If you never celebrate the holiday season without your favorite Hallmark Channel movies, then you’ll be excited to learn that you can get your hands on a Monopoly Hallmark Channel game.
The game is laid out just like the original Monopoly, but with “properties” based on Hallmark Channel movies, like a Christmas tree farm and a bed and breakfast.
The game tokens are also inspired by the films, with items like ice skates and a diamond ring for players to choose from. You can build on your properties by purchasing cottages and inns in place of the traditional hotels and houses.
The game is priced at $39.99 and is available for purchase at Hallmark online.
If there’s one thing we know about parenting, it’s that whether you’re up to your ears in potty training or if you’re trying to navigate the newly-developed attitudes of a tween, there’s hardly a dull moment. We also know that some days can leave you feeling like a super-parent while others can make you seriously doubt your decision to raise another human being. That’s why it’s important to know that you’re not alone. We gathered our favorite quotes for parents to help you keep your soul tank full. Keep reading to see them all, and don’t forget, it takes a village!
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“I came to parenting the way most of us do—knowing nothing and trying to learn everything.” — Mayim Bialik
“Encourage and support your kids because children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.” — Lady Bird Johnson
“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” —Oprah Winfrey
“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” ―Benjamin Spock
“It is time for parents to teach young people that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” —Maya Angelou
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“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future,” —Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Children are educated by what the grown-up is and not by his talk.” —Carl Jung
"A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's."—Princess Diana
"You don't take a class; you're thrown into motherhood and learn from experience.”—Jennie Finch
“It is easier to build strong children than to “repair broken men.” —Frederick Douglass
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There is no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one.” —Sue Atkins
“My parents are my backbone. Still are. They’re the only group that will support you if you score zero or you score 40.” —Kobe Bryant
“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” —Anne Frank
“Being a father is the single greatest feeling on Earth. Not including those wonderful years I spent without a child, of course.” —Ryan Reynolds
“There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent.” —Mahatma Gandhi
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“The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant, and let the air out of the tires.” ―Dorothy Parker
“Before I got married I had six theories about raising children; now, I have six children and no theories.” ―John Wilmot
Perfection doesn't exist, and I've found what makes children happy doesn't always prepare them to be courageous, engaged adults.”―Brené Brown
“Mother is a verb. It's something you do. Not just who you are.” ―Cheryl Lacey Donovan
"Childhood is fleeting, so let kids be kids and cherish the time you have together." —Abraham Lincoln
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"There are two gifts we should give our children. One is roots. The other is wings." —Unknown
"Motherhood has taught me the meaning of living in the moment and being at peace. Children don’t think about yesterday and they don’t think about tomorrow. They just exist in the moment." —Jesalyn Gilsig
"You will never look back on life and think, 'I spent too much time with my kids.'" —Unknown
"If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money." —Abigail Van Buren
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right. You’ll be criticized either way." —Eleanor Roosevelt
Anytime you can get a deal on LEGO kits is a parent’s dream come true.
While LEGO stores don’t tend to share their deals in advance, there are a few sneak peeks the brick maker is sharing, in addition to other retailers who are already marking down towns of products. Keep reading to get some early sale picks!
Are you planning a Nightmare Before Christmas movie marathon this Halloween? Build-A-Bear has the perfect stuffed friends to snuggle up with. The new Oogie Boogie and Zero plushies will be available exclusively on the Build-A-Bear website.
Roll the dice and gamble with Oogie Boogie. He even comes with a sound chip featuring the “Oogie Boogie’s Song.”
Jack Skellington’s beloved canine companion Zero is sure to bring lots of spooky snuggles all year long.
Build-A-Bear also sells Jack Skellington and Sally plush bears which can be accessorized with their signature Nightmare Before Christmas outfits, Jack’s suit and Sally’s patchwork dress, as well as songs. For Jack, you can select a song chip featuring “This Is Halloween” and for Sally, you can choose “Sally’s Song.”
What do you get when you combine Build-A-Bear and Harry Potter? Pure magic! Now the collaboration has expanded with new Hogwarts house hoodies, on-point accessories, plus a Hedwig and Buckbeak!
Your bear will have some serious swag with themed hoodies featuring the colors and crests of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. To up the cuteness factor, grab a matching house beanie! And to complete the look, you can buy the sword of Godric Gryffindor, a Slytherin locket or the famous Hufflepuff Cup.
We’re in love with the new plush Hedwig owl. She even carries a personalized Hogwarts acceptance letter in her beak! Or if you’re looking for something a bit more exotic, you can buy the Buckbeak, a magical beast that’s half eagle and half horse. Despite its fierce looks, it has soft plush claws and a fuzzy tail.
