IS GREAT WOLF LODGE WORTH THE PRICE FOR FAMILIES? REAL COSTS, SAVINGS TIPS, AND WHAT TO EXPECT

Yes, Great Wolf Lodge is worth it especially for families who want an easy, activity-packed getaway without extra add-ons. When we visited the Great Wolf Lodge in Scottsdale, AZ with our two kids, I found myself asking the same question: Is Great Wolf Lodge worth the price for a family of four? After spending a full weekend enjoying the indoor waterpark, MagiQuest, and the constant lineup of free activities, the value became clear. Great Wolf Lodge simplifies everything from no driving between activities, no paying for separate entertainment, and plenty for both kids to enjoy, which made the overall experience feel absolutely worth the price.

HOW CAN YOU SAVE MONEY ON A GREAT WOLF LODGE VISIT? 

• Book during off-peak dates—Great Wolf Lodge rates drop significantly on weekdays and non-holiday seasons and you can often find Great Wolf Lodge discounts on these days.
• Use Great Wolf Lodge promo codes and Great Wolf Lodge deals, which are frequently offered on the website and email list. Register forGreat Wolf Lodge’s newsletter to stay informed on their special rates and packages.
• Bring your favorite snacks or breakfast items to enjoy along the way. A batch of homemade pumpkin cinnamon rolls make a delicious treat during your Great Wolf Lodge Staycation.
• Share a MagiQuest wand between siblings for additional savings.
• Join the Great Wolf Lodge rewards program for future discounts.
• Celebrate birthdays or special events at Great Wolf Lodge: free activities and perks can add value.
• Compare room types:standard suites are often the best value for families.
• Participate in Great Wolf Lodge’s free activities during your stay – arts& crafts and yoga were a hit for our group!

 

 

IS GREAT WOLF LODGE WORTH THE COST FOR JUST ONE NIGHT?

• You get two full days of water park access, making a single-night stay feel like a full weekend of fun.
• The room + waterpark bundle offers strong value when you maximize both check-in and check-out days.
• A one-night trip helps families enjoy the best attractions without overspending, especially if you focus on the waterpark and free activities.
• Arriving early and staying late lets you stretch your stay, turning one night into nearly 30 hours on property.
• Short stays are perfect when Great Wolf Lodge offers weekday or flash deals, making the cost even more worthwhile.
• For families wanting a quick, high-impact getaway, one night delivers all the core experiences, making it absolutely worth the cost.

 

 

IS THE GREAT WOLF LODGE DINING PLAN WORTH IT?

Yes, the dining plan is very worth it! Here are 6 dining plan tips that will help you plan out your trip.

• Lock in meal costs early by buying the dining plan ahead of your trip so you’re not hit with higher on-site prices.
• Take full advantage of the all-you-can-eat breakfast—arrive early, fuel up big, and you’ll stretch your snack budget the rest of the day.
• Use lunch and dinner credits strategically at the restaurants with the best portion sizes to maximize value.
• Skip the meal-hunting stress and keep your family in the fun zone—prepaid meals mean no last-minute decisions.
• Mix and match food outlets to use credits on higher-value meals like pizzas, grill items, and hearty entrées.
• Lean into kid-friendly options—the dining plan covers all the easy, crowd-pleasing foods, so nothing goes to waste.

 

FAQ

Q: How much does it cost to take a family to Great Wolf Lodge?
A: The cost will vary depending on location, room type, and season. Please check the website to price out your stay.

Q: What food options are available at Great Wolf Lodge?
A: Great Wolf Lodge offers sit-down restaurants, quick-service spots, buffets, coffee shops,
snack stands, and bar areas.

Q: Does Great Wolf Lodge have gluten-free options?
A: Yes, most locations offer gluten-free meals and can accommodate dietary needs upon
request.

Q: Can you eat outside Great Wolf Lodge property?
A: Yes, you can leave the resort to dine at nearby restaurants.

Q: Can you order food delivery to Great Wolf Lodge?
A: Yes, many locations allow outside food delivery to the lobby or designated pickup areas.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Great Wolf Lodge delivers strong value because the waterpark, free activities, and on-site entertainment replace the need for extra paid outings.

You can save significantly by visiting on off-peak dates, using promo codes, bringing snacks, and focusing on free activities.

