Crackle to Premiere “Elliot the Littlest Reindeer”

by Jennifer SwartvagherNovember 20, 2020

We can’t wait to watch all of the holiday specials this year. Crackle Plus, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company and one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks announced today that the animated feature Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer will be available for free on Crackle beginning Tues., Dec. 1. The film features the all-star voice talent of Josh Hutcherson, Samantha Bee, Martin Short, Morena Baccarin, Jeff Dunham and John Cleese.

When one of Santa’s reindeer suddenly announces his retirement in the days leading up to Christmas, specially trained reindeer from around the world rush to the North Pole to compete in the reindeer games to win the coveted spot on Santa’s sleigh team. Elliot, a miniature horse with big dreams, and his best friend Hazel the Goat set out to prove that no dream is too big and he just might be the horse for the job. As the pair take to the North Pole, Hazel learns that things are headed for disaster back at their farm as a potential new owner has plans that threaten the lives of their friends. Elliot is faced with the biggest decision of his life, to either save his friends or follow his dreams and save Christmas.

“Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer is a great addition to our huge slate of Holiday and family programming,” said Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle Plus. “This wonderful animated film is bound to become a classic, enjoyable for audiences of all ages and perfect for a family holiday movie night.”

Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer is distributed in the United States by Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company and the supplier of exclusive and original content for Crackle Plus.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Crackle via YouTube

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New Baby2Baby Partnership Is Getting Bibs to Babies in Need

by Karly WoodNovember 16, 2020

Baby2Baby is continuing its year of giving with a new partnership with Bazzle Baby. The two organizations announced their partnership with Bazzle Baby committing to donating one bib for every purchase made online this season, with a minimum 3,500 pledged.

Baby2Baby has played a big part in COVID-19 efforts, having already distributed over 40 million basic essentials. The organization has assisted with diapers, formula, soap, shampoo, baby food and more to vulnerable children across the country.

The partnership started on Sun. Nov. 15 and will continue through New Year’s Eve. The Bazzle Baby x Baby2Baby partnership will coincide with Bazzle Baby’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales with purchases available on BazzleBaby.com and the Bazzle Baby Amazon storefront.

The Black Friday Sale will be offering 25 percent off BazzleBaby.com and the Bazzle Baby Amazon storefront, and will run from Nov. 22 to Nov. 29. Then you can grab 20 percent off with guaranteed free shipping and returns for the Cyber Monday Sale on Nov. 30.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of Bazzle Baby

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Dinner With the Kids, and an Unfinished Bottle of Wine

By Missy Woodruff

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

September 14, 2020

Photo: CCFoodTravel

Our dinners out with the kids start so optimistically; walking out together with an unopened bottle of $9 wine in hand, basking in the satisfaction of having gotten three kids dressed and out the door. But, sometimes these evenings end in frustration, and an unfinished bottle of wine.

For a while my husband and I feel like adults, and maybe we even start to talk about adult things on the way out to the car. “Did you see what Donald Trump tweeted today?”… “I heard the most interesting thing on NPR!” We affirm that we are rational people, and others may be misguided, or out of control.

But, things can deteriorate quickly. Maybe the kids won’t just sit and buckle their seat belts. Then there’s the intrusion of personal space, whining, and at worst a few punches are thrown, and someone is left crying. (Maybe even one of the kids!?)

A warning is given as we exit the mini-van in the restaurant parking lot. “If you guys don’t get your act together…” (um, what?) What leverage do we have? “You’ll sit out here… in the car!” Seriously?

Anyway, if all goes well, we’ll throw out a few more empty threats, distribute food, tell stories, laugh, and walk our youngest daughter to the bathroom just as our meals arrive. (Every time!) It’s a uniquely boisterous bouquet of frustration and exultation.

Now it’s getting late, so we signal for the check and I inspect the perimeter of the table for forgotten articles. Along with a glove and two markers, there’s a quarter of a bottle of wine left. Hmmm…

We usually have the misguided idea that maybe we’ll split this last glass of wine when we get home, but that doesn’t happen.

