Baby Shark is back! Pinkfong and Round Room Live recently announced the return of Baby Shark Live! to a stage near you.
The live immersive shark-filled experience prematurely shut down last year so if your littles didn’t get a chance to check it out, now they live out their “do, do, do, do, do, doo” dreams. The Baby Shark Live! tour will kick off this June, starting in Texas.
Stephen Shaw, tour producer and co-president of Round Room Live, said in a press release, “We’re thrilled to bring Baby Shark Live! back to stages across the country. Audiences have been waiting over a year for live entertainment to responsibly return and while we plan to continue offering memorable experiences for the entire family, our priority is to keep everyone safe and protected by working with venue and health officials in every city.”
My son Kanen is almost 3 years old, and from the first time I ever put a TV show on for him, well, he insisted it had to be a Disney movie. For the better part of the early years, I just thought he had remarkable taste for things. And I was delighted I wasn’t like the other mom’s suffering as they listened to Baby Shark and Cocomelon all day long.
It wasn’t until about six months after his second birthday that I understood why he was so particular about what he preferred to watch. Autism. See when you have a child on the Autism Spectrum, who is also non-verbal, the early years are quieter than what I figure they might be for others. And If I’m being honest, I’m not usually the type of mom who plops down with my child during screen time. I use that as the time to clean my house, wash dishes, do laundry. You know mom things.
But one lazy morning I decided to watch the Good Dinosaur with Kanen for the first time. It took me a few minutes into the movie to realize the dinosaur talked, but the young boy never did. By this time I was captivated. It hit home. And these are the 3 things a Disney movie of a non-verbal child and a talking dinosaur taught me.
1. “Love Needs No Words.”
This is a quote I’ve heard very often throughout this journey. It’s true, love doesn’t. My child could speak every word in the dictionary, or none at all and I will always love him for exactly who he is. Now I know what you might be thinking…Of course, I will! But will others? The answer is yes. I can’t tell you when or where, unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball for that. But I’ve heard stories from the moms in this journey that talk about their amazing non-verbal children making friends. So I believe it’s going to happen one day for my child and yours too. Communication goes far beyond verbal words. Friendships do too.
2. Look Out for Those Different Than You.
Even in the land before time, a young dinosaur like Arlo knew to look out for another that was unlike him. Another who had no words. Another who had no way of defending or protecting himself. Arlo had found a sense of pride to keep him safe because he knew he could communicate with others around him the way his friend couldn’t. A dinosaur showed me not everyone in life is living in a “doggy-dog-dog” world. Thank you.
3. Never Give Up.
Cliche huh? No, but really….Never give up. Even when life gets tough. I watched for nearly two hours a dinosaur never give up on his life or his non-verbal friend’s life. I’ve only seen that type of perseverance in my son and those like him. I hope one day they find a friend like Arlo. Maybe this was only a fictional Disney Pixar movie. Maybe Kanen has just taught me to look at life through a new lens. Regardless. I’m thankful for both.
Samira is a 25 year old single mom to a 2 year old son Kanen Arley. Her son Kanen was diagnosed with severe non-verbal autism in September of 2020, which inspired her to start sharing their journey through My Charming Arley on Facebook and Samirasstella on Instagram.
Are you ready for Baby Shark’s all-new Nickelodeon debut? As if your fam doesn’t get enough of the ear worm already, the Pinkfong fave is set to debut in an animated series for the Nick network this spring.
In celebration of Baby Shark’s Big Show, Nickelodeon will release a series of shorts. Your kiddo will get a kick out of the animated adventures of Baby Shark and his BFF William in these mini versions of the soon-to-be half-hour show.
photo courtesy of Businesswire
Even though Baby Shark’s Big Show won’t air for a few months, the shorts will get your Baby Shark-loving child super-excited for the series. Catch the five mini-adventures, Baby Shark Shorts, on Feb. 26, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET/PT. The full series will feature 26 episodes that highlight fun, games and more. Along with Mommy and Daddy Shark, Grandma and Grandpa Shark will join Baby Shark and William.