Even a one-night stay feels worth the cost thanks to two full days of waterpark access and flexible arrival/departure times that maximize your experience.

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There’s something magical about serving up a treat that’s as beautiful as it is delicious—especially when it’s dressed up in sparkles, swirls, and a touch of royal charm. In my book Party in a Jar, one of the most crowd-pleasing, photo-ready creations is the Princess Smoothie Jar. Perfect for birthday parties, playdates, or any day that calls for a bit of enchantment, these layered smoothie jars are a fun and healthy way to bring a little fairytale flair to your table.

Made with fruit and sorbet, these smoothies aren’t just easy to make—they’re also endlessly customizable and kid-approved. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to whip up your own royal smoothie jars, plus a few tips for decorating them to fit your party theme.

Ready to blend some magic? Let’s get started!

PRINCESS SMOOTHIE JAR MATERIALS & INGREDIENTS

• 1 roll pink tulle
• 1 roll pink ribbon
• 5 (1 pint) Mason jars
• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1/s cup milk or ice
• 16 ounces strawberry sorbet
• pineapple
• star coookie cutter
• skewers
• grapes

PRINCESS SMOOTHIE JARS DIRECTIONS

1. Cut tulle into 2×6-inch strips. You will need approximately 50 strips for each tutu.
2. Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to wrap around a Mason jar with enough slack to tie it around the jar.
3. Fold the tulle strips in half and double knot them around the ribbon, bunching the tulle together to form a tutu. Attach the tutu to the jar, using the excess ribbon. Repeat steps 1-3 for additional tutus.
4. Add frozen strawberries, banana, milk and strawberry sorbet to a blender and blend until creamy. Pour into jars.
5. Shape pineapple slices into stars using a star cookie cutter. Add pineapple stars to the top ofo skewers with several grapes underneath to make princess wands.

Jar Tip: The tutu, while easy to make, will take some time to complete. You may want to make the tutu well in advance before starting your smoothie.

Note: Make sure kids are careful with the sharp end of the skewer. Please supervise children. You can use a straw instead of a skewer for added safety.

PARTY IN A JAR BOOK 

You can currently find my Party in a Jar book on Amazon. Party in a Jar features sixteen kid-friendly craft projects that not only provide entertainment for pint-sized partygoers but also function as take-home party favors. From edible dino terrariums to holiday-themed gifts and centerpieces, these upcycled jar crafts are earth-friendly and sure to be the hit of your next get-together!

MORE CRAFTS FOR KIDS 

If you love these princess smoothie jars, you’ll love these:

• 2 Ingredient Unicorn Glue Slime
• Pool Noodle Boat Racing DIY
• Easy Moon Sand Recipe
• Adopt a Panda Pet Adoption Party
• DIY Felt Flower Hair Ties

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Good Journey’s! Disney’s brand new Galactic Starcruiser is truly something out of this world. The new resort opened in March 2022 and I feel so fortunate that my family got to experience this unique adventure recently. It’s hard to put into words what it is, but it’s not just a hotel by any means. 

You and your family live in a movie for two days, where everything you do is part of a story line or action sequence. Your experience takes place aboard the Halcyon – a luxury starcruise part of the Chandrila Starline. – CSL. The Halcyon is gorgeous and every detail makes you feel like you are staying in outer space. But don’t be fooled: this won’t be any normal interplanetary cruise.

While on board you will decide your own path in this immersive adventure and your story changes and evolves as the cruise sails on. You will find yourself lost in a world with characters so unique and storylines that seem like they came right from the movies. You won’t want your adventure to end.

Here are my 20 tips for the Galactic Starcruiser with kids. 

BEFORE YOU BOOK THE GALACTIC STARCRUISER

Is the Galactic Starcruiser right for your family? This was one of the biggest questions we have been asked and I’d say you need to consider these two major aspects yourself.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 1: Consider age of children. 

I personally think in order to get the most out of this experience and the cost, the best age is 7+ for this adventure. Your child will want to participate on their own and that will require use of a datapad (aka cell phone) throughout their journey.  If your child can handle that then it might be a great time to go. I did see several younglings on board but they can’t participate in every activity as normal. Modified experiences for those under 7 are provided, such as droid racing and light saber training.  They will be labeled as Loth-cat activities.  While these are equally as fun, they do mean part of your family gets split up at times.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 2: Willingness to interact. 

