The Natural History Museum is one of our favorite places to tour with the whole family with its amazing dinosaur exhibits, rare gemstones and hall of mammals (just to scratch the surface). So to sweeten the deal and add yet another reason to visit, come check out the LA Nature Fest the weekend of March 14 and 15 where you and your tiny tree huggers can get up close and personal with our natural world in a variety of unique ways. From slime and raptors to crafts and scientists, there are many reasons to make this a must-do event. Keep reading for more highlights of hands-on fun from this festival!

Meet Live Animals

Naturally, a Nature Fest wouldn't be complete without interactive animal encounters. This weekend, the Natural History Museum will have plenty of opportunities for your wildlings to get up close and personal with all sorts o'critters. Hit up the "Rat Chat" in the morning and watch rat handlers feed and train the furry fellas before heading over to the Nature Gardens for live animal presentations. Here animal keepers will bring out a variety of animals ranging from reptiles to opossums (to even owls) and tell stories about how they care for them (there might even be touching allowed depending on the animal!). Lastly, be sure to stop by the Pavilion in the afternoon to watch a real live snake eat a (not-so-alive) snack at the snake feeding demonstrations. 

Talk To Scientists

With many schools gearing up for Science Fairs in the next couple of months or so, now would be a great time for your little lab rats to get some face-to-face time with a real live scientist or nature experts. Luckily, the L.A. Nature Fest will have plenty of both on hand who are excited and ready to answer all questions thrown their way! Bring older kiddos by The Earth in Her Hands panel at 11 a.m. at the Pavillion stage where female botanist experts will tell stories of inspirational women working to protect the world of plants.   

Nature Inspired Arts & Crafts

Celebrate nature through art with a variety of activities scattered throughout the festival that will delight those wee ones who like hands-on crafting.  Keep an eye out for the STEM-based team from Boundless Brilliance who will be on hand helping kids create their own leaf ornaments along with an earth-inspired coloring project. Or from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. each day naturalists of all ages can make block printed cards with stamp designs representing California native plants with help from the group at Self Help Graphics.

Science of Slime

Exposing your mini experimenters to slime in a controlled environment where they can learn all about the sticky substance and it's not all over your house? Yes please! Here at the L.A. Nature Fest, the fine folks at Nickelodeon (along with Natural History Museum scientists) will be presenting the scientific side of slime and all of its ooey gooey wonders. And as if that weren't enough (cuz' we know how crazy kids go for this stuff), Nickelodeon will even give everyone a chance to enter their virtual slime booth. Win/win!

Exhibitor Booths & Giveaways

There will be over 35 different exhibitor booths representing local organizations such as The Aquarium of the Pacific, Face Painting, Turtle and Tortoise Society, and Friends of Griffith Park (to name a few). Stop by the Tree People booth for, well, a free tree while supplies last or create a seed ball to take home of California wildflowers for your garden. 

Bird's The Word

For those who have a strong affinity for aviary animals, be sure not to miss the raptor flight demonstrations taking place during L.A. Nature Fest. These apex predators and their handlers will certainly put on quite the show in the Nature Gardens across from the cafe leaving everyone to gaze upon these stunning birds with rapt attention. 

All The Details

When: Sat., Mar. 14 and Sun., Mar. 15; 9:30a.m.-5p.m.
Where: Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-763-3466
Online: nhm.org
Cost: Included with general admission ($14 for adults; $6 for kids ages 3-12)

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Fans of the annual Thanksgiving weekend Harry Potter televised film fest can rejoice! Muggles and the magical alike can enjoy the former Freeform marathon on USA Network this year.

After leaving Freeform in 2017, the Wizarding World Thanksgiving weekend marathon moved over to the SyFy channel for the 2018 season. According to recent reports, this year’s schedule of the entire library of on-screen adaptations, plus Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will air on USA from Thursday Nov. 28 through Saturday Nov. 30.

So when can you watch your favorite Potter films on the small screen? The Thanksgiving marathon schedule includes:

Thursday, Nov. 28

9 a.m.—Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them
11:52 a.m.—Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone
3:19 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
7 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban

Friday, Nov. 29

6:30 a.m.—Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
10:11 a.m.—Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
1:10 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
4:35 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
7:35 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince

Saturday, Nov. 30

10:30 a.m.—Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
1:31 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince
4:48 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part 1
8:10 p.m.—Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part 2

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Harry Potter via YouTube

 

 

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Matt Mayers and his daughter Norah are a filmmaking duo! Every Halloween the pair team up to make their own version of a fave fright-fest flick—and the results are pure genius.

