom Pom Love Bug Craft

Here’s another super cute and easy Valentines day craft idea that kids can do, make a Pom Pom Love Bug! It will only take a few minutes to whip up a few of these darling bugs, and they are super easy to customize just the way your child wants them!

Have Fun With These Easy Valentine Day Crafts for Kids!

I hope this articled helped you to find a few fun crafts to do with your kiddos this year. Crafting with kids is one of the best ways to make memories and build bonds. And, with the ideas listed here you won’t need to spend hardly any money at all!

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There are so many easy Valentine day crafts for kids to make!

25 Free Things To Do In Winter

December 11, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life21 Comments

Fun winter activities for families!

I absolutely love the snow! There is nothing better than waking up to a fresh blanket of new snow and seeing it sparkle in the sunlight. The only negative thing 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. Because of this, I’ve learned to get creative during these cold months to help us stay sane and stay in budget! Here are my favorite free things to do in winter.

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Snow Winter Activities For Families

Do you live in a place that gets a lot of snow? Use it to your advantage and plan some fun winter activities for families! There are so many fun ways to enjoy fresh snow!

1. Build A Snow Cave

You might enjoy spending the day outside building a snow cave as a family. Turn it into a competition to see who can build the best cave. You could even get extra creative and turn your cave into a castle. Add some stairs, windows, or any other fancy feature you come up with!

2. Make Snow Candy

Have you ever read the book Little House in the Big Woods? It’s one of our favorites! In this book Laura Ingalls grandmother made the kids snow candy, and we have been making it every year since then!

To make snow candy, just place an empty bowl outside while it’s snowing. The bowl will collect fresh, clean snow. Once it’s full, bring it inside and immediately pour pure maple syrup on top. The syrup will harden to make a sweet treat!

Related: Easy Cinnamon Candy Recipe For Christmas

3. Sledding

Sledding is one of my kids favorite free winter activity. Sleds are fairly cheap and most sledding hills are free to enjoy!

Try a few sledding hills around town and see if you can find a new favorite. This is a fun way to enjoy spending the day laughing with friends and family.

4. Winter Walk and Scavenger Hunt

Get outside and enjoy the snow with a winter walk and scavenger hunt. You can turn the scavenger hunt into a game by putting together a list of different items to find while on the walk. A few ideas for the hunt might be: a pine cone, icicle, boot tracks, animal tracks, a snowman, etc.

5. Snowball Fight

Another free thing to do in winter is to have a snowball fight with your friends or family. Keep it light and fun so that everyone can enjoy it. This activity is guaranteed to bring a lot of laughs and memories!

6. Build a Snowman

Spend some time with your family outside building a snowman. You could even go a step further and build a family of snowmen! All you have to do is ask everyone to build the snowman that fits their unique personality! Make it the same height that you are, and give it your scarf and gloves, or anything else that fits your personality.

7. Snow Ice Cream

You might enjoy making snow ice cream with your kids. Here is a simple recipe to try it out. This is a fun way to enjoy the snow…while staying indoors!

Winter Indoor Activities

Don’t like going outside in the snow??? I get it! Here are a few winter indoor activities for families!

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.

Not sure where to stream? Try Paramount+ for free for one week!

9. Bake Bread

I love spending cold winter days in my kitchen baking something warm. It’s the perfect season for baking bread.

After you’re done with the bread lather it with homemade butter and eat it together as a family.

10. Homemade Cocoa

There is nothing better than a hot mug of cocoa on a cold winters day. It only takes a couple of minutes and a few ingredients to make a big batch homemade hot chocolate mix. Make the hot chocolate together as a family and enjoy sipping it next to a warm cozy fire.

11. Family Slumber Party

Haul blankets, pillows and sleeping bags onto the living room floor and have a large family slumber party together. You can watch movies, play games and eat treats before falling asleep. This will be a night your kids will always remember!

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 in the evenings. A few favorites have been Little House on the Prairie, Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.

13. Make Paper Snowflakes

You might enjoy spending 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 about how to make snowflakes. This is such a fun, cheap and easy craft!

14. Make Play Dough

Make some homemade play dough at home! You can use your homemade playdough to build snowmen or other fun creations. Check out my favorite playdough recipe here.

15. Have An Indoor Picnic

You don’t have to have warm weather for a picnic, have one at home in your living room! All you have to do is 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.

Related: Fun activities to do at home

17. Make a Sock Snowman

Sock snowmen are a fun, easy winter craft! All it takes is a little creativity and a few random items found around the house to turn an ordinary sock into a snowman!

18. Play Board Games

We love board games in our family and they are perfect to play when you are stuck inside! You can find some cheap board games at your local thrift store, but there are plenty of fun games played with just a deck of cards or dice.

Related: 20 Family Board Games, all Under $20

19. Make Friendship Bracelets

Spend a few hours with your kids making friendship bracelets. Just braid three threads together and tie in a circle. Be sure to make two bracelets! One to give away to a friend and one to keep.

20. Have A 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! It’s the perfect way to turn a bad day into a great day!

Winter Activities In Town

Need to get out of the house, but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Try one of the activities below!

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!

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!

Related: 101 Frugal Ideas To Light The World

23. Visit a Pet Store

Visiting a pet store is a great way to spend an afternoon. 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!

In Conclusion

There are some many free things to do in winter! I hope that you are able to pick a few off of this list and have a budget friendly, magical winter spent with the ones you love!

Fun At Home Activities For Teens

15 Free At Home Spring Break Activities for Kids

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What are your favorite free things to do in winter?

Best Family Games Under $20

December 8, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life1 Comment

Check out these budget friendly family game night ideas.

Wondering what the best family games are??? Keep reading!

If you know me 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……but I also do not like to spend a lot of money.

Our little family has Family Game Night every Sunday evening. I brought this tradition with me from my childhood and have loved sharing it with my children. Family game night usually consists of some popcorn, fruit and snacks while playing a pile of games together. The focus is having fun, laughing and enjoying time together.

