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Homemade Scoop Toy

Who says that you have to buy all of your toys? Creating your own toys can be find and very frugal. Here is one idea that you can try. Do you know those plastic scoop toys that you can purchase? They consist of a scoop, a ball and a string. If you purchase one in the store, expect to pay at least $10-20. If you make this toy at home using materials that you already have, then the toy is free. Your kids will have hours of fun playing with this toy, and it is suitable for different ages. The … Continue reading →

Cheap and Easy Summer Fun with Kids

As I mentioned in a previous blog, you don’t have to fly to Disney or rent an expensive RV and hit the road on a two-week vay-cay to make lasting summer memories with your kids. If the struggling economy has you scaling back on your summer vacation plans, then consider sticking closer to home and bonding with your children while taking part in the following activities: Berry Picking Strawberry picking is a summertime tradition in our family. Each June, we drive to a nearby farm and pick pounds and pounds of fresh, juicy berries. The family-friendly activity is geared towards … Continue reading →

Toddler Time

Ready, set, play! Nothing says lovin’ like an afternoon of fun with your curious toddler. Forget about spending a ton of money on fancy electronic toys. Instead, employ the following ideas to engage your tot in a day of discovery: CATCH WITH A CATCH Toddlers love to be chased, but there’s even more to love with this simple game when you spice it up. For example, instead of merely tagging your tot, the next time you catch her, plant a big kiss on her cheek or scoop her up into a big bear hug. My toddler loved getting tickled whenever … Continue reading →

Affordable Easter Fun

You don’t have to go into debt trying to make Easter fun for your kids. Forget about dropping big bucks on massive toy-stuffed Easter baskets and other activities and consider the following kid-friendly frugal options instead: EASTER EGG RACE Materials: 12 Easter eggs–6 pink and 6 green (you can use your favorite color eggs just make sure there are six of one color and 6 of another) Basket Masking tape Large spoons Directions: Use the masking tape to a line. Place all the pink eggs on the floor in a line at intervals of one foot. Place the basket at … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Soap Crayons

For a little fun in the tub for your little ones, consider making your own soap crayons. They are fun to use, easy to clean up, and they won’t break the bank. I made mine out of extra ingredients that I wasn’t using. Read below to find out how you can make your own. To make soap crayons, you will first need some soap, or in this case, powdered laundry detergent. I used some Ivory Snow that was given to me. This detergent is very gentle without any harsh additives, so I was confident that it wouldn’t irritate my children’s … Continue reading →

10 Quick and Fun Summer Ideas

My summer is just whooshing by. I’ve heard from other mothers that they feel the same way, so I thought I’d try to think of some extremely quick and easy ways to celebrate summer. 1. Slice up a watermelon for an afternoon snack or dessert. Have some wet wipes or paper towels handy. 2. Have a water gun fight. If you don’t have water guns, scoops of water out of a bucket or kiddie pool work too. 3. Buy a box of fancy popsicles, they come in sorts of fun flavors and varieties now. 4. Get some lovely fresh and … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: May 12th Through May 18th

I sometimes get asked the question, where do you come up with your frugal ideas?!? I love this question, because it really humbles me. I am by no means someone who comes to frugality with a natural talent for it. Instead, I try to work hard to come up with new ways to save money and resources and help us all be the best stewards of our stuff. Some of the ideas come from research, some from readers and friends, most of the ideas come from a practical need or experience and some just pop into my head at inopportune … Continue reading →

Feline Hunting Games

Cats are hunters by nature. Where dogs chase and overcome prey, cats wait, stalk, and pounce. Cats rarely miss their prey; they wait for the right moment to strike, when victory is almost assured. There are many ways to stimulate your cat’s hunting instincts through play. A cat has several different stances or body positions for hunting and play hunting. Mousing: a low to the ground stalk, followed by a pounce or a one-paw scoop Birding: an upward scooping motion, with toes spread and claws out Fishing: a downward scooping motion, with the paw bent like a hook and claws … Continue reading →