Prices vary and you can buy the new items online or in stores, some with limited quantities. Head to buildabear.com to get started! And in honor of today’s National Teddy Bear Day, you can enter online to win furry friends for a year. Grab a cup of Butterbeer and happy browsing!
LEGOLAND New York has been busy the last year. After finally opening, the amusement park has just finished its MINILAND exhibit with one last must-see build.
What New York landscape is complete without a yellow taxi cab? The Master Builders agree, and that’s why they’ve just wheeled in the a 95,000+ piece taxi that is fit for the ages.
The huge project took over 370 hours of building between four master builders. In addition, it took a designer 117 hours alone to develop and bring this one of a kind taxi to life!
The taxi will join other iconic landmarks in the MINILAND section of the park, including Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, Central Park, Empire State Building and more. It’s actually life-sized and you can sit inside for the perfect photo opp.
A basic knowledge of programming is essential for everyone in this day and age. There are many free or low-cost coding programs available to teach kids this skill. Learning how to build simple websites and games helps children develop their problem-solving abilities and express their creativity in a new way.
Code Galaxy
Code Galaxy
Code Galaxy offers virtual coding classes, summer camps and private tutoring for kids. There are comprehensive courses on game development, design, web development, Python programming, and other STEM-related programs. Kids will get the opportunity to build real projects they can show off to their parents, teachers and friends.
Khan Academy offers kids basic programming tutorials that teach them how to build graphics and animations. Their newest partnership with Pixar, Imagineering in a Box combines 32 videos of actual Imagineers, real-world case studies, and lots of interactive activities to give you the opportunity to dream and design your very own theme park experience.
Code.org
Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Code.org is offering a set of resources to help students learn computer science at home. They are also working on resources to help teachers mid-course continue teaching remotely. For families without a home computer, Code.org offers smartphone options as well.
Codecademy
Drew Rae from Pexels
Codecademy teaches kids basic code through fun, simple exercises. To go beyond the basics you need to subscribe to Codecademy Pro.
Due to school closures due to COVID-19, Codecademy is offering 10,000 scholarships to Codecademy Pro for free to high school and college students around the world for the rest of the school year.
Tynker
Tynker
Tynker is offering free access to premium coding courses during school closures. Parents can sign up until Apr. 30. Educators and students will have access to the complete Tynker School PreK-12 curriculum, including Tynker Junior for early learners, introductory and intermediate programming courses, and interest-based courses, such as micro:bit, LEGO WeDo, and drone programming.
If there’s one thing we’re always looking for as parents, it’s a better way to store LEGO bricks. While we still haven’t found the perfect storage solution, we did find plenty of options to help get you started. From rolling carts to a bag that sweeps everything up in one swoop, here are our top picks for how to keep those bricks together and out from under your feet.
LEGO Bags Organizer
LEGO Bags
When it comes to organizing all those LEGO bricks, why not turn to the creators themselves? LEGO Bags is ready to rock your world with a super cool storage system. The 4 Piece Organizer Tote features a playmat and three zip bins to keep everything (including those “in-process” projects) in place. Best of all, it all folds up into one hand tote!
You don't have to sacrifice style when it comes to storing LEGO. This sharp-looking five-drawer metal cabinet from the Container Store is offered in several bright colors (red, orange, green, aqua and more). Simply add in some of the drawer dividers, and you've got a place for every last brick.
Sometimes your kids will want to build with LEGO in their rooms, sometimes they'll want to build in the living room, kitchen or wherever else strikes their fancy. An arts and craft storage cart will also work for their bricks, especially if you find bins to organize the pieces. This one from Michael's is great because you can choose white or color bins!
What better place to store bricks than a minifig head? Not only are they stackable, but they’re easy to clean, and they make great room decor for a master builder.
We love this stylish toy storage basket that turns into a play mat. Simply pour the bricks out onto the play mat and use the handles to scoop them right back up when it’s time to clean up.
Storage ideas for travel are important too! This little container not only has a small drawer for important bricks, but it also has a handle and a building plate on top, which is ideal for car or plane travel.
If you want to try to keep LEGO sets together, these mesh bags are super helpful. You can store all the bricks in the set as well as the instructions, and they easily go into a bin or storage container.
LEGO bricks might just be the best toy out there since they offer so many different playtime possibilities. With so many options, sometimes little ones need a spark of inspiration to think of something to build with them. That’s why we’ve rounded up a bunch of cool LEGO games to add to your arsenal. They’ll get your kids building, thinking and giggling in no time. Read on to get your build on.