Nick also has other big news for parents of preschoolers. The network recently announced it will renew some of its biggest shows! Santiago of the Seas has been greenlit for a second season, Blue’s Clues & You! will see its fourth season and PAW Patrol is coming back for a ninth season.
If you’ve got an Alexa (and kids) in your house, you’ve probably heard your fair share of “Baby Shark” and endless loops of Disney songs. But Amazon’s nifty wifi-enabled speaker can do a lot more than play music and make cat sounds. Whether you need help organizing your grocery list or counting down to your kid’s next birthday, read on to discover 24 things you probably never knew Alexa could do.
Chat with Chewbacca
Disney Parks
Oh happy day! Disney added two new options to its Disney-themed voice skills! Available exclusively on Amazon Kids+ on compatible Echo devices, kiddos can now ask Alexa to open Frozen Sing! and Star Wars: C-3PO Translates! The two new features join a slew of others that include Disney, Pixar, Star Wars,and Marvel-themed skills.
Tired of battling technology during dinner time? Alexa will soon pause Wi-Fi access in your home, then unpause access with simple voice commands. Just say "Alexa, pause Wi-Fi on Joey's tablet."
Devices will use the assistant to manage WiFi access quickly for as little as one device or the whole family. In addition, users will be able to schedule specific Wi-Fi access times.
Get ready to hear some famous voice the next time you ask Alexa a question. Later this year, Amazon is rolling out a variety of celebs who will cater to your needs, like Samuel L. Jackson. Supposedly the voices will be generated from recordings with celebrities, but time will tell.
Use Alexa Communication For Kids
Amazon
Do your kids use your Amazon Echo device to talk to family and friends? Now parents can use the newest security setting to enable approved contacts with Alexa Communications for Kids for a safer experience. Whitelist specific people your littles can video and audio chat with, and set limits for your teens and tweens.
Now you can cook with your favorite celeb Foot Network chefs! On your Echo Show, ask Alexa to show cooking classed from the network's stars, save recipes and replay moments from cooking demonstrations. Order up!
Protect Your Home
Alexa Guard has even more skills than ever. When heading out, say "Alexa, I'm headed out" to arm the system. While you're away, your devices will stay alert and will detect smoke alarm sounds, carbon monoxide alarms, or glass breaking and send users Smart Alerts. Also coming soon, Guard can also send alerts to notify homeowners of sounds like coughing, footsteps, talking and even a door closing when no one should be home.
When you're carrying, say, two kids and a bag of groceries into a dark house, it's a whole lot easier to have someone else turn the lights on. With the new Amazon Smart Plug, anything plugged into the special plug can be controlled with your voice. All you need to do is say, "Alexa, turn on the lights," or, "Alexa, turn on the family room fan." You can also control your Smart Plug devices from the Alexa app—set your lights to go off and on at a specific time, for instance—which can be especially helpful if you're out of town and need to make it look like someone's still home.
Microwave buttons can be so tedious. Why not hand the job over to Alexa? Just pop your food or drinks into an AmazonBasics Microwave and say, for instance, "Alexa, cook one cup of coffee." Then, let your smart device figure out how long that needs to be. It's just one of a slew of Alexa-enabled appliances and gadgets now on the market. Because the future is now. And cooking with buttons is so 2017.
Do your kiddos know their verbs, nouns and adjectives? Let them practice their silly skills by creating a nonsensical story on Alexa. Just enable Mad Libs on Alexa then say, "Alexa, open Mad Libs." Your kids will be silly storytellers in no time.
Psst: If you've got the kids version of the Echo Dot, you can also access "Disney Plot Twist," Disney's version of Mad Libs, read by Disney characters themselves.