Instead, we’ll probably end up exhausted, laying prostrate in front of a Netflix show with chamomile tea for an hour, and then call it a day. Maybe I’ll even be a little angry with myself for being so hard on the kids as I pour out the leftover wine into the sink with a sigh.

Maybe Having Kids is kind of like sharing a bottle of wine?

Yes, I AM going to turn this whole thing into a metaphor.

So, your high expectations for dinner with the kids didn’t work out exactly as planned? Think of your time with them like sharing a bottle of wine. It’s a communal experience; special and complex, but imperfect. It’s a a spectrum of sweet and savory, with bitter notes and lively acidity that should leave you slightly intoxicated.

Know that the moment you open a bottle of wine, oxidation goes to work, simultaneously “opening up,” and “breaking down” its components. Now the wine has become more “present,” and nature has turned her hourglass over and placed it on your table.

So, pour it out mindfully, and raise your glasses for a toast. Just don’t leave a drop in the bottle, because wine has to be enjoyed in the moment, and it won’t keep.

Do you have a story to share with our readers? We want to hear it! Sign up for our Spoke Contributor Network and start submitting your writing today.

Missy Woodruff

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm Missy, a mother of three and a middle school drama teacher at a private school. I'm obsessed with my Vizsla (dog), traveling, and the musical Hamilton. I also enjoy writing and sharing fun parenting stories, which is what brought me here.

Dax Shepard Welcomes Parents to the “PAW Patrol Years”

by Jennifer SwartvagherAugust 29, 2020

Do your kids watch PAW Patrol? Any parent of a preschooler can tell you that there is time when their kid has become totally obsessed with something, more often than not, a popular television show like PAW patrol. Keira Knightley called it ‘toddler crack’ and Ryan Reynolds threatened to sell his kids after an 11 episode binge.

Armed with the knowledge that preschoolers are totally PAW-obsessed, and parents are along for the ride whether they like it or not, Spin Master, the creators of PAW Patrol, enlisted the help of honorary PAW Patrol club member Dax Shepard to welcome parents to The PAW Patrol Years. Currently in the thick of it with two children in The PAW Patrol Years, Dax is hopeful it is just a phase. PAW Patrol, as he describes it, is a show about ‘an emancipated minor who hangs out with some talking dogs and together they put out fires, rescue chickens and do other cool stuff’.

Filmed while under quarantine and shot entirely on an iPhone in Dax’s home with Spin Master’s creative team joining virtually, he shares a series of hilarious warnings, tongue in cheek references, sage advice and product reviews in 15, 60 and 90 second clips for a fall targeted social campaign.

Created by Spin Master Entertainment and airing on Nickelodeon, PAW Patrol, is currently in its 7th season. The powerhouse franchise is heading to the big screen with an animated feature film slated for theatres in August 2021 (a Spin Master Entertainment production in association with Nickelodeon Movies, distributed by Paramount Pictures).

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: PAW Patrol Official & Friends via YouTube

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How These Kids Solved Problems during COVID-19

By Joann Suen & Sapna Satagopan

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

August 6, 2020

Photo: Peyton Manker

COVID-19 has forced places like zoos to close, social events like school dances to cancel, and even people like the Queen of England to shelter-in-place. It’s a huge bummer, but kids around the world are making the best of it. Check out what these kids are doing to help lift their spirits, as well as the spirits around them.

Problem: Zoos are running out of money to care for their animals.

Solution: Andy Soulard, age 6, set a goal of raising $200 for the Oakland Zoo. She started by contributing her own money—the $5 that she received from the tooth fairy. Word soon spread and animal and zoo-lovers across the country joined her effort. Her goal of $200 was quickly surpassed. She has currently raised over $200,000 for the Oakland Zoo. As a thank you to all of those who supported her fundraiser, she is making them bracelets!

Problem: First responders don’t have enough personal protective equipment to help care for those sick with COVID-19.

Solution: Ayan Gupta, a high school student and his classmates at Tesla STEM High School in Redmond, Washington, wanted to do something to help with the COVID-19 pandemic. When someone suggested that they print face shields for local hospitals, they got right on it! With Ayan’s background in science and robotics and the help of his like-minded friends, they were able to prototype, 3D print, assemble, and distribute masks to local hospitals within forty-eight hours from when the idea was suggested to them.

