Why just watch this year’s showing of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, when you can do it next to this amazing Halloween tree, too? Inspired by the 60’s film, this 13-inch decorative tree takes your Halloween decor to the next level.
The Bradford Exchange’s It’s the Great Pumpkin Halloween Tabletop Tree ($135) is a sight to behold, with handcrafted figurines of the entire gang. You’ll spy Charlie, Snoopy, Peppermint Patty, Linus, Lucy, Sally and more as they rest on the intricately designed tree.
photo: Amazon
The pre-lit tree comes full assembled, so all you need to do is plug it in and pop on the film to start enjoying your Halloween, stat.
Now that the summer is officially fading (sad, we know), it’s time to step up our fall decor game—what better decor style to channel than fan-favorite farmhouse chic? We took a deep dive into Amazon’s webiverse and found some pretty amazing deals and steals (a gorgeous pillow below is just $11!). So if you’re like us and want to spruce up your home with some autumn spirit (with a healthy bent towards white-washed items and natural fibers), check out the below and snag this fall decor that can be on your farm-inspired doorstep in two-days flat.
Ticking (the durable blue and white stripe fabric traditionally found on mattresses and bedding) gets a modern update with a faux leather accent. Available in five colors, this 18" x 18" pillow is such a steal you can outfit an entire bench or sofa with these decorative cushions.
Quite possibly our favorite find on Amazon, these versatile faux potted plants come in a handy tray and work as a centerpiece (as shown above) for when you have guests over, or you can break up the set and use them to decorate around the house (and use the tray for collecting letters or wayward keys), or keep them together and put them in the windowsill—adding a touch of greenery to your life without the commitment of keeping something else alive.
Collections are a farmhouse decor staple. Whether you want to add to a current collection or use these as your starter set, these multi-purpose ceramics can be filled with flowers from the yard or elegantly styled on a bookshelf.
This mix of white pumpkins and gourds will match any style of fall decor. Made from high-quality dense foam, the gourd and pumpkin set comes in an off-white color that can be kept as-is or be painted if you're super crafty! Can you ever have enough pumpkins come autumn? We think not.
Rustic decor is at home during the fall season, and this galvanized metal milk jug is the perfect place to add some faux florals. Dried lavender, cotton buds, sprigs of eucalyptus or strands of berries would bring the perfect festive vibe.
This is currently on sale at Amazon, for $15 when you apply the coupon!
Nothing is more low maintenance than faux florals and these dried-cotton stems add the perfect amount of rustic and fall-inspired look while being neutral enough to match any style.
Purchase 15 bolls (8 stems) for $10 right now on Amazon.
This wood sign hits all the farmhouse elements we love—a bit of rustic ribbon, some black and white buffalo check, a touch of fans eucalyptus that results in a warm welcome for family and friends.
Soften up your fall look with some comfy and themed throw pillows. Whether you like buffalo check, solids or cute printed designs like this Happy Harvest farmhouse version, there are tons of pillow options to check out.
Nothing says a change of seasons like a new wreath added to the front door. This grapevine and faux pip berry wreath can be personalized with your choice of ribbon and your choice of scent!
The return of fall means relaxing on the couch with a cozy blanket and a good book. This gray and cream plaid throw blanket is neutral enough to match almost any decor style while still giving off that warm feel.
This durable, non-slip doormat made of coconut coir fibers is warm and welcoming for anyone that shows up at your door—and helps keep dust and dirt at bay.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall for Hallmark teethers. The Teether Rings come with decorative fabric, plush attachments and a wooden ring that can break into small pieces and pose a choking hazard.
Approximately 15,500 teethers were sold in the United States from Jun. 2015 through Jun. 2021 for $10 to $25. The products were purchased from Hallmark Gold Crown stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, boutique gift shops and at hallmark.com.
photo: CPSC
This recall applies to 11 different styles of round teethers, each sold with a gray woven brand label with the Hallmark brand crown and a hangtag. They were described as either “Plush and Wood Teether and Rattle” or “Wood and Detachable Cloth Teether for Little Droolers.”
Recalled teethers will have date codes of JUL15, 1117, 0618, 0719, or 1020. Parents can check specific SKU codes on the CPSC website here.
If you have a teether subject to the recall, immediately take away from children and contact Hallmark for a $25 gift card. Hallmark can be reached at 800-425-5627 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or online at hallmark.com/recall
Does it feel like you’re always sharing your phone, tablet or smartwatch with your kids? (“What’s the weather?” “Can I play a game?” “Ooh, pictures!”) With tech at every turn, it’s no surprise that kids love gadgets and gear just as much as us grownups. The Tobi 2 Robot Smartwatch is the perfect device to ease children into the digital world. Here’s why:
1. There’s an Interactive Robot to Share in the Fun
Children have a blast interacting with the Tobi robot character who speaks gibberish, giggles and has more than 100 expressions. With moving arms and legs, this interactive robot is here to play, learn and laugh with your kiddo. Kids will wow their pals with the cool wristband and illuminating LED lights, too!
