School is winding down, and summer vacation is just around the corner. Children build strong friendships during a school year, so it is always nice to bring a little class treat on the last day of school. And, to make a small gift a bit more special, I love to design a unique tag to attach to it. Today, I am sharing a sweet, free printable tag that you can attach to bubbles and share with classmates.
To download the tag I designed: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.
I love how adorable the bubbles look when the tag is attached with a bit of curling ribbon, don't you?
Allergies and nutritious policies are always a concern, so bubbles are a perfect choice for a last day of school treat. Will you be sending something special this year? ♥ Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)
What better way to celebrate the last day of school than with a scavenger hunt? It's perfect for an "I survived the first week of school" celebration too. It's a wonderful way to get kids active and have some fun.
Here is an example of the sign I made to let my boys know that a treasure hunt was underway after the first week of school.
I hung it on the door so it was the first thing they saw when they got home from school. They found the sign and the first clue.
Then, they followed the first clue to the second clue... and so on.
They raced all around our neighbourhood solving riddles and finding clues... until they found the treasure!
Fun, right? It involved a bit of prep work, but our neighbourhood scavenger hunt was a lot of fun. It's the perfect way to celebrate the last of school! ♥ Gina(aka East Coast Mommy)
Sometimes simple ideas are the best, and it doesn't get easier than these Father's Day treat boxes. With a few dollar store supplies, and the free printable tags I designed, you can create the perfect handmade Father's Day gift for Dad.
To make this adorable treat box (which is actually an inexpensive hardware holder from the dollar store)... fill the sections with Dad's favourite treats, and add one of the tags I designed.
I designed a few different tags. To use the tags:click on the photo below, right-click, save to your computer, and print like a regular 4x6 picture.
Aren't these treat boxes adorable?
Kids would have a fantastic time picking out treats for these boxes, and they are simple to put together. Do you have a wonderful father in your life that would enjoy receiving one of these adorable Father's Day Treat Boxes? ♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
On Mother's Day, many special ladies get lovely bouquets of flowers, but I don't think my husband would be impressed with a vase full of blooms. In the past, I have made candy bouquets, but this time, I thought I would try something different. Instead of a flower or candy bouquet, I thought it would be fun for my boys to make a donut bouquet for Father's Day. I saw a version of this idea online, and I thought it looked super simple and really inexpensive to make. Keep reading for a step-by-step tutorial and easy-to-follow video.
To make a DIY Donut Bouquet, you'll need: donut holes, skewers, tissue paper, and ribbon. I got more supplies than I needed for about $8.
Then:
1) Insert skewers into the donut holes. (You can use mini donuts too.)
2) Arrange the donuts into a bouquet, and secure in place with an elastic.
3) Wrap the bouquet in tissue paper.
4) Tie a ribbon around the base of the flowers. (You can also add a layer of cellophane if you are transporting your bouquet and you want to protect the donuts.)
That's it! What child wouldn't be thrilled to gift this donut bouquet to their Dad? Add a homemade card, and you are good to go!
Check out this easy-to-follow video.
Isn't this a fantastic homemade Father's Day gift? Do you have a special man in your life that would enjoy this DIY donut bouquet? I think this is an absolutely adorable treat!
Lemonade stands are a great way for kids to raise money for charity, but you can raise even more money with the clever idea I am sharing today. Check out this fun fundraiser that my boys used to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis (a disease that their cousin has).
The boys marked the bottom of several suckers with a coloured marker, and then inserted all the suckers in a piece of styrofoam. We also made a sign that said, "Cystic Fibrosis SUCKS". Then, we sold the suckers for 50 cents each, and the people that picked a sucker that was coloured at the bottom won a prize from our prize bucket.
My boys did really well working their lemonade stand and game, and they were proud of the money they were able to raise for charity.
Do you have a good idea for raising money for charity? My boys are always looking for new ways to raise money to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.
I have been reading a lot about ticks and lyme disease lately, and as a mom, I worry about the safety of my family. My boys spend a lot of time outside exploring during the summer months, and I want to make sure they are safe. So, in addition to checking them regularly for ticks after they have been outdoors, I also put together a "tick safety kit".
A tick safety kit is easy and inexpensive to put together, and it's a great addition to your summer first aid kit. My kit includes:
alcohol swabs to clean the area once the tick has been removed
paper and a pen to record the time, date, location where the tick was found (e.g. on your left leg), and where you came into contact with the tick
a bag to hold the tick in case it needs to be tested
Do you have ticks in the area where you live? If you do, assembling a tick safety kit is a really good idea. You can also check out novascotia.ca/ticksafety or canada.ca/lymedisease for more information on protecting yourself against ticks and what to do after you remove the tick. ♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
PS (These are the tweezers I bought for my kit. It's an affiliate link, so if you purchase them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!)
Last month our family vacationed in Florida, and because it was our 5th family trip to this location, we wanted to try something new. After some research, and because we had never seen a real alligator, we decided to go to Gatorland*. We didn't know what to expect, but we loved it! So, today I am sharing our visit with you... including 9 reason to visit Gatorland.
1) Shows - There are some really entertaining shows at Gatorland. The "Upclose Encounters Show" lets you see snakes and spiders up close, the "Gator Jumperoo Show" gives you the opportunity to witness alligators being hand fed, and there is a fun alligator wrestling show.
My boys and their cousins loved the shows... and they even had a chance to get their pictures taken with some of the actors.
2) You can hold a baby alligator. For an extra fee, you can get your photo taken with a snake and a baby alligator. I was happy to get a rare photo of all five of us, and my boys felt pretty cool holding a real alligator.
3) You can meet (and feed) a giant turtle. For a small fee, my boys were able to get up close and feed a real giant turtle a piece of apple from a stick. How cool is that????
4) You can take fun pictures with your family. My boys and their cousins loved playing around and taking some silly pictures with alligators!
6) You can feed alligators. As you come through the gates, you can buy some small fish and feed the alligators. My boys thought it was pretty cool to feel the alligators pulling on their ropes.
7) You can see lots of alligators. If you want to see alligators, Gatorland does not disappoint. You will see white alligators, big alligators, small alligators, and baby alligators. There are LOTS of alligators.
8) You can see more than just Alligators. Gatorland is not just about alligators. There are birds, goats, spiders, snakes, turtles, and more. There is something for everyone!
Have you ever been to Gatorland? If you are planning a trip to Florida, I highly recommend going with your family. It's reasonably priced, and your kids will love it!
♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
*Disclosure: I was given complimentary and discounted tickets in exchange for my truthful review of Gatorland. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.