Mayers, an IRL filmmaker, and his fam have made their own versions of famous features such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Night of the Living Dead. So what are they up to this year?

Of course, instead of the original title each one of the daddy-daughter flicks has a Norah-themed name. These include A Nightmare On Norah’s Street, Norah of the Living Dead and The Day Norah Stood Still.

This year the family of film mavens departed from the “Norah” type titles and made THAT, they’re own version of IT. If you’re all about Halloween-time scares, and creepy clowns, check out the Mayers’ masterpieces!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Courtesy of the Mayers Family

 

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Target and Disney announced their new collab earlier this year and now the magical moment has finally arrived. Disney Stores are now open at select Target locations across the country.

Just in time for Triple Force Friday and Frozen Fan Fest, Disney Stores are now open at 25 Target locations. The shop-within-a-shop set-ups are situated near the toy aisles and kids’ clothing departments. They feature over 450 items, including more than 100 of which have only been available at the Disney Store until now.

These Disney Shops aren’t just a place to check off your shopping list, however. They also feature music, interactive displays and a cozy seating area where families can relax, play games and watch Disney movie clips and more. Target says they also include photo ops where you can try on Mickey’s magic hat, pose with a life-size lightsaber and wear a prince or princess crown.

In honor of the grand opening, Target rolled out some brand new Frozen 2 and Star Wars toys. Several are already on the Bullseye Top 100 Toys List, like the LEGO Star Wars Resistance Y-Wing Starfighter and Disney Frozen 2 Arendelle Castle.

These can now be found among other must-have holiday items at Target stores and online. Some of the Target Disney store exclusives include Elsa’s Black Sea Dress, Sing & Swing Olaf, Anna & Elsa Baby Dolls, as well as action figures and droids from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Mandalorian among several others.

“We’ve brought the magic of Disney to Target, bringing together great merchandise amidst an experience that’s truly immersive and unique,” says Mark Tritton, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Target. “Guests will be able to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love in a meaningful way, while accessing the latest and greatest Disney products, including items previously only available at Disney retail locations.”

Don’t fret if your local Target doesn’t feature one of these Disney Stores, you can still shop all the awesome merchandise online at Target.com/Disneystore and in the Target app. Customers who shop in stores or online on Oct. 5 will receive a $10 Target GiftCard with a $40 purchase of Frozen or Star Wars toys. From Oct. 6 to 12, guests spending $50 on toys at Target will save $10 and those who spend $100 will save $25.

You can check out the full list of the 25 Disney Store locations here.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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Starting Jun. 11, Annual Passholders can take advantage of discounted Disneyland tickets and enjoy the summer festivities with their besties! From now until Sep. 3, Disneyland passholders can purchase two 1-Day Park Hopper tickets per day for up to 40 percent off!

Disneyland announced the discount in honor of National Best Friends Day and as a way to share all the new Pixar Fest activities that are happening through the hot summer months. With the newly redesigned Pixar Pier opening in just two short weeks, heading to the park with your pals seems like a no-brainer.

The discounted tickets can be purchased at any Disneyland Resort Ticket Booth or at a Disney Desk at participating Good Neighbor Hotels. Annual Passholders must make the purchase and tickets are only valid on non-blockout days. Passholders must accompany their guest at the gate to enjoy the fun!

Because summer typically sees tons of blackout days for passholders to make way for non-locals, Disneyland is also un-blocking a handful of days to further the enjoy the discounted program. SoCal Select, SoCal and Deluxe pass holders can enjoy the new dates below that were previously blocked out:

  • SoCal Select: Jun. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19 and 20
  • SoCal: Jun. 15, 16, 20, 21 and 22
  • Deluxe: Jun. 16

The discount applies to several tickets but is still subject to the tiered pricing system. The Value Park Hopper, Regular Park Hopper and Peak Park Hopper tickets are all available for purchase and you can save some major bucks this summer by checking the prices below.