You don’t need to be a massive Star Wars fan to enjoy this cruise, but it certainly helps!  Rather, your willingness to be involved and interact with people plays the most vital role. To maximize your experience, you will want to speak to cast members, fellow guests and be a part of the action around you. I am an introvert and I even ran around speaking to strangers on board. You don’t need to know every detail of Star Wars either, Disney designed this so that everyone can really enjoy this.

BEFORE YOUR GALACTIC STARCRUISER ARRIVAL

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 3: Plan your costumes. 

You don’t have to dress up at all, but this was a really fun way for my entire family to get excited before our trip. Even if it was just a Star Wars themed tee shirt, most people on board were dressed up in some capacity. Some guests wore fully immersive costumes based on their favorite Star Wars character while some wore their favorite Chewbacca tee. There was a full range onboard, but many went down the middle like us. We did more of Disney bounding attire, while our kids wore costumes. Disney will send you a link to exclusive costumes about 30 days before you arrive, which is only for those booked on the Halcyon. We decided to just build our own outfits and found lots of inspiration online. Just make sure whatever you wear it’s comfortable for lots of moving around.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 4: Get the Disney Play App. 

Everyone in your traveling party will need a Disney play account – yes even the padawans! Set this up early before you arrive.  You can actually begin to explore the app months before your journey and that was equally as fun. You will watch your itinerary begin to form, get messages from the cruise and explore the ship virtually.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 5: Book your excursion at 60 days. 

At 60 days, just like in the parks, you can call to book special experiences while on your Batuu excursion day. You can call to book Oga’s Cantina, Savii’s light saber building and the Droid Depot. You will have a special line to call and times are reserved especially for those on the Halcyon. Most people have had no issue booking those experiences even closer to their sailings. It’s important to use the special hotline so that your times are added to your Disney play app itinerary. While these are fun experiences to fit into your day, I personally recommend doing this another time if possible.  Your time on Batuu will be fast and limited and these experiences can take up a good chunk of your time.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 6: Plan your arrival day. 

Disney will work with you to get you from your other Disney resorts and transfer luggage. Make sure you call ahead or speak to your resort guest services to make sure this is arranged ahead of time. Some guests arrived by taxi or uber as well and can be dropped off right at the door. Valet parking is included and required. There is no busing to other parks from the Galactic Starcruiser either. I recommend arriving in Disney or the Orlando areas the day before if possible to maximize your time and arrive refreshed. 

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 7: Book a photoshoot and thank me later. 

Disney is offering a steal of a photoshoot for guests on board the Halcyon. It’s called the CSL photoshoot and it’s a 30 minute photo session on board for $99.  You get all the images taken and there is one photographer and one lighting specialist with you. The locations you can access vary by the time of the day you book but the photos are really quite amazing. They do book fast and are limited. I recommend a time mid day on Day 2. Guests will be off the ship on Batuu and more locations are available. I cherish these photos that really captured the adventure we took together. We got 40 images from our 30 minutes and brought all our own props. I cherish these photos and I think the photographers did incredible.

ARRIVING AT THE GALACTIC STARCRUISER

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 8: Arrive slightly later than 1pm.  

This might not be a popular opinion but everyone wants to arrive at 1pm and be on the ship first. You can arrive anytime between 1-4pm. We arrived at 12:45pm and waited about an hour outside to get to security. The wait wasn’t terrible but when you have kids who are really excited to get on that ship, it can feel longer. The line dropped dramatically after 2pm. And people who arrived at that point simply walked up to check in. While you wait on the line a cast member will check your family in, give out your special databands (magic bands). 

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 9: Datapads for everyone.  

Everyone in your party will need a cellular device on this trip to get the full experience. Disney is currently providing guests cell phones for those that do not have one. We used one of Disney’s devices for our youngest and it worked perfectly. They provide a charger and the cell phone comes with a hard outside protective cover.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 10: Security Check in requires scanners. 

When you arrive at the terminal you go through x-rays just like at the parks. Because you won’t be  going through scanners to enter Galaxy’s edge you go through the screening process here. Your luggage will also go through scanners just like at an airport.  We kept one important bag with us but it wasn’t even necessary since our luggage beat us to our cabin.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 11: Go to lunch!  

