FREE Preschool Software Trial: ABC Mouse for Kids, Great School Supplement

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July 19, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Back to School, Education, Entertainment, Free, Online Shopping, Summer Leave a Comment

Enjoying summer? We are and what better way to start than to “trick” your kids into ~~studying~~ ~~learning~~ playing games than this FREE Preschool Software Trial .

ABCmouse.com is ready to get your little one prepared for school with their 30 Day FREE offer! ABCMouse.com offers full online ciurrculim for kids Preschool and up with 10 levels, 850 lessons, and more than 9000 individual learning activities to keep their minds exploring – for hours!

Core Education Subjects Include:

Reading(the alphabet, phonics, sight words, children’s books)
Math (numbers, shapes, patterns, measurement)
The World Around Us (basic science and social studies)
Art and Music (drawing and coloring, tracing, paint-by-numbers, children’s songs, and more!

My household took advantage of this FREE ABCmouse Trial Offer for 30 Days. I can not express the fun we shared around the family desktop. With so many lessons and learning activities it kept the little ones laughing and progressing with every click. My children loved to roam from the classroom to the zoo, to the farm and back to the classroom. Their laughter even made me, the mom, happy. I was surely able to get a lot done!

Each day, after a parental login, your child will be greeted with a home-menu like the one below offering them multiple ways to start their day. They can discover what is NEW or take part in the days Feature Active, explore the classroom, or choose to work ahead on their Things To-do. Your child’s page will map his or her progress in an easy to understand method that will keep them moving along.

Below we just started our 5 year program take a look, you can see we will be challenged with over 707 lessons and activities!

ABCmouse.com curriculum includes six different types of activities to address the way your child learns:

Children’s Books
Children’s Songs
Games
Puzzles
Art Activities
Printables – great for taking it to the restaurant, car, doctors office and more

ABCmouse.com offers the largest collection of online education activities for young children on the web:

More than 250 online children’s books
More than 100 online children’s songs
More than 650 online children’s art activities, including online coloring and online paint-by-numbers activities
More than 250 online educational games for children, including online phonics games, online number games and other online math games
More than 550 online children’s puzzles

For your comfort, mothers, ABCmouse.com creates a safe online learning experience with no advertisements, no pop-up ads, and no links to other websites. With the Step-by-Step Learning Path it was easy for me to allow their online teacher to progress their minds for Guided Learning, or to even turn them loose for some Independent Learning – knowing they were secure with ABCmouse.com.

A few of my favorite features I have only seen with ABCmouse; for my smallest child to be able to break each word up by syllables, record his voice, play it back, and then pronounce the word correctly was great! My oldest loved to give each lesson a try to earn tickets. Then cash the tickets in for rewards and prizes for their room, hamster, fish, and etc. Collecting tickets kept them both playing and asking for more learning time day after day!

The first 30 days are 100% FREE after that just $9.95 a month. This is a limited time deal, but you can cancel your account anytime on the “my account” page in the Parents section. Really simple and one offer that this household continues to explore!

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED WITH AN ABCMOUSE TRIAL
Happy Learning – Enjoy your FREE ABCmouse Trial!

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Kid’s Camping Journal Printable

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July 14, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media, Summer, Travel 3 Comments

Create a memorable outdoor adventure with this Kid’s Camping Journal Printable. Using guided prompts have your child share favorite events, who they traveled with, memories and more. Continue the tradition each year and add to your camping printable as a kid’s camping logbook.

Kid’s Camping Journal

Many of us have taken our kids camping and it was a great experience. However, there is a way to take your camping adventures a step further. If you’d like to get your kids even MORE involved in the camping experience, then it’s time to check out a camping journal. I want to walk you through how to utilize a kid’s camping journal and how it can be a great asset to learning.

Camper’s Profile

I love the idea of a camping journal because kids camp more than once in their lifetime. Each time you take your child camping, they can have a new profile. It’s so fun to look back on the camper’s profile and see what age, grade, location, etc, for each camping trip. Putting together the camper’s profile is one of the best parts for kids and creates a memory page you can keep forever!

Camping Education

When we do something with our kids, we strive to make it a little educational. I have found that this camping journal for kids is an excellent way to teach them about camping and where it all started. Everything we do didn’t just happen, there is always a story behind it and a camping journal is a great way to track that history!

Camping Education Answers:

What is Camping? Camping is a _____ activity. It is usually done _____ for _____ . (These can all be personalized to your child.)

Who is Thomas Hiram Holding?Thomas Hiram Holding is the founder of modern recreational camping. He made the first camping handbook in the world.