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

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! Frugal win!!

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Where to buy family games?

There are many different places to buy board games for families. You can buy them on Amazon or at any store that sell toys.

My favorite place to buy games though are at thrift stores. The game section is my first stop every time I go to my local thrift store. Most times I don’t buy anything, but some times I find some great games for only a few dollars!

I have also seen used family games sold on Facebook Marketplace, so make sure to check there!

The Best Family Games Under $20

Here are a few of my recommendations of the best family games under $20. You do not need to spend a lot of money to enjoy a fun game night with your family!

Strategy Games

Strategy games are my very favorite games to play! I love being able to use my mind while playing!

Skull King

I honestly love every game made by Grandpa Beck and Skull King is at the top of that list! It requires strategy, bidding, with a little mix of pirates and mermaids mixing things up. This game is a fun to play over and over again!

CodeNames

Codenames is a very popular game, and for good reason. To play this game you form two 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.

The Chameleon

Another fun family game is The Chameleon. It requires a small amount of strategy to track down the chameleon and win the game. But it is very easy to learn and play!

Forbidden Island

We play Forbidden Island very regularly in our house. Forbidden Island is a different than other games because you do not compete against each other, instead you work together on the same team to beat the game. 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.

Kingdomino

Kingdomino is a fun strategy game for families. This game is similar to dominos, where you are trying to connect certain tiles, but it has a fun twist and strategy to it as you try to build your kingdom.

Related: Cheap At Home Date Night Ideas

Party Games

If you are looking for some laugh out loud games for groups to play together, here are a few that we love.

Watch Ya Mouth

Watch Ya Mouth is such a fun party game. It is impossible to play this game 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

Pit

Pit is fast paced, interactive, and loud. The game works by trying to convince others to trade cards, or “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. It is currently on sell for less than $15!

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 and how the pictures change.

Easy to Play Games

If you are looking for some easy, quick games to learn and play here are a few of my favorites below!

Cover Your Assets

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

Exploding Kittens

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.

Hedbandz

Our family loves to play Hedbandz! It’s really easy for everyone to play and keeps you laughing! To play this game everyone wears a headband with a clue card inserted. You take turns asking each other yes or no questions to try to correctly guess the clue on your headband.

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 geared towards older kids. Anomia is small and compact which makes it easy to carry around on trips or over to someone’s home.

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 words together in a grid. But, it is fast paced and has an extra element of stress (in a very good way). If you are a fan of word games, you will love bananagrams!

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. Plus, it’s a great deal at less than $10!

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

Classic Games

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.”

Sequence

I grew up playing Sequence and it’s been fun to introduce it to my kids again. It’s a very simple strategy games, easy enough for young kids to follow and enjoy playing. The goal is to get your tiles all in a row on the game board.

Qwirkle

Qwirkle is a game for all ages! The game is played by matching tiles together based on shapes and colors. It’s a fun game to play while visiting with your friends and passing time.

Taboo

You just can’t go wrong with Taboo! It’s such a fun game where you try to get your teammates to guess the word on your card, but if you say one of the “no-no” words then you will get buzzed by the buzzer! This has been a popular game for years for good reason! You can get it for less than $20 on Amazon!

Enjoy your next family game night!

It is possible to buy games, enjoy a game night as a family without spending a lot of money! I hope your family will enjoy a few of our game recommendations!

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I hope you loved these family game night ideas of the best family games!

How To Make Cloud Dough

November 11, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Easy two ingredient cloud dough recipe.

I recently learned how to make cloud dough and am so in love with how easy and quick it is to mix together!

If you are looking for a fun, cheap activity for your kids to do at home, then I highly recommend you try this two ingredient cloud dough recipe. It takes about 5 minutes to mix together, only requires two ingredients, and will provide hours of fun for your little ones.

The dough is soft, smooth, silky, and moldable. And addicting…seriously! I love squishing it through my fingers for hours and hours.

How To Make Cloud Dough

One of the best parts of this recipe is the fact that it only requires two ingredients….and they are both cheap ingredients…..in fact you probably already have them in your house right now! Win, win and win!

Ingredients Needed:

To make this quick cloud dough you will need:

Supplies Needed:

You will also need these two basic supplies:

Small Bowl
Spoon

Homemade Cloud Dough Recipe

In a small bowl mix together:

1/2 cup hair conditioner
1 cup cornstarch

Use a spoon to stir the conditioner and cornstarch together. You might need to add a little more corn starch or a little more hair conditioner, you’ll just have to use a little bit of trial and error as you find the best consistency for you. It’s better to have the dough a little more dry than wet.

Once the cloud dough is mostly completely mixed together you will need to knead it with your hands together to make it nice and smooth.

If you would like to add a few drops of food coloring at this point, you are welcome to. I usually just let the color of the hair conditioner be the color of the cloud dough. But using food coloring will give it a much more vibrant color.

It only takes a few minutes of kneading before your dough is ready to play with. You’ll know it’s ready once you a soft, silky, and smooth dough.

Feel free to get out a few cookie cutters, knives, spoons, forks, rolling pins, and anything else you think sounds fun to let your kids cut and smooth and imagine with the homemade cloud dough.

After you’ve made this cloud dough recipe you might enjoy a couple of my other favorite play dough recipes:

Peanut Butter Play Dough
Classic Play Dough (best recipe I’ve ever tried….and I’ve tried a lot of recipes!!!)

Cloud Dough

A quick and fun play dough recipe for kids to play with at home.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Ingredients

1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup hair conditioner
2-4 drops food coloring optional

Instructions

Stir hair conditioner and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
Once mixed begin kneading the dough with your hands until it becomes soft and smooth.
If desired, add a few drops of food coloring to finished dough and mix through.

Have fun!

