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FREE Bunny Tails Bag Topper Printable

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January 30, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Easter, Free, Frugal Living, Instagram, Pinterest, Recipe, Spring

FREE Bunny Tails Bag Topper Printable

I simply LOVE bag toppers, especially when they are FREE. First they are such an easy craft, second they are such a cheap “thinking about you gift!” Grab this FREE Bunny Tails Bag Topper Printable for your little rabbits this Easter Season.

Crafts Needed:

Mini Marshmallows
Cellophane Bags or Sandwich Bags
Printed Bag Tags (get below)
Stapler

Directions:

Print included PDF and cut into individual tags.
Place mini marshmallows in bag.
Fold tag over top of bag and staple on each side.

Enjoy!

Get this Bunny Tails printable and all of Frugal Coupon Living’s Free Printables. Enter your name and email address and we will send you a link and password for access to your free downloads.

Are you making these fun Bunny Tails for your classroom? Also consider these yummy Peeps S’mores! Pin to Pinterest.

Find these other Easter Crafts and Spring Recipes on Frugal Coupon Living.

Follow all Recipes on Frugal Coupon Living as well as FCLAsh on Pinterest.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

Tetris Printable Game Pieces for Travel

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January 28, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media

For the game lover, download these free Tetris Printable Game Pieces for Travel. Comes with two versions of directions and scoring.

Tetris Printable Game Pieces

You guys, Tetris is my jam. Like I have beat the game more times than I can announce. At 30-something (cough, cough) years old, on a drive down from Virginia to Florida, I might have played the Tetris Electronic Game most of the ride. I did have five children (my offspring) in the car seats behind me. They were mostly attended. Let’s just say, they got there alive and I beat the game at least twice on the way down. I did pat myself on the back because no one else would at the end of that ride!

Is anyone else a huge fan of Tetris? If so, try the printable version. We have the perfect gift for you – Tetris Printable Game Pieces for Travel. You too can pat yourself on the back at the end of your cross country drive!

Tetris Printable Game Supplies

You will need your game pieces and game board. Optional items include cardstock or a laminator and pouches.

Tetris Game Board and Pieces (we will email you access)
Cardstock
Laminator
Laminating Sheets

Tetris Printable Game Board Prep

Print your game board and Tetris game pieces on cardstock. We suggest laminating your board and pieces to keep them sturdy and help them last longer.

A laminator and cardstock are both items I am always using. Scotch Laminating Sheets are my favorite brand.

How to Play Printable Tetris

A printable Tetris game is a bit different form the electronic version, first lines don’t clear.

Place all your pieces in a bag and shuffle them.
Draw a piece and put it on your board. The piece must be placed on the bottom, working your way up with each new piece (like in electronic Tetris.)
Try and fill all the spaces.
Pieces can be rotated in any direction but they cannot be flipped on their back.

There are two versions for scoring your printable Tetris game.

First Version

Fill as much of the board as you can. When you can no longer add anymore pieces, count all the white squares that are exposed. The lowest number wins.

Second Version

Shift pieces downwards manually from the bottom as rows are filled up. Count how many rows you are able to delete to get your score. Highest number wins.

Download Your Free Tetris Printable Game Pieces

Get all of our free printables including these Tetris Game Pieces. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download all of our free printables.

1.) Enter your email address HERE.

2.) Confirm the email request in your inbox.

3.) Look for the link and passcode in your inbox.

By downloading you are accepting the terms that this is for personal, non-commercial use. Please contact Frugal Coupon Living with any questions.

I am happy to share printables. When sharing with others, please lead them to my website instead of emailing them the file(s). It takes time, effort and money to put the freebies forth and I earn when you visit. Thanks for visiting and thanks for sharing with others!