  • Value Park Hopper Price: $89
  • Regular Park Hopper Price: $99
  • Peak Park Hopper Price: $109

Be sure to check the Disneyland Blockout Calendar before heading to the park with your best friends to avoid hitting a blackout date! The available dates are a combination of weekdays and sure to be busy weekends.

––Karly Wood

Feature Photo: Andy Castro via Flickr

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Planning a trip to Disneyland this summer? Then you are in for a treat because Pixar Fest has officially launched and we have the inside scoop on all the entertainment, food and drinks you should keep a Mike Wazowski-sized eye out for! Scroll for all the fun additions that are taking place across both Disneyland and California Adventure and get ready to celebrate friendship all summer long.

Pixarmonic Orchestra

Richard Takenaga via Facebook

Tripledent Gum originally appeared in the Pixar favorite "Inside Out" as a commercial that gets stuck in Riley's head but it has been re-imagined as Tripledent Gum presents the Pixarmonic Orchestra. The wacky and zany band performs Pixar songs using whatever instruments they can find so don't be surprised if you see them tapping out tunes on spoons, cowbells, slide whistles and more.

According to Chris Utley, Show Director of Disney Parks Live Entertainment, "The inspiration came from a lifelong appreciation and love of the music of Spike Jones and His City Slickers. The presents an array of musical styles ina fun and upbeat fashion that fits the Pixar tunes perfectly. The arrangements, dialogue, and energy of this unique group will appeal to the whole family. And their costumes even have some fun Pixar 'Easter Eggs!'" When you are ready to take a break from the rides, head over to the bandstand, grab a seat and enjoy the show.

Where: Paradise Gardens Bandstand in California Adventure
When: 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 4:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m.

Pixar Play Parade

Andie Huber

The much-loved parade down Disneyland's Main St. has been reimagined to include new Pixar friends like the hopping Pixar Lamp and Ball from Pixar’s "Luxo Jr." short who lead the way. They are followed by Joy, Sadness and Bing Bong in Riley’s Rocket Wagon from "Inside Out." The "Up" float makes a debut while Carl, Russell, Dug, Kevin the bird and her brood of baby birds all dance down the parade route.

And lest you think that's all the surprises, be prepared to get wet on warm days as squiring baby turtles, an android and flowers make their way down the street. 

The parade runs daily in Disneyland.

Incredible Friends

Disneyland Theme Park

The best places to meet and greet your favorite Pixar pals? Hang around Paradise Gardens (where the Pixarmonic Orchestra plays) for those photo ops.

Beginning Jun. 8, make sure to check out the Pixar Pals Dance Party at the Tomorrowland Terrace in Disneyland and look for the Incredibles cast at the parks who joins the fun starting Jun. 15.

Desserts Galore

Disneyland Theme Park

Disneyland does desserts right and Pixar Fest is no exception. New churro flavors are available like the Coco-Churro inspired by the movie "Coco" at the Frontierland churro cart in California Adventure, and a multi-colored fruity churro with lemon sugar inspired by "Up" is available on Main St. in Disneyland. 

If cake is more your speed, look for the celebration ball-inspired cake—almost too pretty to eat! 

Fancy an alien-inspired macaron? The team at Disney outdid themselves and will turn you and your kids into green eating alien machines. 

And as if that's not enough, there are purple slushies, "Nemo"-inspired apples, and berry funnel cakes so your sweet tooth will surely be satisfied. 

Paint the Night Parade

Disneyland Theme Park

The magical night celebration is back and this time with more than 1 million lights that shine along the parade route in California Adventure. This high-energy parade will get even the most tired of toddlers up to dance as each float that glides by features another Pixar pal plus some old favorite standbys. Get ready to be amazed by "Cars" Lightning McQueen's Mac truck, "Finding Nemo" and his swirling jellyfish and the swirly glittery orb that magician Mickey rides as part of the finale. Good luck trying to go to sleep after this energetic night display!

Pixar-Themed Eats

Disneyland Theme Park

There are tons of surprise eats all over both parks but definitely grab a slice at Alien Pizza Planet (formally Redd Rockett's Pizza Port in Disneyland) and live out all of your "Toy Story" fantasies.

At Lucky Fortune Cookery, look for the "Monsters, Inc" themed chilled noodle salad that changes colors! And if you are looking for a finer dining experience, at Cafe Orleans, you can experience a "Ratatouille"-inspired three-course dinner. Bon appetit!