Now that you know how to make cloud dough it’s time for you to have fun playing with it with your little ones. I love cheap and quick activities for kids to do at home. They are some of the best ways to make memories, while on a small budget.

More Cheap Kids Activities

Easy Rock Painting Ideas For Kids

Easy Science Activity For Preschoolers

Yarn Hearts: An Easy Valentine Craft for Kids

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I hope this helped you learn how to make cloud dough at home!

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

November 1, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life7 Comments

Cheap gifts for tweens.

Tween girls can be so hard to shop for! They are growing out of the little girl toys, but not quite interested in the teen girl life. Fortunately, I have you covered! With a little bit of research, and discussion with my daughters I was able to make this list of 25 AMAZING gift ideas for tween girls all under $25. Yay!

Gifts for Reading

Many girls are interested in reading at this age. Here are a few book ideas for tween girls.

Keeper of the Lost Cities

Keeper of the Lost Cities is a very popular series for this age group. Consider buying her the first book in this series, she is sure to love it! The paperback is only $9.99.

Wreck This Journal

I absolutely love the concept of Wreck This Journal. Each page gives different prompts of things you can do to the journal. It literally gives the kids permission to “wreck” the journal.

The Tail of Emily Windsnap

The Tail of Emily Windsnap is such a darling book! Both of my daughters absolutely loved it; AND it is a series! That is a huge win for me! The paperback book is $5.89.

Tween Accessories/Jewelry/etc.

Tween girls are all about the accessories! Here are a few fun ones they might love!

Slippers

Gifting slippers is so fun on Christmas! You really can’t beat a gift that’s warm and cozy! These slippers are so sweet and affordable. I love all of the different designs to choose from.

Claw Clips

Claw clips for hair are really popular right now with teens and tweens! They are such a cute and fun way to put your hair up! You can grab this 8 pack for less than $15! Win!

Gel Nail Polish Kit

I bought my daughter a gel nails kit a few years ago and she uses it weekly. Here is a great starter kit with 10 colors, and portable nail lamp.

Caboodles

Caboodles are all the rage right now, and I love this caboodle. A perfect place for tween girls to start organizing their makeup collection.

Necklace

I adore this dainty initial necklace. It would make such a special gift! The necklace is a great price at $15.99.

Gift Ideas for Tween Girls Room

Tweens are at the age where they love decorating their room and putting their own personality in it. Here are a few ideas she might love!

Felt Board

Felt Boards make for really cute room decorations for tween girls. This felt board is only $21.95 and has amazing reviews!

Marquee Letter

Another really fun room decoration is this Marquee Letter Sign. You can choose whichever letter you want for the initial and it’s less than $10!

Squishmallow

Squishmallows are cool no matter what age you are! They are soft and adorable and so popular! I personally love this pineapple squishmallow, but there are so many different designs to choose from.

Lava Lamp

I always wanted a lava lamp as a young girl, and my girls have felt the same way. There is just something so relaxing about the colors in the lava lamp. This Lava Lamp is so pretty!

Alarm Clock

Check out this adorable Alarm clock! I love the retro look it has, and it includes other colors to choose from. It’s currently priced at $12.99.

Educational/Craft Gifts

Are you looking for something educational or maybe a craft for your tween girl to do? These make great gifts because they keep girls entertained, learning and busy…..without electronics!

Adult Coloring Book

If your tween loves to color, they might love this Inspirational Coloring Book. I love that the pages are focused on building confidence and self worth, which is so important for tweens! It’s very affordable at only $6.99!

Markers

Most tween girls love markers. They use them for doodling, drawing, writing notes, calligraphy, etc. Here’s a really cute set of metallic markers.

Lip Balm Kit

How fun does this Lip Balm Kit look? It is a fun mix of science and glam, perfect for pre-teens. The reviews are all really positive and would be a fun activity to do together.

Cookbook

American Girl just can do no wrong! This American Girl Baking Cookbook is darling and looks so fun. It would be a great way for tween girls to learn to bake. You can get the hardcover for just $10.99!

Bead Kit

Here is a cute bead kit for making jewelry. It has 4800 pieces with a variety of colors and designs.

Tie-Dye Kit

Tie dye is super popular among the young crowd! Consider gifting the tween girl in your life a tie dye kit for Christmas. Use your imagination when it comes to tie dye, it can be more than white shirts. You can tie dye scrunchies, socks, hats, shoes, headbands, and so much more!

Piggy Bank

I think it is so important to teach kids how to save their money. This pineapple piggy bank is so cute and would make saving fun!

Gifts for Fun

Girls just wanna have fun, right??? Here are a few gift ideas that your tween girl will love using daily!

Karaoke Microphone

This Karaoke Microphone would be so fun for girl parties or for anyone who loves to sing! It is compatible with both android and iOS and it is only $14.99.

Gumball Machine

I always wanted my very own gumball machine as a kid. This cute Gumball Machine comes with gumballs already stocked and has a fun spiral feature.

Sleep Over Party Game

This is a really fun party game for tween girls to play with their friends. It can be played at a party, or just for fun! You can buy it for $19.99!

Watch Ya Mouth Game

The Watch Ya Mouth Game is hilarious! It’s impossible not to laugh while playing! Tweens will love playing this with their friends and family. It’s a great price at $19.99!

Throw Throw Burrito

Another fun game for tweens is the Throw Throw Burrito game. It’s a fun, interactive game that keeps everyone laughing the entire time.

In Conclusion

There are so many things you can gift ideas for tween girls under $25. Remember, it’s the thought that counts, not the price tag!

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teen Girls under $25

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

10 Valentines gifts for him under $10!

10 Valentine Gifts for Her under $10

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I hope you loved these gift ideas for tween girls all under $25!

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

October 8, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life7 Comments

Cheap Christmas gifts for young kids.

