The recent announcement that America’s most beloved toy store is filing for bankruptcy has probably left the Toys”R”Us kids in your family a little bummed. The company is turning lemons into lemonade, however, and is about to change everything you thought you knew about big box retail shopping.
If you grew up a Toys”R”Us kid yourself, then you’ll no doubt remember the company’s famous jingle that promised “a million toys at Toys”R”Us that I can play with.” Pretty soon kids really could be playing with toys right in the store if the idea to change the retail chain’s storefronts goes as planned. According to a report by USA Today, Toys”R”Us is taking this bankruptcy as a cue that changes are needed to stay competitive. The company plans to invest over $200 million over the next four years to overhaul their stores. They will be converting all of their locations into combo stores with Babies”R”Us and transforming them into new interactive spaces.
“Toys”R”Us stores will be interactive spaces with rooms to use for parties, live product demonstrations put on by trained employees, and the freedom for employees to remove products from boxes to let kids play with the latest toys,” CEO David Brandon said in court papers according to USA Today. Just imagine getting the chance to check out that got-to-have-it toy hands-on before you take it home and discover your kids are happier playing wit the cardboard box it came in. The company already began testing this concept over a year ago with prototype stores in California and Florida that featured some of these enhancements.
The company will also be creating an augmented reality game that can be downloaded to customers phones and played while they shop, as well as upgrading their website for better online shopping. They also teased the idea that Babies”R”Us would be transformed into a lifestyle brand. No word on what that means exactly, but the future isn’t looking so bad for Geoffrey after all.
Would you be excited to shop at an interactive toy store? Share your thoughts on these changes in the comments below.
If you’ve got a crew with spurs that jingle jangle jingle, then you’re in the market for a cowboy vacation. From open prairie to luxury ranches, we’ve found 11 places worth hopping along to. Click through the gallery to find your next home on the range.
Ely, Nv
For living cowboy history, Nevada still takes center stage. The Ely and White Pine area in Nevada is original Pony Express Territory, along US Hwy 50. Every summer the old express route is ridden between St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento and Ely is along the way. This is ranching country, too so there’s no shortage of cattle and sheep as far as the eye can see. Spend a day horseback riding in Great Basin National Park and then rest your weary bones at Hidden Canyon Retreat. You can explore nearby wagon train trails, historic log cabins, caves, warm springs, abundant wildlife including wild mustang viewing and more. But the real gem of Ely is the Northern Nevada Railway Museum, which offers different themed train rides designed to take riders back to that Wild West experience. There's a Pony Express mail experience and even a staged robbery! It's open year round and worth the trip alone.
Ugly Christmas Sweater Day is the modern solution to put to use those years and years (and years) worth of hideous sweaters that have been piling up in closets, drawers and donation bags across the country. And with Ugly Sweater Parties becoming more and more popular, even thrift stores are charging prices that might be more than you’re willing to pay for a once (or once-a-year) item. Don’t worry: we’ve got you. Here are three ways to be sure you score the Ugliest Sweater prize.
Get together any or all of the following supplies: felt, scissors, fabric glue, buttons, sequins, glitter glue pens, cotton balls, jingle balls, a plain sweater, sweatshirt or t-shirt.
Your goal here is to use felt and enhancements to make a glitzy, silly mess. Make Christmas trees and fabric glue them on. You can cut out round ornaments out of contrasting felt, or use old buttons or charms to deck out your tree. You can even go crazy with battery powered lights like these. This is a great craft to do with the kids because you really can’t go wrong (unless you make it too pretty). No fabric glue? Unless you want this number to last for more than one night, just use Elmer’s glue or anything other kind you have on hand.