How to Print at Staples

Have your PDF, Word Document or printable saved to a folder on your computer.
Sign in or create a Staples account.
Return to the Staples Printing Service Page.
Scroll down to Self-Service printing.
Go to Start Project.
Go to Documents Printing.
Select Browse.
Select the Buy Now Button under color.
In the left column, choose add file(s).
Select upload files (to upload a file from your computer).
Add more files or select the blue upload button.
Select done.
Give your job a name in the top left column.
Choose color or B&W.
Make sure your project is single sided. (You can choose double sided if you need.)
Choose the correct orientation of your project – landscape or portrait.
I changed my media to 8.5×11 67 lb card/coverstock (I prefer a card stock feel over printer paper feel. It makes the paper very durable and sturdy.)
Save your product to Staples or select add to cart on the bottom right.
Proceed to checkout.

*Note: these Staple print service steps were added in Winter 2019 The directions may change as the website changes. They should give you a general outline of how to upload and order a print on Staples.com.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final game board. Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!

Traveling? Take a look at these Airplane Activities for Kids. Pin to Pinterest.

Save these Road Trip Hacks and Tips. Pin to Pinterest.

FREE Bridal Shower Recipe Printable

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January 25, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Free, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

FREE Bridal Shower Recipe Printable

Pin to Pinterest

My mother did this for me and I find it to the the perfect gift for a new bride, especially one who might be cooking for the first time. This free resource creates a recipe book for a young bride. Fill with favorite recipes from her friends, family and more. I suggest you send the recipes out with your invitations. Ask everyone to return them to the bridal shower. If this is not an option, print out your recipe cards and ask people to fill out the recipes at the shower. Place each recipe in a photo album or a brag book. Such a lovely and memorable bride to remember this special occasion.

Supplies:

Brag Book (or we got this one from Dollar General)
White Card Stock
Craft Brown Paper Card Stock
Scissors/Cutter

Get this printable and all of Frugal Coupon Living’s Free Printables. Enter your name and email address and we will send you a link and password for access to your free downloads.

By downloading you are accepting the terms that this is for personal, non-commercial use. Please contact Frugal Coupon Living with any questions.

Directions:

Download your Recipe Freebie.
Print on white cardstock. Print the cover page on brown cardstock.
For a shower there are a few ways to handle this a.) Have the recipe cards out at the shower or b.) mail to your guests in their bridal shower invitation. Ask them to fill out the recipe and bring back to the shower. Also consider including the family (perhaps that can’t make it) in this recipe round-up.
Place the recipe cards inside a brag book with the title cover “Recipes from my Favorites.”

First comes love, them comes marriage and then come baby. Next might be a Baby Shower! Check out these Baby Shower Ideas and Tips. Pin to Pinterest.

Consider this Hand Stamped Spoon Tutorial for a Wedding or Shower gift! Pin to Pinterest.

How to Hand Stamp Metal Spoons + Printable

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January 25, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media

Tutorial on How to Hand Stamp Metal Spoons. Spoon quotes and sayings plus our free Wedding Gift Printable – May your marriage be filled with lots of laughs, love and ice cream!

How to Hand Stamp Metal Spoons

I love antique spoons. My mother and law uses her silver spoons every day, not just on special occasions. I wish I had silver spoons to do that and plan to hit more thift stores to build my collection.

Spoon Quotes and Sayings

For our wedding gift, we did a cute little – Love you, Love you more spoon quote. There are many sayings and creative ideas you can come up with when creating your own Stamp Metal Spoons.

For those that love cereal you could have the quotes…

Be a Fruitloop in a World Full of Cheerios

Cereal Killer

For wedding gift ideas, you could have the quotes

Let’s Spoon. Maybe.

Hot Stuff

His. Hers.

Other cute spoon quotes for the kitchen include

Hangry.

In a Jam

Awesome Sauce

Coffee Spoons Quotes

Coffee might be your vice. Some messages for Coffee Spoons include these cute quotes and sayings…

Drink Coffee, Read Books, Be Happy

But First Coffee

Rise and Grind

Nana’s Coffee

My husband loves coffee. He always has a spoon on the counter by the coffee pot. For him, I want to make the quote Love you a Latte. Maybe next Father’s Day or for his birthday. A silly small gift, but something he will use and look at every day!