Camping Buddies

Whether your child is going off to camp with a recreational group or you are taking them camping, they always meet someone new. It’s always a lot of fun to get their information, so that you can keep in touch. There is space in this camping journal for kids to be able to keep track of their camping buddies and even get in touch with them when they get home and get settled. Perhaps a future pen pal!

Camping Lessons

You can’t live if you don’t learn. While camping, your child is bound to learn a lot from camping. This camping diary will allow your child to keep track of what they have learned from camping. It’s fun to use this journal as a memoir as well. Your child can hold onto these journals and look back to see what they’ve learned through their camping experiences.

Extra Options

I have to say that this camping notebook is an excellent way to add to a kid’s camping experience. Some of the extra options of this camping journal that I really like is that your child can keep track of their favorite memories, draw or paint their favorite scenes, and even add to their camping photo wall. Print every where and you can keep a running journal and watch your child age.

And for you and to create family memories, grab this The Camping Logbook (Camping Journal) to Record Your Adventures.

Use this camping journal to record the details of your camping adventures so you can look back on and share experiences and favorite spots. Use fill-in the blank pages that act as a guided prompt to write in such camping details such as location, date, notable amenities and attractions, who shared the trip, who you met, favorite events, and things to avoid next time.

Camping Games

Do you need a few games to keep you busy while you camp? There are plenty of ways to keep children entertained while outdoors. Keep this camping journal by their sleeping bag at night. You can also find creative ideas in our overnight camping ideas including camping crafts and camping games. We have a large series of Outdoor Games for Night or print our Flashlight Scavenger Hunt for fun memories and family traditions.

You’ll enjoy camping with your child and ensuring they are learning as much as possible while being in nature. Continue this tradition by printing new pages each year and creating a yearly camping logbook for kids!

Download Your Free Printable

Download our free Camping Journal for Kids printable and Camping Games 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.

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

I have a video to show you how I print my PDF documents at Staples.

*Note: these Staple print service steps were added in Winter 2020. 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 camping journal and camp notebook. Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!

Going on an outdoor adventure? Also take a look at our Camping Hacks and Tips. Pin to Pinterest.

Going overnight camping? In our Camping at Night Hacks and Tips post, download these Outdoor Games for Kids to Play at Night! Pin to Pinterest.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Get Organized for a New Year!.

Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!

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Beach Camping Basics & Tips

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July 6, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Summer, Travel Leave a Comment

Take a twist on the traditional way to outdoor camp by taking your adventure to the sand and surf. These Beach Camping Basics and Tips will have you ready to embrace the sand and sun at your favorite local beach campsite.

Beach Camping Basics & Tips

Nothing feels more relaxing and fun to me than kicking back on a sun-drenched beach while my kids giggle and splash in the water. This could just be the Florida girl in me, but very few things beat beach camping in the summertime. Whether you’re embarking on this adventure for the first time on your own or with your family, preparation is key to making this a worthwhile endeavor for everyone, especially you. Focus on these and before you know it, you’ll be on your way, floppy sun hat in hand, to make some unforgettable summer memories.

Know Your Destination Area

Whether you’re camping directly on a beach or at a nearby campsite, it’s important to know the area you’re going to. Will there be a source of water available? What about electricity and showers/bathrooms? If it’s a bare campsite, that means you’ll need to bring in everything you need and be prepared to haul it back out again.

Regardless of the facilities and amenities provided, you’ll need to plan accordingly for how long you’re going to stay. There are plenty of camping hacks out there to help you improvise for what you need as well. Grab a map of your campground and see if you can get there by car or you’ll need to walk a ways. That will affect what you decide to bring with you!

Make a List

There’s no worse feeling than arriving at your camping spot, boogie board in hand and poised to dive in, and realizing that you forgot diapers or deodorant. While that might be a strong tactic for claiming more sleeping space, forgetting necessary items can most assuredly add unwanted stress to your life.

It might be the natural organizer in me, but I feel more confident that I have all the essentials when I have a checklist in front of me. Try this free beach packing list to make sure you remember everything for your beach camping trip.

Plan Your Meals Ahead

While carving a fishing spear out of a tree branch in order to “live off the land” may seem quite rugged and exciting, that excitement will quickly wane after your three-year-old’s first piercing screams for animal crackers. Unfortunately, you can’t hunt and gather those in the wild.

It’s important to have meals planned BEFORE you arrive at your campsite. Make sure the meals are low-prep and can easily be prepared over a campfire. There are some delicious foil packet meals out there that my family has tried and loved. Also, speaking from experience, aluminum foil is the quintessential camping meal prep item that every beach camper should have in their arsenal.

Snacks are a must. After all, the sun can quickly take you from full to famished. One recipe we always make for the beach is our beach snack mix! Double or even triple your recipe for hungry bellies.

