Calling all Wiggles fans! The wiggly group is growing with four new member and a new series!
First, say hello to Tsehay, Evie, John and Kelly Hamilton. The new quad will join existing members, Anthony, Emma, Lachy, and Simon, creating an uber talented group of dancers and singing from across Australia.
photo: Courtesy of The Wiggles
The Wiggles’ new series, Fruit Salad TV will premiere exclusively on The Wiggles’ YouTube channel on Sept. 4. The lively show will encompass storytelling, dancing and singing that is perfect for a sing-a-long sesh. The new show and additional Wiggles members will further the message of embracing diversity in the areas of gender, age, culture and race.
The Wiggles aren’t the only thing expanding: Wiggle Town is growing too! Three new non-binary characters are joining, including Officer Beaples, Shirley Shawn the Unicorn and Bok the hand puppet.
Catch the first episode of Fruit Salad TV on The Wiggles’ YouTube Channel on Sept. 4.
When it comes to pantry organization, there are few hard and fast rules to follow, like group like items together, clean out expired products regularly and place the most often used items within reach. But if you want to really level up your pantry storage and make it the most efficient space ever, you’ve got to try these storage hacks. It may just become your favorite area in the house!
Experts unanimously agree—if there is one pantry storage hack you must do to make your life better (and not just for aesthetics), it's to take everything you can out of the box, put it into clear jars or containers, and label them. The choice of container is up to you, whether you prefer glass canisters for a more farm-style look or a more modern, minimalistic take, but the real reason to do institute this change? As gross as it sounds, this is the best way to avoid bug infestations—you can easily see if there's a problem in your flour, sugar, oats or pancake mix without contaminating your whole pantry.
Pro Tip: Look for wide-mouth jars so the goods are easy to get and ones with lids that have a seal.
One of our favorite pantry organization hacks of all time is adding a lazy Susan (or two or three) to pantry shelves. Not only does this little spinner save space, but bottles also won't get lost in the back corner, and the handy handles make carrying it in and out of the pantry easy peasy.
Organizing pantry storage starts with pulling everything out, throwing out expired products, donating any non-perishables you know you aren't going to use and wiping down the shelves. But before you put everything back (in an organized manner, of course), why not add a cheerful wallpaper to the walls? What is typically a dark, uninviting space is now fun, bright and welcoming.
While this wallpaper is out of stock, we love these peel and stick options from Etsy.
Sometimes, not even a bright colorful wallpaper can help a dark space. If that's the case, you can easily install lighting (no electrician required!) with motion-sensor, battery-operated LED lights that will brighten all those shadowy corners in less than ten minutes.
File this under "Brilliant." These wire magazine holders have been reimagined as produce containers! The wire frame allows sufficient airflow to keep veggies from rotting, and the depth of the magazine racks was designed to fit on shelves.
For larger items that are hard to contain (we're looking at you, bags and bags of Pirate Booty), or items you don't need access to all that often (food processor parts), add a couple of baskets with handles to the shelves. These beauties also stack, so if your shelf height allows it, you can add a few on top of each other—just add labels, so you know what's inside without having to pull each of them down to sort through them.
Got a thing for spice? We do too, which is why this clever spice rack is by far one of the best pantry organization hacks we've seen yet. Take advantage of the inside of your cabinet by installing narrow shelves and magnetic plates to keep all your flavors handy yet out of the way. Pro Tip: Make sure to install the racks so they don't run into the shelves on the inside cabinet.
Cans may stack easily, but there's nothing worse than trying to get to the bottom can by having to move all the other cans first. This 36-can organizer eliminates that problem and keeps the cans rolling from back to front as you use them. Group like items together, and you'll never get caught without black beans, corn or peas again.
Another great use of unused cabinet door space? Acrylic storage bins that can hold awkward-shaped items you need to access regularly like aluminum foil and sandwich baggies.
TikTok has announced new changes to its platform that will help keep teens safe while still being able to create fun and engaging content. The video app’s recent update is specifically geared towards 13-17 year olds and builds on existing protective features.
Over the next few months, the changes will begin rolling out and include changes to Direct Messaging privacy settings, viewing and downloading options and push notifications. Keep reading to see all the specifics.
When a 16 or 17-year-old joins TikTok, Direct Messaging defaults will be set so that ‘No One’ is automatic. Users will need to actively switch to a different sharing option in order to be able to use the feature. All existing teens in this age group will receive a prompt to review their settings.
When it comes to sharing videos, users under 16 making their first video will now see a pop-up which tells them to choose who can watch the video. On each subsquent video, they can continue to decide who is able to watch before posting.