Hand Stamp Metal Spoon Supplies

If you want a good looking hand stamped metal spoons, you will need a few supplies.

Upcycled Spoons (we got ours at a thrift store)
Metal Stamp Set (we used this set)
Jewelry Mini Hammer (similar to this one)
Steel Bench Block
An old rag or towel
Metal Stamping Sticker Guides
Steel Wool
Black Sharpie Permanent Maker
Optional: Rubbing Alcohol
Optional: Silver Polish
Optional: Painters Tape or Masking Tape
Optional: Heart Stamp

For the Printable Wedding Gift Tag

Printer (Or send to Staples – see instructions below)
Cardstock Paper
Scissors

How to Hand Stamp Metal Spoons

Head to your local thrift store and pick up some silver spoons. We found ours for $.50 each – talk about a deal! You can use stainless steel spoons but they aren’t as soft and you have to hit it harder and for a longer period time. I would suggest getting Premier Stamps from ImpressArt for those. At $.50 a spoon, get a couple to practice with.

I would suggest you use a silver polish on the spoons before beginning your DIY Metal Stamping. I have always used Weiman Silver Polish.

First, find the appropriate sticker guide for your spoon. You want the letters spaced out evenly. It’s important to plan ahead or you will have letters all over the place. You also can use painters tape or masking tape to line up your lettering.

We wrapped our block with an old rag (towel). Having your metal block wrapped, keeps the spoon from slipping. Lay your spoon on your block. You also can using masking tape to hold the spoon in place.

Next, put your stamp on silver spoon and hit with a hammer about 3 times for each letter. It is important to hit it head on and not at an angel. It it pretty hard. Continue this pattern until you have your message stamped onto the spoon. Sometimes I find it is best to start with the center letter. For example if I had the word YOU, I would start with the O and then add the U and then add the Y. This helped me center myself and my message.

After your message is stamped, color over letters with a black Sharpie marker. Don’t worry, this will erase!

Scrub excess marker off with a steel wool. You could use a polishing cloth or rubbing alcohol with paper towel.

Easy peasy, you have your completed stamped metal spoons.

Now, download our free Wedding Gift Tag Printable. Open the document and print from your computer onto card stock.

Cut out the gift tag with scissors.

Wedding Gift Printable Gift Tag

Want to print this free Wedding Gift Printable gift tag?

May your marriage be filled with lots of laughs, love and ice cream!

Get all of our free printables including this Wedding Gift Tag Printable. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download all of our free printables.

To Get Your Free Printable:

1.) Enter your email address HERE.

2.) Confirm the email request in your inbox.

3.) Look for the link and passcode in your inbox.

By downloading you are accepting the terms that this is for personal, non-commercial use. Please contact Frugal Coupon Living with any questions.

I like to order my prints at Staples. It saves on ink and is only a few short miles from my home. I pick-up at the store, but of course you can upload them online and then have them shipped to your home.

How To Order Our Printables from Staples

Download and save your image from this post. (Please note these images are for personal use only and cannot be sold or used for commercial use.)
Sign in or create a Staples account on their print service page.
Return to Staples print service page.
Go to Start Project.
Go to Documents Printing. Select Browse.
Select the Buy Now Button under color.
On the left column, choose add file.
Select upload.
Select done.
Give your job a name.
Make sure your project is single sided. The orientation should be portrait (vertical).
I changed my media to 8.5×10 and the media to 67 lb cover stock (I prefer a card stock feel over printer paper feel.)
Select add to cart.
Proceed to checkout. My total was $0.65 for one print. You can choose to ship to your home or to pick up at your local store. Pay online and show your invoice when you pick up (I just show the order number on my phone at pick-up.) The order invoice will arrive in your email inbox.
Enjoy!

Etsy also has these adorable Garden Markers made from spoons. Now that you know How to Hand Stamp Metal Spoons, you could make your own garden markers!

The basil stamped spoon above comes from EvergreenStamping.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final hand stamped spoon craft. Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!

Hosting the ladies before the wedding? Take a look at these Bachelorette Party Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Save these Bridal Shower Recipe Cards. Make your own Recipe Booklet for the bride. Pin to Pinterest.

