ML Interest Tag: fret

The Secret to Getting Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth for 2 Minutes (Every Time)

by Shahrzad Warkentin

Do you dread the “c” word? Do you cringe when your dentist asks how often your kids brush? It’s hard enough getting tots to brush their teeth at all, but figuring out how to get your kids to brush their teeth for full two minutes is like, well… pulling teeth. Fret no more. A new handy Alexa trick is here to help.

If you want to make the brushing struggle much easier, all you need to do is ask Alexa for a little help. With the new Alexa Skill Chompers, kids will want to keep brushing those pearly whites all day long. Just give the command, “Alexa, start Chompers” and the whole family will be treated to a two-minute long show of interviews, jokes, riddles, silly songs and more.

The show is designed to keep kids entertained while they brush for a full two minutes, which is the recommended brushing time given by the American Dental Association. Chompers is actually a podcast created by the same team behind Story Pirates, which means that each brushing session brings new guests and entertaining stories for little brushers.

Don’t have Amazon Echo? Don’t worry. Since the show is a podcast it can be accessed on a variety of platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Pixabay

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How You Can Celebrate National Ice Cream Month With the Museum of Ice Cream

by Shahrzad Warkentin

If the Museum of Ice Cream hasn’t made its way to a city near you yet, don’t fret. Target has a way to bring that ice cream magic straight to your own home with a new product line collab that’s all about summer’s best sweet treat.

Target is introducing a collection of clothing and accessories for kids inspired by the Museum of Ice Cream for the Target exclusive Art Class label.The limited edition collection will feature the bright, popping pastels and prints that have become synonymous with the pop-up museum that has traveled across the country. You’ll find everything from socks to t-shirts and swimsuits emblazoned with colorful gummy bears and yellow bananas.

photo: Target

The summer wear isn’t the only thing to get excited about. The collection will also feature some fun accessories, like pastel colored, retro-style roller skates, a banana-print skateboard and ice cream truck-shaped lunchbox.

photo: Target

“We want guests to experience a true sense of joy when they’re shopping at Target, and one way we do this is through partnerships we think they’ll love,” said Mark Tritton, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Target. “When our team visited the first Museum of Ice Cream in New York City, they instantly knew it was something special.”

The Art Class collection isn’t the only collaboration, however. The Museum of Ice Cream will also be debuting a line of its signature ice cream flavors at Target locations across the country. The line will have seven different flavors including Nana Banana, Cherrylicious, Chocolate Crush, Churro Churro, Vanillionaire, Piñata and Sprinkle Pool.

photo: Target

Lucky visitors at Target locations in New York will also be treated to the museum’s latest interactive exhibit called The Pint Shop. The exhibit will feature mini installations and tastings. The Art Class collab is available now for a limited time in stores and online, with prices ranging from $5.99 to $59.99. The ice cream line will be available in stores starting July 8.

If all of that isn’t enough to fulfill your sweet tooth, you can celebrate all things cold and creamy at the biggest ice cream social ever hosted. On July 15, otherwise known as National Ice Cream Day, the Museum of Ice Cream will be dishing up a massive ice cream party in three select cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City at The Pint Shop. The event will feature live entertainment, interactive exhibits and, of course lots and lots of ice cream.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Target

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Sounds Like Summer with Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora

by Lauren Hill
Partner Content

The sounds of summer: sprinklers, splashes, honking horns, and your family’s favorite songs playing in the background (or blasting through the car speakers). No matter what’s in store this season, from road trips to afternoon play dates, every activity is better when you add a little music. Get those tunes flowing with the brand-new Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora®, a station that’ll features music everyone in your family will dig. Read on to learn more about this kid-friendly station, but fair warning…spontaneous sing-alongs and un-choreographed group dance parties may ensue.

How It Works
Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool created Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora® to give parents easy access to tons of great tunes. Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora® uses a unique algorithm to customize a rocking playlist for you and your family. With just a few clicks your family can listen to their favorite music anytime, anywhere on their phone, tablet, or computer. One of the best parts? It’s totally free to use and you don’t need Wi-Fi to access it!

Listen In to Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora® & Find Harmony
Music is a powerful learning tool and no matter their age, all children can benefit from its ability to impact creative, cognitive, and social development. It has the power to brighten a rainy day, lift a bad mood, and create peace among siblings on long car rides. Yet finding a collection of kid-friendly songs, in a variety of genres, all while avoiding the “cheese” factor can be a challenge, and Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora is the solution to your musical woes.