You can get so busy during the arrival time period you might forget about lunch.  It runs from 1-4pm. All meals are included on board and each seating has unique offerings you won’t want to miss.

ENJOYING YOUR GALACTIC STARCRUISER STAY

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 12: Interact with everyone you can. 

The biggest thing I have to say it speak to as many cast members/actors as you can on board. Get involved and walk up to groups talking to the captain or cruise director. Explore the ship because you never know when you might stumble upon a fun adventure with Chewbacca in the engineering room.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 13: Go to Batuu early.  

Your itinerary will list a time for our transport to Batuu but these times are flexible. We went to Batuu on the earliest transport and Galaxy’s edge was a bit empty at that point. It also gave us time to explore and do missions.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 14: Use the free lightning lane passes.  

Part of your cruise includes complimentary lighting lane for both Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler’s Run. Don’t skip these because riding these is part of your journey. Riding them was part of our missions. It was a nice perk to be able to walk right on these rides.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 15: Visit Oga’s.  

Even if you don’t have a reservation for Oga’s Halcyon, guests get to go right in!  Yes, another perk of the cruise. We didn’t know about this until we walked up and a cast member asked if we wanted to come in. She spotted out special Halcyon pins and got us right in. You might even have a special mission to complete like we did there.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 16: Don’t Use your meal credit. 

This might also not be a popular opinion either but the shop has such unique food options that we didn’t want to miss it. You get a lunch credit on Batuu to use at docking bay 7, but we thought we could do that anytime we were in Galaxy’s Edge.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 17: Buy Souvenirs. 

Visit the Chandrila Boutique on board before the end of day 2. The boutique on board is gorgeous and feels like a fancy high end boutique. Be sure to do your souvenir shopping before the end of day 2 as the store is closed on departure day. There were many upset fans that day realizing it was closed. The items on board are exclusive to guests staying on the starcruiser. There is even a special pop up shop outside the terminal with different items on the day you disembark.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 18: Ask for free water bottles.   

One of the perks of staying at the Halcyon is getting free cold water bottles on Batuu. We used that often during our excursion day. It can get hot and let’s face it bottled water purchases can add up. They also provided cooling towels and rumor has it ponchos on rainy days. There is a very nice area to sit and cool off and relax just for Halcyon guests.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 19: Bring a power chargers.

I can’t stress this enough but bring back up cell phone chargers or power cables.  My cell phone battery was drained by lunch time each day. Between missions and taking videos and photos, it couldn’t keep up with it all. I used a power charger and the concierge desk actually had replacements for us as well. In addition, the Halcyon had power charging ports throughout the atrium.

Galactic Starcruiser Tip 20: Screenshot your datapad. 

I had no clue how invested I would become with the interactions with the cast and crew. The day you check out your datapad is cleared and no messages will remain. I was really disappointed to see this and wish I had screenshotted some of the back and forth between us and the crew on our datapads.

We had the best experience traveling on the Galactic Starcruiser. I initially went into this journey saying it was a “one and done” type stay and we’d never do it again. Boy was I entirely wrong. The moment the hatch doors closed and our shuttle was returning down to earth we looked at each other and said “we must do this again!” We fell in love with this experience and every aspect of it. Disney has created something truly unique and different here and I for one can’t wait to go back in the future.

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Our little neighbor and family friend recruited my help in planning her dream panda party for her 4th birthday. As You Wish, a pottery painting place, helped supply the matching cups and dishes (all hand painted by their amazing artists!). We’ve hosted many parties (like our Finding Dory Ocean Birthday and our Art Themed Painting Birthday) with As You Wish and they always make the day so special! If you are in Arizona, California or Utah, check them out! Keep on reading for all the adopt a panda pet adoption party details and tips.

HOW MANY KIDS SHOULD I INVITE TO AN ADOPT A PANDA PET ADOPTION PARTY?

I prefer smaller parties as opposed to inviting the entire class list. A good rule of thumb is to match the invites to however old the child is turning. If your child is turning 6, you’d invite 5 kids + the birthday girl or boy. That can get tricky with cousins and siblings, but I really like the idea of keeping the party small and less overwhelming. We capped our guest list to 9 friends + the birthday girl, so 10 kids in total. We had 1 adult helper per station.

WHAT SHOULD MY GUESTS DO WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT OUR ADOPT A PANDA PET ADOPTION PARTY?

