Spend Some Time with The Wiggles This Summer

by Jennifer SwartvagherJuly 11, 2020

Over the past few months The Wiggles have been busier than ever helping parents keep their toddlers entertained. We have enjoyed videos, concerts and even the launch of a new album. Now in honor of Summer, The Wiggles are hosting a Virtual Summer Camp.

Beginning Jul. 14 The Wiggles will be partnering with Rascal + Friends to present a two-week virtual summer camp for toddlers and their parents, simply called, “Virtual Summer Camp with The Wiggles and Rascal + Friends.” The program will be hosted by Emma Wiggle and Captain Feathersword, and promises to keep little ones entertained with arts, crafts, singing, dancing, and some special pirate-worthy prizes.

The Virtual Summer Camp is being offered for free. The live 20-minute sessions will take place Jul. 14, 16, 21 and 23 at 12:00 p.m. ET. All sessions will be available to families throughout North America on both The Wiggles and Rascal + Friends Facebook pages. After airing live, all the Virtual Summer Camp sessions will then be available on both pages for the duration of the summer.

“The Wiggles have been trying to provide as much entertaining and educational content for families as possible throughout this pandemic,” said Emma Watkins, the Yellow Wiggle. “We are extremely excited to reimagine the summer camp experience with a virtual twist.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of The Wiggles

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Camp Creativity from Michaels Helps Beat the Summer Slump

by Jennifer SwartvagherJuly 9, 2020

Arts and crafts projects provide a great way to prevent boredom while keeping your kids active and creative. Michaels will be hosting a free digital arts and crafts camp as part if their Kids Club. Camp Creativity will run from Jul. 12 through Aug. 1.

Families are invited to join these free online crafting classes from 3 to 4 p.m. CT. These classes will highlight and walk your little ones through different projects from start to finish.

In order to ensure that Camp Creativity has something to fit the interest of mini makers everywhere, classes will center on a different theme each day of the week according to the following schedule:

Sunday – How Awesome Is Art?

Monday – Friendship, Fashion & Fun

Tuesday – Yay for Yarn!

Wednesday – Craft Some Cool Creatures!

Thursday – Adventures in Paper Crafting

Friday – Science Is Super

Saturday – The Magic of Me

All classes are completely free the only thing you will need to purchase are the necessary supplies for the classes you wish to partake in. All supplies can be found on Michaels.com via the curated shoppable supply lists. Plus with curbside delivery available nationwide with same day delivery in some areas, it’s even easier to join in on the fun.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Michaels

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These Disney Charcuterie Boards Are Here for Your Movie Night

by Shahrzad WarkentinMay 28, 2020

Want to up your antipasto game? These incredible Disney charcuterie boards were made for hosting an epic event.

Overflowing charcuterie tables are all the rage, but with these Disney-themed cheese boards from Bed Bath and Beyond, the board itself will be as much of a star as the food on top of it. Featuring Disney Princesses, Mickey and Minnie and of course, the master of cheese himself, Chef Remy of Ratatouille, these boards are the perfect accent for your next party.

The boards come in a variety of styles and sizes for all your serving needs. Just want to serve up a fancy after school snack? One of the smaller boards featuring The Little Mermaid, Snow White or Mickey and Minnie are perfect.

If you’re hosting a mom’s night in, go with one of the larger rustic boards, which come with cheese markers and feature characters like Belle, Cinderella and Mickey and Minnie.

If you like to have plenty of tools at your disposal, the circle cheese board and tool set featuring Ratatouille is great choice.

You can shop the entire collection online at Bed Bath and Beyond here. Prices range from $29.99 to $59.99.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Bed Bath and Beyond

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Crafters Unite in New HBO Max Tween Competition Show, “Craftopia”

by Karly WoodMay 26, 2020

Does you kiddo crave a good craft sesh? Then they’ll love the new Max Original reality competition, Craftopia!

Starting Wed., May 27, you can catch Lauren Riihimaka (aka LaurDIY of YouTube fame) hosting the eight-episode show on HBO Max. And there’s more––the show is totally bingeworthy and you’ll be able to watch the entire season at once!

Each episode features three tweens who go head-to-head to create the ultimate craft. With a new theme every episode, everyone will get to watch these creative kiddos show the world their love of glitter, crocheting and more.