TikTok is also adding options for who can download your teen’s videos via pop-up question. Sixteen to 17-year-olds will have the option to turn the feature on or off, while anyone under the age of 16 will continue to have downloads disabled.
Push notifications will be disabled for 13 to 15-year-olds starting at 9 p.m., and 16-17 will have push notifications starting at 10 p.m. These changes are in line with TikTok’s goal of fostering healthy digital habits from a young age. You can see even more about these new changes over on TikTok.
––Karly Wood
Photos: Courtesy of TikTok/Feature photo: Franck via Unsplash
There are lots of things we try to escape in Atlanta—heat, mosquitoes and traffic all come to mind—so it’s funny that our town is so wild over getting into Atlanta’s best escape rooms! Maybe it’s because you play only with your group, or perhaps because its air conditioned, but we think Atlanta is wild for escape rooms because they’re just so fun. Keep reading for our favorite escape rooms geared towards the kids, below.
Featuring four fun escape experiences, which are now all private for your group only—including Al Capone's Speakeasy which features an in-room actor—Time to Escape gives players feedback on their acuity and the level of difficulty of their mission. Generally for between 2-14 players, these escape rooms include a Western, Alcatraz, Egyptian, and Speakeasy theme.
Big Escape Rooms offers adventures where players find clues, crack codes and use their sleuth prowess to solve a series of puzzles within 60 minutes to escape a themed room. With the clock counting down, you may make it, you may not—but one thing is for sure: you’re going to have fun! Of their four rooms, the beginner level—The Basketball escape room—is best for families with kids. It was initially designed for the Atlanta Hawks and built inside of Philips Arena in Downtown Atlanta. The story goes that your team has been trapped inside the locker room and it’s 45-minutes until game time. The coach always hides a spare key, so you have to find it in time to get your team out on the court or will you be forced to forfeit the game.
Big Escape Rooms 444 Highland Ave. NE 4th floor Old Fourth Ward 678-800-0701 Online:bigescaperooms.com
Whether you choose to play in person (always your group only) or virtually, Breakout Games offers you tons of rooms to choose among—and most are suitable for kids. For 60 minutes, experience immersive entertainment with friends and family, escape normal life, and be the hero of the story. Explore an island, find the kidnapper, restore ancient relics to their rightful owner, and more. For train lovers, this one has a Runaway Train experience that you don't want to miss!
3867 Roswell Rd. NE
Buckhead
404-800-9207
Online:breakoutgames.com
Paranoia Quest
Whether you have Harry Potter fans, kids who would fearlessly face the Zombie Apocalypse, or detectives-in-training, this downtown location (there's one in Buford, too) will meet your escape room needs. Playing only those in your group, you'll spend 60 minutes trying to solve a challenge that's not built to be scary.
72 Broad St. SW
Downtown
678-310-8735
Online:paranoiaquest.com
With only 45 minutes, you'll have to work fast to get out of that mountain cabin where you're trapped. And figure out how to save everyone from a mysterious virus. And get out of being convicted for a crime you didn't commit. Best of luck at this Norcross venue.
6040 Unity Dr. Suite C
Norcross
470-294-0480
Online:amazingescapegame.com
Investigate something fishy going on in a big-business run space station. Catch a jewel thief in the act. Unlock a researcher from a time warp. This Alpharetta and Marietta operation is "HR" and "Family" safe, so you'll find no scary or lewd surprises when you go.
20 Mansell Ct. East, Suite #275
Alpharetta
678-805-2189
Online:urbanescapegames.com
It’s active, builds core muscles, improves balance, and gets kids excited to head outdoors. That’s right: It’s time to hit the decks! Whether your kid has been skateboarding since they were in diapers, or they’re a total newb, we found an NYC skater spot for them. Read on for NYC’s best skateboarding lessons and classes for kids, skate shops in the city and NYC’s best skate parks where kids can test their skills.
Where to Deck Out: Uncle Funky Boards (and others!)
While there are lots of totally rad places to shop for that perfect board, there's one place that really caters to the groms, or young skaters, especially those that are just starting out. That place is Uncle Funky Boards in Manhattan.
The shop prides itself on helping not just the pros, but also those who are new to the sport. For basic “suiting up,” suggestions from the staff include helmets, knee, elbow and wrist guards to protect from any spill. You’ll also need a complete skateboard, which consists of a deck, two trucks, four wheels and eight bearings.