I recommend planning an arrival activity that early guests can do to fill time until everyone arrives. Coloring or a simple craft would be a great activity to fill this time. We had our little guests decorate a gable box “panda house” with stickers. We also included letter stickers, so they could add their pet name to it. This was easy enough for our preschoolers to complete without a lot of extra assistance.

WHAT ACTIVITIES SHOULD WE DO AT AN ADOPT A PANDA PET ADOPTION PARTY?

We offered 4 different party stations: decorate a panda house, make a panda necklace, give your panda a vet check up and pick a toy/snack station. This took us about an hour to complete, spending around 15 minutes at each station. The rest of the party time was spent eating, cake time, opening gifts and free play. This was the perfect amount of activities for preschoolers. You can purchase our panda party printables HERE!

For the necklace making station, we had our guests string beads on pipe cleaners. The pipe cleaners are much easier to manage than string for little fingers. I also found some wooden panda beads to coordinate with our theme. I recommend grabbing a cheap sectioned out veggie tray to place the beads in. For the toy and snack station, our guests were able to pick a mini ball and a Hello Panda snack to place in their gable boxes.

HOW DO I CREATE A PANDA HOSPITAL STATION FOR A PET ADOPTION PARTY?

I created my own panda hospital printables (coming soon to my shop!) for this party, including a panda checkup sheet. Because most of our preschool guests weren’t quite reading yet, I made sure that the printable included pictures. We placed these printables on clip boards and included pencils. We placed cheap play stethoscopes, thermometers (decorated with a panda sticker) and bandaids at this station for our panda checkups. Pretend play is always a favorite with this age group!

HOW SHOULD I DECORATE FOR AN ADOPT A PANDA PET ADOPTION PARTY?

We kept our party decoration very simple. We used polka dot tablecloth topped with a sparkly pink table runner for our cake and treat table. We grabbed a faux bamboo plant from IKEA and used jars to display the panda treats and snacks. A light up mini marquee and basket full of our stuffed pandas completed the look. The panda pottery from As You Wish completed our party theme and made for super cute decor! This would be a fairly easy party to do in store, painting a panda pottery piece as part of the party. Contact them for more information.

WHAT TREATS SHOULD I HAVE AT AN ADOPT A PANDA PARTY?

You can’t have a panda party without a panda cake! I’ll let you in on a little party secret. I requested plain 3 tiered cake from a local grocery store and added my own panda  decorations (found on Amazon). My amazing Mom created the matching cookies that went on top of the “party like a panda” plate from As You Wish. Our little guests sipped lemonade out of panda cups with polka dot straws. Check out those cute little panda erasers that I hot glued to the straws!

Happy panda party planning! Make sure to send us any photos of your panda parties if you decide to use these theme! A big THANK YOU to As You Wish for their super cute panda pottery contributions.

You can purchase our panda party printables HERE! 

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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL TEACHER GIFT IDEA

With Covid-19, the past couple years have been a doozy for teachers. Our teachers and school have gone above and beyond for our students, so we started brainstorming first day of school gift ideas for the new school year. Even with the laundry list of school supplies that parents have to buy, teachers end up purchasing a large chunk of school necessities out of their own paychecks. When I spotted these supply caddies, I knew they’d make for a great gift container to stuff full of favorite teacher supplies and treats.

I used my Cricut to personalize the supply caddies with our teachers names. We dropped them off during our “meet the teacher” event and the teachers all loved them. I’m a big fan of gift containers that are functional and who doesn’t love a personalized gift! Here are some ideas of what you can place inside of the caddy:

• Ticonderoga Pencils
• Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens
• Expo Markers
• Sticky Notes
• Hand Sanitizer
• Hand Soap
• Clorox Wipes
• Grading Stickers
• Trail Mix

Make sure to send me a photo or tag me in your social media post if you decide to use these printable first day of school teacher gift idea tags!

DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL TEACHER GIFT IDEA TAGS

Simply CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the printable first day of school teacher gift idea tags. Print on white card stock and use scissors to cut the tags out. Punch a hole at the top of each tag and attach to a supply caddy using a piece of ribbon. Fill the caddy with your teacher’s favorite school supplies or treats and the gift is ready to be delivered!