Have the Right Equipment

Having the right camping equipment can make or break your beach camping experience. You’ll want to invest in gear that’s appropriate for the place and time of year you’re making your trip. This doesn’t mean that you’ll have to take out a second mortgage on your home, though. Ask your friends if you can borrow their tents/gear first, and there is nothing wrong with gently used camping tents and equipment either.

Regardless of how you get your hands on a tent, you’ll want to ensure it has the following qualities:

Well-ventilated
Easy set-up and breakdown
Lightweight
UPF 50+ Protection (Recommended)

You’ll also want to make sure that you have good ground cover to prepare for any type of weather. If it’s hot, there’s a virtual certainty of sand fleas and ticks. No one wants to worry about sharing their sleeping quarters with sand fleas. No one.

Wear Appropriate Clothing

The type of beach you’re camping at (sandy or rocky) will determine what clothing you’ll want to throw in your suitcase, but for the most part, you’ll want items that are:

Lightweight and moisture-wicking
A nice hat that shades you from the sun
Mosquito netting
Water shoes (if beach is sandy)
Water-resistant sneakers (if beach is rocky)

All in all, the key to a fun, memorable beach camping experience is preparation, organization, and a healthy thirst for adventure. Follow these Beach Camping Basics and you’ll be a pro in no time. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s go to the beach!

Don’t forget our Camping Hacks and Tips. Pin to Pinterest.

Also take a look at our Overnight Camping Tips. Pin to Pinterest.

RV Packing List

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June 11, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media, Summer Leave a Comment

Going on a road trip? Camping at night? We have your RV Packing List so nothing is left behind. Download this camping printable before you put the rubber wheels on the asphalt. Enjoy your next family camping trip with the comforts of everything you need!

RV Packing List

There is a lot to remember before going on a road trip. Often I am packing days or even weeks in advance. Even if I am not physically packing, I have a running list on my phone sometimes as far out as a month ahead. Since as early as I could remember, I relied on a list for getting me out the door. It didn’t have to be fancy. Often it was on a torn off sheet of paper but I used it as my organized checklist.

If forgetting something on a trip would feel like a nightmare, look at this RV Packing List. Included is everything you need for your next RV trip on the road. This RV Camping List leaves nothing behind.

Enjoy life on the road!

Packing List for RV Camping

Our Packing Checklist for RV Camping includes the following.

General Camping Supplies

___Alarm clock
___Firewood and Axe
___Basic Tool Kit
___Lighters and Matches
___Flashlights and extra batteries
___ Beddings ( sleeping bag)
___Camera battery and battery charger
___Backpacks and beach bags
___Swiss army knifes
___Lanterns and lantern fuel
___Map, compass, GPS
___Sunscreen and bug spray
___Updated first aid kit and medications (Our Busy Mom Binder has a medication printable)

Camping Kitchen Supplies

___Meal plan (See our Camping Recipe Ideas)
___Camping stove and fuel
___Groceries as per meal plan
___Spices and salt pepper
___Drinking water
___Can opener
___Pots and pans
___Dishes cups and utensils
___Aluminum foil
___Trash and recycling bags
___Ziploc bags
___Dishwashing Items

Camping Toiletries & Personal Items

___Toothbrushes and toothpaste
___Body wash and shampoo
___Towels
___Shaving supplies
___Hair care systems
___Laundry bag
___Hand sanitizer
___Baby wipes
___Toilet paper
___Glasses and care items

Camping Clothing

___Warm and cold weather clothes
___ Hats and gloves
___ Undergarments
___ Socks
___ Rangegear
___Warm and cold weather foot gear

Let us know what you would add to the list by leaving a comments on this post.

RV Packing List Printable

Get all of our free printables including RV Packing List including our Camping Packing List. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download all of our free printables.

Directions:

1.) Enter your email address HERE.

2.) Confirm the email request in your inbox.

3.) Look for the link and passcode in your inbox to access your RV checklist.

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

I have a video to show you how I print my PDF documents at Staples. You can get started by signing in or creating a Staples account. Once you have signed in, go to the Staples Printing Service Page and begin your steps.

This might be a product you want to laminate so you can use every time you hop in the RV. We recommend this Scotch Thermal Laminator. I have had mine almost 10 years and it still runs strong.

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

Save these Outdoor Games for Night and Overnight Camping at Night Tips! Pin to Pinterest.

Save these Camping Hacks and Tips for your next trip! Pin to Pinterest.

DIY Party Beverage Tub with Cricut SVG Files

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June 8, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media, Summer Leave a Comment

Make your own party beverage tub with these free SVG files for Cricut Design Space. This outdoor galvanized ice bucket has two optional messages “Chillin” or “Enjoy.” Also create your own vinyl personalized beverage tub and ice bucket with this step-by-step Cricut tutorial.