Besides Uncle Funky Boards, other NYC shops with devoted clientele include Skate Brooklyn at 78 St. Marks Pl, Labor in Chinatown and Sideshow in Middle Village.
Uncle Funky Boards 128 Charles St. West Village 646-895-9943 Online: unclefunkysboards.com
Skate Yogi is both a shop where you can buy everything you need for your skateboarding adventures, and a space for learning and practicing your skills. You can register your kids for a series of weekly lessons.
Students are taught in groups of about 8-10 kids with two instructors per group, and same ages are generally grouped together (within the age groups of 5-7, 7-13 and 12-17). You can sign up for 60-minute, 90-minute, or three-hour lessons. Want an even longer session? Skate Yogi suggests that students simply sign up for consecutive time slots. While a majority of every lesson takes place outside, Skate Yogi also has a well-ventilated indoor space.
Kids are required to bring pads and helmets (though you can also purchase them directly at Skate Yogi) but you don't need a skateboard — boards will be provided to students who don't have their own skateboard.
If you enjoy learning with Skate Yogi, they also offer summer camps and private one-on-one and group lessons.
$49 and up per session Skate Yogi 140 Empire Blvd Franklin and Bedford Aves Prospect Lefferts Gardens 718-484-9777 Online: skateyogi.com
Substance Skatepark is an indoor skating facility built by people passionate about the sport. The vast 15,000 square feet of the park span across two indoor spaces and feature a ramp, halfpipe, indoor street course, and other courses that are regularly updated. Substance is someplace you can go if you just want to skate.
A $20 day pass allows you to come and go as you please in its two spaces. But if you want something more regular for your kids, Substance also has camp and afterschool options. Camp is held every year and spans from 8 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, while afterschool is available 2-6:30 p.m. either on a pay as you go basis, or in batches of 12 weekly sessions.
Depending on the group size, both camp and afterschool are taught by 2-6 instructors, to ensure that every child gets individual attention throughout the session. One-on-one and group classes are also available (though group classes must be booked via email).
And best of all, you can give a bit back to the environment as your kid learns to skate — Substance Skatepark donates 1% of their sales to plant trees.
$80 for a private lesson, $65 for a group lesson (purchase via email); $20 for a day pass; prices vary for afterschool and camp Substance Skatepark 314 Scholes Street Williamsburg 917-721-5707 Online: substanceskatepark.com
For an Empowering Experience: Skate Everything School
Pixabay
Can't find a skating option near you? No problem! Although Skate Everything is based in Harlem, their lessons take place across the entire city, from Central Park to Domino Park in Brooklyn, Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx, and many more locations.
The school places an emphasis not just on teaching kids to skateboard, but also on empowering them to stay fit, both physically and mentally. The school teaches different types of skating, and customizes lessons for each child's individual needs, ensuring that every child gets the most out of every lesson. Students are also taught about the different parts of a board, safety procedures, and generally everything they'll need to know if they want to continue skating on their own.
One-on-one lessons are available to purchase in packs for kids ages 4-17, and you don't even have to own a board—just let Skate Everything know prior to your lesson. But all students must bring their own knee and elbow pads, wrist guards and helmet. It's also possible to set up group lessons if your kids want to learn to skate with their siblings or friends.
$50 per hour for a 1-on-1 lesson No centralized location: Skate Everything meets at multiple locations throughout the city Online: skateeverythingschool.com
When your kids have mastered the rookie stage but aren’t quite yet vets, Homage Skateboard Academy is a great place to continue working on honing those board skills. Homage runs a skateboard academy that offers programs for kids in an indoor training facility that’s challenging, but not too intimidating. The space has stationary and movable ramps that can be adjusted for different levels of learners.
Recent safety precautions require everyone to bring their own equipment, including the skateboard. This means that, although Homage offers lessons for all levels, it’s a good option for kids who already have their own boards. In addition to skateboards, helmets are mandatory for all students, while pads are required for kids 6 and under.
During lessons, teachers show kids how to control the boards and introduce special methods to help kids gain confidence on the board quickly. Private, group, weekend and after-school lessons are available, as is a summer camp and the option to create private pods.
Homage also has an online shop, so if you don’t have a skateboard yet, you can get one now. (In fact, at the time of this writing, Homage is celebrating its 15th year with a special collaboration with USA Olympic Pro Skateboarder Alexis Sablone!)
$95 and up per session, plus $50 for each student (up to 3 people can sign up together for a private lesson) Homage Skateboard Academy 615 Degraw St. Gowanus 718-596-8151 Online: homageskateboardacademy.com
SURE stands for “Skateboarder’s Urban Riding Environment,” and promotes skateboarding as a way to get around the city. SURE offers open group skateboard lessons in various locations in Manhattan.