My goal for giving gifts is to find good quality gifts that will be loved for years, without spending very much money. I know it’s hard, but it is possible! Today I found 25 gift ideas for 5-7 year old boys, all under $25! I hope one of these ideas will be the perfect gift for your loved one!

Book Gifts for 5-7 Year Old Boys

The ages between 5-7 are such magical times for young kids. Many learn how to read and write during these years, and a whole new world is opened up to them through books. Here are a few of our fave books for these ages.

The Monster At The End Of This Book

One of my very favorite children’s books is The Monster at the End of This Book. This is such a fun, interactive story that brings a laugh with every turn of the page. I have never found a kid who hasn’t giggled with every page turn during this book. Plus, the price is fantastic at $2.98 for a hard cover!

The Book With No Pictures

The Book With No Pictures is another really fun book. Each page is filled with silly words that “must” be read exactly as shown. It’s impossible to read it without laughing, and it is worth the $9.90! When I worked at my kids school library, this was always the book the students were fighting over!

Piggie and Gerald Book

You can honestly never go wrong with a Piggie and Gerald book! They are so fun and loveable! We spend hours reading them weekly. The Let’s Go For a Drive book happens to be one of our faves and is a great deal for just $10!

Educational Gift Ideas

Education toys are some of my favorite gifts to give. I love how they keep kids minds active and entertained at the same time!

Lego Gear Bots

Here is a fun and educational gift for 5-7 year old boys. The LEGO Gear Bots combines the magic of legos and technic in such a creative way to help young minds build and learn. This is a gift that is worth the frugal price!

Science Kit

Do you have a boy who loves science? This Science Kit is just the ticket! It can provide hours of fun for you and your son to enjoy together. The price is right at just $12.92!

LEGO Chain Reactions Kit

Another fun education gift is the LEGO Chain Reactions kit. It involves building, planning, and experimenting and teaches your little one how to build 10 different moving machines with all pieces needed included! This is a great toy for helping kids learn, while they are having fun! It is only $18.86!

How to Draw Book

Each of my kids have enjoyed these How to Draw books. The shapes are all easy to draw and understand, making it perfect for a young beginner. Plus, it only costs $4.99! A great frugal gift!

Sport Gifts

I love gifting fun sport gifts to my boy. Anything that keeps him active, and helps get the energy out is a great gift!

Over The Door Basketball Hoop

Maybe the boy you are shopping for loves basketball?? He might enjoy this fun Over the Door Basketball Hoop for a fun game of basketball in the house. It is only $24.95 and comes with a foam ball!

Soccer Goal Net

Another fun and frugal sport gift idea is this Soccer Goal Net. It’s the perfect size for a basement soccer game or to take outside for extra practice. And it is currently on sale for just $16.99!

Gifts for Play

We all know that boys love to play! Here are some fun gift ideas for 5-7 year old boys, perfect for helping them to play!

Remote Control Car

Remote control anything is always a sure bet with young boys. This Remote Control Stunt Car is extra special with lights, music and the ability to perform fun stunts and tricks. It is a fantastic deal at just $21.95!!

Walkie Talkies

How fun would these Walkie Talkies be for your sweet boy? My son loves using his walkie talkies with his friends to play “spy.” It’s really the cutest ever! The reviews are all fantastic and they are only $21.99.

Magformers

I absolutely love Magformers for kids! Not only are they form to play with, but it’s also a great toy for encouraging imagination and STEM knowledge. There are so many possibilities to create! This is a small beginner set and only costs $23.70.

LEGO Set

When it comes to boys, you can never go wrong with a LEGO set, and the LEGO creator sets are extra fun because you can make multiple creations from the same set. Here is a fun LEGO Dinosaur creator set perfect for young boys! It’s only $11.99!

Kids Tool Set

How cute is this Kids Tool Set? My little boy just loves pulling out his toy tools and “helping” dad around the house. Plus, it’s on sale for $23.99!

Night Vision Goggles

My son received these Night Vision Goggles for Christmas last year and absolutely LOVED them! He was so cute playing “spy” with them. They are only $13.99!

Nerf Gun

I’ve never met a boy who didn’t love a nerf gun and this Nerf Gun checks all the boxes; it has over 14,000 positive reviews and comes with 6 darts. It could provide hours of fun for any little boy! The price is right at just $18.34.

Hand Operated Drone

This hand operated drone is the perfect Christmas gift for boys! It’s controlled through sensors by the move of your hand!

Flexible Race Track

The Flexible Race Track is a FAVORITE in our house. These tracks are easy to snap together and fun to change the design over and over. It is a good price at $28.69!

Remote Control Robot

How fun is this Remote Control Robot?? The robot can be programmed to dance, sing, and do a lot of other fun activities. It’s only $24.99!

Boogie Boards

I absolutely love these Boogie Boards! They are similar to a white board and chalkboard, but easier to erase and so much less mess. We use them on car trips, during church, and for playing at home.

Light Saber

The Star Wars craze is back, and not going anywhere anytime soon. This double sided light up saber is perfect for a friendly duel. So fun.

Transformers

If you are a looking for a fun, budget friendly action figure for your boy, you might enjoy this Transformers toy. It’s the perfect transformer for young boys because it’s easy to maneuver and transform. You can buy it now at the excellent price of $16.99.

Games

My family loves all types of games! Board games, card games, silly games! You name it and we want to play it! They are always fun gifts to give because they offer hours of family togetherness and laughs. Here are a few favorites.

Spot It

Our Family LOVES the game Spot It. I was really excited to find a Spot It Jr. for our little one. This game is so easy to learn and play, and so addicting! You can get it for just $9.99!

Connect 4

Connect 4 is a classic game, and for good reason! It is fun to play and a perfect game for beginners. Buy it now for only $9.88.

Exploding Kittens

Honestly, Exploding Kittens is the perfect game for young boys. It’s full of silliness and laughter! You can get it for only $19.99.