Bonus points: Wear it with a Christmas tree headband.
photo: Amber Guetebier
2. There’s an App for That
Try Yoshirt. They’ve got some pre-designed “ugly Xmas sweaters” but you can customize a sweatshirt just for the occasion. One-up the competition and make a sweatshirt of your whole crew wearing their scary-Xmas sweater best. Or just have fun making a cool shirt for Grandma or Grandpa for the holidays. They even have youth sized t-shirts. With the photos already on your phone, the whole process takes less than 5 minutes and your sweater will be en route to wow (ahem, shock?) your coworkers at the next office party. Check Yoshirt out here.
Okay, so what you thought was ugly someone else thinks is cool, or maybe it’s the other way around. Skip the sweater altogether and try on a tree-skirt for size. Inexpensive and often more gaudy than any puff-painted number you could pick up online, you can simply don the skirt as a cape (so on trend!). If you’ve found a tasteful, plain tree skirt sew some jingle bells along the edge and you’ll soon be gathering eye rolls from your children and friends alike.
Must have accessory: antlers.
Do you have an ugly sweater? Share your pics with us on Instagram or Facebook and tag them #redtricycle and #uglychristmassweater.
With Thanksgiving coming up, closely followed by even more holiday eating, it’s the perfect time to get some preventative exercise in and support several local charities at the same time. If your fam is ready for some turkey trottin’ and reindeer runnin’ this holiday season, read on and get ready to lace up your tennies and participate in these local fun runs.
Seattle Turkey Trot
Start your Turkey Day off with some energy burnin’ fun at the 9th Annual Seattle Turkey Trot benefiting the Ballard Food Bank. This low-key run begins at 9 a.m. and offers a way for the community to come together, have fun and help out others in need. The scenic run starts in the Sunset Hill neighborhood near Ballard and finishes at Golden Gardens Park. Race organizers recommend parking at Golden Gardens and walking to the start line. There are several staircases and a trail to get up the hill to the start line. Psst... make sure you allow plenty of time to walk to the starting line and to pick up your t-shirt (pre-race pick-up is strongly encouraged on the evening of Nov. 25 at the Ballard Food Bank).
Good to Know: Strollers are allowed, however you will need to get the stroller between the park and the starting line. The best way to do this is to have someone drop you off at the start line and then go park your car. Shirts are available after the race on a first come, first serve basis.
Registration Costs: $25/Adults and $15/Kids (10 & under) until Nov. 17; $35/Adults and $20/Kids after Nov. 17.
It’s a fact: babies love music. Even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, they’ll love rocking out with you. Make your jam sessions more fun with the help of these seven musical instruments, all easy to DIY with things found around the house.
Even newborns will get a kick (literally) out of a jingle bell bracelet. Strings beads and bells on elastic cord, then get ready to kick, stomp, shake and dance around with your little one. No time to hand dye wooden beads like Twodaloo suggests? Use already painted ones instead. Just remember these small trinkets can be choking hazards, so be sure to secure all beads and bells well and keep an eye on your baby when he's jingling away.
What songs do you like to sing and play along to with your baby?
You’ve played Mouse Trap and even tackled Bella Organic’s annual fall corn maze. Take your brood’s love of games, puzzles and everything brain-teasing to the next level at Mazes, the brand new exhibit at OMSI that gives a whole new meaning to family game night. Now through May 6, this highly interactive exhibit will have you lost (and found!) in a real winding maze, and solving mind boggling illusions and puzzles. Read on to find out what you’re bound to get yourself twisted up in.
photo: Kelley Gardiner
Mazes
The focal points of the exhibits, that take up the most real estate and will probably get your little explorers most excited, are the two mazes to wind through. The first, and largest, is the Maze of Illusions. As you make your way through the maze, you’ll find plenty of optical illusions to solve or just enjoy. As you encounter each illusions, make sure you pay attention because you’ll need to remember them in order to find your way back out of the maze. Volunteers monitor the maze, and emergency exits are available on each end just in case anyone starts to lose their nerve. Expect to spend 10-15 minutes winding your way through.