Winners can nab $5,000 and the coveted Craftrophia. Tune in this Wed., May 29 on HBO Max.

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: HBO Max via YouTube

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Elmo Gets His Own “Late Night” Talk Show

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 15, 2020

Sesame Workshop is celebrating the upcoming launch of its newest show. The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo, a star-studded talk show the whole family will enjoy, will debut on streaming platform HBO Max on Wed., May 27. With 13 weekly episodes, each highlighting a different part of kids’ bedtime routines, it’s the perfect way for kids and parents to wind down together at the end of the day.

Elmo welcomes an exciting lineup of guests to The Not-Too-Late Show to entertain families with music, games, and fun–with Cookie Monster as his sidekick, other Sesame Street pals as backstage crew, and even his very own house band! Performers like Lil Nas X, Dan + Shay, H.E.R., and the Jonas Brothers put their own spin on beloved Sesame Street songs; John Mulaney and Olivia Wilde get competitive with tricycle races and teddy bear dress-up contests, while Jonathan Van Ness gives Alan a “monster makeover”; Jimmy Fallon, Hoda Kotb, John Oliver, and Andy Cohen stop by to give Elmo some hosting advice, and much more—all before Elmo’s bedtime!

“At a time when individual viewing has become the norm, The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo offers a shared experience that has something for everyone,” said Ben Lehmann, Executive Producer of Sesame Street and The Not-Too-Late Show. “Young children will love seeing their Sesame Street friends in a new way, the madcap backstage humor will keep older kids engaged, and adults will get a kick out of seeing their favorite celebrities at play.”

The first three episodes of The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo will be available on HBO Max at the platform’s May 27 launch, with new episodes rolling out once a week beginning on Thurs., Jun. 4. A special preview episode will air on the Sesame Street YouTube channel on Thurs., May 21. Fans can also keep up with Elmo on his brand-new Instagram channel.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Sesame Workshop

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Attend a Virtual Book Club Event for “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 27, 2020

Fans of The Hunger Games rejoice. Suzanne Collins’ highly anticipated prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, has been chosen as a special selection for the Barnes & Noble YA Book Club. Barnes & Noble is selling an exclusive Book Club edition that includes a reader’s group guide and Q&A with Suzanne Collins and Scholastic Publisher and Editorial Director, David Levithan as well as hosting a free virtual discussion to discuss the book on Fri., May, 29 at 7 p.m. ET.

This exclusive edition will be published on May 19 and can be preordered on the website.

“You would have to live under a stone to have missed the triumphant storytelling of the original Hunger Games trilogy,” said Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt. “Suzanne Collins has given us now the prequel, a publishing event of a magnitude and excitement that really only a new Harry Potter could rival. Most of our bookstores offer curb-side pickup and we are certain to have long, appropriately distanced queues on publication day, and record online orders. This publication could not come at a better time for booksellers.”

While Barnes & Noble can’t hold its usual Book Club meetups for readers in stores, the bookseller has been hosting virtual Book Club events with authors as a way for readers to connect, discuss, and comment online.

“Hunger Games fans are going to fly though this book, so we scheduled our virtual event with Scholastic Publisher and Editorial Director David Levithan just ten days after the release,” said Shannon DeVito, Barnes & Noble Buyer, Children and Young Adult. “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is going to be just as page-turning and addictive as its precursors. But readers should put aside any preconceived notions about what will happen because odds are in favor of Suzanne Collins surprising you.”

“When Scholastic announced the The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Suzanne Collins stated that she wanted ‘to explore the state of nature, who we are, and what we perceive is required for our survival,’” said David Levithan Vice President, Publisher, and Editorial Director for Scholastic. “I am thrilled to be able to host the Barnes & Noble Virtual book club with readers to discuss these concepts and more.”