MORE TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT IDEAS

If you love these printable first day of school teacher gift idea tags, here are a few other teacher gift ideas:

• Keep Calm Summer Gift for Teachers
• Teacher Mask Gift Tags
• Nacho Average Teacher Gift
• DIY Vinyl Teacher Clip Board
• LEGO Soap Teacher Gift
• Thanks a Latte Starbucks Gift 
• Teacher Survival Kit
• Chick-fil-A Teacher Appreciation Tags

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PRINTABLE CHICK-FIL-A TEACHER APPRECIATION TAGS

Teacher Appreciation Week is here and after such a tough year of dealing with the rollercoaster ride that Covid-19 took us on, teachers deserve extra love and appreciation! When I discovered that my daughter’s teacher loves Chick-fil-A, I knew I had to create the perfect “thank you for teaching our little nugget” printable for the occasion. She’s a woman after my own chicken sandwich loving heart!

When you roll up to the store to pick up your gift cards, ask them for unused nugget boxes that’ll fit your gift cards. My store didn’t bat an eyelash at the request and even packaged the gift cards inside of the boxes for me. Chick-fil-A is magical like that. Aside from the gift cards, nugget boxes and printable tags, you’ll need a matching ribbon. I used a gingham red ribbon with wire so I could make my bow extra fancy. Ribbon in red, black or even twine would work.

Make sure to send me a photo or tag me in your social media post if you decide to use these printable teacher appreciation tags!

DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE CHICK-FIL-A TEACHER APPRECIATION TAGS

Simply CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the printable Chick-fil-A teacher appreciation tags. Print on white card stock and use scissors (or a large circle punch) to cut the tags out. Punch a hole at the top of each tag and attach to an unused nuggets box (place the gift card inside) using a piece of ribbon. Your gift is ready to be delivered to your favorite teacher!

MORE TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT IDEAS

If you love these printable Chick-fil-A teacher appreciation tags, here are a few other teacher gift ideas:

• Keep Calm Summer Gift for Teachers
• Teacher Mask Gift Tags
• Nacho Average Teacher Gift
• DIY Vinyl Teacher Clip Board
• LEGO Soap Teacher Gift
• Thanks a Latte Starbucks Gift 
• Teacher Survival Kit

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FREE PRINTABLE YODA BEST VALENTINE TAGS

We spotted these gummy frogs at the Dollar Store and immediately knew that they’d be perfect for a baby Yoda themed Valentine! Remember that scene in Mandalorian when The Child eats a frog? That’s one of our favorite scenes!

The past year has been challenging (to put it mildly), so we are jumping on any excuse to celebrate! Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays and my kids look forward to passing out and receiving Valentines. This year, our school banned gift exchanges due to Covid. We’ll be safely participating in a socially distant Valentine’s Day exchange with some friends. Each child will place a decorated box or bag on their front porch on Valentine’s Day and drop off cards in those boxes. It’s not the same as a full blown party, but it’ll still be a fun way to celebrate!

Make sure to send me a photo or tag me in your social media post if you decide to use these free printable Yoda Best Valentine tags!

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PRINTABLE YODA BEST VALENTINE TAGS

Simply CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the free printable Yoda Best Valentine tags. Print on white card stock and use scissors to cut the tags out. Attach to a package of gummy frogs with ribbon or twine. Your gifts are ready to be delivered to classmates or friends!

MORE VALENTINE PRINTABLES

If you love these free printable Yoda Best Valentine tags, here are a few other Valentine’s Day ideas.star

• Cat Ear Headband Valentine
• Circus Animal Cookie Valentines
• Valentine Socks Printable
• Monster Jam Car Valentine Printable
• Dinosaur Valentine Card Printable
• Ice Cream Lip Balm Valentines
• Jumping Frog Valentines

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Looking for an easy lunch idea that kids will love? These turkey and cheddar sandwich kabobs will be a hit in any lunchbox! Our favorite lunchmeat to use in our kabobs is Land O’Frost® Premium Meat Oven Roasted Turkey Breast. Their black forest ham is yummy too!

TURKEY AND CHEDDAR SANDWICH KABOBS

After several months of distance learning, my kids are excited to return to brick and mortar school and I’ve never been more excited to pack a school lunchbox! My kids love bite sized food for lunch that they can easily eat, so they can quickly get to the playground for recess time (the MOST important part of the school day). They have never been big sandwich eaters, but they will gobble it up if I take the same ingredients and package it in a creative way. I still haven’t broken it to them that they are technically eating sandwiches, but I don’t want to mess with a good thing. If you also have fussy eaters, give these sandwich kabobs a shot!