The Junior Maze is shorter, both in height and distance, for younger problem-solvers. They’ll find percussion instruments along the way to jingle, bang, and beat, so expect a little bit of volume. If your child is old enough to stand up, they can enjoy bead races and turning wheels with marbles.
Good to know: The Maze of Illusions and Junior Maze are not accessible by wheelchair, motorized scooter, or strollers.
Puzzles
In addition to those mazes, there are plenty of puzzles and activities to keep your family entertained. Several patterned floor mazes (like the colored path maze, and headlong maze) near the entrance encourage problem-solving, and trial and error, as kids enter the maze and figure out the solution with their feet and brains. A rope course is tricky enough to keep older kids thinking as they try to scramble up, around and through without getting tangled in the “intricate web of ropes.”
photo: Kelley Gardiner
Hands-On Activities
If you’ve still got brainpower after solving puzzles and triumphantly exiting the maze, OMSI’s new exhibit has plenty to do. Build your own marble race, draw a maze and display your masterpiece for all to see, try balancing on a balance board with an embedded marble, and learn about the history of mazes. At the far end of the exhibit, your family is encouraged to “Make a Maze” with long soft blocks, getting kids of all ages (even toddlers) in on the fun.
photo: Kelley Gardiner
The Scoop: Mazes is included with a regular OMSI admission, which gives visitors access to all other exhibit halls (Earth Hall, Life Hall, Turbine Hall, Science Labs, and Science Playground), $13 adult, $9.50 3-13, and members get in for free.
OMSI
1945 SE Water Ave.
503-797-4000
Online: omsi.edu
Have you visited this new exhibit at OMSI yet? What did your family think? Let us know in the comments!
From lighthearted mom-to-friend PSAs to laugh-out-loud parodies of “Let It Go,” the viral videos of 2014 kept us glued to our screens. No matter how on top of the trending tag you are, there’s bound to be one you haven’t seen. Start off your year recap with our first pick, a mashup of 233 viral videos, before delving into the rest of our curated, kid-friendly list.
Best of 2014 Thankfully Luc Vergeron has edited the best bits and pieces of 233 viral videos into a catchy 6 minute and 44 second video. Watch skydivers and breakdancers, babies reacting to lemons and even Bill Gates completing the Ice Bucket challenge! Find the original videos over here.
Action Movie Kid Here’s a reminder that nothing is greater than your imagination … except when maybe your dad is an expert motion graphic artist who can turn those epic toy battles and rocketship flights into a virtual reality. Click play to see volume one.
Sadie Doesn’t Want Her Brother to Grow Up Nobody is quite as flabbergasted as this five-year-old who can’t handle the fact that her cute brother won’t stay little (and cute) forever. Dad of Sadie, Alex Miller, uploaded this slice of life video four month ago and it’s gotten 30 million plays since.
Durham Academy Weather Announcement Head of Durham Academy Michael Ulku-Steiner and his assistant, Lee Hark, announced a snow day to the tune of Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice, Baby,” making us and the kids wish school was open just so we could “chill” with them.
What’s the Most Shocking Thing Your Kids Don’t Know About You? Other than that hidden stash of chocolates on the top shelf, is there something else you’re hiding from your kids? Watch the video below to see how some parents answered the question, “What’s the most shocking thing your kids don’t know about you?”.
Friends Without Kids Are you the first of many new moms who find it hard to explain why there’s no time to hang out anymore? Or maybe you remember that lonely era when you were the only one with a mini-me on your hip. Luckily Whats Up Moms created this lighthearted (and on point) explanation for all your friends without kids. Psst … check out this “Dear Cool Looking Mom” video too!
“Just Don’t Go” Weather Report Frozen has been out for a year now, but that hasn’t stopped 2014 from becoming the Year of Frozen. Bob Herzog, the Traffic Man of Cincinnati, Ohio, turned “Let It Go” into parody jingle reminding residents to stay indoors and avoid black ice for the day. Watch the video below — it’s surprisingly just as good as the original.
