The Thanksgiving Tradition the Whole Family Will Love

by Gabby CullenOctober 23, 2019

The season of gratitude and thanks is right around the corner, and if you’re anything like us, you’re constantly trying to find easy and fun ways to teach your kids how to be thankful. Enter Turkey on the Table—created by two moms in hopes of helping their kids understand what it means to give back, and why it’s so important. This little guy is about to pop up everywhere, so here’s what you need to know.

What It Is

Turkey on the table is a fun new Thanksgiving tradition that was created by two moms determined to instill gratitude in their young children. It comes with “feathers,” that are meant for family members to write down their messages of gratitude until the turkey is fully dressed and ready to be on display during the big day. There are even adorable hats, feather refills, and crafting kits to make those feathers shine.

How It Works

All throughout the month of November, family members come together to recognize and record what they are thankful for, and write it on a paper feather. Simply insert the feather into the turkey’s tail, and by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, he’s got a full tail! Turkey on the Table also comes with a book that helps to explain to kids the process of giving back and being grateful. Plus, with every turkey purchased, 10 meals are donated to families in need in partnership with Feeding America. The goal this year is to reach 1 million donations. Says founders Kerry Maunus and April George, “We hope to encourage the tradition of Turkey on the Table, and conversations about gratitude & giving back in people’s homes.”

Available at amazon.com, $39.84 and up.

— Gabby Cullen

Images courtesy Turkey on the Table

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Carter’s Has the Cutest Halloween Costumes for Your Little Pumpkins

by Shahrzad WarkentinOctober 3, 2019

There’s nothing quite as fun as dressing up your little one in their first Halloween costume and Carter’s has you covered with some adorable outfits for babies and toddlers.

Here are some of the cutest Halloween costumes you can find at Carter’s this year.

Little Narwhal

You can't get much more magically unique than this adorable unicorn of the sea. Available in sizes 3 to 24 months.

$22

Little Sloth

You'll want time to crawl by so you can enjoy this baby sloth costume as long as possible. Available in sizes 3 to 24 months.

$22

Little Dragon

The rainbow horns on this hot pink dragon are fiercely adorable. Available in sizes 3 to 24 months.

$22

Little Chicken

Your little chick will be the cutest in the barnyard with this fine feathered costume. Available in sizes 3 to 24 months.

$22

Little Firefighter

You know you're in safe hands on Halloween when this little firefighter comes along. This is a one size fits most toddler costume.

$29

Mermaid

It doesn't get much more magical than a reversible sequin mermaid tail. Available in sizes 2 to 7.

$27

Little Pirate

Your tot will be scaring up plenty of treats in this cute pirate costume. Available in sizes 2 to 7.

$23

Little Unicorn

Your tiny dancer will love prancing around as this sweet unicorn. Available in sizes 2 to 7.

$26

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Courtesy of Carter’s

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H&M Just Launched a “Sesame Street” Collab & It’s Adorably Stylish

by Shahrzad WarkentinSeptember 15, 2019

Is your wardrobe ready for sunny days? It is now thanks to a brand new H&M and Sesame Street collab that will have you longing for a visit to your favorite neighborhood.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street, H&M is rolling out a brand new collection for kids featuring all of your favorite characters from Elmo to Cookie Monster. Not only are all the pieces in the collection adorable, but proceeds from the sales will support the Sesame Street Yellow Feather Fund to benefit children’s education. To celebrate the collab, H&M Loyalty Members will be invited to a series of kids’ events around the country where they can meet Sesame Street characters and learn about recycling through hands-on activities. Here are some of our favorite picks from the new collection.

Sequined Jersey Shirt

Can't decide who you love more, Elmo or Cookie? This sequined shirt lets you enjoy them both.

$14.99

Pile Hooded Sweatshirt

You can really embrace your muppet self in this furry hoodie featuring either Cookie Monster or Elmo's face.

$19.99

Abby and Elmo Sweatshirt

It doesn't get much more sunny than Abby and Elmo under a rainbow.

$17.99

Your pint-sized Cookie Monsters will love rolling around in this adorable romper and shirt set.