DIY Party Beverage Tub

In no time you can have a perfect Outdoor Beverage Tub. Using our free SVG files, add the summertime phrase “chillin” or “enjoy” to create a summertime drink bucket to keep your beverages cool.

Fill your DIY beverage tub with your favorite ice cold drinks, chill and enjoy (all the pun!)

Galvanized Beverage Tub

For this DIY Cricut Project, we used a Galvanized Beverage Tub similar to this one at Michaels or this one on Amazon. The reason we chose galvanized for our backyard beverage tub, was because it is known to have a protective zinc coating to prevent rusting, so they’re suitable for indoor and outdoor use, as well as, water exposure.

Another popular backyard beverage cooler is the Igloo Party Bucket Cooler. This double walled cooler has a foam insulated body to keep drinks cold but it will prevent condensation or “sweat” like unlined tubs. Whichever cooler you choose for your personalized beverage holder (ice bucket), make sure it has an area with a smooth surface to apply your Cricut vinyl summertime phrases – chillin or enjoy.

DIY Beverage Bucket

Materials

Enjoy and Chillin SVG File (see below or get it here)
Cricut Maker cutting machine with Fine Point Blade
Cricut Outdoor Permanent Glossy Vinyl in white
Standard grip mat
Cricut Transfer Tape*
Galvanized Beverage Bucket
Scissors
Cricut Weeder Tool

*If you do want to use transfer tape for this project, consider using Duck Brand Peel Clear Laminate as an alternative to Cricut transfer tape. Some people prefer this brand more.

Directions

Gather your supplies and in a few simple minutes, you will have your personalized beverage tub. This outdoor drink tub is perfect for a gathering or just for storing on your patio or deck for quick family get togethers.

Cricut Design Space

Open Cricut Design Space.

Click on the “+” sign to start a new project, opening up a blank canvas.

Click on the “Upload” button from the toolbar and browse your downloaded files to insert the summertime SVG files – chillin or enjoy.

The cut image will appear on the canvas.

With the image selected, click on the “Attach” button to secure all parts of the image together for cutting.

Maintain the size or adjust to fit your ice bucket. To adjust the size, highlight the image and click on the size box in the top toolbar.

Change the measurement to suit your galvanized beverage tub size accordingly.

How to Print SVG Files

Select “Make It” in the upper right corner to proceed with cutting.

Choose the Outdoor Vinyl, Permanent from the list of options in the drop down menu.

Place the Permanent Vinyl on the standard grip mat.

Following the instructions prompted on the screen, cut out the vinyl.

Making the Beverage Bucket

Cut around the image(s) with a pair of scissors.

Using the weeding tool, peel away the excess vinyl around the cut images and discard.

Cut a piece of transfer tape a bit larger than the size of the image.

Peel away the transfer tape backing and place the transfer tape on top of the cut image. Gently rub the vinyl to help it stick to the transfer tape.

Peel away the vinyl backing, leaving just the image adhered to the transfer tape. Trim transfer tape if needed.

Carefully consider the placement before applying as the permanent vinyl can’t be removed if placed incorrectly. Position the image with the transfer tape on to the beverage tub and press in place.

Press the image down with your fingers or with the Cricut scraping tool to help it to stick to the tub.

Slowly remove the transfer tape leaving the vinyl image on the tub. Repeat with the other image on the opposite side of the tub if desired.

Fill the galvanized beverage bucket with your favorite drinks, chill and enjoy (all the pun!)

Cricut Free SVG Files

Get all of our free printables including the free SVG cut files. Cut files include both phrases “chillin” and “enjoy” for you to add to your party tub. 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!

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

Also save these Free Cricut Craft Tutorials throughout the entire year. Pin to Pinterest.

Save these Cricut Tutorials, Projects and Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Overnight Camping at Night Hacks

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May 31, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Frugal Living, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Summer, Travel 5 Comments

Ready for the great outdoors? Take a look at our Overnight Camping Hacks and Tips. Save these creative camping crafts, campfire games, and recipes to complete your list of things to do while camping at night!

Overnight Camping at Night

Ready for an outdoor adventure overnight? These Camping at Night Hacks and Tips will provide you with creativity and life tips to get you through an outdoor adventure. Additionally, read through for a list of Things To Do While Camping at Night. Games, activities and traditions to start with the family on your next camp trip!

Before your camping vacation, take a look at these camping ideas including

Camping Hacks and Tips (our original post, filled with camping tips and goodness!)
Easy Camping Recipes
Foil Packet Meals including our Campfire Hot Dogs and Cinnamon Rolls Baked in Oranges
Camping Packing List
RV Packing List

For a kids overnight or sleepaway camp, take a look at Summer Camp Hacks and Tips. For a girls weekend, enjoy these Glamping Ideas.

