If there’s one thing we know how to do at Frugal and Thriving, it’s shopping a really good sale. Our job is to be on top of the hottest and latest deals from all across the internet, and we’re rounding them up and putting them all in one place for you! See this week’s best sales from some of our favorite retailers below.
Banana Republic Factory
Update your wardrobe with with sophisticated seasonal styles. Shop the Banana Republic Factory Spring Sale and get up to 50% off everything!
Carter’s
Baby fever!! Get up to 70% off all things baby from Carter’s.
Coach Outlet
Grab the perfect gift for mom!! Shop gifts from Coach Outlet for under $50.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
This sale will put a little spring in your step! Get up to 40% off running shoes for the whole family at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Kate Spade Outlet
Grab a gorgeous new bag for spring! Kate Spade Outlet is offering an extra 20% off already-marked-down styles.
Target
Don’t miss this chance to spruce up your outdoor space! Get 30% off outdoor furniture from Target.
Walmart
Let’s get cookin’! Shop kitchen musts from Walmart for $99 or less.
I recently made a road trip from New Jersey to South Carolina, with 4 kids in tow…solo! We had a great time and it was a lot of fun for everyone! I wanted to share our experience and what I consider must-see’s and -do’s if you’re in the area!
The best rest stop, the largest convenience store I’ve ever seen, and trust me it’s a must-see, is Buc-ee’s! We were advised to stop there just because “it’s a whole vibe”! We ended up stopping there for our last pit stop (aka potty break) and to grab something for dinner! We somehow ended up spending around 45 minutes at a rest stop haha! We made sure to stop again on our way home too! Make sure if you stop you snap a selfie with the beaver out front!
We visited the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden located in Columbia…it was less than 20 miles away from where we were staying with my best friend. I enjoy our local Cape May and Philadelphia Zoo’s, but this zoo blew me away in more ways than one! Where do I even start?! I don’t want to give everything away, but I’ll touch on our favorite attractions we experienced!
The kids and I fed the giraffes for the first time – well 3/4 kids did! This was so cool to experience with them…the tongue of a giraffe is something else! Two of my daughters also fed the coconut lorikeets, and that might have been cooler than the giraffes! You get a small cup of nectar and once you get a quick briefing, you go into the habitat and the lorikeets come directly to you. Most of the time more than one will land on you and drink the nectar!
The zoo was huge! You can easily spend the whole day there and still possibly not see/do everything there is to do and see there! We took a tram car up to the botanical gardens and splash pad area called Waterfall Junction! The kids loved this – there was a dinosaur dig area, a tree house, tiny houses, lawn games and more! We ended up spending a good chunk of time there. I would 10/10 recommend checking out this zoo if you’re in the area!
The weather was less than ideal during one of our days there, but I came across a children’s museum called EdVenture, also located in Columbia, and it turns out that Blippi did an episode there! I purchased tickets which were very reasonable at $13 each, and ages 2 & under are FREE! School was already out in SC, add that with a super rainy day, and that leads to an extra-packed kids’ museum! It was crazy busy but we still enjoyed seeing all that it had to offer, all interactive learning fun!
On Memorial Day, we traveled to the Summerton area and reserved a camp site at Palmetto Shores RV Resort. It is located on Lake Marion, which is the largest man-made lake in SC and the 15th largest lake in the US. Fun Fact: part of a town was purposely flooded, and boats have to be careful not to strike the structure that you can still visibly see at times. We took a pontoon out on beautiful Lake Marion and looked for alligators, but we didn’t see any! Palmetto Shores was impressive with their cabins, RV spaces and campsites. It is really kid-friendly with activities like a lazy river, splash pad area, kiddie pools, private beach area, and arcade! I was told that the Lake House restaurant there is amazing, but they were closed for the holiday while we were there! I would 10/10 recommend this resort for your RV/camping/cabin destinations!
I recently made a road trip from New Jersey to South Carolina, with 4 kids in tow…solo! We had a great time and it was a lot of fun for everyone! I wanted to share our experience and what I consider must-see’s and -do’s if you’re in the area!
The best rest stop, the largest convenience store I’ve ever seen, and trust me it’s a must-see, is Buc-ee’s! We were advised to stop there just because “it’s a whole vibe”! We ended up stopping there for our last pit stop (aka potty break) and to grab something for dinner! We somehow ended up spending around 45 minutes at a rest stop haha! We made sure to stop again on our way home too! Make sure if you stop you snap a selfie with the beaver out front!
We visited the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden located in Columbia…it was less than 20 miles away from where we were staying with my best friend. I enjoy our local Cape May and Philadelphia Zoo’s, but this zoo blew me away in more ways than one! Where do I even start?! I don’t want to give everything away, but I’ll touch on our favorite attractions we experienced!
The kids and I fed the giraffes for the first time – well 3/4 kids did! This was so cool to experience with them…the tongue of a giraffe is something else! Two of my daughters also fed the coconut lorikeets, and that might have been cooler than the giraffes! You get a small cup of nectar and once you get a quick briefing, you go into the habitat and the lorikeets come directly to you. Most of the time more than one will land on you and drink the nectar!
The zoo was huge! You can easily spend the whole day there and still possibly not see/do everything there is to do and see there! We took a tram car up to the botanical gardens and splash pad area called Waterfall Junction! The kids loved this – there was a dinosaur dig area, a tree house, tiny houses, lawn games and more! We ended up spending a good chunk of time there. I would 10/10 recommend checking out this zoo if you’re in the area!
The weather was less than ideal during one of our days there, but I came across a children’s museum called EdVenture, also located in Columbia, and it turns out that Blippi did an episode there! I purchased tickets which were very reasonable at $13 each, and ages 2 & under are FREE! School was already out in SC, add that with a super rainy day, and that leads to an extra-packed kids’ museum! It was crazy busy but we still enjoyed seeing all that it had to offer, all interactive learning fun!