Leap Day Activities for Kids

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January 20, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Want to plan something fun for our Leap Year on February 29? We have a list of Leap Day Activities for Kids and Families that will make you leap, jump and hop into some memorable fun!

Fun Leap Day Activities for the Whole Family

Leap Day is just around the corner again, and it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to spend your extra 24 hours this year. Do you want to relax? Do something fun with the kids? Spend the day being kind to others? An extra day is a huge opportunity to do something out of your ordinary routine to create memories that you’ll enjoy for years to come.

We’ve put together a list of creative Leap Day activities for the entire family. From activities that encourage leaping, hopping, or the number 4, to cute crafts based on animals that are terrific leapers, you’re going to find lots of cool ideas to bring the family together.

What is a Leap Day?

Why do we have a leap day? Leap year occurs every four years. Leap Day is officially February 29. This date is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the Earth does not orbit the sun in precisely 365 days. Thus every four years, we have a calendar year that is 366 days long, as opposed to a common year which his 365.

Leap years are needed to keep our modern day Gregorian calendar in alignment with the Earth’s revolutions around the sun.

Leap Day Years

For historical buffs, did you know the first leap year was 1752? This was when 11 days were “lost” from the month September with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar by Britain and her colonies. Can you imagine loosing 11 days in September – what an odd feeling!?

A list leap day years (past and upcoming) are…

1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044, 2048, 2052, 2056, 2060, 2064, 2068, 2072, 2076, 2080, 2084, 2088, 2092, 2096, 2100, 2104, 2108, 2112, 2116, 2120…

Then so on and so forth.. just count every four years!

Leap Day Activities for Kids

For obvious reasons, a list of Leap Day Activities on Frugal Coupon Living is rare. The last Leap Day Activities & Crafts post we shared was, well, four years ago! And, you guys, I swear I made it yesterday. I still can recall the struggle of trying to find ideas because Pinterest was so new! Think of how far we have come in four years with the spread of crafts and ideas.

So this year, we come to you with new Leap Day Crafts and Ideas. I look forward to seeing how much this has changed in four years!

Creative Leap Day Activities for the Whole Family

Spend the your extra day doing random acts of kindness! If you’re doing it by yourself, aim for four acts of kindness that day. Better yet, get the whole family involved, and try to make it 29! | Natural Beach Living

A person changes so much in four years. Create an “About Me” page in a bullet journal or on a piece of paper to record what your likes, dislikes, interests, hopes, and dreams are. Return to it again on a Leap Day in the future to see how you’ve changed and how you’ve stayed the same. | Little Coffee Fox

Kids can create their own version of an About Me page to read in 4 years using an “All About Me” printable template. They’ll love looking back on what their old favorites were when they were younger. | Views From a Step Stool

Hop into the leap year with these calendar and frog cookies. Such a sweet treat for a sweet day! | Sugar Dot Cookies

One leap day tradition is to set some goals as a family. Where do you see yourselves in four years? What do you hope to accomplish? Review the goals you’ve set on the next Leap Day to see how you’ve progressed. | Life Sew Savory

In full Leap Day Tradition, write it all down.Put the goals and “About Me” pages you’ve all created in a time capsule that you dig up or find on the next Leap Day. Don’t forget to add some photographs of everyone, too! | Pretty Providence

Since Leap Day only comes around once every four years, it’s definitely cause for celebration with a special dessert like these #4 sugar cookies. All you need is a “4” cookie cutter, a great sugar cookie recipe (or store-bought cookie dough, if you’re short on time), frosting, and sprinkles to decorate them with. | Two Sisters Crafting

In keeping with the “4” theme, Leap Day is the perfect day for a rousing game of Connect 4 Leap Day Game. Even better, make a giant connect 4 with a tablecloth and paper plates. You can lay this on the floor instead of hanging it to make it easier for littles to play. | A Girl and a Glue Gun