If you have a little one who just wants to give skateboarding a try, they also have drop-in Sunday classes — just bring a helmet and skateboard. These open group lessons consist of no more than 12 students, and are for all levels, from the newbie who is getting on a board for the first time to the skater that wants to brush up on some skills.
Private lessons are also available by request via email.
$20 for group Sunday lessons, $30 for all others; private lessons can be scheduled via email Various locations in the West Village, TriBeCa Skatepark, and Seward Park SURE Skateboards 917-538-4084 Online: sureskateboards.com
For Riding the Streets and the Waves: Locals Surf School
Did you know that skateboarding has its origin in surfing? Well, Locals Surf School is keeping the link alive by offering surfing and skateboarding lessons! The school's youth skate camp provides a three-day instructional experience for kids ages 7-14 at the beginner to intermediate level. Every day of the program from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., kids will be introduced to the fundamentals of cruiser or trick skateboards. Groups are no larger than nine students each, with one instructor for every three kids.
The camp makes it easy to join and partake — all equipment, including skateboards pads and even sunscreen — are provided. The school also ensures that kids aren't baking in the sun all day, by setting up umbrellas and other cover for shade. Skateboarding lessons will be broken up by fun games and activities, to keep things fresh and interesting.
5050 Skatepark is a custom-built 8,000 square foot facility for skaters to expand their skills in a creative and safe environment. The owners ask for kids' input on designing the ever-changing landscape of ramps and courses. It's also a haven for hard-core celeb skaters; you can often find Little Wayne flipping and popping during one of the park’s regular sessions.
All visitors must sign a waiver and have a helmet, and kids under 11 must have a parent accompany them.
The park is currently closed to the public due to covid. We've reached out to the park for a projected reopening date and will update this post once we have more information.
Daily sessions starting at $14, $20 for an all-day pass; lessons, camps, private parties, and more available at various prices Currently closed due to covid 5050 Skatepark 354 Front St. Stapleton 347-857-6007 Online: 5050skatepark.com
Best Skateparks for a First Official Run: Astoria Skate Plaza (and more!)
When your skater is ready to hit a skate park, the Astoria Skate Plaza is a great place to give it a shot. Located right under the RFK Bridge, this 21,500-square-foot concrete park features enough open space for skaters of all skills to stay out of each other’s way. However, skaters say the best time for kids to get in some practice without crowds is a weekday morning.
The largest skatepark in the city is in Highbridge Park at the northern tip of Manhattan. Built in 2014, it is located under the Hamilton Bridge and constructed on a hill to provide extra momentum to skaters.
Astoria Skate Plaza Astoria Park South 21st St., Hoyt Ave., Ditmas Blvd., East River Astoria Online: nycgovparks.org
Bonus: Tony Hawk's MasterClass lessons
Pixabay
Ok, this isn't a local option. But beginner-friendly video lessons from the name synonymous with skateboarding in the mainstream? It was too good not to mention. This course has 16 (short) lessons on everything from the basics, to nailing an ollie, to a glimpse at the future of skateboarding.
Starting a $15 a month (for all lessons on the site) Online: masterclass.com
While your kids are out splashing through the rest of summer, keep this new study in mind! A former college swimmer and graduate student at the University of Delaware wanted to research if exercise would boost vocabulary learning performance. The results among a group of elementary school children backed that theory up—with certain forms of activity.
The study focused on 48 participants between the ages of six and 12. All of the kids completed a word learning task, then colored for three minutes before testing on their ability to recognize the words. The exercise condition split the kids in two groups for another word learning task. Group one then completed three minutes of aerobic exercise (swimming in this study) and group two completed three minutes of anaerobic exercise (a CrossFit-like workout) before testing.
And the results? The kids who completed the aerobic exercise did 13% better compared to resting conditions in follow up testing on the new words. Meanwhile, kids who completed the anaerobic exercise had no significant difference in performance compared to resting conditions.
Co-author Madison Pruitt, the former college swimmer who is now a speech and language pathologist, had a hypothesis for the difference in performance based on exercise type. Because the aerobic exercise demanded less brain energy, it was easier for kids to retain information. When combined with the physical activity, it actually improved their ability to learn new vocabulary. The University of Delaware’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders plans to conduct a similar study with toddlers.