Overnight Camping Hacks

We took some of our beloved Camping Hacks and Tips and stepped it up with new Overnight Camping tips and ideas.

Keep your personal sleeping space clean. This shoe basket camping hack keeps all shoes out of the tent and the sleeping area free of mud and dirt. | Sunny Simple Life

Hitting the road in an RV? Save this RV Packing List from Frugal Coupon Living. A camping checklist resource to get you organized.

Busy the kids with their very own Camping Journal and Logbook from Frugal Coupon Living. This can be added to each year.

To prevent cool air from escaping seal the top of the cooler with a DIY cooler cover. Recycle an old foam sleeping pad or yoga mat and cut the foam mat the exact dimension of the cooler interior. | Cabela’s

Bring solar lights to illuminate your campsite. Stake them around the campsite (especially near your tent stakes to prevent tripping) or mount in an inverted Terra Cotta pot. | Starling Travel

Speaking of lighting, freeze water jugs before you go. Use them as your drinking water as they melt. You can also illuminate water jugs with a head lamp with this creative Camping at Night Hack. | Instructables

This camping hack is perfect for your tent. Don’t trip over tent stakes by marking them off with bright pool noodles. | Source

Also consider these LED light up ten stakes to prevent tripping over stakes in the night.

Safety first with this unique camping hack. Keep sharp knives safely tucked away in pieces of pool noodles. | Kid Friendly Things to Do

Staying for awhile? Start stockpiling your bread tags for this next overnight camping hack. They make great clothespins for drying clothes or other line items. | REI

I highly recommend water boots/shoes when camping, however it can be inevitable a pair of cloth sneakers gets soaked. Have extra newspapers. Newspapers can line a table, help start a fire or speed up the drying process overnight. | According to Elle

This camping food hack is the best. Have your own on-the-go-traveling pantry. Have easy to access to your food and close the hatch at night to keep the critters out! | Mountain Campingz

For sleeping, turn a pool float into a bed and cover with a sleeping bag, blanket and/or sheets. Just like a blow up air mattress only frugal friendly. | Meg for It

Things To Do While Camping at Night

Get creative with these fun nighttime camping activities that go beyond the standard board game and ghost story.

You can partially prepare this camping arts and crafts idea at home. Write on white paper, your child’s name in sharpie. Once you go camping, collect nature (leaves, sticks, twigs, etc) to create this adorable camp art, a nature name activity. | Mrs. Jones Creation Station

Paint glow in the dark walking sticks. By day you see nothing, by night a fun glow! You can use a glow in the dark paint, glow in the dark spray or even glow in the dark tape. | Creek Line House

During the day, talk about constellations. What is a constellation? a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure.

While it is light outside, make this camp craft, a Stellar Constellation Viewer for Kids. At night, stargaze around the campfire and talk about the constellations on your viewer that you also see in the night sky.

Make dessert! Everyone loves a classic s’more recipe. Once the sun goes down, twist up your camping dessert recipe with our Campfire Cones! Less messy (maybe) and fun!

Want to try something different? Make colored fire. Packages of colored fire crystals or pine cones are sold at most camping supply stores or online on amazon. If you want to make your own, you can visit these DIY colored fire ingredients.

When thinking about things to do while camping at night, don’t forget story time. Use a flashlight and your tent to make a shadow puppets show. This How to Make a Shadow Puppet tutorial is very helpful. | Fine Art America

Outdoor Games at Night

Get ready for a strike with this glow in the dark bowling game using glow sticks and 2-liter water bottles. (As seen in our Summer Bucket List.) | Growing a Jeweled Rose

Have wondered how to play Flashlight Tag outdoors? We have the answers, great for camping it is similar to Flashlight hide-and-seek.

Flashlight Tag Directions: Similar to hide and seek. Everyone carries their own flashlight but only the person who is IT has their’s on. Instead of tagging with hands, you tag with light. Once you’ve been tagged, you turn on your flashlight, point it toward the sky and stand still. Another player can free you by crawling in between your legs (or tagging you). Once everyone is frozen IT wins and the game starts.

Before everyone hides, establish a perimeter (area you cannot go past.) This is especially important for campsites or unfamiliar areas.

We have plenty of other games you can play! Print our night games for youth. This includes Glow Sardines, Flashlight Tag, Gloweyball, Ghost in the Graveyard, Firefly, Kick the Can in the Dark, and Night Statues.

To get your free outdoor games for kids at night, subscribe to our emails and look for a link and password in our inbox. The access code allows you to access and download all of our free printables, as well.