Problem: People are bored while sheltering-in-place.

Solution: 7 year old Timothy Madders loves word searches so he decided to make a word search for the Queen of England because … well … he was concerned that she might be feeling a little sad and bored while sheltering in place. He made sure to include cheerful words such as happiness in his word search, and boy did Queen Elizabeth appreciate it! As a thank you for his gift, she sent him a personal thank you letter. That’s a royal recognition of appreciation if you ask us! Good job, Timothy!

Problem: Prom was canceled!

Solution: High school student Peyton Manker wasn’t going to let a canceled prom get her down. Instead, she decided to enter a competition for designing and making a prom dress. She spent 395 hours and forty-one rolls of duct tape to create a prom dress that reflected how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world. She even completed her outfit with a purse shaped as a coronavirus. Her thoughtful design and hours of work paid off—she won!

This post originally appeared on Xyza: News for Kids.

Joann Suen & Sapna Satagopan

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

We're two perfectly imperfect moms who have five very different kids between the two of us. We believe that topics in news are a fantastic way to spark conversations in families. That's why we started the Dinner Table Conversation series here at Xyza: News for Kids. Won't you join us in the conversation?

Red Onions Linked to Salmonella Outbreak

by Jennifer SwartvagherAugust 3, 2020

Check your veggie bins. A salmonella outbreak that has infected more than 500 people in the United States and Canada has been traced back to onions grown in California. Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California is recalling Red, Yellow, White, and Sweet Yellow Onions shipped from May 1, 2020 through the present.

The onions are being recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Onions were distributed to wholesalers, restaurants, and retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

The onions were distributed in 5 lbs. carton. 10 lbs. carton. 25 lbs. carton. 40 lbs. carton, 50 lbs. carton. bulk, 2 lb. mesh sacks, and 3 lb. mesh sacks, 5 lb. mesh sacks, 10 lb. mesh sacks 25 lbs. mesh sacks, 50 lbs. mesh sacks under the brand names Thomson Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, El Competitor, Hartley’s Best, Onions 52, Majestic, Imperial Fresh, Kroger, Utah Onions and Food Lion.

Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve red, white, yellow, or sweet onions from Thomson International, Inc. or products containing such onions. If you cannot tell if your onion is from Thomson International Inc., or your food product contains such onions, you should not eat, sell, or serve it, and should throw it out.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections that may be linked to these onions, so Thomson International is recalling the onions out of an abundance of caution. As of now no specific source of contamination or contaminated shipment has been identified, and FDA is also investigating other potential sources of contamination and has not yet reached a final conclusion.

Infections have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Consumers who have any Red, Yellow, White, and Sweet Yellow Onions under the above brand names, or who cannot tell if their onions are from Thomson International, should immediately discard these products and disinfect any surfaces that came into contact with the onions.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: FDA

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Recall Expanded: Hy-Vee & ALDI Recall Garden Salads Due to Contamination Concerns

by Karly WoodJune 28, 2020

*Update 7/2/20: Hy-Vee, Inc. is recalling an additional 12 salads across its eight-state region due to the potential that they may be contaminated with Cyclospora. The potential for contamination was brought to Hy-Vee’s attention when Fresh Express – which manufactures the product – announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) expanded its investigation of an outbreak of Cyclospora in the upper Midwest section of the United States. The 12 salads are in addition to the 12 oz. Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salad product that Hy-Vee pulled last week after initial notification of the investigation. Hy-Vee now has 13 private label bagged salad products (all expiration dates) that are being recalled as a result.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Hy-Vee, Inc. and ALDI stores, in association with Fresh Express, Inc., are recalling several bagged garden salad products due to a potential contamination with Cyclospora. Fresh Express, the company that manufactures the salads for both stores, was notified that several of their private label products were being investigated by the FDA as being linked to a recent outbreak in the upper Midwest.