In Conclusion

There are so many wonderful gifts you can give to the young boy in your life, without having to spend a lot of money. I hope these gift ideas for 5-7 year old boys gave you some inspiration to finding that perfect present!

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

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teen Girls under $25

Gift Ideas For 5-7 Year Old Girls Under $25

Gift Ideas for Toddlers Under $25

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Harry Potter Theme Party Ideas

September 15, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

Fun ideas for a Harry Potter birthday party!

My youngest turned 10 last week and he really wanted a Harry Potter themed birthday party. As a huge Harry Potter fan myself, I was so excited to make his dreams become a reality! One of the best things about throwing a Harry Potter birthday party is that there are just SO many fun activities you can do. We had so much fun looking up ideas, planning the party together. and making “magic” happen.

The party was a huge success and I’m so excited to share all the nitty gritty details with you today!

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Harry Potter Party Decorations

The decorations for this party were very simple. Basically all I did was splurge on a Platform 9 3/4 sign for our front door, and placed a few candles on the table (easy peasy is my jam). The kids loved walking through the platform curtain and I’m so happy I bought it! My son now has it hanging in his bedroom doorway. It’s so cute!

Sorting Hat Cupcakes

The party started with our Sorting Hat Cupcakes. This was probably my favorite part of the entire party! I knew I wanted to sort everyone into a house, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to do that. But, then I came across the idea to use Sorting Hat Cupcakes.

These were a huge hit and I’m so glad we went this direction.

But, I have to give a little disclaimer! I am by no means a professional cake decorator or baker! But, I do like trying to find budget friendly ways to make my kids dreams come true! And fortunately, even though these cupcakes did not look perfect….my Harry Potter fan LOVED them….and that’s really all that mattered.

How To Make Sorting Hat Cupcakes

Sorting hat cupcakes are so easy to make! Just bake cupcakes according to your favorite cake recipe instructions.

Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, take a spoon and gently spoon out some of the middle of the cupcake.

Next, mix up 4 different colors of frosting. One will be blue (for Ravenclaw house), one red (for Gryffindor house), another yellow (for Hufflepuff house), and the last green (for Slytherin house). Which are, obviously, the different colors of the four houses in Harry Potter. I really like this frosting recipe and then I used food coloring to make the different colors.

After you’ve made your frosting it’s time to fill the cupcakes. Put a different color of frosting into the middle of each cupcake.

Frost the cupcake with white frosting, making sure to cover the colored frosting. Then, put half an Oreo on top of the frosting. This will be the first part of your sorting hat.

Lastly, add a Hershey kiss on top of the Oreo half. I had to put a little bit of frosting on the bottom of the kiss to make sure it stuck to the oreo. And ta-dah! Your sorting hat cupcakes are done!

After singing Happy Birthday I let each of the kids randomly choose a cupcake. Whichever color of frosting was inside their cupcake was the house that they would be in. They loved getting to take off the sorting hat to see which house they were in. It was such a fun activity!

I forgot to take a picture of the kids finding out what house they are in, but here is a picture of the Great Hall before our guests arrived.

Harry Potter Party Activities

After the kids were sorted into their houses and finished eating their cupcakes we started the activities. Each activity was in a different room and represented a different Hogwarts Class. I pinned our class schedule onto a bulletin board to display and the kids loved looking to see the different classes for the day. If you want this class schedule, you can grab it for free here: Harry Potter Class Schedule Printable

History of Magic

Our first class was the History of Magic. In the History of Magic class we learned about the famous wizard who defeated Voldemort….I’m talking about Harry Potter of course!

After learning about Harry Potter we played the game, Pin the Scar on Harry. My husband drew the poster for me (because he is much more artistic than I am) and I printed out some lightning bolt scars. Yay for team effort! This game was a lot of fun, you just can’t beat the tried and true classic!

Potions

Next up on the schedule was Potions. The kids absolutely LOVED this class and it turned out even better than I had imagined!

I wanted to do a simple science experiment, but with big results. So, I decided to do an old favorite of mixing vinegar and baking soda together. When you combine the vinegar and baking soda together it bubbles up really big. The dish soap makes it more bubbly, and the rest of the ingredients are just for fun! I printed up a potions card to display, and you can print it out for free here: Harry Potter Growth Potion.

Unicorn Potion: Vinegar

Dragons Blood: Food Coloring

Spider Venom: Dish Soap

Gillyweed: Oregano (although the kids all let me know gillyweed is suppose to be slimy…you win some and you lose some)

Crushed Bones: Baking Soda

To set up potions class, I bought these science mixing cups from Amazon. Then I printed out labels for each of the ingredients and taped them to the cups.

Potions class was outside (because I knew it would be messy!). Each party guest started with a small mason jar and a stirring stick (the stirring sticks came with the science mixing cups I had bought).

Then, we brought out a new ingredient one by one as they stirred it all together. Make sure to add the baking soda last for the big surprise. The entire solution will foam over the mason jars. The kids were all shocked and surprised at the result! It was a huge hit and fun to see their reactions!

Related: Budget Friendly Birthday Traditions for Kids

Divinations

Next up was Divinations class. This class was another huge hit!

To prepare in advance I made this fortune teller guide.

The night before the party I put a small drop of food coloring into 8 different plastic cups, one for each child coming. The food coloring needs to dry completely before adding anything else to the cup, so doing this the night before is necessary. Then, right before divination class began I filled the cups up with ice to hide the food coloring at the bottom.

I wanted to make this experience really fun for the kids. So, I poured some sprite into a large bowl and then added a dry ice block to make it foggy. The kids LOVED this!

I handed each of the kids one of the cups I had prepped earlier. Then one by one I spooned sprite into each cup. We had to wait a few minutes for the fog to clear but once it did the sprite had changed colors (thanks to the dried food coloring). We were able to use the color in the cup and fortune teller guide to tell each of the kids their fortunes. It was so fun!