Make your own hopscotch pad or draw out a hopscotch grid on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. To make your hopscotch activity Leap Day themed, try to toss the markers into a multiple of 4. | Kids Activities Blog

Make some jumping Minions with the kids, and have a contest to see whose Minion can leap the greatest distance. | All for the Boys

Go outside (if weather permits) play a leap day came with a sack race! All that jumping and hopping is a great way to get your heart pumping on a day when you’d probably be indoors. | Kids Activities Blog

Feeling froggy? A Kermit-themed snack is on the menu today! It’s made from mostly healthy ingredients with a couple of fun marshmallows to top it off. | Surviving a Teacher’s Salary

The handprint frog is super cute, and the lily pad complete with a beautiful 3D water lily will get you ready for spring in a hurry. | The Best Ideas for Kids

Fun fact: grasshoppers can leap up to 1 meter in length because their legs launch them like a catapult! Make a cute grasshopper from a paper towel roll. | The Craft Train

Decorate a clay or terra cotta pot to look like a frog. You can use it to hold treats, or put it outside in your yard or garden this spring. | The Country Chic Cottage

Some goats can jump 12 feet in a single bound. This Billy Goats Gruff craft is such a cute idea for Leap Day. | Laughing Kids Learn

Even More Leap Day Ideas

Need a few more ideas to keep the kids occupied? Here are some great options:

Play leap frog outside or around the house if the weather’s too cold.
Try a new food together as a family.
Look up famous people who are Leap Year babies.
Declutter the house by throwing away 29 things that you don’t need.
Have a contest to see who can leap the farthest.
Visit a jump park to spend a few hours leaping, hopping, and jumping together.
Get some jumping beans and find out what makes them jump.
Learn about the earth’s rotation around the sun to find out WHY we need an extra day every four years.
Watch the movie Leap! (nothing to do with the year, but in spirit and fun of the theme!)

We hope you enjoyed this list of family-friendly Leap Day activities. Don’t forget to pin it to Pinterest so you can return to it for ideas in 2024!

Don’t miss our previous post on Leap Year Activities; you’ll find lots of fun frog crafts and activities if you need even more to do with your extra day. Pin to Pinterest.

Leap Day Activities | Make Leap Year Special For Your Kids

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January 19, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Leap Day Activities: Make Leap Year Special For Your Kids and preschool-aged children. Create memorable crafts, activities and ideas.

For some people, Leap Day just means another day in the office, another day of the kids in school, and nothing too out of the ordinary. But it is out of the ordinary (of a typical year, that is)! You have a whole extra day to have fun, do something you normally don’t do, and come on, who doesn’t love another reason to celebrate?!

Leap Year Ideas

For leap year, we suggest you get froggy and hop on these fun activities, make it an opposites day of sorts by having dessert first, create some fun art projects from this full list of ideas and enjoy this day, it won’t happen for another four years! Here are 5 ways to make Leap Day special for your kids.

This is a day that comes once every four years, so why not turn it into a memorable day – create fun with your kids so they look back and remember that day mom was silly and talked about frogs! It’s a special day, so make it special by doing things you don’t normally do. Having a fun day at home with mom, dad, or both of you, will leave a memorable impact on your kids.

Do something you’ve been wanting to do for a while –

It doesn’t have to be anything big, no need to plan a trip to Disney World; but think of something your family has been wanting to do but hasn’t had a chance yet. Maybe go to the zoo. See a 3D movie in the theater while everyone else is at school and work. Go on a scavenger hunt.

Go out to eat and order dessert first –

When was the last time you let your kids have dessert first? Ever? That’s the fun of Leap Day! Live a little! Grab lunch out and let the kids have a sweet treat before their meal. It’s a day that comes around only once every four years, having dessert first should be okay that often.

Make a time capsule –

A lot can change over the course of four years. With kids – think of how much they’ll grow and their personalities will continue to evolve. So use this special day as a way to memorialize your family in this moment with a Time Capsule for Kids. Fill out fun little surveys about your kids favorite color, movie, toy, what they like to do, what they hope happens before the next leap year, etc. Get the kids to draw pictures to put in the time capsule. Be sure to take a picture of everyone or better yet, make a little home movie. Put the pictures, all the papers, a thumb drive with the family movie, and anything else you can in your capsule, and seal it up until the next Leap Day!

