10 Summer Adventures for the Family... and a printable checklist

When it comes to summer fun, it's always great to have inspiration and a plan. Today, I'm sharing both! You can pick one or two items off of my summer adventure checklist, or you can tackle all ten.

To download a copy of the list: click on the picture above, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photograph.

And... here are the details...

1) Eat ice cream – Make homemade ice cream, have ice cream for supper, or try a NEW ice cream stand.

2) Do something good – Run a lemonade stand or yard sale for charity, visit the grocery store and buy things to donate to a food bank, or participating in a few random acts of kindness.

3) Buy a meal from a food truck and eat outside – Grab burgers, fries, fish, or pizza, and have a picnic in the park.

4) Visit a beach – Go for a swim, play catch on the shore, collect sea glass and shells, fly a kite, or go on a scavenger hunt.

5) Cook on a campfire – Avoid dinner dishes by roasting hot dogs over an open fire. Then, cook campfire treats for dessert.

6) Plan a theme day –Some options include: “spend gift cards day”, “play board games day”, and “kids pick the meals day”.

7) Have an outdoor movie night – Watch a movie under the stars with blankets, pillows and treats.

8) Plan a parent / child date – Parents pick the time frame and budget, and the kids pick the activity.

9) Get creative – Make a craft, bake something, decorate a cake, try a new recipe, or film a video. The only limit is your imagination.

10) Explore – Go on a hike, hunt for waterfalls, swim somewhere new, or go a road trip.

Which of these summer adventures are you going to go on with your family? Let me know in the comments below.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

5 Genius Budget-friendly Ideas for SUMMER... including FREE games and decor

Summer is definitely my favourite season. Who doesn't love decorating with cheerful colors, vacations, and warm temperatures? Today, I'm sharing a few genius ideas for summer... including food, decor, and more. I use a lot of dollar store supplies AND I have freebies too!

I even made a fun video with all the info you need!

Watch the video here.

1) Hand painted lemon slice coasters - I found a six pack of rounds at the dollar store, and I thought it would be fun to turn them into lemon slice coasters. They are super simple and fun to paint -- at any age. I'm not much of a painter, but I think they turned out really cute! You can find the full step-by-step instructions here.

2) Cheesecakes in jars - I love these individual cheesecakes. They are portable and perfect for camping, picnics, and bbqs. And... the best part is how easy they are to make. Find the instructions for these "no bake" cheesecakes here.

3) FREE Summer print - I love cute summer print, and this one is FREE and looks adorable in a dollar store frame.

To download the picture I designed: click on the picture you want (below), right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular photo.

4x6

5x7

8x10

4) Printable SUMMER Tic Tac Toe - I'm obsessed with these little games I designed. They are perfect for summer days, camping, and road trips. I love the bright colours and the fact that they are an activity AND a snack. Cute, right?

To download the games I designed for free: click on one of the photos below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regurlar 4x6 photo.

5) FREE Summer decor - I love inexpensive seasonal decor, and these summer prints are super-cute and FREE. Grab copies here, pop them in a dollar store frame, and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these budget-friendly ideas for summer. Let me know which one is your favourite in the comments below... and don't forget to watch my video for a closer look.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the summer DIYs here.

Summer Crafts for Kids (with a "how to" video and free printable templates)

Summer is the perfect time to craft with kids, and these crafts are simple AND fun! The video (below) is easy to follow, the templates are free, and the supplies are easy to find.

Here are the crafts:

And here are the instructions:

Let me know which one is your favourite! I think the Cheerio worm is mine... but they are all fantastic. :-)

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

10 NEW (Dollar Store) Summer Essentials and HACKS

Summer is here, and your local dollar store is the perfect place to stock up on summer essentials. Today, I'm sharing my favorite dollar store finds for Summer and HACKS you are going to want to try!

Click the links for more details.

1) Personalized summer essentials bag - It's super-convenient to have an "easy to grab" bag full of summer essentials, and the dollar store has everything you need to stock it inexpensively.

2) Compact beach towel - The dollar store beach towels are cheap, colourful, and thin enough to pack it easily.

3) Water bottles - The dollar store has water bottles to fit any style. I love this big one with a straw. It helps me stay hydrated all summer long.

4) Solar lights - I love using solar lights on my patio. They are very low maintenance and provide a great atmosphere all season long. The small string solar lights are perfect for the roof of my gazebo.