On Memorial Day, we traveled to the Summerton area and reserved a camp site at Palmetto Shores RV Resort. It is located on Lake Marion, which is the largest man-made lake in SC and the 15th largest lake in the US. Fun Fact: part of a town was purposely flooded, and boats have to be careful not to strike the structure that you can still visibly see at times. We took a pontoon out on beautiful Lake Marion and looked for alligators, but we didn’t see any! Palmetto Shores was impressive with their cabins, RV spaces and campsites. It is really kid-friendly with activities like a lazy river, splash pad area, kiddie pools, private beach area, and arcade! I was told that the Lake House restaurant there is amazing, but they were closed for the holiday while we were there! I would 10/10 recommend this resort for your RV/camping/cabin destinations!
I recently made a road trip from New Jersey to South Carolina, with 4 kids in tow…solo! We had a great time and it was a lot of fun for everyone! I wanted to share our experience and what I consider must-see’s and -do’s if you’re in the area!
The best rest stop, the largest convenience store I’ve ever seen, and trust me it’s a must-see, is Buc-ee’s! We were advised to stop there just because “it’s a whole vibe”! We ended up stopping there for our last pit stop (aka potty break) and to grab something for dinner! We somehow ended up spending around 45 minutes at a rest stop haha! We made sure to stop again on our way home too! Make sure if you stop you snap a selfie with the beaver out front!
We visited the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden located in Columbia…it was less than 20 miles away from where we were staying with my best friend. I enjoy our local Cape May and Philadelphia Zoo’s, but this zoo blew me away in more ways than one! Where do I even start?! I don’t want to give everything away, but I’ll touch on our favorite attractions we experienced!
The kids and I fed the giraffes for the first time – well 3/4 kids did! This was so cool to experience with them…the tongue of a giraffe is something else! Two of my daughters also fed the coconut lorikeets, and that might have been cooler than the giraffes! You get a small cup of nectar and once you get a quick briefing, you go into the habitat and the lorikeets come directly to you. Most of the time more than one will land on you and drink the nectar!
The zoo was huge! You can easily spend the whole day there and still possibly not see/do everything there is to do and see there! We took a tram car up to the botanical gardens and splash pad area called Waterfall Junction! The kids loved this – there was a dinosaur dig area, a tree house, tiny houses, lawn games and more! We ended up spending a good chunk of time there. I would 10/10 recommend checking out this zoo if you’re in the area!
The weather was less than ideal during one of our days there, but I came across a children’s museum called EdVenture, also located in Columbia, and it turns out that Blippi did an episode there! I purchased tickets which were very reasonable at $13 each, and ages 2 & under are FREE! School was already out in SC, add that with a super rainy day, and that leads to an extra-packed kids’ museum! It was crazy busy but we still enjoyed seeing all that it had to offer, all interactive learning fun!
On Memorial Day, we traveled to the Summerton area and reserved a camp site at Palmetto Shores RV Resort. It is located on Lake Marion, which is the largest man-made lake in SC and the 15th largest lake in the US. Fun Fact: part of a town was purposely flooded, and boats have to be careful not to strike the structure that you can still visibly see at times. We took a pontoon out on beautiful Lake Marion and looked for alligators, but we didn’t see any! Palmetto Shores was impressive with their cabins, RV spaces and campsites. It is really kid-friendly with activities like a lazy river, splash pad area, kiddie pools, private beach area, and arcade! I was told that the Lake House restaurant there is amazing, but they were closed for the holiday while we were there! I would 10/10 recommend this resort for your RV/camping/cabin destinations!
Kristy is not only the face of F&T, she also love love loves contributing to her daughter’s class at school! She absolutely adores being able to relive her childhood through her children, and I am right there with her for sure! Field day is just an absolute classic am I right?! Of course, it was it wasn’t even a second thought for her to help by creating a bag for the kids in the class to get them excited for the day and just maybe create a little competition among the other classes! Here is what she put together for a fun day for the kiddos!
Water bottles are perfect for field day to keep the kids hydrated – kick it up a notch and add little individual packets of Gatorade for those extra electrolytes! Don’t forget snacks as well to keep their energy level up. Something as simple as Pirate’s Booty popcorn and dried fruit does the trick!
Sweatbands for their little heads and wrists haha! Can’t you just see them now! I am totally getting Will Ferrell in Semi-Pro vibes from them!
Even after the sunglasses and decorative eye “blue” stickers which were also must haves, they realized that they needed something more. Kristy said that a couple of moms got together and added these life size personalized hand fans with the teachers faces on them…these are seriously going to be epic – (of course they got permission from the teachers before proceeding to get them made). Could you imagine!
TIP: check your local printing service as they may be able to create them for you at a lower cost.
Placing all of the items in a cute reusable tote bag keeps everything together and *voila* – you’ve got yourself a whole field day fun bag!
“I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” …I know the parents are just going to love us for this as we have little cowbells that will be paired with lanyards for when they are running around. I just can’t with this!
Her daughter’s class is the dark blue team so that’s the color they grabbed everything in, if you couldn’t already tell! GO TEAM!
Kristy cannot wait to be on that field cheering her daughter’s class on as the many faces of her teacher are scattered all over – sure will make for a memorable year for everyone! Be sure to follow us on LTK, FB, IG and TikTok for lots more fun ideas and other awesome deals!
Kristy is not only the face of F&T, she also love love loves contributing to her daughter’s class at school! She absolutely adores being able to relive her childhood through her children, and I am right there with her for sure! Field day is just an absolute classic am I right?! Of course, it was it wasn’t even a second thought for her to help by creating a bag for the kids in the class to get them excited for the day and just maybe create a little competition among the other classes! Here is what she put together for a fun day for the kiddos!
Water bottles are perfect for field day to keep the kids hydrated – kick it up a notch and add little individual packets of Gatorade for those extra electrolytes! Don’t forget snacks as well to keep their energy level up. Something as simple as Pirate’s Booty popcorn and dried fruit does the trick!
Sweatbands for their little heads and wrists haha! Can’t you just see them now! I am totally getting Will Ferrell in Semi-Pro vibes from them!