Charms Class

After divination we went to charms class. Earlier in the week my son had made wands for each of the party guests and we let everyone choose a wand for charms class. I found a Wand Motion Chart from The Scrap Shoppe Blog and gave one to each kid. Together we practiced a few charms and spells, and the kids had fun practicing the different wand motions.

Related: DIY Harry Potter Wand

Defense Against The Dark Arts

Last, but not least we went to Defense Against The Dark Arts class. I thought it would be fun to have a pinata in this class for the kids to “battle.” I found this spider pinata on Amazon and decided it would be perfect! After coloring in the face (to make it more spooky) and filling it with candy we were ready to go!

Everyone got a turn to hit the spider with a bat, and then we let the birthday boy finish it off. The kids loved grabbing the candy with their Harry Potter goody bag.

The Party Was A Hit

The kids had so much fun at our Harry Potter themed party. I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better! Let me know if any of these ideas helped you plan your own party! I’d love to hear how they worked out.

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I hope you enjoyed these Harry Potter Theme Party ideas!

Free Virtual Field Trips for Kids

April 13, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Free Online Field Trips For Elementary School Kids!

Are you looking for some fun, free virtual field trips for kids? I’ve got you covered with this list of free online field trips perfect for elementary school kids, preschool aged kids, or anyone who loves to look at awesome places!

I can’t be the only person with bored kids at home??? I’m constantly being asked, “What can I do? There’s NOTHING to do!” Those poor darlings just think they live in the most boring house ever!

Well, one of the ideas I’ve started giving my kids is to take a free virtual field trip! This way they can experience the world, without even having to leave home! It’s educational and FUN, making mom happy and kiddos happy. Don’t we just love a double win??? Yes, yes we do!

Virtual Field Trips For Kids

I’ve scoured the internet to find the best free online field trips for elementary school kids! I hope your family and students enjoy them as much as we have!

Animal Field Trips

If you have animal lovers, then they are sure to love a few of the virtual animal field trips below.

AfriCam

Have you ever wanted to go on an African safari???? Try a virtual one with the live cameras in the African bush. AfriCam offers multiple camera views so you can enjoy all that Africa has to offer.

Dairy Farm

Learn all about the Dairy Farm with this fun virtual field trip. Kids will be able to tour a real dairy farm and learn all of the behind the scenes that goes on at the farm.

Hen Cam

Get a peek into life with chickens with the Hen Cam. It shows the day to day life of hens living in a backyard outside of Boston. Hens are so funny, I could watch them for hours!

Houston Zoo

Another fun animal virtual field trip is to the Houston Zoo. They have live webcams available to watch the elephants, flamingos, river otters and more!

Marineland Dolphin Adventure

For any dolphin or marine animal lovers out there, you must attend the virtual Marineland Dolphin Adventure for an up close look at a variety of sea animals.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Take a trip to the aquarium without leaving home! The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers multiple cams for your viewing pleasure. You can watch the moon jelly, penguins, sea otters, sharks and more.

San Diego Zoo Cam

Another fun animal cam you can watch is the San Diego Zoo Cam. The San Diego Zoo has multiple animal cams available for you and your kiddos to enjoy. You can watch the apes, baboons, elephants, giraffes, hippos and more!

Zoo Atlanta Panda Cam

Watch the PandaCam on Zoo Atlanta’s YouTube Channel for a fun treat! You can tune in live whenever and wherever to watch the panda play, eat, and sleep.

Related: Free Summer Reading Programs For Kids 2021

Historical Field Trips

Teaching your students a lesson about an historical event or place? Use one of the virtual field trips below to help bring that history to life.

9/11 Memorial Museum

Take a walk through the 9/11 Memorial Museum with this interactive virtual tour. This tour does an amazing job of making you feel like you are actually at the memorial museum, viewing the exhibits up close and personal. It was very moving to go through.

Anne Frank Secret Annex

Tour the Secret Annex where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding from 1942-1944. This is a great virtual tour to see exactly where the Frank family and others lived during WW2 and to learn more about their stories.

Buckingham Palace

Take a peek inside Buckingham Palace here! You can virtually tour the throne room, grand staircase and white drawing room.

Colonial Williamsburg

Another fun history virtual field trip is to Colonial Williamsburg. It’s a great look into what was life during colonial times.

Ellis Island

I love this interactive tour of Ellis Island. They have audio, pictures, and video from passengers arrive on Ellis Island. The tour takes you step by step through the immigration process into the United States. It’s very informative and interesting.

Ford’s Theater

Ford’s Theater virtual tour is a great way to learn more about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the events that took place that fateful night. Through images of the restored theater, students will learn more about the timeline and experiences of the night Lincoln died.

Great Wall of China

Go on a field trip to the Great Wall of China from the comfort of your own home with this virtual tour!

Mount Vernon

George Washingtons home, Mount Vernon, is a beautifully restored home. This virtual tour will take you through each room of Mount Vernon so that you can get a view of what it looked like when George and Martha lived there.

Museum of the American Revolution

If you or your students are studying about the American Revolution, be sure to check out this field trip to the Museum of the American Revolution. Lauren Tarshie, author of the I Survived series, guides the field trip, with a deeper look to the revolution, with a kid friendly twist.

National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center offers multiple free virtual tours for elementary kids. Each video teaches kids about the signing of the constitution, the civil war and founding of America.

National Museum of Natural History

Check out all of the rooms of the National Museum of Natural History. This is a self guided tour allowing you to view your favorite areas however and whenever you want!

Plimoth Plantation

Visit the Plimoth Plantation with this virtual field trip to learn more about the early settlers of the United States. The tour includes multiple videos and a slideshow.

Statue of Liberty

Tour the Statue of Liberty with this online field trip. It’s a great way to see what it looks like from the inside and to learn more about it’s history.

Titanic Wreckage

Have you ever wanted to see what the Titanic looks under water? Now you can with this Titanic virtual tour. It’s a fun way to teach kids about a historical event and give them a look at what happens to an object under water.