2. They’ll Be Motivated to Be Active
There are a variety of fitness games to earn rewards. The pedometer, dance activity game and augmented reality Walk n’ Wonder game encourages kids to move their bodies (and have fun while they’re doing it!).
3. Creativity Is at Their Fingertips
Finally—your kids can capture pics and videos that won’t overtake your photo library. The dual cameras film videos and take pictures with a motion-activated selfie-camera. Kids can even customize their photos with decorative stickers and borders, store up to 3,000 640 x 480 pixels photos or 30 minutes of 320 x 240 pixels video and transfer their masterpieces right to your computer.
4. Tobi Is a Partner in Learning
The Tobi 2 Robot Smartwatch not only teaches kids to tell time, but helps them learn to manage their time with the stopwatch, timer, alarm clock, calendar and reminders. There’s a calculator and learning games galore. When kids want to have fun with friends, they can play head-to-head games like Tic-Tac-Tobi against other Tobi 2 Robot Smartwatches.
5. It’s Easy to Use
Intuitive for kids 6+ years old and easy for parents to monitor, the splashproof Tobi 2 Robot Smartwatch has features both children and adults appreciate. The kid-friendly touchscreen and adjustable wristband are simple for to navigate. Parental controls set limits on screen time and approve wireless connectivity connections. Another awesome perk—it can be used as a remote control with the Tobi™ 2 Interactive Karaoke Machine or Tobi™ 2 Director’s Camera (both sold separately).
Are you one of those people who hate putting away your Christmas tree? Thanks to this emerging trend, you don’t have to!
Instead of packing up your tree, now you can decorate it for every season and holiday of the season. These festive options include St. Patrick’s Day, Summer, Thanksgiving and more! If you need some design inspiration, keep scrolling to see how you can decorate the entire year round.
Valentine's Day
It's the season of love, candy and hearts––perfect sentiments and images for a decorative tree. This Valentine's Day, don't shy away from fully embracing all the pinks and reds. Whether it's a colored, flocked tree, or a heart-focused design, you can't go wrong with going all out.
Channel your inner Irish and embrace all colors of green with a St. Patrick's Day tree. Go crazy with shamrocks, hats and rainbows and you may just find yourself with a wee bit 'o extra luck this year.
Pastels, bunnies and eggs, oh my! Sweet Easter trees are just what your spring decor has been missing and is the perfect place for the Easter Bunny to leave a few treats.
Christmas is almost here! The countdown is on, but there's still plenty of time to embrace the things you love about autumn the most––pumpkin spice, leaves and all those lovely earth tones.
School supply shopping doesn’t have to be all about those bland No. 2 pencils and socks! Whether you’ve got a unicorn lover or a kid who just loves to be colorful, add a little flair to their day with some rainbow swag. Here are our favorite rainbow school supplies you can buy right now on Amazon.
Perfect for school, this rainbow heart-patterned backpack is not only stylish, but functional too. Padded shoulder straps, a heavy-duty top loop, polyester exterior and a moisture-resistant interior lining mean this tote will hold up the entire school year. Even if the first day looks a little "different" this year, a new backpack can give kids the back-to-school feeling.
Find this bag that's perfect for your rainbow lover on Amazon for $29.99.
Pilor 7mm Rainbow Mechanical Pencil Set
Amazon
Taking notes and doing homework usually requires the standard No. 2 pencil, but for kids at home, writing their answers in purple feel like a perk of being home. For your little artists who love to draw with fine points, they array of colors will cover all the bases.
Use for calendaring, making notes and cool designs on notebooks, you can never go wrong with a set of rainbow washi tape! For under $14, this 20-pack of decorative tape comes in unique patterns, all in the colors of ROY G BIV. This sticky yet removable tape is great for kids (and parents) of all ages.
For a homework or homeschool, there's nothing like a bright spot on your desk or study station. This rainbow pencil holder will house all those little things you need, including scissors, pens, pencils and more.
Take notes in style with these magical unicorn memo pads! This three-pack of notepads comes with multi-colored unicorns and flowing rainbow manes. Looks like you CAN buy happiness.
Forget those boring black and white composition books––this rainbow version rocks! While they will definitely set you back a penny more than the traditional books, this high-quality set comes with an elastic band to hold your book closed.
Get the entire four-pack for around $25 on Amazon.
Taste the rainbow! This vacuum insulated and double-walled bottle is made from premium gauge, rust resistant 18/8 stainless steel. It's also leak proof and made with a narrow mouth for easy drinking.