Speaking of flashlights, don’t forget our other free printable. Our Flashlight Scavenger Hunt download (see more Scavenger Hunt Ideas.)

To get your free flashlight scavenger hunt printable, subscribe to our emails and look for a link and password in our inbox. The access code allows you to access and download all of our free printables, as well.

What didn’t I think of that?! Camping Hacks and Tips for the great outdoors. Pin to Pinterest.

Enjoy these Camping Recipes for dinner, snacks, breakfast and lunch. Pin to Pinterest.

Summer Camp Hacks & Tips

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May 24, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media, Summer Leave a Comment

Ready for warmer weather? Adventures? We have the ultimate list of Sleepaway Summer Camp Hacks, Tips, and Ideas for Kids. From free printables, summer camp packing lists, what your cabin really needs, and more. This list of summer camp ideas will have you all set to go for your outdoor summer vacation adventure away from home.

Summer Camp Hacks & Tips

Our family took a crash course in all things Summer Camp last year. My girls went to a two week summer camp. One of my girls had never even had a successful overnight out of the home without a family member. So with my anxiety of her departure, I began the process of doing everything I could to prepare her (them) for summer sleepaway camp making them feel comfortable and with both needs and wants from home.

Camping as a family or with the girls? Take a look at our Girls Clamping Ideas as well as our Camping Hacks and Tips. Also make sure you and your little girls watch American Girl Story Summer Camp (for free with Amazon Prime) before you go!

Summer Camp Packing Tips

When packing for summer camp, take a look at these tips and packing hacks.

First, you need a camp trunk. Not a suitcase. I learned this late. Our first mommy/daughter camp we went to, we brought a suitcase and it was quite a challenge to get through the mountains.

We learned our lesson on that first trip. Having a trunk to open and close every day was much more efficient for our girls. Camp Trunks are so affordable on Amazon.

This is the summer camp trunk that we got. The price was great, maybe I wish we had gotten one larger, but we are not changing because it is very personalized now with travel stickers.

I thought I did amazing things with my trunk, but woah, Ashley has done something even greater. Look at this frugal-friendly, customized summer camp trunk tutorial. | Lil Blue Boo

Summer Camp Packing List

We have a freebie for you. Download and print this kids Summer Camp Packing list by being a member of our email list. This is primarily for sleep away summer camp but you can, of course, leave off the things not needed for overnights (like sleeping bags) if you are going to to a day summer camp.

To get all of our free printables including this Summer Camp Packing List, subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download any of our free printables. Don’t forget necessities like a reading light, laundry bag, spending money, bug spray, a rain jacket, flip flops and more.

Free Summer Camp Packing List Printable

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!

Camp Hair Don’t Care! Keeping your hair in check is quite hard when showering in the mountains. We made sure to pack hats, a lot of hair ties (for getting lost sharing a big cabin) and bandanas. Don’t forget to pick up the Camp Hair Don’t Care tees!

Every VSCO girl and summer camper needs a metal Hydro Flask water bottle to refill with their name in Sharpie underneath. Camp VSCO stickers allows kids to personalize their canteen.

For your camp water bottle, grab small stickers during your travels and add them on or grab camp Hydro Flask stickers from Amazon. Cute options! You can add these stickers to personalize your camp trunk too. | Source

Use your water bottle has a base for friendship bracelet making. Make sure to pack Embroidery Floss for yourself and a lot extra for friends. It will be very popular! | Source

There is a lot of down time! For a fun and memorable camp experience, have your child bring some printables during their free time. We love these printable Mad Libs from Woo Jr. You could also grab this summer camp Mad Libs book.

Remember that free time we spoke about. Have a book (or two for those who love to read.) My daughter worked on the Camp Confidential series while she was away at camp.

Tip: Curious about the book rating or what other thing, visit Common Sense Media to search book titles.

Most of the time, when it is lights out, it is lights out. However, having a battery operated book light can be good for girls who want to read later into the evening before the official “bedtime hour.”

We also suggest bringing battery operated string lights – such a cute touch to a bunk and cabin.

Make sure you have a battery operated fan. The evenings can be extremely hot (or extreme cold – pack a sweat shirt) and plugs are hard to come by. A battery operated fan should give you enough life to get through your summer camp stay. If staying for a prolonged time, make sure to pack extra batteries. | Camp Greystone

It is inevitable kids get home sick. Sleep away summer camp is sure to busy them and exhaust them so they fall straight asleep but having little photos from home will remind them of their loved ones.

Allow your kids to bring some things to personalize their space including photos, lovies, or little mementos. Washi tape will help them hang their prints. | Camp Greystone

For our two-week summer camp, the parents have the ability to email, letters are printed out and delivered to the kids. However, the children do not have access to email so snail mail it is. Make sure to pack your child summer camp stationary. Do not forget the stamps and an extra pen or two.