The virtual event on May 29 will be hosted live on B&N’s Instagram at 7 p.m. ET. Before the virtual event, customers can also join in discussion at their convenience on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, using hashtag #BNYABookClub.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Barnes & Noble

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Original Cast Members from “The Goonies”Are Reuniting for a Virtual Special

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 27, 2020

The Goonies are getting back together. Josh Gad announced on his social media accounts that he would be hosting a special Goonies reunion on his series, Reunited Apart. The cult classic is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

“There is one movie that defines my childhood. One movie that defines my personality. One movie that defines me,” shared Gad on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

There is one movie that defines my childhood. One movie that defines my personality. One movie that defines me. Enjoy this Preview! And tomorrow, please join me at 9 AM PT/12:00 PT EST in support of #TheCenterForDisasterPhilanthropy as I reunite the ENTIRE CAST of #TheGoonies along with some VERY SPECIAL SURPRISE GUESTS for a new series called #ReunitedApart - available exclusively on my new YouTube Page. LINK IN BIO. #ReunitedApart #Goonies #gooniesneversaydie☠️

A post shared by Josh Gad (@joshgad) on Apr 26, 2020 at 5:10pm PDT

Gad revealed that original cast members Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Ke Huy Quan, Martha Plimpton and Jeff Cohen will be included in the virtual special along with “many special surprises.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Josh Gad via YouTube

Celebrate Earth Day with a Neighborhood Safari from NatGeo@Home

by Karly WoodApril 21, 2020

Earlier this month, National Geographic launched the new NatGeo@Home hub, an online destination for families to find resources as we all spend more time at home. Now, the platform is celebrating Earth Day with brand new content!

In a celebration that is lasting all week long (Apr. 17-22), NatGeo@Home is encouraging families to stay connected by bringing the world to their home by hosting a Neighborhood Safari. Keep scrolling to see some easy ideas on creating your own wild world!

Let the kids go crazy creating a safari scene, using sidewalk chalk, original drawings or paintings. You can even download the free coloring pages from the NatGeo@Home hub.

Inspire their creations by sharing fun animal facts, the animal encyclopedia or award-winning photography. Then it’s time to display!

Encourage your kids and neighbors to hang up their artwork so everyone can see. Get creative with window displays, balconies and fences! Then, take a walk around your neighborhood to check out all the unique animals.

Don’t forget to snap a few pics and share with the hashtag, #NatGeoEarthDayAtHome!

––Karly Wood

Photos: National Geographic/Feature photo: Sutirta Budiman via Unsplash

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John Krasinski Is Hosting an Online Prom & Everyone Is Invited

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 19, 2020

This year, kids, especially seniors, are missing out on a lot of events they were looking forward to. School plays, sporting events, proms and graduations have been postponed or cancelled. John Krasinski is hosting a virtual prom tonight, Apr. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT to spread some happiness around.

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That’s right class of 2020 I’m DJing your prom with some friends this Friday night 8EST/5PST!! Click link in bio for invitation! See you then!

A post shared by John Krasinski (@johnkrasinski) on Apr 16, 2020 at 8:54am PDT

Krasinski tweeted, “And I just can’t take it anymore how much all you guys are missing prom. So let’s do something about it! Let’s have an #SGNprom !! Yup, I’ll DJ with some friends live on YouTube.”

Krasinski has been hosting his weekly web show Some Good News to help us all find the positive things happening in the world during this time. Now he is holding his first social distancing event. Seniors are invited, but anyone can attend. Krasinski has already provided the live invitation link on his Some Good News YouTube Channel. Grab your formal wear and tune in. Just click the link at 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Central) tonight.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: John Krasinski via Instagram

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Scholastic Is Hosting a Virtual Book Fest TODAY

by Karly WoodMarch 20, 2020

In a well-timed move that coincides with surviving the first week home with the kids, Scholastic is hosting a Home Base Virtual Book Fest! The online celebration will be a time where authors and kids from all over the world can engage with each other with the help of a live moderator.

The real-time event will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST on Friday, Mar. 20 and will include a costume contest, trivia events, online Q&A and time with some well-known authors. So who’s joining this week’s Book Fest?

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A post shared by Scholastic Latin America & Caribbean (@scholasticlacar)

Kids can chat with R.L. Stine, creative genius behind the Goosebumps series, Claribel A. Ortega of Ghost Squad, Sarah Mlynowski of the Whatever After series and Sayantani DasGupta of the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series.

To participate in the Book Fest, you will need a registered free Scholastic Kids account. Once you have signed up, you can log into Home Base on a browser or on a mobile device. Head to the Book Fest website to get all the details on how to sign up.

––Karly Wood

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