A Dollar Away From a Better Day

One thing I've learned as a Mommy, is that some days you just need to throw in the towel and have some fun. Sometimes that option is hard to do, when the little one has been fussy, you've not been feeling well, or you're unable to financially go out and do something like the zoo or too far from a park. 

That's why our family created the $1 bin, for those rough days with the little guy. 

Remember, sometimes you're just a dollar away from a better day.

1. Magic Towels

I love these! Not only are they fairly practical as gifts, but they're fun in the tub, just open it and toss it in warm water, and about ten minutes later you have a washcloth! Little dude loves this because he can play with a ball until it unfolds, then, its a washcloth he can play with! It's always nice to have these on hand too!

2. Snack Pack Puddings

Because sometimes a sweet treat is all you really need to turn a bad day around. And the fact that they come in packs of four? You can treat the whole family at that price!

3. Rubber Duckies (3 pack)

You can never have enough rubber duckies. Ever.

I love that the big duck comes in the normal size for rubber duckies, but the "babies" are teeny! Perfect for little hands! Little dude loved his duckies and played with them quite a bit!

4. Cheese and Crackers Packs
I remember these packs as a kid, my grandparents were the only ones who'd give them to me. I'd eat the crackers so meticulously so I could savor the processed cheese. 

Is it healthy for you? Of course not, but it is a great treat for toddlers and kiddos, and on a rough day, anything goes. 

5. Bath Books

Bath books are the coolest things ever! They're totally waterproof so they can have them in the tub with them, but they're also wonderful for teething, road trips or any other messy situations when you may need to wipe them down easily enough. We love bath books and love that they're just a dollar!

6. Board Books

The dollar stores always have great board books for great prices. I've scored our little guy Disney board books at 2 for $1 over at Dollar Tree, making it so worthwhile! We love to treat him with something that will help expand his mind and teach him to read eventually!

Plus, it's nice to have plenty of books for bedtime reading!

7. Bath Mitts!

No, I didn't buy my kid three bath mitts. In the process of writing this post he was gifted two more! We love these, they're soft enough for him to enjoy, sturdy enough for him to get clean with, and fun! Isn't that frog just darling?

7. Bubbles and Bubble Wand Set

I know the package says 4+ on it, but how can you say no to a $1 set of Bubble wands that are in fact, that awesome? We also love that for another dollar you can buy a three pack of bubbles! The best bubbles I have ever bought were from the dollar store and to this day, it is the only place I will go to buy bubbles! 

8. Glow Sticks

These are a MUST at our house. We use them for just about anything. Kicks and giggles, good kid treats, bath time fun, you name it! We love to add these to goody bags for birthdays, holidays, and family events, so having extras around the house is definitely worthwhile!

9. Coloring Books & Crayons

The dollar store always has a great selection of coloring books. I love going there for these, because otherwise they'd be SO EXPENSIVE! Looking at Wal-Mart they rarely have them for less than $5. (However, when they do have them for $1, they're usually holiday ones, so snatch those deals up!) We love finding him coloring books, and being able to replace broken or destroyed crayons for cheap is nice too!

10. New Teddy

While another teddy bear is THE LAST thing my son needed, we've actually found that having something to snuggle with in the car is really nice. This is his car teddy now, and he knows to leave him in the car just for drives. Its nice to help him feel soothed and calm, and even better, because if the bear gets lost, kidnapped, or misplaced, he was only a dollar and easily replaceable (which is why I bought two)! 

There you have it, a shopping list for your at-home dollar bins for when you're having a rough day with the kiddos. We tried each of the items listed above during the course of a month period of time, and found that they work so well with being a fun mom, helping restart rough days, and helping make days easier when mom or dad is sick and needs a break.

While all these items were purchased at Dollar Tree, I was not compensated or paid by them to write this post. I'm just a frugal gal who really likes shopping there!