Souvenirs & More

Pixar fans will go bonkers over the swag and merchandise available. From cool clothing (don't judge me when you see me wearing that Sully-styled "Monster's Inc." sweatshirt) and jewelry to souvenir cups that light up, there is no shortage of cool gear to take home. We loved the 1000-piece puzzles, oversized coffee mugs, and charm bracelets as well as the friendship socks featuring Mater on one foot and Lighting McQueen from "Cars," on the other.

Don't forget to check out the Mickey Mouse ears re-imagined with new friends on the ears like Sully on one side and Mike on the other but our favorite? The WALL-E and Eve hats, that when put together, form a heart with their touching ears. So cute!

Fireworks Finale

Disneyland Theme Park

And last but certainly not least, make your way back to Disneyland for the ultimate "Together Forever Nighttime Spectacular" where the park takes the theme of unlikely yet enduring friendship while showcasing the beauty of Pixar.

Buzz Lightyears opens the show by flying across the castle and the family-loving stories play against the buildings on Main St. and Cinderella's castle. The fireworks play up the drama, along with the music, and when Ellie and Carl from "Up" appear, get ready to shed a tear while the balloon from the movie makes its way across the sky.  

Hint: Look out for the characters from "Coco" who pop up on the roofs over the shops on Main St. 

PS: While Pixar Fest is set to end Sept. 3, 2018, the Pixar Pier is set to open Sept. 2018 (where Paradis Pier is currently located in California Adventure) so stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Find out more at: disneyland.com/pixarfest

Are you planning a trip to Disneyland and California Adventure to check out Pixar Fest? Let us know in the comments below what is your favorite part!

—Andie Huber

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Looking to inspire your little readers this spring? The Bay Area Book Festival comes to Berkeley at the end of April and it is the place to be to let your imagination run wild. There are book giveaways, readings by your favorite local authors, performances and tons of fun for the whole family. Read on to find out what you can expect when you head over!

To Do
There’s no shortage of family-friendly options at the festival. Both days have a long line-up of author panels and discussions with kid-centric activities and programs sprinkled in. The main thing to check out? The Showtime Stage in the Family Fest Zone. The stage is where you’ll find storytelling and live performances for every kind of reader.

As if that wasn’t enough, through a partnership with Half Price Books the festival will give away thousands of free kids’ books to encourage reading. Finally, there’s an epic list of fun stuff and DIY projects throughout the event, sponsored by Bay Area non-profits and service providers, like book-making and jugglers to bounce houses and a kiddie carnival (with rides, natch), making this a perfect festival of fun. Check here to plan your schedule then stop by the Family Fest Zone first thing.

To Learn
This year’s festival includes special focus on “Women Lit,” Native American voices, youth and writing/publishing. YA and children’s programming is especially strong with new middle-grade books from Dave Eggers, Newbery Award winner Katherine Applegate (The One and Only Ivan, Wishtree) and former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, among many others.

To Watch
No doubt, the stars of this event are the books and their creators. All-star artists and illustrators including popular children’s authors like Dan Santat and Aaron Reynolds (authors of the new book, Dude!)—among many others—will be sharing their stories with kids in a big tent on the grass. It’s sure to get your family reading all the books.

To Inspire
For the older readers in your family there’s a poetry slam, a performance workshop and many panels featuring their favorite YA and middle grade authors. Lots here to get the gears turning for your future authors-in-training.

To Know
This event is two full days featuring nearly 250 authors. The festival will be clustered in Berkeley’s Civic Center Park and adjacent blocks. All outdoor venues have free admission. For indoor programs, the prices vary from a $10 guaranteed seat for a single event to a $15 general wristband that gets you into all events for both days (first-come first-served). Everyone under 18 gets in free to all indoor events, no wristbands needed. Expect some lines, but crowds aren’t bad when they’re full of happy readers. And, all events at the Showtime Stage in the Family Fest Zone are FREE!

Bay Area Book Festival
In and around Berkeley’s Civic Center Park
2151 Martin Luther King Jr Way.
Berkeley, CA
When: April 28-29, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Online: bayareabookfest.org

Have you attended this literary extravaganza? What was your favorite part?