Related: How To Teach Kids About Money

Great Outdoors Field Trips

Want to see all of the beauty the great outdoors has to offer without leaving your house? Well you can with these outdoors virtual field trips!

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon Virtual Tour is a an amazing tour along the Grand Canyon Rim to the Colorado River. You’ll be able to join a 2 hour tour of the Grand Canyon to see all of the sights it has to offer!

Hawaii Volcanos

Check out these amazing Webcams of Hawaiian Volcanoes! I had so much fun viewing all of the volcano images and can’t wait to show them to my kids. It’s a great educational virtual field trip!

Mount Rushmore

Get a birds eye view of Mount Rushmore with this virtual field trip. You’ll get to explore the monument up close and personal, for a little taste of what it would be like to actually be there.

Son Doong Cave

Travel to Vietnam and tour the largest cave in the world, with the Son Doong Cave virtual tour. The calming sounds and pictures transports you straight into this beautiful cave.

Yellowstone

Take a virtual field trip to Yellowstone National Park. You can view Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mud Volcano and more! It’s such a fun way to see all of the unique beauty Yellowstone has to offer, without ever leaving your house!

Yosemite

Yosemite is such a beautiful park and I had so much fun visiting it virtually with this field trip.

Related: How To Save Money On Kids Clothes

Space Field Trips

Take a trip to space with these fun virtual field trips.

Mars

I absolutely love this virtual field trip to Mars. You’ll get to tour the real surface of Mars that was previously recorded by NASAS Curiosity Rover.

Slime in Space

You must check out this fun slime in space virtual field trip. Here students will get to learn how slime acts when it’s in space. This is a really fun field trip and experiment!

Space Station

I’m always curious about life in space, and every kid I’ve met is too! Here’s a fun virtual field trip to the international space station. Get a peek into how astronauts live in space and what it’s like working at the space station.

Stellarium

Take a fun field trip to the stars. Check out Stallarium Web to view the constellations, stars and planets. You can even input your location to locate the stars right above your backyard.

Sun

I love this virtual tour to the sun. It’s really well made and even makes stops to the moon, Venus and Mercury.

Related: 21 Free and Frugal Kids Educational Websites

Educational Virtual Field Trips

Below are some of my favorite educational online field trips.

Bright Farms

Learn more about how food is grown with the BrightFarms Virtual Field Trip. You’ll get to peek inside of a greenhouse and watch how indoor farming works!

M&M Candy Factory Tour

Here’s a really fun virtual tour of the M&M Candy Factory. Watch the entire process of what it takes to make M&Ms. It’s a really fun video and tour!

Memphis Fire Department

Here is a fun virtual field trip of a Memphis Fire Department. Learn all about fire stations and get a look at a fire engine up close and personal.

Mount Olive Pickles Tour

Another fun educational virtual field trip is the Mount Olive Pickles Tour. It’s an interesting tour showing the entire process of taking a cucumber and turning it into multiple types of pickles.

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Learn more about aviation with a tour of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. With this virtual tour you’ll be able to see different aircrafts and missiles on display, and learn a few interesting facts about aviation history.

Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy offers multiple virtual field trips for students to take right from the comfort of their home or classroom. You can choose from multiple topics covered including, climate change, coral, ecosystems and more, there is something for everyone!

Recycling Center

Teach your kids all about recycling with this recycling center virtual tour. They will learn all about the importance of recycling, and get to watch the big equipment sorting and packing the recycled materials.

Sawmill Tour

Tour the Collum’s Lumber Yard and learn how pine trees are turned into lumber. It’s a really fun behind the scenes video!

Related: How To Listen To Audiobooks For Free

Art Field Trips

Do you have an art lover in your classroom? Take a few of these fun virtual art field trips below!

Frida Kahlo Museum

Virtually explore the beautiful home of famed artist, Frida Kahlo. Her home, Casa Azul, is full of so much beauty and original art. It is a masterpiece that is so fun to view from the comfort of your own home.

National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art has multiple video tours and lessons for elementary school kids to take to help them learn more about art. This is a great resource for teachers and parents!

Vatican Museums

Virtually visit the Vatican Museums and get a close up look of the beautiful art and architecture in each one. Your students will be able look inside the Sistine Chapel, Raphaels Rooms, and more!

In Conclusion

We are so lucky to live during a time when we can travel the world as a family or class, without even having to leave our house. I hope you enjoy some of these free virtual field trips for kids!

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Enjoy these free virtual field trips for kids!

Easy Science Activity For Preschoolers

January 8, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life3 Comments

How To Do The Magic Toothpick Science Experiment

We are in the dead of winter over here. Which usually means trying to entertain the kids with indoor activities, one of our favorite things to do when stuck at home is science experiments.. My kids love science experiments! They especially love the magic toothpick experiment! It’s so easy to do and I always have the supplies on hand. This is the perfect easy science activity for preschoolers, toddlers, and basically all the kids!

Related: 25 Completely Free Family Winter Activities

Magic Toothpick: Easy Science Activity for Preschoolers

One of my favorite things about this easy science activity for preschoolers is that it only requires a few supplies, and I always have them stocked up in my house!

Gather Supplies

To do the magic toothpick experiment you will need to first gather all of your supplies.

You will need:

Perform The Experiment

Now that you have your supplies, it’s time to have fun with this easy science experiment! I promise you won’t mess this up, and your kids will love it!

First, pour some milk into a bowl. I like to use a wide shallow container. A pie tin would work great, or anything you happen to have on hand.

There isn’t an exact measurement for milk, I just usually pour enough milk in to cover the bottom of the container

Next, choose a few colors of food coloring. This is a fun part for kids to help with! They love choosing their favorite colors!