Why It’s a Hit
Even the pickiest music aficionados will find the songs they love on Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora®. So if your eldest loves pop while your preschooler is still bopping along to their favorite movie anthem, don’t fret. Available right now, Bright Horizons Radio on Pandora® is free for all listeners, with additional educational activities being added throughout the summer. Now that’s music to our ears!

Access the station by clicking here. 

What’s your favorite summer track? Share with us in the comments below!

— Lauren Rich Hill

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Inside Scoop: Our Writers Share Their Picks for Fall Fun

by writerredtri

Summer may technically be coming to end, but don’t fret. No one knows better than our plugged-in team of writers how many cool things there are to get out and do during the fall months. We asked them to give us a sneak peak of what’s on their autumn must-do lists. Click through the slideshow to meet them and to hear their picks, and then start planning your own fall adventures!

Mae Respicio

In the fall, we love Sonoma for easy day-tripping. One of our favorite outings starts with Train Town (feels way less crowded once summer's over), followed by lunch (or dinner, if you got a late start!) and good people watching just a few minutes down the road at Historic Sonoma Plaza, the town's central square. Our latest go-tos for yummy stuff: Burgers and Vine and homemade scoops next door. The finale: playtime right on the square. With 2 playgrounds, you could bring a bottle (or box) of wine (because this!) for a bit of grown up time while the kids get their energy out.

 

What is on your fall bucket list? Tell us in the comments below! 

—Erin Feher

 

 

 

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Climb Time: Playgrounds for Little Thrill Seekers

by Ayren Jackson-Cannady

While your kids may never tire from swings and slides, they may want a change of scenery. From climbs that are vertical, horizontal, and every which way, check out these you-have-to-see-them-to-believe-them D.C. area playgrounds sprinkled with awesome structures that aren’t quite for those afraid of heights.

Photo: Davies M. via Yelp

Wheaton Regional Park
Whether your carabin-ee is two or twelve, the Adventure Playground inside Wheaton Regional Park has the perfect climbing challenge. The Tot Lot’s got a low-lying ropes course, which is what you get when you cross a rope ladder with monkey bars. Older kiddos will love the amazing twin rope pyramids connected by a wobbly (but safe) rope bridge. Also check out the three giant slides, climbing hill, miniature train and carousel. And don’t leave without enjoying a picnic on the shores of Pine Lake, just a short walk away.

2000 Shorefield Rd. (Wheaton, Md)
301-495-2595
Online: montgomeryparks.org

Photo: Garfield Park via Flickr

Garfield Park
Both tykes and the ‘rents have been known to enjoy weaving in, out, and through the handful of rope nets, and the tower and pyramid in this pooch-friendly park nestled in Capitol Hill. Spend enough time here and everyone will start to feel like an itsy bitsy spider! Tip: Make sure everyone uses the potty before they head out the door since the only bathroom facilities available are for our four-legged friends (aka, the grass).

148 F St., SE (Capitol Hill)
202-543-6232
Online: garfieldparkwashingtondc.org

Photo: DCDGS via Flickr

Harry Thomas Sr. Playspace
You see ordinary curlicues? The designers of the Playspace see the Fibonacci spiral. There’s even a plaque at the playground where you and the little mathematicians can learn all about it. Or, they can just play on the swirls, curls, and whirls. Check out the wobbly tunnel in the area for big busy bodies, and the four-person see-saw in the area for smaller ones. Bonus: There are four other playgrounds within a mile.

1743 Lincoln Rd., NE (Eckington)
202-673-7647
Online: dpr.dc.gov

Photo: arlingtonva.us

Tuckahoe Park
The rope climb at this park is not for the faint of heart! It is over 20-feet high! Make sure the munchkins are ready to make it up and down themselves, or be prepared for an adventure of your own. No fret, if today turns out to not be the day for a two-storey climb, check out the tire dish swing or standing see-saw.

2400 N Sycamore St. (Arlington, Va)
703-228-6525
Online: parks.arlingtonva.us

Photo: Sokha A. via Yelp

Adventure Playground
Locals call this “Castle Park” because its main feature is a castle, which means there are a few towers to be scaled. Would rather be “at sea”? Your lil’ pirates can board the play-ships using steep planks or ladders. And for the tiny x-gamers, check out the mini rock-climbing wall. Bring your own spotter (aka, the parental units)!

17920 Germantown Park Dr. (Germantown, Md)
301-670-4660
Online: montgomeryparks.org

Photo: National Harbor

National Harbor
Can your pint-sized excavator help the giant free itself from the banks of the Potomac River? That is, if she can reach its fingertips that scale almost 2-stories into the air! Just beware, this 5-piece sculpture sits in a giant sandbox so be ready for some clean-up before heading home (or for lunch at one of the dozens of National Harbor eateries).