The 9 oz. size (perfect for school lunches) starts at just $12.99 on Amazon.
Enjoy lunch from this rainbow lunch bag (even if you're eating it at home) and do your part for saving the environment by not using brown bags, too. Premium fabric means this bag will last the whole school year, and the insulated lining will keep your kiddos food nice and chilly. This product is PVC, BPA and Phthalate-free and Wildkin products come with a reliable replacement warranty.
Snag this rainbow pattern or choose from over 20 others on Amazon. $16.99
No cutting, taping or gluing book covers on this year! Keep those books clean whether the kids are hauling them to class and stacking them up around the house. These stretchy, fabric Book Sox come in tons of vibrant colors to show off your personality. They are reusable and washable and can fit most textbooks––even jumbo sizes!
Choose from several design sets starting at $17 for a pack of six on Amazon.
You can't have rainbows without the rain. This adorable bubble umbrella in rainbow colors is windproof, made with rounded tips and pinch-proof when opening.
Snag one before the rainy season hits for just under $20 at Amazon.
Getting kids involved in growing their own fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to also get them to EAT those fruits and vegetables! But convincing kids that gardening isn’t just a chore you’re forcing them to do is another challenge entirely. One of the key strategies you can use to get kids excited about growing their own produce is choosing ones that will capture their attention.
There are four criteria you can use to help your kids choose fruits and vegetables that get them excited:
1. Quick Reward: Focus on produce that grow fairly quickly and will be ready to pick sooner rather than later
2. Kid-Friendly Picking: Focus on food that kids can pick and eat right off the plant, without too much work
3. Yummy Flavor: Choose fruits and veggies that your kids actually like to eat, or might learn to enjoy without too much fuss
4. Unique or Unusual Appearances: Choose produce that look so freaky or funny your kids can’t help but be curious
Another key to choosing which plant to grow—let them be a part of it! The more ownership your child feels over the process of picking and planting produce, the more likely they are to get invested. This is where resisting the urge to correct them or steer their decisions is going to be key. Give them some guidelines about how much space they have, how many plants will fit, and how much money they are allowed to spend. If it helps, give them some choices based on our guidance by telling them a bit about their options.
Great Produce Choices for Kids:
Cucumbers: First, cucumber seeds are recognizable right away because they look exactly like, well, cucumber seeds. Your kid will get a kick out of the fact that they recognize these seeds from when they are eating cucumbers. In addition, cucumbers are one of the fastest seeds to sprout, and they come up with determination. I am always pleasantly surprised to plant cucumbers and come back to seedlings popping up within just a few days. And lastly, cucumbers are often a favorite in kids’ vegetable choices. Consider a small snacking variety that will be ready sooner, and allows your kids to simply pick them off the vine and eat them like apples. They’ll feel like they’re doing something sneaky!
Cherry Tomatoes: There is no better vegetable to grow for snacking right off the vine than cherry tomatoes. The fun thing about this veggie is that they come in way more varieties than you’ll see at a grocery store. And, if you buy a cherry tomato seedling it will be one of the first tomato plants to produce edible fruit. Try a fun sweet variety like Sungold, or go for something dramatic like black cherry. Allow kids to plan their own cherry tomato, choose a cage to support it, and—when ready—eat to their heart’s content without making them collect or save them.
Watermelon: A little bit harder to grow because they need more space, watermelon is still a fun option to try because it makes for a more dramatic result. For quicker satisfaction go for a mini watermelon variety that will be ready a bit sooner, and buy a nice healthy start so that they aren’t waiting for something to start from seed. For best results, look for something seedless or with minimal seeds so that kids aren’t frustrated with seedy flesh. For something a bit more fun and unusual, go for the cucamelon—a fruit that looks like a tiny watermelon and tastes like a cucumber with a hint of lime. They’re tiny bite-sized fruit that kids can pop in their mouths and enjoy while walking through the garden.
Yard Long Beans: In the category of fun and unusual nothing quite beats the yard-long green bean. They grow on vines that will crawl up a trellis and, when ready, can be up to 12 inches long. Cook them without cutting them so kids can eat them with their fingers and have a little playtime at the dinner table! For added fun, plant any type of green bean on a vertical bean tower—you can literally grow the walls of a fort for the kids to play in!
Decorative Gourds: Another fun one in the looks category are decorative gourds. Basically, like a little pumpkin or squash that has all sorts of bumps and warts, these gourds aren’t usually edible but they are a fun addition to the garden and can be used to decorate at Halloween or Thanksgiving. There are a ton of varieties, or mixed blends of seeds to add diversity to the results.