Neither stores have received any complaints of illnesses, and both are removing the affected products out of an abundance of caution. Keep reading to see all the products affected by this recall.

photo: Courtesy of the FDA

Hy-Vee is recalling 12 oz. Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salads distributed in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. This includes all UPC’s and expiration dates. Customers should immediately throw away the product, return to a Hy-Vee store for a refund or call Customer Care representatives at 1-800-772-4098 with any questions.

The list below outlines the additional 13 products that have been recalled. No other Hy-Vee branded salads are impacted by the new recall.

UPC DESCRIPTION SIZE

0-07450-24669 HY-VEE SOUTHWEST CHOPPED SALAD KIT 13.4 OZ

0-07545-12053 HY-VEE SHREDDED ICEBERG 8 OZ

0-75450-08530 HY-VEE VEGGIE DELUXE SALAD 12 OZ

0-75450-12046 HY-VEE GREENER SUPREME BLEND 12 OZ

0-75450-12047 HY-VEE AMERICAN BLEND SALAD 12 OZ

0-75450-12048 HY-VEE ITALIAN BLEND SALAD 10 OZ

0-75450-12051 HY-VEE COLESLAW MIX 16 OZ

0-75450-12058 HY-VEE ROMAINE GARDEN SALAD 12 OZ

0-75450-24668 HY-VEE ASIAN CHOPPED SALAD KIT 13.7 OZ

0-75450-24670 HY-VEE SUNFLOWER CHOPPED SALAD KIT 13.2 OZ

0-75450-24672 HY-VEE CHIPOTLE CHEDDAR CHOPPED KIT 11.4 OZ

0-75450-24674 HY-VEE GARDEN SALAD 12 OZ

0-75450-24715 HY-VEE AVOCADO RANCH CHOPPED KIT 12.8 OZ

ALDI is recalling all product codes of Little Salad Bar Garden Salads with use-by dates of May 16 to Jul. 4. These products were distributed in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin between May 1 and Jun. 19. Customers should discard any affected salad products or call the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center toll-free at 1-800-242-5472.

Symptoms of cyclosporiasis, the illness caused by consuming Cyclospora, can start seven days after ingestion. They include watery diarrhea, nausea, low grade fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating, cramping, weight loss and increased gas.

––Karly Wood

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32 Ballerinas From Around the World Danced Together for COVID-19 Relief

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 12, 2020

The arts community has been hit hard due to the coronavirus pandemic. Like other performing groups, ballet companies depend on ticket sales to stay in operation, but selling tickets is virtually impossible when all venues are closed for the foreseeable future. American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland and her former colleague, Joseph Phillips, launched Swans for Relief, a special video performance featuring dancers from ballet companies around the world.

Copeland and Phillips organized the event with help from the Entertainment Industry Foundation and seed funding provided by K Period Media. It is their hope that they will be able to raise money to assist ballet dancers struggling to pay rent and other living expenses while they are without a paycheck.

The 32 ballerinas featured in this special video performance represent ballet companies from around the world, including the US, Australia, the UK, South Africa, Norway, Russia, Cuba, France, the Philippines, Canada, Austria, Mexico, Denmark, and China.

A message from Copeland and Phillips reads, “We know that everyone’s circumstances are different, especially in these precarious times, but we would be so grateful to those who are able to donate, no matter the amount. If you are not able to donate, please consider sharing the link to this fundraiser so that it might reach more people who are able to give and share in turn. The arts are vital in bringing people together and helping us process the human condition, and in these very unusual times it is dancers who can truly use the support.”

While the video performance is free to watch, the campaign asks that supporters donate whatever they can on Swans for Relief’s GoFundMe page. Copeland and Phillips hope to raise $500,000, and those proceeds will be distributed to the relief funds of the participating dancers’ companies.

As the organizers explained on the GoFundMe page, “Art brings people together to provide a beautiful escape, and ballet in particular is a very unifying experience both on and off the stage, filled with history and imagination.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Nihal Demirci via Unsplash

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Scholastic Read-a-Palooza Supports Literacy at Home While Schools are Closed

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 6, 2020

Extended school closures means most, if not all, kids will not return to the classroom until the fall. To continue to support literacy during the coming months Scholastic has launched Scholastic Read-a-Palooza. This free program is designed to increase book access and ensure engaging experiences to keep kids reading this summer.