Even after the sunglasses and decorative eye “blue” stickers which were also must haves, they realized that they needed something more. Kristy said that a couple of moms got together and added these life size personalized hand fans with the teachers faces on them…these are seriously going to be epic – (of course they got permission from the teachers before proceeding to get them made). Could you imagine!
TIP: check your local printing service as they may be able to create them for you at a lower cost.
Placing all of the items in a cute reusable tote bag keeps everything together and *voila* – you’ve got yourself a whole field day fun bag!
“I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” …I know the parents are just going to love us for this as we have little cowbells that will be paired with lanyards for when they are running around. I just can’t with this!
Her daughter’s class is the dark blue team so that’s the color they grabbed everything in, if you couldn’t already tell! GO TEAM!
Kristy cannot wait to be on that field cheering her daughter’s class on as the many faces of her teacher are scattered all over – sure will make for a memorable year for everyone! Be sure to follow us on LTK, FB, IG and TikTok for lots more fun ideas and other awesome deals!
Themes, invitations, decorations, sweets, entertainment, goodie bags…yes! That’s right! I am talking about planning kids’ birthday parties! Perfect timing for this post, since both Kristy and I recently planned and celebrated our sons’ second and fourth birthdays with family and friends! We’re going to take you behind the scenes of how we put together our kids’ birthday parties!
Choosing a theme! This is where it all begins – figuring out themes has been quite fun since having four littles! Some of my son’s favorite things are balls, cars, and dinosaurs, so I knew that I would take one of those and play it up for him. I ultimately decided on a Jurassic World theme.
Kristy came up with her Super Mario theme because that is what her son is really into right now, and let’s be honest, it’s Mario…it has made a huge comeback this year and don’t act like you don’t know the words to the “Peaches” song by Jack Black! She said this was hands-down one of her favorite parties to plan…maybe it had something to do with the age (4 is one of her favorites!) or the fact that both of her kids were into this theme, and also both very into helping her out this year – a huge plus!!
Invitations! I like to use Zazzle for my invitations, and I can be pretty picky, so it took me awhile to find just the right fit for what I was looking for! I ended up going with a Two Wild Dinosaur one, and I was super happy with how they turned out!
Kristy uses these really cool digital birthday invitations from Etsy that give you such an extra flair when guests open them. It’s so fun that I’ll try one for the next planned party!
Entertainment! We usually do backyard birthday parties since we have two summer, one fall and one spring birthday, and the weather is typically nice enough to get away with it. This year we did a Jurassic World-themed bounce house from Life’s A Ball Rentals LLC and hired a local artist who does face painting and balloon twisting for our entertainment! We used Creative Juices by Kari – she’s truly amazing at what she does, and I highly recommend her as this is our second time booking her! Both of these entertainments are local to the South Jersey area and if you’re looking for an inflatable for your next event, Life’s A Ball Rentals is offering F&T followers an exclusive promo of $50 off any 1 unit when you mention this blog or Frugal & Thriving!
Kristy also had a bounce house, along with a lot of fun games and stations. She did a “pin the nose on Mario” game with prizes for the kids, a cotton candy station, and even a “create your own Mario face” station…how super is that?! She had lawn games like Connect 4, corn hole, and Jenga, as well as water tables for the kids to splash around with!
The Sweet Stuff! Yes, I am talking about the birthday cake, cupcakes, cake pops, etc. For me, I am big on doing cupcakes – they are easy, fun and the perfect size for guests! I usually go with a local baker or cottage baker because I like to support small business, but this year I went the Sam’s Club route! I went with 30-count cupcakes and a full-size cookie cake {Jurassic World theme of course}! The cupcakes had 15 of those rings that the kids could keep, but I also didn’t want anyone upset about not getting something, so of course I found these cute little dinosaur cake toppers and grabbed two packs and put them on the cupcakes that didn’t have a ring, and I placed the rest around the cookie cake! If you have a Sam’s Club membership, I do recommend their fresh bakery – they have so many themes to choose from, plus you can’t really beat the prices!
Kristy made this awesome snack station and got creative with food items that looked like items from the game – cheese balls for Fire Power, a veggie platter designed like the Fire Plant Power Up, Princess Peach Rings, Bowser Bones (lollipops), Colby jack cheese for Mystery Blocks (she put these in her absolute favorite RIGWA bowls – use exclusive code KRISTY10 for 10% off your order sitewide!!), and Mushroom Power Ups as marshmallow pops (marshmallow and melted chocolate). If you’re throwing your own Super Mario party and want some help with snack signage, check out our free printables page! She also typically uses her local grocery store (Shop Rite) for all of the catering and cake! When she placed an order in advance for pick-up, they offered her a 20% discount – this doesn’t always happen but even without the fantastic discount the food is always absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. Her guests are always so surprised when she tells them where she got it from! She had 3 artisan sandwich platters, a salad with dressing, and veggie platter for 20 people and it only cost her $111! That’s about $5 a person! Look into your local grocery store – you might be surprised at what they offer!
Decorations! I try to play it smart when it comes to decor for a birthday party – I try not to go too overboard and I am in-between subtle and borderline close to too much. With outdoor parties, the weather can be so unpredictable, and I try to plan accordingly, so I’ll pick decor that can be used both outdoors and indoors in case I need to pivot! This year I went with some adorable dinosaur signage that I could place on our vinyl fencing or indoors on windows/doors etc., as well as some removable wall decals to place around. I added some themed mylar balloons and odds and ends I found at a local store I frequent during party planning. The last handful of parties, I have gotten into backdrops and balloon arches, so I grabbed a large themed backdrop to snap some pics!
Kristy also grabbed a backdrop and some other Mario-themed party supplies including tablecloths, a banner, and disposable plates, cups and napkins. She even made these awesome balloon towers! She says that this one stumped her for a bit – this was the first time she ever made one, and trying to make a piranha plant without directions was interesting, to say the least! TIP: if you plan this and don’t wait until the day of like she did (whoops), you can get white dot stickers and place them on the red balloons to really give it that Mario feel.
TIP: Use glue dots instead of tape when putting decorations on walls/windows/vinyl etc. It’s less of a hassle to remove and doesn’t ruin your paint/drywall/vinyl!
