FREE Halloween Printable (Eat, Drink, and Be Scary)

Who doesn't love simple (and FREE) DIY home decor... especially for the holidays? Recently, I designed a fun purple and orange Halloween print, and today I am sharing it with you. You can download the 8X10 print for FREE, and pop it in an inexpensive dollar store. Cute, right?

There is nothing frightening about this "Eat, Drink, and Be Scary" print. It is pure cuteness!

To download the print: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 print. (I printed mine at a local copy store for 39 cents!)

I hope you take a minute to download and print this cute Halloween Print. It will definitely be a unique and inexpensive addition to your home decor on October 31st.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Summer Checklist 2017 (free printable)

Every year, my boys and I put together a summer checklist of all the fun adventures we plan on completing during their break from school. Our list is filled with simple and inexpensive ideas, but this annual tradition has proven to be a valuable tool for building priceless childhood memories. Today, I am sharing our 2017 checklist (that you can download for free), including many links to additional info about the activities. We have 50 items on our list, but feel free to just choose 20, 30, or 40 of your favourites.

To download and print the summer checklist: right-click on the checklist below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo. I sent mine to my local copy store and printed it for $0.39. 

And... in case you need more info about the items on list, check out the helpful links below.

1) Celebrate Canada Day or the 4th of July

2) Watch fireworks or attend a parade
3) Have a teddy bear picnic

4) Go to a splash pad or swim in a pool
5) Host a "half sleepover"

6) Go to a farmer's market
7) Visit the library and read a book outside

8) Have a water fight
9) Go fishing or hiking
10) Have a family movie night outside

11) Eat donuts from a string (with no hands)

12) Pick out a toy or treat at the dollar store
13) Plant something and watch it grow

14) Visit a wildlife park, farm or zoo
15) Build a fort
16) Get ice cream in PJs (drive throughs are OK) 
17) Play baseball, soccer, golf or street hockey
18) Make ice cream or go to an ice cream stand

19) Go for a bike ride
20) Decorate a cake or bake cookies

21) Spend time at a cottage, beach or park
22) Do a science experiment

23) Play a board game

24) Go geo-caching

25) Have a "kids pick the meals" day
26) Play mini golf
27) See a play or visit a museum
28) Have a lemonade stand

29) Try a new food
30) Have a theme day (e.g. a pirate day or superhero day)

31) Camp in the backyard or living room

32) Have a PJ day
33) Build a large puzzle
34) Make a summer reading list or keep a summer journal
35) Fly a kite

36) Have a dance party in the living room

37) Go on a scavenger hunt

38) Build an obstacle course
39) Play with water balloons

40) Do a good deed or raise money for charity
41) Visit a new city or town
42) Play "tag"
43) Roast marshmallows or make a different campfire treat

44) Write and mail a letter or postcard
45) Run in a race
46) Make a craft

47) __________________________
48) __________________________
49) __________________________
50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER!

As you can see, there are blank spaces at the bottom of my checklist for you to add a few of your own activities/ideas. Or, you can create an entirely new list using the template below. Right-click on the template, save it to your computer, print it like a regular 8X10 photo, and add as many activities as you like!

This really is one of my favourite family traditions. It's always a lot of fun, and definitely something my boys look forward to each year.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Father's Day Gift... with free printable tags

Every dad needs a special treat on Father's Day, and who doesn't love Reese's Pieces? Today, I am sharing a fun treat for dad and adorable FREE tags to make the gift extra special.

I started with six boxes of Reese's Pieces. I used double sided tape to attach four boxes together, and then I used more tape to attach a box to each of the sides. The result is an adorable "cube" of Reese's Pieces treats.

I then used some yellow ribbon to attached one of these clever, "punny" tags.

To download the sweet tags I designed: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

Cute, right?

Isn't this an easy and inexpensive Father's Day gift for the special dad in your life? The tasty treat and little tags are guaranteed to bring a smile to his face.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

THREE End of Year Class Treats... with free printable tags

The school year is coming to a close, and little ones will soon be saying a sad goodbye to the friends they have been with all year. It's always fun (and makes the farewell easier) to bring a little "good bye" treat to share with classmates on the last day of school. So, today I am sharing THREE simple year end class treats with adorable FREE printable tags.

Dollar store splash balls make fun treats... especially when a class mate has allergies or a school has a strict nutrition policy. You can give the balls alone, or you can pop them on top of an ice cream cones. Both options are sure to please!

To download the "I had a BALL having you in my class this year!" tag: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. (There are three tags to a page.)

Inexpensive jumbo freezies make sweet treats on the last day of school, and the pink popsicles on the tags add an extra dose of cuteness!

To download the "It was COOL having you in my class this year." tag: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. (There are three tags to a page.)

