When the girls woke up this morning, I surprised them with a pajama breakfast picnic — it was a great way to enjoy some time together outdoors early in the morning before the day went on to get really hot outside! We didn’t even bother to brush our hair, get cleaned up, or even change […]
Calorie-Free S’Mores for Pretend Play
July 17, 2011 by
Want all the fun of making s’mores, but without the sugar-high afterwards?? These pretend play s’mores are SO easy to make, and they are calorie-free so the kiddos can make (and pretend to eat) as many s’mores as they could possibly want!! First, make up your pretend campfire — arrange stones in a circle and […]
Pretend Play on a Dime — Weather Station
July 15, 2011 by
Emily and I visited WFMZ’s News studio for a fun segment on getting the most out of your time with the kids this Summer, and Emily was a big help with showing all the fun crafts and activities! Afterwards meteorologist Mark Shanaberger invited Emily to help with the weather segment too!! (You can view the clip […]
Water Balloon Yo-Yos
July 13, 2011 by
I made some water balloon yo-yos for the kids, an idea I spotted here — what a fun and active way to beat the heat!! To make your own, you will need a package of water balloons (I see these at the dollar store all the time during the Summer months), and some elastic string […]
Potion Lab!
July 11, 2011 by
Early this morning, before it got too hot outside to play, the girls and I put on some play clothes and set up a little “potion lab” in the backyard for some messy pretend play FUN!! They seriously loved this!!! We reused the same clear plastic bottles from our driveway painting and filled them with […]
Around the Web — Made from Egg Cartons
July 10, 2011 by
Don’t throw those empty egg cartons in the recycling bin — craft with them first! Here are some inspiring and creative ways to reuse egg cartons for some inexpensive (if not free) crafting fun!! Egg Carton Buttons from prettylittlethings.typepad.com Egg Carton Flower Wreath from kraftykat76.blogspot.com Egg Carton Sewing Kit from countryliving.com Egg […]
Our Summer Bucket List
July 8, 2011 by
I thought it would be fun to share our Summer Bucket List today — which seems to grow longer by the minute, as I keep adding things to the list! Many of these activities are either very low cost or free (yay!!), and the kiddos are really looking forward to crossing things off of the […]
Firefly Night Light
July 7, 2011 by
When Emily was getting ready for bed, she asked for a new night light. (Clara has been “borrowing” Emily’s night light for some time now.) Some battery-powered LED holiday lights in a recycled plastic jar made for a fun (and frugal) “firefly” lantern! Shhhhh…. Sweet dreams, little one!!
SURPRISE! Let’s Go on a Day Trip!
July 5, 2011 by
Last night, while the girls were sleeping in their beds, Mark and I stayed up late packing up the car for a total SURPRISE day trip to nearby Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. (Mark had taken the day off from work, and the weather forecast looked beautiful!!) It. Was. Awesome!!! We enjoyed the sandy beach, waves, […]
Red, White, and Blue
July 3, 2011 by
Looking for some fun, easy, last-minute crafts to celebrate the 4th of July?? Here are some of our favorite crafts using red, white, and blue from around the web!! (Thanks, Yelena!) Lifesaver Firecrackers via u-createcrafts.com Red, White, and Blue Paper Decorations via theslightlyobsessivebride.blogspot.com Firework Cookies via redcouchrecipes.blogspot.com 4th of July Montessori Learning Activities via countingcoconuts.blogspot.com […]
Garden Things That Make Me Smile
June 30, 2011 by
We’ve been working hard on our garden plot this Summer, and it has been well-worth it! Here are some things from the garden that make me smile!! My little helper doing her share of weeding — and offering to do it on her own! Roma tomatoes waiting for just the right moment to ripen — […]
At the Zoo
June 29, 2011 by
I surprised the girls with a trip to the zoo this morning! We’ve been there countless times, but they’ve never paid attention to these photo cut outs until now. This one is in front of the River Otter exhibit — it’s so fun to watch the otters swim around!! Emily thought these cut outs made […]
Cheap Thrills — Driveway Painting
June 28, 2011 by
For a fun time, gather up some empty dish soap bottles. Make up a batch of sidewalk chalk paint with 4 Tbsp. cornstarch, 4 Tbsp. water & 5-10 drops food coloring. Pour into a bottle and fill the rest with water. Repeat for each color. Put on play clothes or bathing suits, and invite some […]
Around the Web — Water Play
June 27, 2011 by
Please give a warm welcome to our newest contributor here at Frugal Family Fun Blog, my good friend (and mom of 3) Yelena will be helping with our boards on Pinterest and I will be posting a few of the photos and links here! About once a week, we’ll have little “assignments” for Yelena to find […]
Sneak Peek — Clara’s Birthday Party
June 25, 2011 by
Our giveaway for the Stonyfield Party Prize Pack has now closed, and I am about to pick a winner! In the meantime, I wanted to share a little peek into how we used our Party Prize Pack from Stonyfield ($100 gift card for Michael’s craft store and $100 worth of organic yogurt and organic frozen […]
Why Messy Art is Worth It
June 23, 2011 by
A few years ago, I invited Emily to splatter paint the driveway with sidewalk chalk paint and she has not stopped talking about it ever since!! It was around that time when I realized the more messy the art project, the more memorable (and FUN) the experience becomes. So when the girls were feeling particularly […]
Toys vs Laundry Basket
June 22, 2011 by
The girls wanted to go visit with Grandma this afternoon, but thought it would be more fun to travel by boat instead of the 5 hour car trip. Who am I to stop them?? …and really, who needs toys when you have a laundry basket??
Around the Web — Displaying Kids’ Art
June 21, 2011 by
It’s no secret that I am a BIG proponent of displaying kids’ artwork in the home. Not only does it send the message that you value their work, but it is also super-cheap & stylish decor! Added bonus — GREAT conversation pieces, AND seeing kids art on display always makes people smile!! Our home has LOTS of […]