Outfits! I think it drove my hubby nuts in the beginning, but now with as many themed parties as we’ve hosted, he’s just used to my shenanigans, and I always have themed shirts or outfits planned for the guest of honor and mom and dad! This year was no different! I got a “Rawr! I’m 2” shirt for my son and a “Motherhood / Fatherhood is a walk in the park” shirts for myself and my hubby! I am a hat person, so I even got myself a really cute themed dino mama hat to add in a little extra somethin’…it has four little dinosaurs to represent my four littles!
Kristy made this adorable tee for her son to wear on his big day…if you have a Cricut machine, it’s super easy to design any apparel to match your theme!
Favors! I came across these little dino-themed bubbles and my son LOVES bubbles! I originally was just going to leave them out for the kiddos to grab and play, but then I found these dinosaur eggs that I just couldn’t pass up on. I originally planned on doing a dino egg dig and excavation as an activity but the weather had different plans, so I ended up putting the dino eggs and bubbles in their pinata bags for them to take home! Speaking of pinata, I ended up filling ours with my son’s favorite lollies (aka dum-dums) and packs of fruit snacks!
Kristy had adorable Mario-themed bags with all types of goodies like temporary tats, snacks, stampers, PEZ-dispensers and other Super Mario-themed party favors!
Queens of themes? Kristy and I have had fun with past party themes, so if you are looking for theme inspo, I think that we’ve got you covered! I have done: Rainbow Room, Ladybug Garden, Pumpkins & White Pumpkin Painting Party, The Big O.N.E, Luau, Frozen in Summer, Taco TWOsday, Farm Friends, Unicorn Universe, and Mermaid Adventures. Kristy has done Three Rex, TWO Infinity and Beyond, Splish-Splash Under the Sea, Minnie Mouse Clubhouse, and Minions! Happy Planning!
Themes, invitations, decorations, sweets, entertainment, goodie bags…yes! That’s right! I am talking about planning kids’ birthday parties! Perfect timing for this post, since both Kristy and I recently planned and celebrated our sons’ second and fourth birthdays with family and friends! We’re going to take you behind the scenes of how we put together our kids’ birthday parties!
Choosing a theme! This is where it all begins – figuring out themes has been quite fun since having four littles! Some of my son’s favorite things are balls, cars, and dinosaurs, so I knew that I would take one of those and play it up for him. I ultimately decided on a Jurassic World theme.
Kristy came up with her Super Mario theme because that is what her son is really into right now, and let’s be honest, it’s Mario…it has made a huge comeback this year and don’t act like you don’t know the words to the “Peaches” song by Jack Black! She said this was hands-down one of her favorite parties to plan…maybe it had something to do with the age (4 is one of her favorites!) or the fact that both of her kids were into this theme, and also both very into helping her out this year – a huge plus!!
Invitations! I like to use Zazzle for my invitations, and I can be pretty picky, so it took me awhile to find just the right fit for what I was looking for! I ended up going with a Two Wild Dinosaur one, and I was super happy with how they turned out!
Kristy uses these really cool digital birthday invitations from Etsy that give you such an extra flair when guests open them. It’s so fun that I’ll try one for the next planned party!
Entertainment! We usually do backyard birthday parties since we have two summer, one fall and one spring birthday, and the weather is typically nice enough to get away with it. This year we did a Jurassic World-themed bounce house from Life’s A Ball Rentals LLC and hired a local artist who does face painting and balloon twisting for our entertainment! We used Creative Juices by Kari – she’s truly amazing at what she does, and I highly recommend her as this is our second time booking her! Both of these entertainments are local to the South Jersey area and if you’re looking for an inflatable for your next event, Life’s A Ball Rentals is offering F&T followers an exclusive promo of $50 off any 1 unit when you mention this blog or Frugal & Thriving!
Kristy also had a bounce house, along with a lot of fun games and stations. She did a “pin the nose on Mario” game with prizes for the kids, a cotton candy station, and even a “create your own Mario face” station…how super is that?! She had lawn games like Connect 4, corn hole, and Jenga, as well as water tables for the kids to splash around with!
The Sweet Stuff! Yes, I am talking about the birthday cake, cupcakes, cake pops, etc. For me, I am big on doing cupcakes – they are easy, fun and the perfect size for guests! I usually go with a local baker or cottage baker because I like to support small business, but this year I went the Sam’s Club route! I went with 30-count cupcakes and a full-size cookie cake {Jurassic World theme of course}! The cupcakes had 15 of those rings that the kids could keep, but I also didn’t want anyone upset about not getting something, so of course I found these cute little dinosaur cake toppers and grabbed two packs and put them on the cupcakes that didn’t have a ring, and I placed the rest around the cookie cake! If you have a Sam’s Club membership, I do recommend their fresh bakery – they have so many themes to choose from, plus you can’t really beat the prices!
Kristy made this awesome snack station and got creative with food items that looked like items from the game – cheese balls for Fire Power, a veggie platter designed like the Fire Plant Power Up, Princess Peach Rings, Bowser Bones (lollipops), Colby jack cheese for Mystery Blocks (she put these in her absolute favorite RIGWA bowls – use exclusive code KRISTY10 for 10% off your order sitewide!!), and Mushroom Power Ups as marshmallow pops (marshmallow and melted chocolate). If you’re throwing your own Super Mario party and want some help with snack signage, check out our free printables page! She also typically uses her local grocery store (Shop Rite) for all of the catering and cake! When she placed an order in advance for pick-up, they offered her a 20% discount – this doesn’t always happen but even without the fantastic discount the food is always absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. Her guests are always so surprised when she tells them where she got it from! She had 3 artisan sandwich platters, a salad with dressing, and veggie platter for 20 people and it only cost her $111! That’s about $5 a person! Look into your local grocery store – you might be surprised at what they offer!