No matter what you grow, the important thing is to give your child a section of the garden, let them make some choices and gently guide them toward success. Remind them to water and weed when needed so that they don’t lose their veggies entirely, but try not to do it for them.
Carrie Williams Howe is the Executive Director of an educational non-profit by day, and parent, writer, and aspiring homesteader by night and weekend. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, two young children, and a rambunctious border collie. Carrie writes about family, food, parenting, and homesteading.
What do you get when you combine one of the most popular plants with comedic TV classic? A Golden Girls Mini Ceramic Planter with an artificial succulent potted inside!
Forget about boring faux ferns and other indoor plants. This top Amazon pick is the perfect choice for any Golden Girls fan. The sculpted ceramic planter features none other than Sophia’s face—over-sized glasses and all.
Not only do you get a Sophia-sized planter pot with this purchase, it also comes with the succulent. Don’t worry if you’re not exactly a plant-care whiz. The contents of this sweet ceramic 3D sculpture won’t require a green thumb. The succulent is 100 percent fake, making this decorative item a no-fuss, no-muss choice for the busy Golden Girl-loving plant parent.
Find the Golden Girls Mini Ceramic Planter for $17.99 on Amazon here!
The statistics on how we’ve treated the planet up to this point are pretty bleak. Only 9 percent of the plastic ever produced has been recycled, and each year, 8 million tons of plastic pollute the ocean.
While the problem at hand is massive, it’s easy for kids to get involved because even the smallest sustainable action helps to make a collective difference. I’ve learned through experience with my own son that it’s best to keep it simple, focusing on the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Reduce
Children always gravitate to the newest and coolest toys, fashion or food, but the conspicuous consumption Americans are known for is not good for the planet. Instead, try and instill the belief that less is more and quality trumps quantity.
Reinforce reducing consumption and making smarter choices with a quick trip to the grocery store. Teach your kids how to choose items with the least amount of packaging, shop in the bulk foods section, avoid single-serving foods and bring cloth shopping bags to haul it all home in.
Your house is the ideal place to demonstrate energy and water-saving behaviors to your kids. By modeling turning off lights when you leave a room, turning off appliances not in use, unplugging appliances not often used and taking short showers, you’ll help instill an attitude of conservation early.
Reuse
Upcycling is definitely a trend these days, so it should be easy to get kids, tweens and teens on board. The goal is to show kids that not everything needs to be thrown away. Before throwing away a toy, or perhaps clothes, examine it to see if it can be fixed or mended. If it can, teach your child how to make the fix so they can learn important new skills. With clothes and toys that your child has outgrown, engage them in collecting everything and donating it to a charitable organization. Not only are they learning how to reuse, but they’re also learning the importance of philanthropy. When you do need new clothes for the kids, consider shopping at a local consignment store rather than the mall.
Single-serve plastic items are some of the most destructive consumer goods on the market, but you can cut down on your consumption by using refillables whenever possible. Invest in decorative refillable soap dispensers for the home and make sure everyone in the family has a reusable water bottle. Disposable paper products are also incredibly wasteful. Limit your use of paper towels, plates and napkins, opting for cloth and ceramic options instead.
Since it’s impossible to limit using all of these things, teach kids how to make the most of a product. If you do use paper products, use the cardboard tubes and boxes for art projects. When printing at home or coloring, make sure to teach kids to use both sides of the paper.
Recycle
Recycling materials that can be reused is key to sustainability. Have bins at home to collect glass, plastic and paper that can be recycled. If your community already recycles, it’s easy, but if not, consider working with your kids to start a recycling drive in your community. It’s also important to note that not all items are recyclable, even if they appear to be, and not all states and cities have the same recycling practices. To best understand your city’s recycling rules, I recommend checking your local government website.
In addition to recycling, point out to your kids which of their favorite products are made from recycled materials.
There’s no better time than Earth Day to show kids that creating a sustainable planet starts at the grass-roots level. By getting the next generation excited about keeping the Earth healthy for years to come, we’re ensuring many more Earth Days in the future.
My name is Aureal Ojeda, and I am the founder of Outwoken Tea, a zero-waste tea brand sourcing from small tea farms in developing countries. I continuously strive to bring awareness to how each of us can challenge ourselves to create better, conscious decisions to positively impact the environment.
Ch Ch Ch Chia! Now you can take your love of Baby Yoda to the next level with your very own chia pet.
Unveiled at the last year’s New York Toy Fair, the decorative planter inspired by the popular Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, features “The Child” situated in his hover pod. The Chia Pet can be found at Target and retails for $19.99.
photo: Target
As with all Chia Pets, simply follow the directions to prep the planter, spread on the seeds and soon Baby Yoda will soon be surrounded by greenery!
Want the whole collection? You can head to chiapet.com and snag a Chewbacca and Yoda planter, too!