A Dad’s Saturday Morning for Three Months At first this Dad’s clips were one Vine, and then they slowly became two, three, four … 15 short videos over the next three months that hilariously showcased Vine user Bottlerocket’s Saturday mornings. We’re positive many of you can relate to this weekend dance party.
Bars & Melody – Britain’s Got Talent Fifty-seven million views and counting, this Britain’s Got Talent audition stunned a nation and more with a self-penned rap about anti-bullying. Watch the audition below to hear how two kids turned a negative experience into a positive one.
#ShareaCoke with the McGillicuddys The McGilicuddys took advantage of Coke’s “Share a Coke” campaign to make a hilarious announcement with a shocking twist. If you haven’t seen it, we probably already said too much. Hit play to see the sweet reveal.
“Do You Know Any Naughty Words?” They might not say these words in front of us, but evidently they’ll tell Jimmy Kimmel anything. Click play to hear these adorable tots rattle off all the bad words they know.
Kids React to Old Computers Video producers TheFineBros brought in a 1970s computer and a floppy disk to a group of lil’ techies. Their shocked reaction gives us a mixed feeling of nostalgia and old age. Nevertheless, we’re still grateful for Siri.
I’m Not Fancy (Iggy Azalea Parody) If Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” was the anthem of summer 2013, then Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” was surely the jam of this past summer. Moms from The Girls With Glasses created their own lyrics to this hit song that divulges what it really means to be a mom.
All About That Baste (Parody)
Known for their catchy parodies, The Holderness Family created a Thanksgiving anthem that reminded us of the key to cooking that big ol’ turkey (it’s butter and baste). Check out the ridiculously catchy tune below.
Which video made you laugh the hardest? Want to have another good chuckle? Click here for more!
Baby’s first holiday is special. So celebrate with more than a mere jingle-jingle. We put together a playlist of kid-friendly holiday tunes that will have baby bopping in her bouncy seat. Stream these tunes — from ’70s soul jams to dreamy ballads — for a merry and musical season.
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What is your favorite holiday tune? Let us know in the Comments!
For children at Christmas, there are few tales as beloved as The Polar Express. This holiday season, there are lots of ways to bring the snowy story to life right here in Hotlanta. From story times to train rides, read on to get your Polar Express adventure on track.
Hear the Story:
On December 6th, Atlanta area Barnes & Noble stores are hosting a special evening story time. Children are invited to wear their pajamas to hear the story and participate in activities at this free event.
Decatur’s Little Shop of Stories will host their annual Polar Express Party December 14th. Kids will hear the story, drink hot chocolate and do a craft before finishing up with a visit from Santa himself. Reservations open December 1, the cost is $5.
Think Outside the Train:
Fans of the movie will want to check out Stone Mountain’s 4-D Polar Express Experience. This 20-minute show can be seen through the end of December.
The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw will keep its doors open late on December 6 for the annual Polar Express Adventure. From 6-10 PM, attendees can meet a train conductor and a hobo, enjoy hot chocolate, make a holiday craft and watch elves at work in their workshop. There will be opportunity to write a letter to Santa and meet the big man himself, and a holiday model train layout. Tickets are $5 for 12 and up, $3 for kids 4-12 and free for 3 and under.
And for a truly immersive experience, don’t miss The Southeastern Railway Museum’s Polar Express Experience. Visitors will board a train to watch the movie-and then the movie comes to life. A conductor will come around to check for tickets, porters will offer pillows and blankets to the pajama clad children, and hot chocolate will be served. Santa Claus will also enter the train at the end of the movie.
Throw a Polar Express Party:
Gather family and friends together for a holiday party with a train twist. Invite guests to come in their pajamas—wackiest PJ’s get a prize. Set up a hot chocolate bar with marshmallows, candy canes and dippable treats. Decorate train cookies while you watch the movie or listen to an audio version of the book, and give out jingle bells as parting gifts.
Does your family have a Polar Express tradition? Share with us below.