Today my son chose red, green, and blue. Now, drop a few drops of the chosen color of food coloring into the milk. Try to spread out the spots where you put the food coloring, so that it covers different areas of the milk. But, don’t drop in to many that it covers to much milk.

Now comes the fun “magic toothpick” part! Pour a small amount of dish soap into a small, separate bowl.

Get out a toothpick and dip the toothpick into the dish soap. With the dish soap on the toothpick the science experiment is ready! I like to tell my kids the toothpick is now magic…..but, really it’s science! So you choose how you want to explain this next part!

Using the soap side end of the toothpick, lightly touch the drops of food coloring you have in the milk.

The colors will spread and make beautiful designs. Keep touching the food coloring until it is completely spread throughout the bowl. Your kids will be sure magic is happening right before their eyes!

Then, you can dump out the milk and repeat the process all over again! My kids can’t get enough of this activity!

Have Fun With Your Kids

Kids grow so fast!!!! These sweet, special memories you can make with them now will be something you look back on forever! My daughter use to always ask me to do a science experiment with her every day…..and I got tired of it at times. But, now that she is 13….I miss it so much!

Looking for more preschool friendly activities?

Peanut Butter Play Dough Recipe

Easy Easter Craft for Preschoolers: Egg Sun Catcher

Screen Free At Home Kids Activities

Want to try this easy science activity at home? Pin it for later reference!

Try this easy science activity for preschoolers today!

How To Teach Kids To Give During The Christmas Season

December 9, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life1 Comment

How we use our giving jar to help others.

Ahhhh January. The month of new beginnings. Fresh starts. Resolution’s and goals. A month where we clear out the clutter in our life, figuratively and literally, and decide what we can do to make our life a little better than it was before.

Which brings me to December. The month of giving and sharing. Where we try to focus more on others than ourselves and look for those who may be in need of charity and service. My family has a favorite family tradition in December. We choose a family in need. Either from the neighborhood, a local giving tree, or any other we may hear about who is down on their luck. We then play the part of Secret Santa.

We go to the store, buy the gifts on this families want and need list. We wrap the presents up in beautiful wrappings and bows and secretly deliver them to where they need to go. We look forward to this tradition every year. I love teaching my kids to serve others. I love that through service they are humbled and learn how lucky (maybe even a little spoiled!) they are in comparison to others. And I love the thought of bringing a smile to someone’s face come Christmas morning. Did I mention I LOVE this tradition!?!

December also just so happens to be the month that is hard for us (maybe you too???) to stick to our monthly budget. We try to plan ahead for it. We try to cut down costs. But, we still found ourselves struggling to afford all the fun festive activities and gift giving we wanted to participate in. As we discussed what we would cut out I refused to limit our Secret Santa tradition.

Enter: The Giving Jar

And so we came up with the beautiful idea of The Giving Jar. I grabbed an old junky used mason jar from our basement, cut a small hole in the top and named it The Giving Jar.

As the fresh new month of January begins, our Giving Jar sits empty. As the year goes on we as a family puts every single coin we receive into the jar. And when December comes a long our jar is full. This is the money we use for our Secret Santa tradition. Our Giving Jar has blessed the lives of so many, and have also helped to teach our kids to give during the Christmas season.

I love that old junky mason jar. I love watching it fill up throughout the year. I love when one of my kids tries to stuff some newly earned dollar bills inside. And I love watching my kids as they proudly carry it into the store as we purchase gifts for others.

It’s pretty cool how something old and used could become something so beautiful and special and can do so much good for others…..including me.

Best Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

How to Save Money For Christmas

Check out these easy Valentine crafts!

Fun Valentine Day Craft Ideas

1. Clay Valentine Magnets

2. Panda Valentine Craft

3. Conversation Heart Bookmarks

4. Valentines Foam Pencil Toppers

5. Valentine Yarn Hearts

6. Heart Paint Chip Garland

7. Heart Suncatcher

8. Valentines Day Toilet Paper Roll Vase

9. Valentines Pom Pom Painting

10. DIY Valentine Felt Heart

11. Love Bug Toilet Paper Roll Craft

12. Origami Heart

13. Valentines Day Frame

14. Gnome Paper Craft

15. Love You To Pieces Wreath

16. DIY Heart Crayons

17. Tissue Paper Heart Craft

18. Popsicle Stick Heart Garland

19. Mess Free Smush Painting

20. Love Code Bracelet

21. Crystal Hearts Science Experiment

22. Valentine Hugs

23. Pom Pom Love Bug Craft

Have Fun With These Easy Valentine Day Crafts for Kids!

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There are so many easy Valentine day crafts for kids to make!

Fun winter activities for families!

Snow Winter Activities For Families

1. Build A Snow Cave

2. Make Snow Candy

3. Sledding

4. Winter Walk and Scavenger Hunt

5. Snowball Fight

6. Build a Snowman

7. Snow Ice Cream

Winter Indoor Activities

8. Movie Night

9. Bake Bread

10. Homemade Cocoa

11. Family Slumber Party

12. Read a Novel as a Family

13. Make Paper Snowflakes

14. Make Play Dough

15. Have An Indoor Picnic

16. Make a Fort

17. Make a Sock Snowman

18. Play Board Games

19. Make Friendship Bracelets

20. Have A Family Dance Party

Winter Activities In Town

21. Visit the Library

22. Serve a Meal at a Homeless Shelter

23. Visit a Pet Store

24. Donate to a Thrift Store

25. Visit a Neighbor

In Conclusion

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What are your favorite free things to do in winter?

Check out these budget friendly family game night ideas.

Where to buy family games?

The Best Family Games Under $20

Strategy Games

Party Games

Telestrations

Easy to Play Games

Classic Games

Clue

Enjoy your next family game night!

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I hope you loved these family game night ideas of the best family games!

Easy two ingredient cloud dough recipe.

How To Make Cloud Dough

Homemade Cloud Dough Recipe

Cloud Dough

Ingredients

Instructions

Have fun!