Decorations! I try to play it smart when it comes to decor for a birthday party – I try not to go too overboard and I am in-between subtle and borderline close to too much. With outdoor parties, the weather can be so unpredictable, and I try to plan accordingly, so I’ll pick decor that can be used both outdoors and indoors in case I need to pivot! This year I went with some adorable dinosaur signage that I could place on our vinyl fencing or indoors on windows/doors etc., as well as some removable wall decals to place around. I added some themed mylar balloons and odds and ends I found at a local store I frequent during party planning. The last handful of parties, I have gotten into backdrops and balloon arches, so I grabbed a large themed backdrop to snap some pics!
Kristy also grabbed a backdrop and some other Mario-themed party supplies including tablecloths, a banner, and disposable plates, cups and napkins. She even made these awesome balloon towers! She says that this one stumped her for a bit – this was the first time she ever made one, and trying to make a piranha plant without directions was interesting, to say the least! TIP: if you plan this and don’t wait until the day of like she did (whoops), you can get white dot stickers and place them on the red balloons to really give it that Mario feel.
TIP: Use glue dots instead of tape when putting decorations on walls/windows/vinyl etc. It’s less of a hassle to remove and doesn’t ruin your paint/drywall/vinyl!
Outfits! I think it drove my hubby nuts in the beginning, but now with as many themed parties as we’ve hosted, he’s just used to my shenanigans, and I always have themed shirts or outfits planned for the guest of honor and mom and dad! This year was no different! I got a “Rawr! I’m 2” shirt for my son and a “Motherhood / Fatherhood is a walk in the park” shirts for myself and my hubby! I am a hat person, so I even got myself a really cute themed dino mama hat to add in a little extra somethin’…it has four little dinosaurs to represent my four littles!
Kristy made this adorable tee for her son to wear on his big day…if you have a Cricut machine, it’s super easy to design any apparel to match your theme!
Favors! I came across these little dino-themed bubbles and my son LOVES bubbles! I originally was just going to leave them out for the kiddos to grab and play, but then I found these dinosaur eggs that I just couldn’t pass up on. I originally planned on doing a dino egg dig and excavation as an activity but the weather had different plans, so I ended up putting the dino eggs and bubbles in their pinata bags for them to take home! Speaking of pinata, I ended up filling ours with my son’s favorite lollies (aka dum-dums) and packs of fruit snacks!
Kristy had adorable Mario-themed bags with all types of goodies like temporary tats, snacks, stampers, PEZ-dispensers and other Super Mario-themed party favors!
Queens of themes? Kristy and I have had fun with past party themes, so if you are looking for theme inspo, I think that we’ve got you covered! I have done: Rainbow Room, Ladybug Garden, Pumpkins & White Pumpkin Painting Party, The Big O.N.E, Luau, Frozen in Summer, Taco TWOsday, Farm Friends, Unicorn Universe, and Mermaid Adventures. Kristy has done Three Rex, TWO Infinity and Beyond, Splish-Splash Under the Sea, Minnie Mouse Clubhouse, and Minions! Happy Planning!
Mother earth…planet earth…earth mother…earth land are just some of the names of endearment for where us humans live. There is one single day on the calendar that honors this earth and encourages humans to give back in different types of ways. If you are looking for unique ways to participate or celebrate, I am literally going to spell it out for you! See our Earth Day fun ideas below.
E = Eats – Eating clean or at least upping your veggie intake is one way to participate on Earth Day. If you’re anything like me, I love food especially when it is in the form of a charcuterie board! The fruit and veggie options are endless paired with some healthy hummus and homemade guacamole…are you salivating yet? Add some gourmet cheeses, nuts and of course something sweet and voila, a whole Earth Day-inspired charcuterie board!
A = Activity – There are so many activities to participate in that are Earth-friendly or geared towards Earth Day. Planting of trees and flowers is always encouraged, but if you’re anything like me and lack the green thumb or just want to get the kids involved, there are a lot of options to choose from. The butterfly garden is always a great way to go and is educational! If you are looking for a faster way to get results or have an artistic interest, then there are other options like a sunflower garden or a birdhouse!
R = Reusable – As I get older and more self-aware of the waste that is produced, I try to find ways to limit the trash that my family and I accumulate. We are on the go a lot, especially in the summer with trips to the lake and beach. I used to grab a Styrofoam cooler…insert cringe face emoji…which I never realized was so harmful, but now I can grab a reusable cooler from Target which is made from biodegradable materials. It is the guilt-free way to keep your items cool for road trips or outdoor use and is legal in every city, county, state and country!
T = Trash Cleanup – A good cleanup goes a long way! There are always places in the community that can benefit from a trash cleanup and it is very simple to do – just grab some disposable gloves or, even better, reusable gloves that can be washed and some trash bags and an hour or two of your time! If you’re looking to find a good cleanup spot, be sure to reach out to your local public works office and ask them for specific locations…they may even have a scheduled community/town cleanup to participate in!
H = Habitat Enhancements – Have you ever visited an alpaca farm? If you have one in your area, I highly suggest scheduling a visit to one and if you have kids, they will love it! If you have been to one, you may have noticed bird nests around the farm made from alpaca fur! The birds seem to love the soft and cozy homemade nesting wreaths, and they attract such beautiful birds to the area and build a wonderful space for their babies adding to their habitat!
D = Drink – Ditch the soda for a day, look for a festive way to celebrate Earth Day! One idea is with a tasty iced butterfly pea and matcha tea latte or, if you need to warm up, try it hot with sweet cold foam. Just a few ingredients are all you need and it’s aesthetically pleasing too! You can check out how to make this here!
A = Action Steps – Taking these 5 action steps can make such a difference. Eating sustainable seafood: did you know that over-fishing puts the survival of penguins at risk? Recycle your electronics: the materials can be used to reduce mining in chimpanzee habitats! Don’t idle your car: idling pollutes air in and around vehicles affecting animals such as birds and squirrels. Since it is springtime, look into planting pollinators and of course, don’t forget to recycle when possible!