Filter Out Profanity
Amazon
When a three-year-old asks for a song, it's anyone's guess as to whether Alexa will get it right ... or very, very wrong. To nip any explicit lyrics or otherwise unsavory results from blasting through your speaker, be sure to enable Amazon Freetime on your Alexa device. Not only will Freetime help keep it clean, but it will also block your kids from accidentally (or intentionally!) ordering anything from Amazon. It will also give "safe" answers to some perennially curious questions.
To enable Freetime:
- Go to your Alexa app and hit "settings."
- Click on "Device settings" and choose the device you want to filter.
- Under "Freetime" setting, slide the tab to the right to enable.
Note: Some Alexa skills won't work while Freetime is enabled, so if you're having trouble accessing things, go to your Alexa app and disable Freetime until you're ready to hand the reins over to your kids.
Obviously, Alexa can't do the hiding, but this simple game will do the job if wee ones want to hide under the bed and see if it can "find them." Just say, "Alexa play Hide and Seek" and Alexa will ask three questions to see where you're hiding. Most of the time, it won't get it right—but your kids will love trying to see if it can!
If you're having trouble keeping track of all the stuff you need to do, just ask Alexa to "Create a new To-Do list" and start getting organized—stat! Once you've created your to-do list, you can just add items to it by saying, "Alexa, add [item] to my To-Do list." You'll never forget your grandma's birthday present again.
Sometimes Alexa can be so loud. If you want to make sure the booming voice doesn't wake your snoozing baby, just enable "Whisper Mode" to make sure Alexa keeps it quiet. All you have to do is say, "Alexa, enable Whisper mode." Once enabled, if you whisper to Alexa, it will "whisper" back.
You can also enable Whisper mode via the Alexa app. Here's how to activate it:
(1) Open the Alexa app on your phone.
(2) Tap the menu button (on the top left).
(3) Select "Settings."
(4) Select "Alexa Account"
(5) Tap "Alexa Voice Responses."
(5) Slide the slider to the right to enable the "Whispered Responses" mode.
Next time you pour out the last drop of milk or eat the last slice of bread, simply say, "Alexa, add bread and milk to my shopping list" and Alexa will help you out. Then, when you're at the grocery store and your kids are clamoring for your attention (thereby zapping all memory of what you needed to buy), all you have to do is open your Alexa app, find your shopping list and shop away.
Who needs a Magic 8 Ball? Just ask Alexa to "Open Fortune Teller" to find out what your future holds. You can even customize this skill with personalized fortunes to wow your kids into believing.
If your kids just can't wait until their birthday ... or Christmas ... or the end of school ... Give them a little something to help them count down the days. Just enter an event and date here, then ask: "Alexa, how many days until my birthday (or Christmas, or the end of school, etc.)."
We know: At the end of some days, it doesn't matter whether the wine is good or a Two-Buck variety. But on the days when you want to get fancy with your vino, Alexa can help. Go to the Alexa app and add the MySomm skill to its' repertoire. Then, just ask Alexa for wine recommendations based on whatever you're eating. To activate, say "Alexa, ask Wine Gal to recommend a wine for _______."
If you've got the kind of kid who needs a little noise to successfully slip into slumber, Alexa's got a few tricks. Whether it's ocean waves or pittering rain, Alexa's Sleep and Relaxation Sounds skill will work wonders for your snoozer. Just say, "Alexa, Open Sleep Sounds "or "Alexa, play ocean sounds."
If nudging and/or prodding won't wake up your stubborn sleepyheads, program an alarm to wake them up to their favorite song. Just say, "Alexa, wake me up to It's Raining Tacos (or whatever their favorite song is)." You can also use this feature to usher in a particular part of the day: "Alexa set an alarm for the Clean-Up Song at 7 p.m. tomorrow."
Got seven minutes? Ask Alexa to "Start the 7-Minute Workout" and let it guide you through a series of intense cardio and strength-training exercises designed to whip your body into shape in just a few minutes a day.
