After a long winter in the house, I am excited to get outside with my kids to explore and play. My mom-brain is already working and planning out these few precious months of sunshine and extra time with the kids.
My go-to place to find all things summer, crafts, car time toys, and last minute stops are dollar stores.
Recently for a long trip up north and camping, I picked up a few of my favorite mom hacks for kids and found a few new ones too. Check out my list below for my top summertime finds at the dollar store!
1.) Water toys – My favorite is the pool noodle, just stop by Pinterest and the options are endless for this one. Make sure you check out the pool float section too. Each year I find more and more cute toys for floating in the water.
2.) Kitchen utensils – Big spoons, ladles and more can also be used for fun beach toys and water tables.
3.) Glow sticks – Create an instant glow party around the campfire, family reunion or pool party.
4.) Painting supplies – Summertime rock painting with the brushes too. Don’t forget to grab a plastic table cloth to cover that paint area while you are shopping too.
5.) Coloring books and crayons – These are great to break out new for those car rides and long summer afternoons when a case of the “I’m bored” breaks out.
6.) Chalk – Color the sidewalk with art, play tic-tac-toe, draw a hopscotch board or even practice letters and shapes.
7.) Beach toys – This is a great place to pick up buckets, shovels, castle molds, and even a basket to carry the toys in! I find the laundry baskets are best, so the toys can air dry and all the sand falls out when cleaning up to take them home.
8.) Outdoor games – The dollar store has an endless supply of different sized balls, jump ropes, hula hoops, sports cones, bubbles, kites and more. You could make the best obstacle course for the kids to go through. Add a sprinkler and really wear them out!
9.) Stickers – Sometimes it is nice to have some indoor activities that allow for quiet time or focus. The dollar store always has a great selection of stickers for making cards, decorating pictures, and more.
10.) Craft beads – Pick some of these up for making necklaces and bracelets… it helps the kids keep their fine motor skills sharp.
11.) Pipe cleaners – Kids love using these to make necklaces or to create just about anything. Make sure to stock your art box!
12.) Planting supplies – I have found great little planters, tools, seeds and even fairy garden supplies to use when gardening with the kids. Who doesn’t love an excuse to dig in the dirt?
13.) Water balloons – A fun activity for a kids party or hot afternoon to keep the kids cool.
14.) Puzzles – They have great little puzzles with a variety of scenes to keep the kids busy all summer. These are great to have for those rainy afternoons.
15.) Summer workbooks – My kids love doing some school-style activities in the summer. It helps keep some of their skills fresh and break up the day. They can also provide some quiet time for older ones while the littles are napping.
16.) Small plastic animals – We have picked some of these up in the past for the sandbox, beach and water table.
17.) Sunglasses – The dollar store has really cute sunglasses for kids and momma too. We always need a few spare pairs for different cars and leave a pair in the beach bag too.
18.) Silly string – Perfect for a birthday party or end of the school year celebration… get ready for the giggles!
19.) Squirt guns – They’re a great price at the dollar store and a perfect excuse to start a neighborhood water war.
20.) Games – Another fun find for rainy days! You can find playing cards and small travel games for the car. They even have some great flashcards the kids to use to keep up on their skills and play school with.
I also have a few bonuses to share that have saved the day in a pinch. It seems no matter where you are traveling, there is a dollar store along the way. Last minute trips to pick up these must-haves for a good deal can really help during summer and travel season.
BONUS: 5 Mom Must-Haves
1.) Wipes – Need I say any more?
2.) Snacks – The dollar store makes for a perfect late minute stop before a playdate or picnic for some kid and adult-friendly snacks.
3.) Cups/eating utensils – We have traveled all the way to our rental destination only to forget these items. The dollar store usually has basic sippy cups, kids plates, and cups for those hungry, little toddlers.
4.) Basic first aid – Band-aids are always in short supply it seems and with summertime skinned knees and ouchies, the dollar store has you covered. They typically have really cute kid patterns too.
5.) Flip flops – These are perfect grabs to use as a backup pair or to leave in the beach bag.