Y = Youth Involvement – “Children are the future,” so exposing the younger generation to the importance of Earth Day and opening their minds to the endless possibilities of ways they can help make an impact is so important. Teachers do such a great job of helping students learn about the earth and have very creative methods of demonstrating ways to get their attention. I highly encourage parent participation as well – kids are often compared to sponges, so the more that we can instill in them the importance of doing our part and getting involved, the higher the likeliness of them actually doing it! My suggestion to you is to create an Earth Day tradition that can be carried on in your family through future generations. The possibilities are endless, so what are you waiting for?! Happy Earth Day!
Be sure to check out last year’s Earth Day post for more ideas and inspo!
Mother earth…planet earth…earth mother…earth land are just some of the names of endearment for where us humans live. There is one single day on the calendar that honors this earth and encourages humans to give back in different types of ways. If you are looking for unique ways to participate or celebrate, I am literally going to spell it out for you! See our Earth Day fun ideas below.
E = Eats – Eating clean or at least upping your veggie intake is one way to participate on Earth Day. If you’re anything like me, I love food especially when it is in the form of a charcuterie board! The fruit and veggie options are endless paired with some healthy hummus and homemade guacamole…are you salivating yet? Add some gourmet cheeses, nuts and of course something sweet and voila, a whole Earth Day-inspired charcuterie board!
A = Activity – There are so many activities to participate in that are Earth-friendly or geared towards Earth Day. Planting of trees and flowers is always encouraged, but if you’re anything like me and lack the green thumb or just want to get the kids involved, there are a lot of options to choose from. The butterfly garden is always a great way to go and is educational! If you are looking for a faster way to get results or have an artistic interest, then there are other options like a sunflower garden or a birdhouse!
R = Reusable – As I get older and more self-aware of the waste that is produced, I try to find ways to limit the trash that my family and I accumulate. We are on the go a lot, especially in the summer with trips to the lake and beach. I used to grab a Styrofoam cooler…insert cringe face emoji…which I never realized was so harmful, but now I can grab a reusable cooler from Target which is made from biodegradable materials. It is the guilt-free way to keep your items cool for road trips or outdoor use and is legal in every city, county, state and country!
T = Trash Cleanup – A good cleanup goes a long way! There are always places in the community that can benefit from a trash cleanup and it is very simple to do – just grab some disposable gloves or, even better, reusable gloves that can be washed and some trash bags and an hour or two of your time! If you’re looking to find a good cleanup spot, be sure to reach out to your local public works office and ask them for specific locations…they may even have a scheduled community/town cleanup to participate in!
H = Habitat Enhancements – Have you ever visited an alpaca farm? If you have one in your area, I highly suggest scheduling a visit to one and if you have kids, they will love it! If you have been to one, you may have noticed bird nests around the farm made from alpaca fur! The birds seem to love the soft and cozy homemade nesting wreaths, and they attract such beautiful birds to the area and build a wonderful space for their babies adding to their habitat!
D = Drink – Ditch the soda for a day, look for a festive way to celebrate Earth Day! One idea is with a tasty iced butterfly pea and matcha tea latte or, if you need to warm up, try it hot with sweet cold foam. Just a few ingredients are all you need and it’s aesthetically pleasing too! You can check out how to make this here!
A = Action Steps – Taking these 5 action steps can make such a difference. Eating sustainable seafood: did you know that over-fishing puts the survival of penguins at risk? Recycle your electronics: the materials can be used to reduce mining in chimpanzee habitats! Don’t idle your car: idling pollutes air in and around vehicles affecting animals such as birds and squirrels. Since it is springtime, look into planting pollinators and of course, don’t forget to recycle when possible!
Y = Youth Involvement – “Children are the future,” so exposing the younger generation to the importance of Earth Day and opening their minds to the endless possibilities of ways they can help make an impact is so important. Teachers do such a great job of helping students learn about the earth and have very creative methods of demonstrating ways to get their attention. I highly encourage parent participation as well – kids are often compared to sponges, so the more that we can instill in them the importance of doing our part and getting involved, the higher the likeliness of them actually doing it! My suggestion to you is to create an Earth Day tradition that can be carried on in your family through future generations. The possibilities are endless, so what are you waiting for?! Happy Earth Day!
Be sure to check out last year’s Earth Day post for more ideas and inspo!
Nicer weather is upon us and that means a lot more outside time with my kids, which they live for! They especially love playing with outdoor chalk, so I always keep at least one container of it stocked in our garage. Recently, my 5-year-old specifically requested we bring out the chalk and get creative, and that was a no-brainer for me…chalk play it was! See our creative learning with chalk play below.
I happened to have a ½ box of the 192 count Scented Chalk Sticks by Scentos, so I grabbed those and headed outside on our deck with the kiddos! They love drawing pictures and writing their names, adding on to each other’s designs, and letting their imaginations run wild – it usually always ends up being an easy 30-45 minutes of creative busy time.
My 1st grader and Kindergartener actually really enjoy it when I incorporate what they are currently learning in school and apply it to their chalk fun! For example, I will take their current sight words/trick words and write them in different colors to make a learning game out of it for them! I started doing this last year when we realized my one daughter struggled with her sight words and learning to read. This activity with the chalk really helped her and she was excited to play while learning. I even take photos or a video and send them to their teachers…they love it and praise the “extra” practice!
I love this form of play with the kids not only because it is done outdoors, but because it ignites creativity and personality, and it is just plain and simple fun! It can be done with math and other subjects as well. The options are endless!
Nicer weather is upon us and that means a lot more outside time with my kids, which they live for! They especially love playing with outdoor chalk, so I always keep at least one container of it stocked in our garage. Recently, my 5-year-old specifically requested we bring out the chalk and get creative, and that was a no-brainer for me…chalk play it was! See our creative learning with chalk play below.
I happened to have a ½ box of the 192 count Scented Chalk Sticks by Scentos, so I grabbed those and headed outside on our deck with the kiddos! They love drawing pictures and writing their names, adding on to each other’s designs, and letting their imaginations run wild – it usually always ends up being an easy 30-45 minutes of creative busy time.