—Kate Loweth & Mae Respicio

Photos courtesy of the Bay Area Book Festival

You walk into a Toys”R”Us store and your kiddo goes wild. Seriously. She just can’t stop herself. And can you really blame her? Ahh, the toy store. It’s like a magical playground that houses every possible plaything your child could ever want. But wait. Here’s the problem. At least, the problem for your child. Even though there are toys galore surrounding her, she can’t play with any of them. Yep. They’re all boxed up. Well, Toys”R”Us wants to fix that. And here’s how.

Select Toys”R”Us stores, 42 of them across the country, hold Play Labs. What’s a Play Lab? Well, it’s exactly like it sounds. It’s an experiential play opportunity for kids to test toys in the store.

Not only can your child get the chance to play with the hottest toys of the season, but he or she can also try them out before you buy them. You know how it goes — your child absolutely, positively has to have the newest, coolest, best toy that her preschool BFF has. She wears you down and before you know it you’re at Toys”R”Us buying it for her. When you finally get it home (after spending the better part of an hour freeing it from all of those little plastic twist-ties) she plays with it for all of five minutes. And then she discards the said toy, never to pick it up again.

Hey, how could she know that it was actually a major snooze fest? Well, if she gets to play with it first, you won’t have this problem. At least, not to the same extent.

Play Lab is currently available in select stores in California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Visit the Toys”R”Us website for a full list and details.

What do you think about these Play Labs? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Your little snow bunny doesn’t get the winter blues. Instead, he’s all about making the most of the season’s white-stuff bounty. We couldn’t agree more! That’s why we’ve rounded up the coolest winter fests the country has to offer so you can get your snow, sled, ski and polar plunge fixes in all season long. Flip through to find a winter wonderland celebration near you!

Bavarian Ice Fest – Leavenworth, Wa – Jan. 13-14, 2018

This decidedly Alps-like town nestled in the mountains of Eastern Washington will still be sporting its over 500,000 winter holiday lights for this year’s annual IceFest. When you and your bundled babes aren’t busy ducking in and out of chocolate shops and nostalgic toy stores that line the main drag, you can watch snow scultpures being erected from the surrounding snow, play IceFest games and activities, and cheer on participants in the annual snowmobile sled pull. But whatever you do, don’t miss the magnificent fireworks display that lights up the night during the festival.

Travel Tip: Be sure to check out the Stevens Pass Grom playgound for your winter crew for even more snow-tastic good times!

Online: leavenworth.org/bavarian-icefest

photo: Visit Leavenworth WA’s Facebook

Do you have a favorite winter festival to share with us? Which one do you want to visit? Let us know in the Comments below!

— Allison Sutcliffe & Gabby Cullen

They hop all around and take tiny bites of food so your kids are pretty much halfway to being bunnies already. With a few tips from us, your little snugglers will soon embrace that inner bunny. Hop on down to see how to do it.

photo: cartersbebemom via pixabay

1. Bunnies are ridiculously soft to the touch so dress up by wearing your most comfortable outfit. For those who take crafting seriously, make ears out of construction paper and a headband like the ones here. If you want to avoid a mess, holding up two fingers on each hand to your head works too. Just don’t forget to give those fingers a little wiggle.

2. Hop time! Crouch down into a squat and keep those legs together as you make tiny jumps across the room. Some bunnies leap bounds and others have a lighter spring in their step. It’s all up to you!

3. “Eat like a rabbit.” This phrase doesn’t just refer to speedy nibbling. It’s also a great way to convince your kiddo to eat their veggies. After all you are what you eat right? Carrots, celery, spinach—a bunny’s diet is 75% leafy greens and 25% fruit. In human terms, this means your veggie portion for the day should be 75% vegetables and 25% fruit.

4. Do everything quietly. While this action can be a blessing in disguise, we all know parents fear of prolonged silence, so here’s a quick list of noises bunnies are known to make: grunting, honking, teeth purring (grinding), sneezing and sighing. All your pal has to do is turn the volume low when they make these noises.

5. Be affectionate. Have you ever seen bunnies at the pet store? It’s a cuddle fest! Bunnies love to share, kiss and cuddle so this is a great way to get siblings to be loving. We’ll even suggest snuggling up and taking a nap with your little one.

Are you planning on becoming a bunny today? Tell us your tricks and tips in the Comments below!