This is the stationary set that we ordered. It came with an address book for collecting addresses for friends. It comes in two styles.

Camp Letter Printable

We also have a free printable letter from camp! This one comes in a cute newspaper design and guides your kids with things to write – things you would likely ask them and want to hear about!

Get all of our free printables including this Summer Camp Letter Template. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download any of our free printables.

Free Summer Camp Letter Printable

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!

Our camp uploads photos of the kids to albums. Each day parents can visit to see what the kids are doing. I save those photos and then turn them into a fun little postcard that I get mailed from Postable. This let’s them see the fun things they have done and gives them something to hang on their bunk.

If you want to ship a postcard form Postable, sign up today. You can $5 off any order of $20. Use promo code MRK8UR86JF at checkout.

How to Make a Postcard for Summer Camp

Below is a tutorial of how to make a postcard for summer camp using Postable and PicMonkey.

Sign up for Postable
Sign up for Picmonkey.
Using Picmonkey, create a collage of photos (I chose to do something with the size ratio of 5×7.)
Save your collage.
On Postable, go to “upload your own” on the top menu of the website.
I chose size flat vertical 5×7 (you could also do horizontal layout or a folded card.)
Upload your saved Picmonkey collage.
Write your message
Address your card.
Checkout. You can $5 off any order of $20. Use promo code MRK8UR86JF at checkout.

My kids are at summer camp for two weeks, so I get these postcards made early in their stay so that they get it in time before leaving. Postable also has options (like the hiking card above) if you wish not to make your own photo collage online.

Label it all! Label all clothing, all accessories, all shoes, etc. Even label your kids underwear. We pick up a pack of Mabel’s Labels Camp Labels.

Looking inside of a trunk can be very overwhelming. Organize clothes by day of the week or type/style using Ziploc Gallon Bags or Packing Cubes (my choice!) | Kelly Elko

The KAVU Rope Bag camping backpack is great and very popular for summer camping. It can be pricey so I monitored it during the off season and gifted it to my girls for a spring holiday.

There are so many patterns on Amazon. I went through all the patterns and looked for those that were most discounted. I added those to my cart and then selected my favorite at the end. If you want something more frugal-friendly, Ambry makes a similar discounted Rope Sling Bag.

It’s always cute to send little items from home, like a little gift each day. Hit up the Dollar Tree and wrap really small items. We also came up with this Summer Camp Candy Notes (though many places will not allow you to send in candy anymore.)

Speaking of backpacks Grab a white pillow case, white t-shirt or white backpack (like we did) and download this Straight Out of Camp Iron On. Perfect for friends to sign at the end of the week!

Eliminate boredom with these Summertime Boredom Buster Activities. Pin to Pinterest.

Also save this Visual Summer Bucket List for Kids. Pin to Pinterest.

DIY Cricut Father’s Day Photo Frame

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May 4, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Father's Day, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media 5 Comments

Looking for an easy and Frugal Father’s Day gift from home? This DIY Father’s Day Photo Frame is a cute gift idea from the kids. Download these five funny Father’s Day quotes and puns. Upload your FREE SVG Files for Cricut Design Space, print, and create a rock picture frame for a dad that is a rock or rock star!

Cricut Father’s Day Photo Frame

Whether your dad sports a leather vest and rocks the guitar,or is a pillar of strength that your family leans on, we have some of the ultimate Father’s Day Quotes and crafts for your super dad! Using a Cricut Maker, make dad an adorable rock frame that he can display at the office or by his bedside, reminding him of his importance. This DIY Father’s Day gift is simple and uses supplies around the house.

If you are using your vinyl cutter to create easy and frugal Father’s Day gifts ideas, make sure you download this Father’s Day SVG File for Cricut to make Homemade BBQ Seasoning Mason Jars.

Father’s Day Puns

We put together five Father’s Day puns about rocks for your rock star, the rock you lean on, your dad.

Dad Quotes:

Have a rock’n Father’s Day.

Dad, you’re our rock star! (the one we used)

Dad, you rock!

Dad, you’re the rock our family leans on!

My dad, my rock.

You can use any of these quotes about rocks & dad in your Father’s Day picture frames.

Father’s Day SVG Files

For your Rock Father’s Day Picture Frame, you will need a few materials including our free Father’s Day SVG file.

Father’s Day SVG File Download

Pick up this file by signing up for our email list. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download ALL of our free printables including our two Father’s Day Gifts – BBQ Mason Jars and Rock Picture Frame for Dad.

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

Once you have your Father’s Day Rock Quotes downloaded, you can begin this process of uploading a SVG file to Cricut Design Space.