Get Your Kids Into Shape, Too
Melissa Heckscher
If your kids are stuck inside and you want to get them moving, Alexa's got a few kid-centric workouts that'll get your littles happily hopping around. Our faves? Alexa's Animal Workout and Freeze Dancers, both of which will totally engage the under-eight set. Your kids won't even know it's exercise—and you can just sit back and watch.
Can't remember how much money you're supposed to start with when you play Monopoly? Don't know who goes first in Scrabble? Ask Alexa! Enable the Board Game Answers skill and let Alexa remind you how to play some of your favorite games.
Hungry? Never again go online or use a phone (retro!) to order food delivery. Just start ordering on Amazon Restaurants and from then on you can just say, "Alexa, enable Amazon Restaurants" or "Alexa, order a pizza" and Alexa will scroll through all your past orders and help you get your grub in no time. Read more on Amazon to find out more about how to use this feature.
If you've got an Echo in your room and another Echo device (like an Echo Dot) in your baby's room, all you have to do to listen to your baby's every grunt and snore is "Enable Drop In on my Echo Dot." This will open a connection so you can hear what's going on in the other room. Just make sure to turn the volume all the way down in your baby's device so she can't hear you on the other end. Check out this article to find out more about how to use this feature.
Make Calls
Amazon
Want to make a quick call? You can use Alexa to call anyone else who has an Echo device. Think of it as a high-tech walkie-talkie. Just go to the Alexa app and enable the "Drop In" feature (make sure the person you want to call has this feature enabled, too). Then, when you want to make the call, just say, "Alexa, drop in on ______" or "Alexa, call ______." This feature is even cooler if you and the person on the other end of the line both have Alexa Show, which lets you also see the person on the other end of your drop-in. Check out this article for more details on how to use this feature.
If you're as exhausted as we are, you probably find it hard to remember all the stuff you're supposed to remember every day. Let Alexa do the remembering for you! Just say: "Alexa, remember that I put my keys in the kitchen drawer." Or, "Remember I hid the kids iPads on the top shelf of the cabinet." Or, "Alexa, remember that there's a PTA meeting on Jun. 1." When you need to remember, just ask: "Alexa, where are my keys?" Or, "Where did I hide the kids' iPads?" Or, "Alexa, when is the PTA meeting?" Nobody will call you scatterbrained again!
Use It as an Intercom
Amazon
Want to get your kids off the TV and downstairs for dinner? You can use Alexa as an intercom to communicate with other Echo devices throughout your home. Just go to the Alexa app on your phone to rename each of your Echo devices, and enable the "Drop In" feature. Tell Alexa to drop in on your other devices, i.e. "Drop in on the Upstairs Echo." And talk away. Your kids will feel like you're right there with them. Check out this article for detailed instructions on how to use Alexa's Drop In.
Hint: Since the Alexa app works anywhere, you can "drop in" on your home devices even when you're away. So next time you're out, and your kids are home, try popping in to say hi. They'll love hearing your voice in the room.
If you've got a little LEGO fanatic, Alexa makes playing with DUPLO blocks even more engaging. Just go to the Alexa app and enable LEGO Duplo Stories. Then say, "Alexa, open LEGO DUPLO stories" and Alexa will launch a story game designed for kids ages 2-5. The game invites kids to use their DUPLO blocks to help tell an interactive story where they choose all the pieces (literally). Toddlerscan choose between five vehicle or five animal stories, and define the route of the story, while guided by Alexa.
Play All Kinds of Games
Amazon
Alexa can play all sorts of games, but we think these are the best ones for kiddos:
* Bingo - You'll need to go online to print out free BINGO cards, but then all you'll need is a pen to mark off your BINGO cards when Alexa calls out each square, one by one.
* Simon - You'll need the external Alexa Buttons gadget to play this, but once it's all set up, kids (and grown-ups) will love playing the classic color-changing memory game in a new, high-tech way.
* Rock, Paper Scissors - It may not keep your youngsters entertained for long, but if you need a 10-minute time-sucker, this works.