TURKEY AND CHEDDAR SANDWICH KABOBS INGREDIENTS

Head to your local Kroger store and pick up the following ingredients. I’m a huge fan of curbside pickup right now. I order my groceries, typically the night before through the Fry’s app, and show up during my designated pickup time. I let the store know that I’m in the pickup line through the app and my groceries are placed right inside of my trunk for me. Such a time saver and something my family will continue to utilize long after the pandemic is over.

• Sourdough Bread
• Cheddar Cheese
• Land O’Frost® Premium Meat Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Lettuce Greens
• Pickle Slices
• You’ll also need: skewers & cookie cutters

HOW TO MAKE TURKEY AND CHEDDAR SANDWICH KABOBS

Once you gather the ingredients and supplies listed above, use a small round cookie cutter to cut out sourdough bread circles. Do the same to the cheddar cheese. For different holidays, I like to use coordinating cookie cutter shapes (like hearts for Valentine’s Day or shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day). For these skewers, I used a small heart shaped cutter on the cucumbers. My 7 year old will eat just about anything if it’s cut in a heart shape!

Place a cherry tomato, folded picked and cucumber slice on the skewer. Next, make a mini sandwich out of the bread, cheese and 2 slices of turkey breast (folded in fourths). Skewer the sandwich after the cucumber. Add a piece of lettuce and another tomato to the skewer. That’s it, super easy and so much fun to eat!

You can get creative with the ingredients. Use different cheeses or veggies. Use ham instead of turkey. Use pita bread inside of sourdough.Sometimes I’ll include a salad dressing dip for the kids to dip their kabobs in. If your children are still distance learning, set out the ingredients and they can skewer their own sandwich kabobs. They’ll love it and it’ll be less work for you, win/win! If the kabobs are going inside of a lunchbox, I recommend using a non-pointy skewer (like lollipop type sticks).

For more recipe ideas, visit Land O’ Frost®.

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ORANGE THEMED HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA

Gift giving is my love language. I love coming up with thoughtful gifts that the recipient will find useful. Last year, I filled slippers with things like lip balm and snacks for some of my extended family members. This year, I came up with this orange themed gift idea. A little extra Vitamin C is always useful this time of year!

The tags include the saying “orange you glad it’s Christmas”, a play on the orange and banana knock knock joke. Keep on reading to see what I included in my orange themed gift baskets. It was fun to shop with a specific color in mind! Make sure to send me a photo or tag me in your social media post if you decide to use this Christmas blanket gift idea. I love seeing the Christmas cheer being spread!

ORANGE THEMED HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA ITEMS

Inside my orange themed holiday gift idea, I included the items listed below. You could also use the tags on any of these items individually, for smaller gifts to share with neighbors or teachers.

• Orange Gum
• Orange Lip Balm
• Orange Scented Candle
• Orange Bath Poof
• Orange Vitamin Water
• Vitamin C Gummies
• Tissue (with an orange print from the Target Dollar Spot)
• Orange Scented Soap
• You could also include: actual oranges or mandarins, orange socks, orange gloves, orange scarf, Emergen C, orange water bottle, orange blanket, orange knit hat, orange journal, orange candy, orange nail polish, orange scented lotion, orange tea, orange scented bath bombs, etc. The possibilities are endless once you start shopping!

DOWNLOAD THE ORANGE THEMED HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA TAGS

Simply CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the free printable orange themed holiday gift tags. Print on white card stock and use scissors to cut the tags out. Punch a hole at  the top of each tag. Tie the tags directly to the gift baskets using a matching ribbon. Your gifts are ready to be delivered to teachers, friends and neighbors!

MORE HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

If you love this orange themed holiday gift idea, here are a few other holiday gift ideas that are easy and practical. This year we will be gifting cozy blankets with a “sleep in heavenly fleece” tag attached to teachers.

• Holiday Gift of Dishes
• Playdough Christmas Tree Gift
• Hair Scrunchie Christmas Gift
• Wrapping Paper Gift Idea
• Snowman Soup Printable Bag Toppers
• Teacher Christmas Ornaments
• You’ve Been ELFed Printables

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