$24.99

Elmo Jersey Shirt

Little fans will love rocking this rock star Elmo look.

$14.99

Sesame Street Jersey Shirt

The whole gang is ready for fun on this cute tee.

$14.99

Sesame Street Tote

Carry along everything you need for your next Sesame Street-inspired adventure with this tote, you'll want to keep for yourself.

$29.99

The entire collection is only available for a limited time in stores and online so grab these pieces before they’re gone.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: H&M

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Another Retro 80s Fashion Trend Is Back (Move Over, Scrunchies)

by Karly WoodMarch 5, 2018

Dude! Get ready to pull that gray-streaked hair back because banana hair clips from the 80s are back! The elusive clip has been seen in action on the runways at Fashion Week this year, but we don’t need a bunch of fashion-forward pros to tell us what we already know––that the curved clip is, like, all we need in a hair accessory.

The banana hair clip (which gets its name from the contoured shape that resembles a banana. No duh.) made its debut in the 80s and was hailed as a fashion-forward way to pull hair back off the face but still give ladies length and style. It paired perfectly with those feathered bangs and major shoulder pads, and pretty much gave us the mullet-style without committing to a full-on “business in the front, party in the back” haircut. Totally radical.

Image Courtesy of Walmart.

Shockingly, you don’t have to pay vintage collector prices to snag your own banana hair clips. A quick search yielded tons of budget-friendly options from pretty much every drugstore and Amazon. The good news is, you don’t have to pair your banana hair clip with the fashion choices from the 80s to relive your glory days. The contoured hair clip is a great way to say bye to the mom bun, but hello to some righteous style.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfJZ_QblHrb/?tagged=bananaclip

Be honest, are you running out to buy a pack of banana clips now? Let us know in the comments below!

––Karly Wood

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How to Do the Metro Richmond Zoo with Kids (in Just Two Hours)

by rtjamybondAugust 22, 2017

Yes, D.C.’s Smithsonian Zoo is free and awesome and if you haven’t paid a visit you must go (Pandas!). But if you’ve been there, done that, and you need a unique animal-loving fix, consider a visit to the Metro Richmond Zoo, one of the largest and most unique in our area that’s just a quick two-hour drive south of the city. With more than 2,000 animals spread across 70 acres of land, answering the call of the wild can feel a bit overwhelming. Here are five places to get started.

#1 The Feeding Giraffes
One feature that makes this zoo so popular and fun is the ample opportunity you’ll have to interact with a variety of animals. In the African Plains section, which features addax, impala, zebra, and kudu, along with storks, cranes, ostriches, cheetahs and elephants, you can actually feed the giraffes from a special platform. The zoo houses a herd of nine reticulated giraffe and they are all too happy to nibble some pre-purchased treats from your hand. You can also feed deer, goats, sheep, donkeys and antelope in the children’s farm area.

#2 Monkey Business
Primates are a favorite here and you’ll find rows of lemurs, marmosets, tamarins, New and Old World monkeys, as well as quite a few apes, including siamangs, orangutans, and chimpanzees. You can get up-close-and-personal (but maintain a modicum of safety) through a glass window with Farley and Zoe, two goofy orangutans.

#3 Birds of a Feather…
If birds are your thing, you’ll marvel at the Chilean flamingos and African penguins, and a walk-through aviary of ducks, pheasants, ibises, and spoonbills. The kids will love being able to enter the budgie exhibit and feed the brightly-colored budgerigars, aka parakeets, from feed sticks.

#4 Cats Steal the Show
Favor cute things with whiskers? You’ll enjoy the fact that Metro Richmond Zoo is a Cheetah Breeding Center and has gained worldwide attention for facilitating multiple births of adorable cheetah cubs.

#5 Hitch a Ride
Perhaps the ultimate interactive element at Metro Richmond Zoo is the newly added Treetop Zoofari zip line adventure, where you can zip from tree to tree like Tarzan and get a bird’s eye view of the animals. But if zip lining requires a little too much adrenaline for you, take advantage of the zoo’s Safari Sky Ride, which will give you a similar view, but from the comfort of a moving seat. Or if you prefer to stay closer to the ground, you can take the safari train for a special view of India and Chinese natives, such as blackbuck, mouflon, Himalayan tahr and takin. Impress your little ones by mentioning that the takin is considered a national treasure in China, much like the giant pandas.