165 Waterfront St. (National Harbor, Md)
Online: nationalharbor.com

Are there any other playgrounds with cool climbing structures around D.C.? Let us know in the Comments section below. 

—Lisa Ng

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Meet the Seattle Writers & Discover Their Picks for Fall Fun

by Kristina Moy

Summer may technically be coming to end, but don’t fret. No one knows better than our adventuresome editorial team where to find fun during the fall months. We asked them to give you the scoop on their favorite things to do with their families this time of year. From pumpkin patches to trick-or-treating hot spots to family walks, they’re all over it. Click through the photo gallery to meet our writers and hear their autumn must-do’s.

Angela Alanis

“Last year we visited Bob’s Corn & Pumpkin Farm. It was the first time we'd gone to that farm, and we really liked it because it had so much more to do than just the pumpkin patch. The Farm had a hayride out to the patch, corn maze, cannons that shot corn (and apples!), a trike track in a barn, and a playground. They also made a bunch of food right there so we didn’t have to worry about packing snacks or lunch. We noticed that the most popular items on the menu were the cider and doughnuts. However, we found out that if you go at the end of the day they run out. This year, we’ll be there bright and early!”

What’s your favorite fall activity? Tell us about it in a comment below!

–Kristina Moy

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Cool Chalkboards For Kids Like Never Before

by Erin Lem

Below are some fabulous ideas on how to get creative with your kids and chalkboards. Yes, chalkboards! While dry erase boards and computers may have taken away some if its former glory, chalkboards are fighting back with some uber cool products ready to make an afternoon full of fun, imaginative art projects with the kids! The chalkboard products below range from around $15 to $65 and will keep your kiddos entertained for years to come.

Chalkboard wall stickers
Wall Candy Arts is the place to shop for chalkboard wall designs galore!  Not only can your kid decorate and re-decorate his or her own wall, these chalkboard stickers are peel off and stick on, and also reusable! Talk about convenient. No need for the same old, square chalkboard, now you can draw chalk on play houses, animals, and guitars!
Online: wallcandyarts.com

Chalkboard picture frames
Chalkboard picture frames are a great way to decorate the house and your kids’ rooms while involving the youngsters in the process. Buying or making a chalkboard picture frame allows kids to create their own decoration for the frame and, at the same time, feel proud and excited about the work hanging on their walls! This is a great arts and crafts project for a slow afternoon.
Online: chasing-fireflies.com

Chalkboard calender
As your kids get older and you find yourself having to remind them of their activities day in and out, it may be time to give them a calendar they’ll never miss looking at. This chalk board calendar not only gives a creative flare to your kid’s room, but also gets them involved in their own time management and teaches them how to use a calendar correctly.
Online: etsy.com

Paint your own chalkboard!
If you’d like to make your own designs, don’t fret – you can easily make your own by using chalkboard paint! With Rust-oleum‘s chalkboard paint, you can chalk to your liking. Try giving the kids free reign in their own rooms by painting the entire wall, or a large strip all the way around the room, with chalkboard paint, turning the room into an art-free-for-all! Your kids and their friends are sure to stay entertained for hours with so much creative space!
Online: rustoleum.com

— Jessica Abelson

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CleanBeeBaby Rescues Car Seats, Strollers, and More!

by lara burnap

Ugh. Your stroller just got the leaky diaper treatment. And that car seat? Well, it’s never been the same since the little miss got car sick. Fret no more, or should we say, stink no more, as CleanBeeBaby will come to your rescue and clean your baby gear! CEO & Founder Jennifer Beall started the company as a project in Kellogg Grad School and is now bringing her quick and handy cleaning service to life here in Los Angeles.

One quick phone call and Beall’s team will arrive at your home ready to quick steam car seats and strollers or any other items you need freshened up. It’s a perfect fix for that stroller or play yard that’s been stored away in anticipation of another child. And they do the messy work as well, cleaning up vomit, poop and that lovely paste of apple juice and O’s that adheres to every surface! CleanBeeBaby uses the organic line Babyganics as their primary cleaning agent, though it’s the steam that does most of the hard work getting out the germs, goo and grime.

In addition, CleanBeeBaby offers stroller repairs and tune-ups, with Bugaboo as their specialty. They are a trained Bugaboo team  and their staff will replace broken parts and do a tune-up (check the brakes, grease hinges and more.). They will also help you switch it from bassinet to seat mode, so all of your Bugaboo biz can be taken care of in one go.

Check their website to schedule an appointment at a location near you. Prices range from $19-$90 depending on the service.

—Lara Burnap

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