—Sarah Shebek
Featured image courtesy of Jeff Dunham on Unsplash
It’s smart to be sun safe, but if you’ve been using certain sunscreens, it’s time to make a switch. Johnson & Johnson has announced it’s voluntarily recalling 14 sunscreen products from five different product lines due to the presence of benzene, a known carcinogen. All of the affected products are aerosol (spray) sunscreens.
Benzene is not an ingredient in any of the sunscreens, but it may have contaminated the products during the manufacturing process and internal testing identified low levels of the carcinogen. The following sunscreen lines are under recall:
If you have one or more of these products in your house, stop using them and discard. You can contact the JJCI Consumer Care Center with any questions. If you have more specific medical questions, contact your healthcare provider.
The Environmental Working Group recommends avoiding spray sunscreens due to inadequate coverage and potential inhalation risks. You can find a full report from the group on safer sunscreen choices online.
New York City has enough hot spots to keep you busy for weeks—now there’s one more destination to add to the list for your family trip. The LEGO Group has launched a ‘retailtainment’ NYC store and at 7,175 square feet and two stories, you might want to make an afternoon of it!
The whole family will love the immersive world inside the new store, which blends digital and physical experiences. Head to the Brick Lab where you can build with physical sets and enter a virtual world that brings the walls, floors and ceilings to life with light, sound and music. Scan your build and watch it come to life!
Make sure to stop by the Tree of Discovery for a fantastic photo opp. It’s made of over 880,000 LEGO bricks and took 1,900 hours to construct. The builders want it to symbolize LEGO Group’s commitment to positively impacting the planet. Look closely at the rainbow trunk for hidden details like mini scenes, kaleidoscopes and picture viewers!
Ready for more? Visit the Personalization Studio for fun, unique builds, the Mosaic Maker to create your own personalized mosaic LEGO portrait, or the LEGO Minifigure Factory to create an awesome souvenir for you or a family member. You’ll also find larger-than-life 3D LEGO models throughout the store, including Thor, Spiderman, the Statue of Liberty and Ghostbusters characters.
The new store officially opened on Friday, June 25 at 636 Fifth Avenue in New York City. You can book your in-store experiences now to make your trip extra memorable. And if you can’t make it to the Big Apple, the LEGO Group plans to introduce the immersive concept at more than 100 stores around the world during the next year.
If your family has a passion for sneakers and LEGOs, the following news will make your day. The LEGO Group just announced two exciting drops that combine the best of both worlds: an actual sneaker that’s emulates the look of LEGO bricks and a brick sneaker that you can build and display proudly with the rest of your collection.
First up, the adidas Originals LEGO Superstar sneaker. It will be available in both kid and adult sizes and will likely make people do a double take when it’s on your feet. Purposefully styled to mirror the LEGO brick pattern, it also features the classic adidas black and white leather and three stripes. Don’t forget the gold foil accents! You can buy it as part of the adidas x LEGO collection on July 1.
Want to take it as step further? You’ll also be able to buy a set to make your own adidas shoe out of bricks! The LEGO adidas Originals Superstar 10282 model is life-sized and features the iconic sneaker graphics and branding. It includes 17 extra elements so you can decide if your brick footwear is right or left-footed. It even comes with shoelaces and an authentic shoe box, so we don’t blame you if you try to slip it on. You can find this model exclusively online starting July 1 for $80.
LEGO also has some great ideas for customizing your brick sneaker (spoiler alert, many bricks you own currently can be added on). The company is constantly innovating and we can’t wait to see what comes out next!
It’s hard to keep up with all of LEGO’s cool new releases, but this one is definitely a showstopper. The group just released a vintage typewriter that’s sure to be a conversation piece in your home. It was designed by a LEGO fan and it’s a fantastic gift for the expert builder or wordsmith in your life.
The typewriter has all the functionality you’d expect, with a center typebar that rises each time a letter key is pressed, a carriage that moves as you type and a roller to feed in real paper. It also comes with a letter signed by Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, the chairman of the LEGO Group and fourth-generation member of the family privately owning the business.
The fan who pitched the idea, Steve Guinness, said “I wanted to create something totally different from anything that LEGO has ever done before and showcase that you really can make anything out of LEGO. I bought a vintage typewriter for my research and then played around with bricks and the mechanism until I was happy with the design. I hope it will bring nostalgia to adult fans like me, and wonder and curiosity to younger fans who might not have ever seen a real typewriter!”
You’ll be able to snag this set starting June 16 if you have LEGO VIP Early Access for $199, or July 1 as a member of the general public. It clocks in at 2,079 pieces for adult builders to construct. Write on!