* Speak & Spell - If you're old enough to remember the awesome orange spelling game that E.T. used to call home, you'll love handing the Alexa over to the kids to play Speak Spell, a modernized take on the original game.
* Deal or No Deal - Test your luck opening imaginary cases of cash to try and win the big money.
* Guess The Number - A simple number-guessing game, where you have to guess a number between 1-100 and Alexa gives you clues (higher/lower) to help you get to the winning digit.
* 20 Questions - You'll be surprised how often Alexa gets this one right.
* Would You Rather - Kids will love this (clean) version of the classic game of silly choices (i.e. "Which would you rather? Have no hair or hair made of yarn?").
Psst: To get Alexa to launch any of these games, just say, "Alexa, play ______" or "Alexa, launch ______."
Say All Kinds of Things
Blueprints.amazon screenshot
You can now customize Alexa's responses to your specific questions by writing set Q&As. This Alexa skill is a fun way to wow (and entertain) your friends and family. So next time your kids are being testy, go for it. Say, "Alexa, what's wrong with my kids today?" and try to hold your smile in when Alexa says, "They had way too much candy at Grayson's birthday party today" (or whatever the case may be). Go to Amazon Blueprints and try it for yourself.
Cover your ears right now. Seriously: break out the earmuffs, the wooly hats and anything else you can find to keep you from hearing the “Santa Shark” Christmas song. Yep, that’s right. The earworm that your kiddos crave is back with a Christmas edition.
PinkFong’s “Baby Shark” is more than just a cute little ol’ kids song. It’s a tune that absolutely, positively will get stuck in your head. Hours after your tot danced around the family room to popular YouTube video, we know you’ll catch yourself quietly singing “Baby shark, doo doo doodoodoodoo doo” to yourself. Well, now the same can be said for “Santa Shark.”
Unlike the original, the holiday version was created by YouTubers Super Simple Songs. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less memorable. Instead of the original “doo-doo-doos”, the Santa-fied version has, “ho ho hos.” (Of course.) Aside from replacing the “baby” shark with a “Santa” shark, it also swaps out the shark’s family members for elves and reindeer.
So here’s the thing—you’ll probably want to pull your hair out on the second go-around of the YouTube video clip. But your littles will adore this cute Christmas song. Ah, the things we do for our kids!
Back in March, when we were all first learning how to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, experts encouraged us to wash our hands often and thoroughly. The popular measure of each handwashing session was singing the ”Happy Birthday” song, twice. Months later, how many of us are still singing and counting as we wash?
We may be growing weary of COVID routines, yet as parents and caregivers of young children, we’re still responsible for teaching our little ones to wash their hands and follow good hygiene practices. It’s time to shake things up and find some new ways to make handwashing fun and educational.
Mix Up the Music!
You can sing the “Happy Birthday” song in about 10 seconds. When you sing it twice, you’re sure to reach the recommended 20 seconds of handwashing. But of course there are other songs children can sing as they wash. “The ABC song,” for example, takes a bit longer than 20 seconds, but is still an excellent choice for preschoolers.
How about one of these?
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” (20 seconds)
“If You’re Happy and You Know It (Wash Your Hands)” (20 seconds)
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (28 seconds)
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (26 seconds per verse)
“The Wheels on the Bus” (15 seconds per verse)
“Baby Shark” (5 seconds per verse)
“BINGO” (16 seconds per verse)
“London Bridge Is Falling Down” (12 seconds per verse)
The novelty of a new type of soap can be enough to add some zing to your child’s handwashing routine. Your child may enjoy foaming soap, colored soap, soap that comes in fun shapes, or soap with a special scent. If spending money on fancy soap is not for you, maybe you have some little hotel soaps or soap samples you can let your child use for handwashing.
Pretend & Play at the Sink
Does your child have a plastic doll or animal toy that won’t be damaged by water? Ask your child to teach their toy how to wash their hands or paws. Your child will likely enjoy the opportunity to be the boss. And their own hands will get clean in the process!