DIY Photo Frame Craft Supplies

To create this Cricut Rock’n Picture Frame for Dad this Father’s Day, have the following materials…

Materials Needed:

Rock’n SVG cut file (downloaded from Frugal Coupon Living’s Free Printables)
Wide Wooden 3.5” x 5” Photo frame (painted with chalky paint, we used Americana Decor Relic)
Cricut Maker (or Cricut Joy)
Standard grip mat
Cricut Premium Vinyl, Removable or Permanent in color of your choice (We used Light Gray Cricut Premium Vinyl in the Vibrant Value Pack.)
Cricut Deluxe Paper (we used Hostess with the Mostess Winter Sparkle collection)
Cricut Weeder Tool
Cricut Transfer Tape
Cricut Scraping Tool
Small rocks/pebbles
Hot glue gun with clear craft glue

For Circut tools, this Basic Tool Set will have what you need and more! You can also pick up your transfer tape, mat, vinyl and more at the Circut Store.

Cricut Father’s Day Craft Instructions

Follow these easy directions to make your homemade Father’s day frame.

Gather all your supplies together. You can do this in many steps, over a few days or tackle it all immediately.

Prepare the Photo Frame

Disassemble the picture frame. If needed, paint the frame with 1-2 coats of charcoal chalk paint. Set aside the photo frame dry.

Once the painted frame is dry, heat a hot glue gun with clear glue sticks.

Begin in the corner of the picture frame and apply a dab of hot glue. Quickly, place one small pebble into the glue. Repeat this process until you cover the entire surface of the frame with rocks until finished.

Put the frame aside.

How to Upload your SVG File to Cricut Design Space

Open Cricut Design Space.

Upload Father’s Day Rock’n Phrases SVG File into design space.

On the right column, click Ungroup.

Click and drag over each of the phrases separately. With the phrase highlighted, click on the “Weld” button”. Repeat for all phrases or erase the phrases you do not want to print to vinyl.

Adjust your rock phrase sizes to fit inside the photo frame accordingly (we used 3.5 x 5 but you can use a similar size frame).

Insert one square shape onto the Design Space canvas to create the photo frame backing. Size the square to match the size of the picture frame, in our case it was 3.5” wide x 5” high.

Finally, using the color sync tab. assign colors to the images for different material types: Premium Vinyl and Cardstock (Deluxe Paper).

How to Cut Vinyl on Cricut

Once your work is complete in design space you will begin the process of cutting your vinyl using your Cricut machine.

First, select “Make It” in Design Space.

For the vinyl phrase(s), set the material type to Premium Vinyl. Follow prompts for loading the mat into the Cricut Maker or Cricut Joy and cutting the Premium Vinyl.

When prompted, unload the mat from the cutting machine.

Remove the Premium Vinyl from the mat.

For the paper photo frame backing, set the material type to cardstock, medium weight. Follow prompts for loading the mat into the Cricut Maker or Cricut Joy and cutting the Deluxe Paper.

When prompted, unload the mat from the Cricut maker cutting machine.

Remove the Deluxe Paper from the mat.

How to Assemble the Rock Picture Frame

You have crafted your rock picture frame, cut your vinyl, and cut your card stock mat. Next you will begin to assemble your Father’s Day Rock Picture Frame.

How to Put Vinyl on Glass

Take the glass from your picture frame and lay it on flat surface.

First, make sure your glass is clean and wipe free any dust or streak from the surface. Let dry.

Cut around the vinyl cut phrase with a pair of scissors.

Using the weeding tool, peel away the excess vinyl around the cut phrase and discard excess vinyl.

Next, cut a section of the transfer tape slightly larger than the size of the phrase.

Peel away the transfer tape backing and place the transfer tape on top of the cut phrase. Gently rub the vinyl to help it stick to the transfer tape.

Peel away the vinyl backing, leaving just the phrase adhered to the transfer tape.

Position the phrase with the transfer tape on to the glass and press in place.

Press the vinyl phrase down with your fingers or with the Cricut scraping tool to help it to stick to the glass surface.

Slowly and carefully remove the transfer tape leaving the vinyl phrase on the glass.

Place the glass back into the pebble picture frame. Wipe away finger prints.

Place the blue cardstock paper mat into the frame against the glass. Reassemble the backing into the frame.

Wrap this father’s day gift for dad. Gift and let him display and enjoy!

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final Father’s Day Cricut Picture Frame. Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!

Don’t forget our many Easy and Frugal Father’s Day Gift ideas using supplies from home. This includes our Father’s Day BBQ Mason Jar Craft. Pin to Pinterest.

Also save these Free Cricut Craft Tutorials throughout the entire year. Pin to Pinterest.

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