“With the unprecedented closing of U.S. schools, for many through to summer break, supporting literacy at home has never been more important. We know the power of reading and access to books is irreplaceable, and a critical component of combating the summer slide under normal circumstances. With the prospect of a greater slide due to the impact of COVID-19 and a nation of families and educators feeling emotional exhaustion, Scholastic is more dedicated than ever to partner together in inspiring and illuminating joyful, purposeful student learning. Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza can serve as a an easy-to-use, engaging bridge for kids to connect with books, both digitally and through book donations this summer, in partnership with United Way Worldwide,” said Pam Allyn, SVP, Innovation & Development, Scholastic.

Starting Monday, May 4, kids can join the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza in the newly created summer zone on Scholastic Home Base, a free and safe digital destination, where they will be encouraged to explore free resources, read select ebooks, engage with fellow readers and favorite authors, and keep Reading Streaks, which also help unlock a donation of 100,000 print books from Scholastic, distributed by United Way Worldwide.

“United Way is proud to partner with Scholastic once again for a dynamic summer program that will encourage children everywhere to develop strong reading skills while improving the quality of learning environments in communities everywhere,” said Suzanne McCormick, U.S. President, United Way Worldwide. “United Way is dedicated to building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and we believe it’s critical all children, especially during this era of distance learning, have the ability to develop essential literacy skills through access to quality books.”

Every child with a free Home Base account can create an avatar and experience the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza by:

Reading free digital books. Exclusive to the summer zone, kids will have access to select full ebooks in their entirety.
Unlocking book donations for home libraries: For every two consecutive days a child checks into the zone they will create a Reading Streak which will unlock a new free print book for a child with limited or no access to books. Reading Streaks are earned when kids check in to the Read-a-Palooza zone to confirm they have read that day. With the goal of unlocking all 100,000 books by July, United Way Worldwide, the world’s largest privately funded nonprofit, will distribute the books across the country to locations where access to more high-quality books is needed most.
Sharing reading progress. Kids will be able to create and print individualized reading reports summarizing their reading progress. These easy-to-download and printable reports can be shared with teachers or parents to show reading accomplishments.
Earning personal reading milestones. Kids will be able to earn accolades ranging from bronze, silver, gold and diamond levels for their reading streak progress while collecting summer-specific accessories to dress up their avatar.
Joining a community of readers. The summer zone offers kids a safe social platform to interact with friends and make new companions along the way. Through this summer reading community kids will share and discover the joy of stories and help provide books to their peers with limited or no access.

To learn more about Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza and access free summer reading resources, visit: http://www.scholastic.com/summer.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Ben White on Unsplash

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Disney Introduces Character Face Masks for Families

by Karly WoodApril 30, 2020

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Disney is releasing non-medical, reusable cloth faces masks to keep kids and parents safe. Of course, they wouldn’t be Disney without a little magic!

The character-themed masks will feature fan faves from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars lines. Edward Park, senior vice president, Disney store and shopDisney states, “Our hope is that Disney’s cloth face masks featuring some of our most beloved characters will provide comfort to the families, fans and communities that are so important to us.”

In addition to offering the new masks for sale, Disney will also be donating one million cloth masks to families in vulnerable and underserved communities. The masks will be distributed in partnership with Atlanta-based humanitarian aid organization, MedShare.

Finally, Disney plans to donate all profits of mask sales in the U.S. to MedShare, up to $1 million. The donations will occur from until Sept. 30, 2020.

The masks will come in small, medium and large sizes, with plenty of patterns to choose from! Additionally, they are in alignment with the FDA’s recommendations on non-surgical, non-industrial grade face masks.

All Disney cloth face masks are available for pre-order now in packs of four on shopDisney.com in the U.S., and are estimated to ship in June.

*Editor’s Note: According to the CDC, children under age 2, or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance should not use a cloth face covering.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of Disney

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