Prepackaged teddy bear crackers are a simple options for moms who want to send treats, but don't want to spend time in the kitchen. The little teddy bear tag is adorable and a wonderful option for younger kids.

To download the "I'm BEARY happy you were in my class." tag: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. (There are three tags to a page.)

I love all three of these options for end of year class treats, don't you? The balls are probably my favourite, but I think they are all easy, inexpensive, and fun. What will you be sending with the kids
on the last day of school? Summer will be here before we know it!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Teaching Children to do Laundry... including a printable chore chart

Keeping up with my boys and their busy schedules is always a struggle, and the constant mountain of laundry they create doesn't help. I can't stop my hard-playing boys from getting sweaty and playing in the dirt... but I can teach them to help me get their clothes clean. Today, I am sharing some tips and tricks for teaching kids to help with the laundry, and I have created a handy laundry chore chart that breaks down tasks by age.

It's important to get kids involved early, and it is necessary to set them up for success by giving them age appropriate chores. Below, you will find a laundry chore chart that breaks down the laundry tasks (by age) in a way that allows children to build on their skills as they get older and more responsible.

To download a copy of this chore chart for free: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo.

Young children (age 3 to 5) enjoy helping, and it is a good time to get them involved in the laundry process. They can easily put their clothes in the hamper. Encourage them to get the laundry ready for the hamper... separate the pieces, make sure the clothes aren't inside out, and empty the pockets.

As children get older (age 6 to 9), they can start to take on more responsibility when it comes to doing laundry. They can decide what is dirty and what can be re-worn... i.e. not everything has to be thrown into the laundry hamper! They can also help by matching socks, learning to fold (even thought it may not be the neatest), and carrying their clothes to their room(s).

At around age 10, mature children can really start taking their laundry assistance to the next level. Lessons on sorting and washing can begin, and they can start learning to put away their laundry in an organized way. Writing out instructions on how to use the washer, and letting the kids use laundry pods makes the job a little easier.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out the NEW Arm & Hammer 3 in 1 Power Paks*. These Power Paks will are easy to use, and they will cut your chore time and your budget -- while doing the top performance job you'd expect.

Did you know?

• The simple, effective, all-in-one triple chamber system features the freshening power of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, the stain fighting strength of OxiClean, and a deep cleaning liquid laundry detergent to tackle tough stains and keep your clothes smelling fresher, longer.
• Easy-to-use paks means no bulky bottles, spills or messes.
• Cold water formula saves energy and money.
• At just $0.19 per load versus $0.35 per load for other leading brands, this all-in-one detergent gives you the results you want at a fraction of the cost!
• Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean 3-in-1 Power Paks are available in Fresh Scent and Coldwater at mass drug and grocery retailers across Canada (including your local Loblaws store).

Do your kids help with the laundry? I'd love to hear your tips/tricks for getting them involved. Leave a comment below, or share your fresh experience with me online using #AHFreshPerspective.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)
*Disclosure: I received compensation as part of my affiliation with Arm & Hammer .... however (as always) the opinions on this blog are 100% my own... and my love for products that save me time and money is real. I only ever promote products that my boys and I like and believe in.

2016 Year in Review (free printable)

Update: find a 2021 version here.

New Year's Eve is a time for reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the new one -- not just for adults, but for kids too. With this in mind, each year I put together a Year in Review questionnaire for my boys to fill out on New Year's Eve.

It is a pretty simple questionnaire, and you can download the free printable by: clicking on the picture (above), right-clicking saving it to your computer, and printing it like a regular 8X10 photo. I usually print mine at my local office supply store.

I love seeing what my boys come up with each year. Maybe someday I will make a book for each of my boys using all the questionnaires they have filled out over the years.
Happy New Year, everybody!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Elf on the Shelf Kissing Booth (free printable)

There are a lot of free Elf on the Shelf printables on the web, but I am absolutely obsessed with the cuteness of this free Elf on the Shelf kissing booth! This is how we found our Elf this morning... and he was surrounded by chocolate kisses.

Isn't this "kissing booth" adorable? And what child wouldn't love to wake up to all these sweet chocolate kisses?

To download a FREE copy of the Elf on the Shelf kissing booth: click on the photo below, right click, save it to your computer, and print (on cardstock) like a regular 8x10 photo.

Print the booth on heavy card stock, cut out a window for the elf to peek through, and fold the sides in to make it stand. It's that easy!

What fun things has your elf been up to this year? I hope you have fun with this free Elf on the Shelf kissing booth. It's my Christmas gift to you. Happy holidays!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find MORE easy and inexpensive Elf on the Shelf ideas here. 

Make sure to check out the magic Elf seeds. It's my favourite!