Introduce your kids to Leap Day with a little help from Pinterest –

Actually, it’s help coming from bloggers out there that are all celebrating Leap Day as well – Pinterest is just a great way to find the stuff! By searching for leap day activities, you’ll find everything from stories and poems explaining what Leap Day / Year is, games to play, activities to do, printable coloring and activity pages, and plenty of frog themed Leap Day games!

Leap Day Activities

Take a look at these fun Leap Day Activities we found on Pinterest:

Frog Pond Cookie Cups from Baby Loving Mama
Leap Year Time Capsule from My Sister’s Suitcase
Leap Year Party from Grey Grey Designs
Plastic Egg Frogs from Crafty Morning
Frog Watermelon from Glamourita
Frog Paper Bag Puppet from Cooking with Ruthie
Leap Year Origami Frog Invites from Inka Blinka
Frog Foot Print (show age growth every 4 years) (Source no longer available)
FREE Leap Year Printables from CreativDdee Workshop
Origami Frogs from Easy Peasy and Fun
Frog Sandwiches from Sand and Table (No longer available but ideas HERE, HERE, and HERE.)
Tissue Paper Lily Pads from Kirtsy

Leap Day is special, so why not plan some out-of-the-ordinary fun with your kiddos. Skip your normal day-to-day routine, and use this extra day to make memories with your family! What are your plans for February 29th? I’d love to hear what you’re planning on doing with your family for Leap Day.

Also take a look at these Leap Day Activities for Kids. Pin to Pinterest.

It’s still the start of the year! Get yourself organized with these 20 Must Have Home Printables for the New Year. Pin to Pinterest.

Post originally posted 2/4/2016 and updated 12/27/2019.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

20 Pool Noodle Ideas and Hacks – Who Knew?

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December 20, 2019 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Summer

Pool Noodle Ideas and Hacks

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I think one of my favorite things about this post is it completely fits the FRUGAL theme of Frugal Coupon Living. Pool Noodles are cheap (if you are lucky, less than $1), often anywhere between a $1 and $3 (depending on shapes, sizes, season). Take a look at these creative Pool Noodle Ideas and Hacks.

Pool Noodle Hacks and Ideas:

1.) Pool Noodle Trampoline Spring Cover from A Thrifty Mom

2.) Pool Noodle Wreath from Mission to Save (there are a lot of these on Pinterest)

3.) Use under a sheet as Pool Noodle Bed Rails from Small Fine Print

4.) Pool Noodle Bath Tub Toys from Bath Activities for Kids

5.) Pool Noodle Glowing Ninja Stars (or Flowers) from A Little Pinch of Perfect

6.) Pool Noddle Kiddie Car Wash from Mums Grape Vine

7.) Pool Noodle Luminaries from Create Craft Love

8.) Pool Noodle Lightsabers from Laughing Squid

9.) Pool Noodle Popsicle Postcards from She Knows

10.) Pool Noodle Ponnies from Crazy Little Pojects

11.) Pool Noodle Nunchucks from Creative Capital B

12.) Pool Noodle Quiet Blocks from I Can Teach My Child

13.) Pool Noodle Napkin Rings from Sew Many Ways

14.) Pool Noodle Bubble Wands from Create Craft Love

15.) Pool Noodle Race Tracks from Ramblings from Utopia

16.) Pool Noodle Beverage Float from Instructables

17.) Pool Noodle Obstacle Course from Blend Centralmn

18.) Pool Noodle Sprinkler from Ziggity Zoom

19.) Pool Noodle Boot Storage from Chaos Toorder

20.) Pool Noodle Door Stop from Red Delicious Life

Also check a look at this round-up of Rainy Day Activities – Pin to Pinterest.

Also check out these fun activities!