Learning the Letters W – A – S – H
If your family needs some reminders to wash their hands, ask your child to help make some signs to place near the sink or by the front door, and they’ll learn their letters at the same time. The sign might be a simple reminder, such as “Have you washed your hands?” Or try a more elaborate project, such as a poster with instructions and diagrams. Your child may also enjoy making a chart or graph to record how many times family members wash. Use stickers or checkmarks and help your child count up the total at the end of each day.
Science Experiments
Aspiring scientists may enjoy using a magnifying glass at the sink to study their hands before, during, and after each wash. Make sure there’s enough light to see the texture of the skin, the shine of the soap bubbles, and the slick surface of the water.
Adding fun and educational activities to your child’s handwashing routine may mean allowing for more time at the sink, but the benefits include cleaner hands and wiser minds.
We’re living in a time when it’s nearly impossible to distinguish fact from fiction. Parents need information they trust to help them make good decisions about raising their curious learners. Britannica for Parents provides safe and credible resources to empower all kids and parents and inspire curiosity for generations to come.
Doo doo doo doo! Nickelodeon has announced the cast for its highly anticipated new preschool series Baby Shark’s Big Show!. The new animated series will premiere with an original holiday special on Friday, Dec. 11, at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
Based on the world-famous pop culture phenomenon, the 2D-animated series will feature Kimiko Glenn (Orange is the New Black); Luke Youngblood (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone); Natasha Rothwell (Insecure); Eric Edelstein (We Bare Bears); Debra Wilson (MADtv); and Patrick Warburton (Family Guy).
Co-produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and SmartStudy, the global entertainment company behind the beloved children’s brand Pinkfong, Baby Shark’s Big Show! is made up of 26 half-hour episodes and will follow Baby Shark and his best friend William as they journey on fun-filled comedic adventures in their community of Carnivore Cove, make new friends and sing original catchy tunes along the way.
Meet the inhabitants of Carnivore Cove:
Baby (Glenn) – A sweet, bubbly, and abso-toothly fearless little shark who has a habit of biting off more than he can chew.
William (Youngblood) – A quick-witted pilot fish with a flair for the funny, William is always down for jaw-some adventures with his best bud Baby.
Mommy (Rothwell) – Fun-loving with a fierce streak, Mommy Shark works for the Mayor of Carnivore Cove.
Daddy (Edelstein) – A worrier who can’t help his loud and goofy nature, Daddy Shark is a dentist who flosses when he’s nervous.
Grandma (Wilson) – A new-agey prankster who’s all about good vibes and bubbleberry pies.
Grandpa (Warburton) – A charismatic shark who loves to tell stories about the glory days.
In Baby Shark’s Big Fishmas Special, the season’s hottest toy, Burpin’ Bubbz, is at the top of Baby and William’s Fishmas wish lists, and when Santa Jaws goes missing, it’s up to them to save the holiday. Following the premiere, the special will be available on Nick Jr. On Demand and Download-To-Own services, as well as NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. App, which will also feature short-form content.
Baby Shark’s Big Fishmas Special is part of Nickelodeon’s “Nickmas” holiday-themed lineup which features joyous premieres and specials from the network’s live-action, animation and preschool series, including the season two premiere of original festive competition series, Top Elf; the brand-new star-studded special The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular; and all-new episodes of hit series Blue’s Clues & You!, The Casagrandes, Danger Force, All That and more, plus classic fan-favorite holiday episodes of Rugrats, PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House.
New episodes of Baby Shark’s Big Show! will roll out across Nickelodeon’s preschool platforms in the U.S. beginning spring 2021, followed by Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels internationally.
Hello, holidays! To get everyone in the spirit, Nickelodeon is ready to launch Nickmas, an event featuring over 100 hours of seasonal content.