My 1st grader and Kindergartener actually really enjoy it when I incorporate what they are currently learning in school and apply it to their chalk fun! For example, I will take their current sight words/trick words and write them in different colors to make a learning game out of it for them! I started doing this last year when we realized my one daughter struggled with her sight words and learning to read. This activity with the chalk really helped her and she was excited to play while learning. I even take photos or a video and send them to their teachers…they love it and praise the “extra” practice!
I love this form of play with the kids not only because it is done outdoors, but because it ignites creativity and personality, and it is just plain and simple fun! It can be done with math and other subjects as well. The options are endless!
We’re back with more holiday goody bag ideas and this time we’re giving the Easter Bunny a run for his money! These treat-filled bags will be the talk of the town and they’re stuffed full of fun items for spring – they’re perfect for your kiddo’s classroom. See our Easter goody bag ideas below.
We’re dreaming of all things spring with these goody bags! Bright colors, fun toys, and some yummy snacks make these bags the perfect balance of Easter treats and springtime essentials.
Fun is the focus with these goody bags! Stuff your treat bags with Easter playfoam, mini Play-Doh, sunglasses, slinkies, pop-it bracelets, light-up bracelets, slap bracelets (or these), and just a little bit of candy for a sweet surprise!
Kristy got these playfoam Easter sets from our Frugal & Thriving deal page for only $4.99 each! She was able to grab 60 for $16!! If you’re not already part of our Facebook group, join now so you don’t miss out on more awesome deals like these!! And check out our daily deals on our website, too!
Once your bags are stuffed they’re ready to go – pile them in a box and prepare to deliver a little bit of delight to the community! And we won’t tell if you keep a couple for yourself…these bags are good!!
We’re back with more holiday goody bag ideas and this time we’re giving the Easter Bunny a run for his money! These treat-filled bags will be the talk of the town and they’re stuffed full of fun items for spring – they’re perfect for your kiddo’s classroom. See our Easter goody bag ideas below.
We’re dreaming of all things spring with these goody bags! Bright colors, fun toys, and some yummy snacks make these bags the perfect balance of Easter treats and springtime essentials.
Fun is the focus with these goody bags! Stuff your treat bags with Easter playfoam, mini Play-Doh, sunglasses, slinkies, pop-it bracelets, light-up bracelets, slap bracelets (or these), and just a little bit of candy for a sweet surprise!
Kristy got these playfoam Easter sets from our Frugal & Thriving deal page for only $4.99 each! She was able to grab 60 for $16!! If you’re not already part of our Facebook group, join now so you don’t miss out on more awesome deals like these!! And check out our daily deals on our website, too!
Once your bags are stuffed they’re ready to go – pile them in a box and prepare to deliver a little bit of delight to the community! And we won’t tell if you keep a couple for yourself…these bags are good!!
Hippity hoppity Easter is on its way, along with our favorite bunny bringing treats for all the kiddos! If you know your Easter Bunny could use a little inspiration for basket ideas this year, we’ve got you covered! See our Easter basket inspiration below.
A themed bucket filled with your child’s favorite goodies will be a sweet delight for them on Easter morning! This unicorn bucket and this dino bucket can be saved and used for outdoor summer fun, as toy storage in their rooms, or as a special snack bucket in the pantry!
Fill with their favorite candy and toys, bubbles, fun activities like crayons or Play Doh, lip balms, and an Easter-inspired book or two!
Peeps are an Easter must-have (we love these rainbow pops and marshmallow candies), and a cool new toy like Hot Wheels and a how-to book for the holiday is perfect for the little ones!
These interactive smart watches (Spiderman and LOL Surprise) usually retail for $50 EACH, but Kristy was able to grab both for $11!!! If you’re not already part of our Facebook group, join now so you don’t miss out on more awesome deals like these!! And check out our daily deals on our website, too!
“Summer Fun” is an adorable idea for Easter baskets! These float baskets will get the kids excited for pool and beach time when the weather gets warmer, and they can be tailored for any age! This unicorn float (similar) is super cute for a toddler or young girl!
Stuff it with a beach/pool towel, a bathing suit, sunglasses, crafts, bubbles, and candy/snacks!
Here is another one! A flamingo float is another great option for a young girl…pair it up with a tie-dye towel and a pretty striped bathing suit!
Candy, snacks, a bubble blaster, and a princess activity book make this float even more exciting!
This pineapple float (similar) screams summer and it’s ideal for any age! Don’t forget the swimsuit and towel!
Of course, fill it with candy and snacks, bubbles, and an activity pad!
How cute?! This turtle float is just darling for a little boy! Include a beach towel and swim shorts for the ultimate summer package.
For the really young ones, a little candy and some snacks, a fidget popper, and bath crayons make perfect fillers!
For more inspiration, see our Easter basket ideas from last year here and check out our Amazon list of Easter basket fillers here!
Hippity hoppity Easter is on its way, along with our favorite bunny bringing treats for all the kiddos! If you know your Easter Bunny could use a little inspiration for basket ideas this year, we’ve got you covered! See our Easter basket inspiration below.
A themed bucket filled with your child’s favorite goodies will be a sweet delight for them on Easter morning! This unicorn bucket and this dino bucket can be saved and used for outdoor summer fun, as toy storage in their rooms, or as a special snack bucket in the pantry!
Fill with their favorite candy and toys, bubbles, fun activities like crayons or Play Doh, lip balms, and an Easter-inspired book or two!
Peeps are an Easter must-have (we love these rainbow pops and marshmallow candies), and a cool new toy like Hot Wheels and a how-to book for the holiday is perfect for the little ones!
These interactive smart watches (Spiderman and LOL Surprise) usually retail for $50 EACH, but Kristy was able to grab both for $11!!! If you’re not already part of our Facebook group, join now so you don’t miss out on more awesome deals like these!! And check out our daily deals on our website, too!
“Summer Fun” is an adorable idea for Easter baskets! These float baskets will get the kids excited for pool and beach time when the weather gets warmer, and they can be tailored for any age! This unicorn float (similar) is super cute for a toddler or young girl!
Stuff it with a beach/pool towel, a bathing suit, sunglasses, crafts, bubbles, and candy/snacks!