Metro Richmond Zoo
8300 Beaver Bridge Rd. (Moseley, Va)
Open: Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cost: $17.25; kids ages 2-11/$11.25
804-739-5666
Online: metrorichmondzoo.com

Have you visited this zoo yet? Tell us about your favorite part in the comments below.

–Jamy Bond

Sweet Samba! How to Make a Brazilian Headdress

by Gabby CullenJuly 27, 2016

This summer, make the Olympics a cultural celebration; spend an afternoon working on a colorful and fun craft that puts the spotlight on one of Brazil’s most iconic events—Carnival. We’ve gathered the supplies to make a Brazilian headdress, which your budding Samba school tykes can wear during the opening ceremonies on August 5. Scroll down for the entire tutorial and remember—bigger and brighter is always better!

What You’ll Need

Costume Masks – we used these

Feathers – we used these

Gemstones – we used these

Paint – any tempera or acrylic with work

Glitter Glue – we used this in red

Hot Glue Gun or Elmer’s Glue

Spray Glitter (optional)

Paint the Mask

Get your kids set up with the materials and let them paint away. If they want to add designs with paint, be sure to wait until each coat is dry before beginning another

Decorate the Mask

Step One
Using either a hot glue gun (parental supervision is required) or Elmer’s glue, let your crafters embellish their headdresses with colorful jewels. During Carnival, Samba schools try to outshine each other with dazzling displays, so encourage your kids to add as much as they want!

Step Two
If you have glitter glue, this is the time to use it, either around the gemstones or as the glue for the gemstones—it’s up to your kids and their imaginations!

Step Three
Adding feathers can be tricky. Parents should help (or supervise older kids) with the hot glue gun. If you don’t have one, use tape to fasten the feathers to the back of the mask. Go with one color or make a colorful display with as many different feathers as possible. Afterwards, spray the feathers with spray glitter if you have it on hand.

Wear the Mask

After everything dries, it’s time to shake a tail feather.

Try it as a mask.

Then, try it as a headdress!

Have you ever made a Carnival-inspired craft? Share with us in a Comment below.

Images and copy by Gabby Cullen

Project inspired by Globescouts

Warm Weather Must-Do: Magic Hour Roller Skating Party at LeFrak

by Mimi O'ConnorMay 23, 2016

Whether you’re old enough to recall big combs in the back pocket of tight jeans, feathered hair and tube socks pulled all the way up, or just like the idea of taking a spin al fresco at dusk, we’ve got some exciting news. Magic Hour, an all-ages, “summertime roller skating jam” is back at LeFrak at Lakeside, and ready to roll. Hurry up and lace up!

photo: Flavorpill

Magic, man!
Taking its name from that special window of time at dawn and dusk when the light is just, well, magical (and when the event takes place) Magic Hour is an all-ages rollerskating party brought to you by the funky folks at Flavorpill.

From now until September 25, this moving and grooving party will take place every Sunday from 4 – 8 p.m. Each week will feature fresh DJ talent spinning tunes; the current lineup includes Gang Gang Dance with Michael Beharie (May 22), Talib Kweli and Prince Klassen (June 5) and Xeno & Oaklander with Heathered Pearls (June 19). (More DJ talent will be announced soon.)

photo: Flavorpill

Skating — and much more!
Never been to LeFrak at Lakeside? We can’t think of a better way or time to make a first visit. Not only does the $14 admission fee get you entrance to the party and skate rental, LeFrak is a primo spot for warm weather fun. Cool down in the complex’s water feature, rent a paddleboat and cruise around the lake, or grab some refreshing grub at the on site Bluestone Cafe and Gelato Parlor. Plus: there’s a bar at Magic Hour for the 21 + crowd, so you can chill with a cold brew if you like — we recommend doing so after skating.

photo: Flavorpill

Get a Lyft
You can even have some help getting there. Flavorpill teamed up with Lyft to offer a cheaper ride. Use the code MAGICHOUR15 to redeem 15% off a ride with the service.