5) Personalized detangling brushes - These brushes are perfect for wind-blown, pool, or beach hair. They are inexpensive and fun to personalize with a Cricut decal.

6) Economical (and fun!) movie night treats - Buying your favourite candy and packaging it in dollar store condiment containers is clever. It also looks great and helps with portion control.

7) Campfire essentials - Campfires are a summer essential... so you need to make sure you have lots of campfire treats on hand. I love this dollar store bucket, goodies, and personalized roasting sticks.

8) Storage solutions - To make room for summer, pack away winter clothes and blankets. The dollar store has extra large bags that work perfectly.

9) Citronella candles - The dollar has many options for these candles that help keep the bugs away. My current favorite is this cement version. It's very "on trend".

10) Glow sticks - Glow sticks are a summer staple in our home. They are great for taking for walks in the dark and for playing tag at night. They are also great for providing light... especially at the bottom of a cooler. Functional AND fun!

For a closer look and MORE great ideas... check out the video below.

I hope you head to the dollar store and pick up some of these summer essentials. These products are definitely worth buying and the hacks are definitely worth trying!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the dollar store diys for summer you can find here.

10 AMAZING dollar store finds, hacks and diys for SUMMER

I love summer, and living well on a budget, don't you??? If you answered "yes" you are going to really enjoy this post and video. Today, I'm sharing 10 AMAZING dollar store finds, hacks and diys for SUMMER.

1) DIY Solar-Powered Lamp - I love this cute little lamp, and it's perfect for summer patios. It's also super-easy to make with a few cheap supplies from the dollar store. Find the step-by-step instructions here.

2) Summer entertaining hack - Dishes from the dollar store are perfect for summer entertaining. They are cheap... but they don't need to look it! Pop a margarita glass in the center of a bowl for an impressive way to serve chips and dip. Get a closer look here.

3) Hack for keeping food cold when entertaining this summer - Add water to the bottom of a dollar store bowl, freeze it, and insert a second (identical) bowl on top. Fill it with food, and your good to go! See a visual demonstration here.

4) DIY First Aid Kit - Summer adventures are often accompanied with bumps and bruises, so having basic first aid items ready at all times is advisable. I love grabbing a plastic container at the dollar store and filling it with supplies. I also use duct tape to add a cross to the top to make it recognizable. Find out more here.

5) Water Fight Supplies - The dollar store has everything you need for summer water fights. I love these balloons, but for a more environmentally option, consider cutting sponges into strips and securing the centres together with an elastic. Then, you can dip the sponge balls in water and throw. Both options are perfect on a hot summer day!

6) Wipes - Baby wipes are perfect to have on hand during summer. They are perfect for picnics and for wiping sticky fingers when kids are eating s'mores.

7) Wasp deterent - I've bought these paper wasp nests at the dollar store for years, and I swear they work. I have no idea what crazy science makes these effective, but I'm a believer!

8) Cupcake wrappers - Everyone has cupcake wrappers for making cupcakes and muffins, but they have other uses too. Poke a hole in the middle, pop in a straw, and use them to keep flies out of summer drinks. They also work for catching popsicle stick drips.

9) Custom roasting sticks - Campfires are made for roasting, and these customized sticks are inexpensive and easy to make. Find the "how to" instructions here.

10) Candy tray - I love a simple, summer candy tray. I made this one from a dollar store picture frame, and you can find the "how to" here.

For a closer look at all 10 AMAZING dollar store finds, hacks, and diys for SUMMER, check out the video below.

Let me know in the comments if you have a favourite summer HACK. I love learning new things!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Fantastic SUMMER Freebies and DIYs (boho chic... and budget-friendly)

Who doesn't love gorgeous (and budget-friendly) home decor? It's so great to refresh decor with a change in seasons, and I have some great options for summer. I have SEVEN free prints you can download, and 3 differently DIYs. (Scroll to the bottom of this post for the step-by-step DIY video.)

I love these boho chic pictures. You can download them for free here, and pop them into dollar store frames (like I did).

And how cute is this DIY wall hanging? You can find the step-by-step instructions to make tassels and this wall hanging here.

You can also add picture with tiny clothespins. Cute, right?!?

And once you are addicted to making tassels 😀, you can use them to make this super-cheerful garland.

For a closer look at all these summer freebies and DIYs, check out the YouTube video below.

I hope you like these summer decor ideas. I have more summer content coming soon, so stay tuned!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the summer DIYs here.