Here is another one! A flamingo float is another great option for a young girl…pair it up with a tie-dye towel and a pretty striped bathing suit!
Candy, snacks, a bubble blaster, and a princess activity book make this float even more exciting!
This pineapple float (similar) screams summer and it’s ideal for any age! Don’t forget the swimsuit and towel!
Of course, fill it with candy and snacks, bubbles, and an activity pad!
How cute?! This turtle float is just darling for a little boy! Include a beach towel and swim shorts for the ultimate summer package.
For the really young ones, a little candy and some snacks, a fidget popper, and bath crayons make perfect fillers!
For more inspiration, see our Easter basket ideas from last year here and check out our Amazon list of Easter basket fillers here!
We love a surprise snow day! There’s nothing better than waking up to a world of white and finding out school and work are cancelled. If you’re home with the kids on your next snow day and are looking for some entertainment inspiration, look no further! These snow day activities will keep the fun coming. See our roundup of snow day fun from Amazon below.
If you’re itching to get outdoors and smell the cool, crisp air and feel the fluffy snow underfoot, these activities will provide hours of entertainment! Get building with these snow block molds, a snowman accessory kit, this Sno Bucket of fun complete with tools and snow dye, or a handy dandy snow shovel for all of your digging needs. Feel the need for speed with these inflatable sleds or this super cool Ski Skooter, and prepare for the battle of a lifetime with this snow blaster gun and snowball makers!
If staying indoors is more your thing, read up on the science of snow with this book, make your own inside snow with this insta-snow powder, or have a snowball fight around the house with these perfectly plush snowballs!
Shop Snow Day Activities
We love a surprise snow day! There’s nothing better than waking up to a world of white and finding out school and work are cancelled. If you’re home with the kids on your next snow day and are looking for some entertainment inspiration, look no further! These snow day activities will keep the fun coming. See our roundup of snow day fun from Amazon below.
If you’re itching to get outdoors and smell the cool, crisp air and feel the fluffy snow underfoot, these activities will provide hours of entertainment! Get building with these snow block molds, a snowman accessory kit, this Sno Bucket of fun complete with tools and snow dye, or a handy dandy snow shovel for all of your digging needs. Feel the need for speed with these inflatable sleds or this super cool Ski Skooter, and prepare for the battle of a lifetime with this snow blaster gun and snowball makers!
If staying indoors is more your thing, read up on the science of snow with this book, make your own inside snow with this insta-snow powder, or have a snowball fight around the house with these perfectly plush snowballs!
Shop Snow Day Activities
Let your kids show off their spooky style all month long with these alarmingly adorable Halloween-themed digs from Carter’s and The Children’s Place! Fun fashion + low prices = mom’s (and kiddo’s) dream come true. Shop kids’ Halloween apparel below.
For Babies
Boo-tiful styles for baby!! Whether you’re looking for a cozy onesie, a matching set, or the perfect Halloween accessory, we’ve got you covered.
Shop Halloween Apparel for Babies
For Toddlers
These toddler tees are creepy cute!! For him or for her, these styles will help them celebrate Halloween all month long.
Shop Halloween Apparel for Toddlers
For Big Kids
And for the big kiddos who maybe don’t want to dress in a full costume, these tops can bring a little spooky spirit while still showing off their personal style.
Shop Halloween Apparel for Big Kids
Let your kids show off their spooky style all month long with these alarmingly adorable Halloween-themed digs from Carter’s and The Children’s Place! Fun fashion + low prices = mom’s (and kiddo’s) dream come true. Shop kids’ Halloween apparel below.
For Babies
Boo-tiful styles for baby!! Whether you’re looking for a cozy onesie, a matching set, or the perfect Halloween accessory, we’ve got you covered.
Shop Halloween Apparel for Babies
For Toddlers
These toddler tees are creepy cute!! For him or for her, these styles will help them celebrate Halloween all month long.
Shop Halloween Apparel for Toddlers
For Big Kids
And for the big kiddos who maybe don’t want to dress in a full costume, these tops can bring a little spooky spirit while still showing off their personal style.
Shop Halloween Apparel for Big Kids
There’s nothing that says “spooky season” quite like curling up and reading a frighteningly fun Halloween book by candlelight. Add a mug of hot chocolate or herbal tea and you’ve set the perfect scene for some seriously scary stories!! If you’re sharing story time with your kiddos, save the extra creepy characters for yourself after they’ve gone to bed. These Halloween books are perfect for celebrating the cute little ghouls and monsters that make the holiday fun for all. See our roundup of Halloween books for kids below.
Preschool & Kindergarten
For your preschool kiddo or kindergartener, these books are lighthearted and easy to read! Filled with lots of pictures and lovable characters, your children will learn lessons of bravery, strength, and friendship all while celebrating Halloween.
Shop Preschool/Kindergarten Books
Elementary & Middle School
For your elementary or middle school student, these books are slightly spookier and spin tales of ghosts and goblins and overcoming the challenges of a seemingly scary situation!
Shop Elementary/Middle School Books
And for the latest and greatest in Halloween books, shop all new Halloween releases from Amazon here!
There’s nothing that says “spooky season” quite like curling up and reading a frighteningly fun Halloween book by candlelight. Add a mug of hot chocolate or herbal tea and you’ve set the perfect scene for some seriously scary stories!! If you’re sharing story time with your kiddos, save the extra creepy characters for yourself after they’ve gone to bed. These Halloween books are perfect for celebrating the cute little ghouls and monsters that make the holiday fun for all. See our roundup of Halloween books for kids below.
Preschool & Kindergarten
For your preschool kiddo or kindergartener, these books are lighthearted and easy to read! Filled with lots of pictures and lovable characters, your children will learn lessons of bravery, strength, and friendship all while celebrating Halloween.
Shop Preschool/Kindergarten Books
Elementary & Middle School
For your elementary or middle school student, these books are slightly spookier and spin tales of ghosts and goblins and overcoming the challenges of a seemingly scary situation!
Shop Elementary/Middle School Books
And for the latest and greatest in Halloween books, shop all new Halloween releases from Amazon here!
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