In short, you really have no reason not to go. See you at Magic Hour! (We’ll be the ones wearing the rainbow suspenders.)

Magic Hour presented by Flavorpill
LaFrak at Lakeside
Tickets: $14
Sundays, 4 – 8 p.m., May 22 – Sept. 25
Prospect Park
Online: flavorpill.com/magic-hour

Did you hit up a Magic Hour last summer? Tell us about it in the comments!

— Mimi O’Connor

Sign Here, Please: How to Make a Ballpoint Feather Pen

by Amber GuetebierApril 4, 2016

If you’ve got a little writer in your house, try this easy way to transform an ordinary ballpoint into an old-fashioned quill pen worthy of scribing a masterpiece. Read on for the simple tutorial.

You will need:

A ballpoint pen (like a simple Bic pen)

A feather

Scissors

Tape

Step 1. Deconstruct.
Take your ballpoint pen apart. You shouldn’t need scissors or a knife for most pens. You need the little ballpoint pen part hiding inside that tube of plastic. (Caution: pen can leak ink so put away your white table linens).

You should choose a feather with a decent sized quill (this is the hollow part of the feather also known as the calamus) because this is where you’ll be stashing the “guts” of the ballpoint pen.

Step 2: Quill It Work?
Make a small snip at the end of the quill. Slide the thin ballpoint pen inside. If the fit is not tight enough, use a little scotch tape to secure it by wrapping the quill to bind the pen inside. It’s also a good idea to wrap the part of the pen that sticks out with scotch tape, to help avoid leaks onto tiny fingers.

Step 3: Pen It!
Voila! You’ve got a modern vintage writing implement! Now write a haiku or poem. Or your memoirs.

Tip: If your feather isn’t big enough to hold the pen, or if you prefer to use a pencil, you can just lash it to the pen using tape or yarn.

Do your kids have a penchant for pens?

—All photos and copy by Amber Guetebier

Today Is National Audubon Day

by rtstephenFebruary 26, 2016

Daily

Today Is National Audubon Day

It has a nice wing to it.

Feather you are big or small, you’ll enjoy this spot-a-bird checklist.

Bring the birds to bedtime with some
super cool hand-powered shadow puppets.

If you’re going bird spotting,
don’t leave home without these homemade binoculars.

{ Today’s ideas brought to you by Big Bird }

You’re Due! Best Baby Boutiques on the Block

by Rachael BrandonOctober 22, 2015

Whether you’re feathering the nest for your first, second or fifth hatchling, the thrill of splurging for a new little bundle never seems to get old (if you don’t believe us, just ask grandma). But where do you land the choice gear that reflects the uniqueness of your adorable nestling as well as our own sense of style and personality? From drive-worthy boutiques to shops just around the block, flip through the gallery to discover our favorite stores for everything baby. Go forth and spoil away!

Once Upon a Time

Let's be honest, we've all been there at least once. You just purchased a birthday, baby shower or holiday gift for a precious little bean only to discover they already own the exact item. Or worse yet, someone else brought precisely the same gift to the party. Once Upon a Time on Queen Anne has two floors filled with unique baby items and toys that fall under the nostalgic or Euro flare categories that we guarantee won't be twinsies with anyone else's gift at the next shindig you attend. And they've got it all. Baby sets? Check. Feeding essentials? Check. Baby clothes, sleep sacks, diaper bags - it's all there. Now, are you ready for the best part? Tucked away in cozy corners throughout the store there are several play nooks set up for the Littles to discover while you browse - perfect if you want to sneak in a few extra items for them without their noticing.

Once Upon A Time
1622 Queen Anne Ave. N.
Seattle, Wa 98109
206-284-7260 or 1-888-284-6681
Online: onceuponatimetoys.net

Hours: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

photo: Rachael Brandon

Do you have a favorite spot to shop for baby gear? Tell us in the Comments below!

— Rachael Brandon

ML Interest Tag: feather

The Thanksgiving Tradition the Whole Family Will Love

What It Is

How It Works

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