Disney Cruise Tips, Hacks, and Tricks

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December 20, 2019 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Travel

Disney Cruise Tips, Hacks, and Tricks

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Going on a Disney cruise is one of the most exciting things you will do for your family! From the oldest to the youngest, there will be something special and memorable to enjoy. Everyone loves Disney! A Disney Cruise is no exception and for good reason… It is the cruise that dreams are made of. Imagine sleeping below a twinkling sky, enjoy eating in a room in which the wall paintings change as you eat, now envision yourself in an adult only spa as the supervised kids enjoy the time of their life in one of the many incredible kid zones! Check out our Tips, Hacks and Tricks to make your cruise go smoothly.

Ready to go, take a look at these 25 Disney Cruise Tips that will help you navigate the waters and get the most out of your vacation!

1. Remember that on Disney Cruise Lines (DCL), your food and sodas/teas/coffees are included. Dine in their lavishly themed Main Dining restaurants, enjoy a poolside buffet, or take a break in your sleeping quarters with 24-hour room service. There are a couple spots, including their 5-star Palo or Remy Restaurant (reservations required) that will cost, but these eating locations are optional. Enjoy all you can eat food, 24-hours a day!

2. Disney loves to celebrate. When a major theme or event is near, you can be sure they included it in a Deck Party. Look for Halloween on the High Seas, Star Wars Day at Sea, Very Merrytime Cruise, or Pirate Night. These events are usually attached to deck parties and fireworks. Seeing your own private stage entertainment and fireworks show out over the ocean is impressive to say the least. Take a look at that reflection in the water! There also are character meet and greets. When you board, visit the Activities Desk for these special times and locations. Some require RSVPs and tickets.

3. Put a premium on the nightlife as far as Disney shows. You are after all on a Disney cruise so why would you not attend the Disney entertainment? These extravagantly live shows are every night of your cruise. Afterwards, send the kids to the kids club and go out to an adult-only night club or lounge. If after a long and busy day you find yourself too tired to enjoy the Broadway-style entertainment, watch the shows on your stateroom television.

4. Get up early for a powerful sunrise. It’s not every day you get to see the sunrise in the middle of the ocean. One of the most incredible aspects of a Disney cruise line experience is getting to see amazingly painted picture. It is worth a little less sleep, you can nap on the deck later! If you enjoy getting up early, run the 5k on Castaway Cay. You can burn off all those extra calories!

5. If you’re trying to save money, consider a interior state room. With all the activities and fun that are found all over the ship, your time inside is going to be very limited anyway. Booking a year or two ahead will also save you money. Mark your calendar!

6. Sign the kids up for Kids Club or Disney’s Oceaneer Club when you check-in at the terminal. It will be well worth the efforts when you get on board. You are not required to use their facility, but if you decide to at any point in the trip, at least they are already signed up.

7. Carry on your own alcohol to save a great deal of money if you like to have a bit of wine. Enjoy these glasses in your room as there is a $25 corking fee in the dinning room. As of September 30, 2015, Disney Cruise Line Guests 21 years and older may bring a maximum of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) or 6 beers (no larger than 12 ounces) on board at the beginning of the voyage. I also suggest bringing some bottled water bottles. These items must be carried on, they cannot be packed. More on their Liquor Policy.

8. Prepare ahead of time for a reasonable tip count. On average you will be tipping between $200-$300 across your trip. I suggest saving for tips a few months before you board so you don’t feel the unexpected pain at the end of your tip. Tipping is a suggestion for exceptional service but not expected. It takes place the last night of the cruise. Disney Cruise Line offers a chart of suggested tips and to whom.

9. As if the magic of the cruise wasn’t enough, be sure to not let this tip slide. Log into your Disney Cruise Account set up a character call for the little ones. It’s free and fun to do. We like doing it the day of departure but if you have a special occasion, save it for that day too! Choose from a couple different characters and schedule the time and date that work best.

10. Make sure you pack at least one warm outfit regardless of the time of year. Being out upon the ocean can get chilly no matter the season. A cardigan, blazer or jacket should be enough for the evenings or in a chilly restaurant or lounge. In the case where you are not cold, but have a cold make sure you pack medicine. This includes medicine if you are prone to motion sickness!