Beginning Thur., Nov. 19, Nickmas will be packed with 21 premieres of Nickelodeon’s live-action, animation and preschool series. Get ready for season two premier of Top Elf, The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular; and all-new episodes PAW Patrol, Santiago of the Seas, Blue’s Clues & You!, The Casagrandes, The Substitute, All That, and Danger Force.
When it comes to shining stars this holiday, don’t miss The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular on Sat. Nov. 28 at 9 p.m.This special event features musical performances from Ne-Yo, JoJo Siwa and That Girl Lay Lay. Other celeb appearances will include plenty of Nick stars, Jay Pharoah, Trevor Noah and Young Dylan.
Did we also mentions that you’ll finally be able to catch the premiere of Baby Shark’s Big Show!? Get your fave ear worm back on Fri. Dec. 11 at 12:30 p.m. and watch Baby Shark and his friend William save Fishmas.
Click here for the entire lineup for Nickmas and happy watching!
Shopping for holiday gifts may look different this year. With many social distancing guidelines still in place limiting the number of in-store shoppers, retailers are starting holiday promotions even earlier while consumers are conscious of their spending habits. The Toy Insider is making things easier for consumers by unveiling its expert picks for the best kids’ toys and gifts in their holiday gift guide.
The hottest and most coveted items for 2020 are broken out into three lists: the Hot 20 (the most wished-for items of the year), the STEM 10 (science, technology, engineering and math toys that make learning fun) and the 12 Under $12 (affordable toys packed with play value and unboxing experiences).
“This holiday shopping season will be unlike any other. It will be in your best interest to plan ahead and grab these hot toys before you start carving out your pumpkins,” said Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer, The Toy Insider. “Playtime offers a powerful way of coping with the world we live in, and the wide assortment of toys we reviewed for this year’s holiday gift guide showcase the innovative, creative and affordable ways toymakers are serving the needs of families during challenging times.”
This year’s hand-picked selections represent an extensive variety of open-ended toys to keep kids busy; screen-free playthings filled with educational value; toys that promote diversity, sustainability, and accessibility; and affordable toys that fit any budget, among many more categories that are sure to please kids of all ages this holiday season.
The Toy Insider‘s 2020 holiday gift guide will appear in the November issue of PARENTS magazine, on newsstands on Oct. 5. An extended guide appears online starting today. This year’s print guide features nearly 160 toys, and an additional 150 toys can be found online, representing more than 110 toy companies in total.
Parents and gift-givers can easily search for toys and games by a child’s age (broken out into 0-2, 3-4, 5-7 and 8+ age groups). They can also view the guide online with their children to create a wish list of favorite toys, making holiday shopping easy for friends and family.
To join in the holiday toy fun on social media this season, use #weknowplay and find @TheToyInsider on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The whole family can get in on the fun of Shark Week. Baby Shark items from Crayola will help your little one celebrate Discovery Channel’s Shark Week at home in addition to National ‘s Geographic’s Shark Fest 2020. From a brand new Color Wonder Activity Pad to the Baby Shark Art Set there is something for everyone.
Perfect for trips or on-the-go, these activity pads are a great size to throw in a bag. Color Wonder Inks only show up on specially formulated Color Wonder paper, not on skin, clothing, or furniture. This set retails for $4.99.
Featuring 40 Crayons, 35 Pip Squeaks Markers, 15 Coloring Sheets, and 2 Baby Shark Sticker Sheets, kids can create unique artwork! The included Markers and Crayons are made with Ultra-Clean technology and wash from skin, washable clothing and furniture. This set retails for $19.99.
Offers 32 Baby Shark Coloring Pages and 4 Sticker Sheets—which include over 50 stickers! Kids can create at home or on-the-go for less mess fun! This set retails for $4.99.
This set contains 18 Baby Shark Coloring Pages and 5 Color Wonder Markers. Color Wonder Marker inks appear only on special Color Wonder Paper, not on skin, clothing or carpets! The folder-style packaging also works as reusable storage. This set retails for $7.99.