This game from Little Bins for Little Hands comes with a free printable with the challenges built right in! We love that it's designed like a game board but uses LEGO bricks you already have as the game pieces. Download the printable by clicking here.
Turn your favorite carnival game into a LEGO challenge dreamed up by Samantha of Stir the Wonder. It’s a great way to build hand-eye coordination and foster a bit of friendly competition. Get all the details by clicking here, and check out Samantha’s book The Unofficial Guide to Learning with LEGO for more ideas.
Get your kids’ imagination going with this bright idea from What Do We Do All Day? They’re encouraged to design the board and come up with rules themselves. To get all the details, click here.
We’re obsessed with this creative challenge by The Lego Librarian—kids build a deserted island for 20 minutes, then they get to pick a Disaster Card and build a solution to the problem they’re presented with. Click here to get the details (and printable cards), along with lots more fun LEGO challenges.
Sometimes kids get stuck and can’t figure out what to build, and that’s where this game from No Time for Flashcards comes in. A roll of the dice determines what piece to pick up next, and your kiddo’s imagination can take it from there. Get the details by clicking here.
Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls has a great rundown of LEGO party games, but they’re just as fun in smaller settings, too. Kids are challenged to build structures with just one hand, build a tower with a blindfold on, and more. Click here to see all the games.
This hilarious game from Play. Party. Plan. will get your whole crew giggling. It involves building a LEGO tower on a tongue depressor—while holding it in your mouth. Get the details, plus more game ideas by clicking here.
Take a cue from LEGO themselves and challenge your kids to tell a story through their creations. It’ll help them work on their short-term memory as they retell a story back to you. Click here to get the details, along with more easy memory games.
Try out a printable card game from One Mama’s Daily Drama. The cards have different tasks for kids to complete, like building their name or a spaceship to go to Mars. To get the details, click here.
Get inspired by Kids Craft Room to play a Minute to Win It–style game using LEGO. Craft your own chopsticks, then use them to move the bricks around (it’s trickier than it looks!). Click here to discover more, quick but super fun, games.
The summertime season always holds so much promise and potential. Whether you’re a parent or a child, almost everyone has been looking forward to a couple of months of rest, relaxation and FUN. We want our children to have a memorable summer, too. However, without fail, most of us hit that summertime lull of boredom where we’ve exhausted almost every activity, playdate and local attraction.
National Anti-Boredom Month, which is conveniently celebrated annually throughout the month of July, is all about fighting that lull of activities and preventing boredom. It also sparks an opportunity to try some new activities with children that can help ease them into a learning mindset and boost confidence for the upcoming start of the school year. At Kiddie Academy, we pay close attention to the passions of children. It’s all about child directed play, encouraging them to take advantage of the curiosities and activities that catch their attention.
This can help get children out of the mindset that learning only occurs during the months of August to May and helps create a safe and open environment for children to ask questions and build on curiosity. So, here is a list of five easy activities that fuse together learning and fun to help celebrate National Anti-Boredom month and kick that summertime lull to the curb:
1. Practice Simple Yoga Poses This is a great way to encourage low-key activities while being physically active. This can help children develop independent play skills while practicing mindfulness and body awareness. You can even have a short yoga session outdoors!
2. Host a Photo Scavenger Hunt Introduce your child to the world of technology and curiosity. Give your child a digital camera, smartphone or tablet, along with a list of items, and challenge them to find and take a picture of each item on the list. Don’t forget to hide each item around the house and align the challenge of the hiding spot with your child’s ability to find things.
3. Create a Scrapbook of “Firsts” Together Create a scrapbook with your child documenting his or her “firsts” or special accomplishments. Share the pictures and tell stories about how proud you felt seeing him or her do the things in the pictures. Boost your child’s confidence and self-esteem while exercising their creative muscles.
4. Build an Index Card Tower For a fun STEM activity, challenge your child to build a tower using only index cards and tape. Encourage them to think of ways they can change the shape of the cards to provide strength to the tower! Who will build the tallest tower?
5. Cook a Family Meal Together Invite your child to help with family activities like helping plan and cook a family meal. Children want to feel like a valuable part of the family! Allowing them to have a role in making dinner a success, they can develop teamwork skills and confidence in their ability to complete a task. What a great way to boost executive function skills!
Of course another way to combat boredom is checking out your local Kiddie Academy for free community events throughout the month of July. To locate and register at participating Academies nationwide, visit these sites: Storytime LIVE!, STEM Adventures and Music & More where we help build relationships and get young minds moving.
Joy has over 20 years of experience in early childhood education. As Vice President of Education at Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care, she oversees all things curriculum, assessment, training and more. Joy earned a B.S. in Education from Salisbury University.