11. Be sure to bring along a good-sized tote to keep with you at all times. A good beach bag does the trick nicely and can house your sunscreen, cell phone, books and paper as well as camera. You never know when there will be a photo op! A larger tote is also nice as your luggage is placed out in the hallway the final evening. Having a tote or larger bag you will carry off the boat will allow you to store pjs, toothbrush, make-up and extra clothing. The opposite is true too. When you board, you will not have your suitcase until it arrives in your stateroom. Board with a bag and make sure you have your swim suit. It’s no fun watching everyone else play in the water while you wait for luggage.

12. Bring along a watch as there seems to be a shortage of clocks on board when you need them. After all, when your on vacation – time doesn’t matter! A waterproof watch is ideal with all the water fun.

13. Sign up for the Detective Agency and you will get to solve a mystery or two while on board. This is loads of fun and great for the entire family. This is for Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. This is good for all ages – Teens, Preschoolers, Tweens, Kids, and Families. Also check with Guest Services for a Hidden Mickey Challenge while on the ship.

14. Be sure to inquire about the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App in advance of your trip. It would be great to download before you board and depart. This is extremely helpful for navigation and for communicating with others. Check daily weather, character appearances and activities. The Onboard Chat Feature allows you to stay in touch with family and friends, even if everyone happens to be on different parts of the ship.

15. Take advantage of room service! It is exquisite and included and 24-7. It might make getting those extra 5 minutes of rest worth it. Keep in mind, the buffet and restaurants will have different food options. It is vacation, one fun way to keep the magic alive is to order cookies and milk while the kids are getting ready for bed – how memorable is that!? You also can order Mickey Ice Cream Bars!

16. Put aside a little bit of money for the gift shop on board. There are some things that you simply cannot find anywhere else and on board a cruise ship certainly qualifies. I always like to go to DisneyStore.com a few weeks before our trip. This allows me to buy the kids surprise souvenirs before our trip and lower costs! One suggestion is buying your lanyard and pins (for pin trading) on Ebay.

17. Consider booking via a travel professional. There are so many ins and outs of booking these types of cruises that a professional can certainly be worth the fee. In some cases, the travel agent makes commission via Disney and it is no cost to you.

18. Inquire with your agent about the secret cabins. These are Uber rare opportunities to get outer cabins at an inner cabin price. This website gives more detail.

19. Consider booking in September for a fantastic off-season deal. You can also snag them in October, early December and January. These are times when people travel less and suddenly there is a dip in the booking fee and price.

20. Use the spa and fitness center bathrooms if your bathroom needs overflow. Most families really struggle with the single bathroom set up and these bathrooms are available. It’s no fun carrying a shower caddy in the hall, also creating a shower schedule can help! Check to see what your state room offers. You likely can leave some toiletries (shampoo/conditioner) as well as the blow dryer at home!

21. Decorate your door! This exciting past time is one of the coolest parts of the trip. Just remember that everything is magnetized and no adhesives are allowed. Note: some of the fancier cabins have wooden doors that are not magnetized.

22. Plan your trip ahead of time. Booking in advance is the best way to get what you want at the price you want. The good cabins always sell out quickly so you need to be ahead of the curve. Book up to years in advance for low prices!

23. Consider taking the trip insurance. There is nothing quite like the peace of mind of knowing that you are covered just in case. This becomes particularly important as the price of the vacation increases.

24. Take advantage of the free souvenirs! If you want a really cool one, drop off a T-shirt (pillow case, frame or other memento) and some sharpie pens with guest services the first day. When you pick it up at the end of the cruise it will be covered in Disney character autographs. (It looks like DCL has taken away this free service.)Take my ad advice of Tip 16 about shopping at DisneyStore.com a few weeks before the trip.

25. Embrace the experience! Disney is only Disney if you allow yourself to truly dive into the fun and act like a kid. Let yourself go back in time and remember the magic!