Whether you’ve been blasting holiday music since pumpkin spice lattes arrived, or you’re still adjusting to summer being over, we’re going to let you in on a little secret— right now is the PERFECT time to book a local photographer for your holiday card. San Diego has a fabulous selection of snap-happy, professionals ready to capture the perfect annual photograph. Click through the slideshow to check out a selection of photographers ready to help your family say, “cheese!”
ML Interest Tag: location
As the Founder of Zovargo, a zoo that brings animals to you—I have had the honor of sharing our animals with thousands of children over the years and I’ve seen a lot of parties. And while some are over-the-top, most are successful for the reasons listed below. So if you’re thinking of adding animals to your next special celebration, here are the things to consider to make your party the happiest celebration yet.
1. Location, Location, Location
Having animals at your party will certainly be an exciting, if not, the most exciting part of your party. Try to avoid parks and busy public locations because you don’t want other children from the playground to drop into your party. It’s distracting from your special event, and can be challenging for the animal handlers because they have to keep track of which children are part of your party or just drop-ins. Choose a private location, like your home, but also make sure there’s enough space for the guests to spread out and be comfortable.
2. Animal Selections
While picking the animals is sometimes the most fun part of planning your animal party, keep in mind which animals the children will really enjoy. And while it’s hard to stray away from impressing your own friends, remember—it’s a kid’s party, not an adult party. Experts that are bringing the animals have lots of experience. Trust me on this and listen to their suggestions! The animal handlers know their animals, and they know what species works best for different age groups. So many times I have had people request the “largest animal you have” for a toddler party. This never works out well as tiny people are scared of large animals. Listen to the experts and go with what you know your child will love!
3. Look for a Unique Experience
The days of traditional petting zoos are fading as more people become aware that lots of tiny people trampling around a corral of animals isn’t the perfect idea of a party. This is old-school and is unsafe, unsanitary, and stressful for animals. Zoos like Zovargo, travel to you and bring enough staff to provide a safe experience that is manageable and highlights each special animal one at a time.
It’s also helpful to look for places that offer a special experience with the animals instead of just an opportunity to pet them. For example, who can say they’ve shaken the hand of a duck? This is just one type of extra-special experience that will leave some lasting memories for the children and your guests.
4. Manage Your Wild Guests
Plan ahead for late arrivals. To do this, have your guests arrive 30-60 minutes ahead of the animal program start time. As the animal handler, we have had to delay our start for late guests more times than I can count. While this is not a problem, consider that the animals are sitting in crates just waiting for their time with the children. They may have traveled an hour (or hours) to get to your party already and then we all wait which is unfair to everyone. Another party tip? Mind the adult chatter. Yes, it’s a party, and parents sometimes like to let loose, but be mindful that adult chatter can cause a distraction from the animal program forcing the animal presenters to have to speak louder than the parents so the kids can hear. To prevent this, I suggest having an “adult area” if some parents want to catch up while the children are entertained.
5. Avoid Too Many Activities at the Same Time
Usually, the animals are the main attraction, but sometimes there are five other activities happening at the same time! Be mindful, that booking other services like face painting, magicians, caterers, and jumpy houses are all great, but be careful with scheduling too many things. You don’t want to waste money by giving a small group of kids too many things to do while at your party. It’s sometimes best to have one main attraction or activity, and let the kids play the rest of the time. As one of “the animal people,” it’s always a let-down when kids hear pizza has arrived, then they quickly run off to eat. Be mindful of distractions like this and keep a schedule in mind to be considerate of the people you’re booking for your celebration.
6. COVID Considerations
It’s nothing new to consider doing a virtual party, but a ZoomFari virtual animal party takes things up a notch! There are many zoos that offer virtual animal celebrations. Zovargo offers the reasonably-priced ZoomFari virtual party that allows guests to see animals literally eye-to-eye. This type of party can unite family from all of the world and provide everyone a unique experience together.
Starbucks is embracing summer with some new merch: and it’s Zebra inspired!
The limited edition collection has launched just in time for hot weather and is packed with color. You can snag a Zebra Cold Cup and a Zebra Mug, in addition to a few other jungle-themed pieces.
photos: Starbucks
The special cups are only available while supplies last and inventory is varied by location. The cold cup can be yours for $18.95 and the mug for $12.95 at a Starbucks near you.
––Karly Wood
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No plans for a vacation in 2022 yet? Now you have some!
Crystal Lagoons Island Resort has announced that the first Mattel Adventure Park is planning to open late 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. Kiddos will be able to get up close and personal with a Hot Wheels roller coaster, go-karting, a Thomas & Friends indoor theme park with a Thomas the Tank Engine electric-battery powered passenger train, tons of retail and special dining experiences.
Julie Freeland, Senior Director, Global Location Based Entertainment, Mattel shares “By partnering with Crystal Lagoons Island Resort, we will be offering new and immersive ways for families to experience classic brands like Hot Wheels, Thomas & Friends, and more.”
More information will be forthcoming in the next few weeks about Mattel Adventure Park and the associated hotels, restaurants and other brands that will come together to make it a world class destination.
Stay tuned!
––Karly Wood
All photos: Courtesy of Mattel
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Your kids have spent too much of their time in COVID lockdown on their gaming consoles. It’s time to get them out of the house for some fun, family game time that takes place IRL. Portland has awesome miniature golf courses just waiting to host your family for a day of play. If you are looking for some gorgeous outdoor venues where you can practice your swing, then read on to find out where we think you and your wee ones should head the next time you want to play golf!
—Annette Benedetti
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall for IKEA HEROISK and TALRIKA bowls, plates and mugs. Made from PLA material from renewable sources, the products can become brittle and break, which may cause hot food or liquids to leak and cause burns.
The affected products were sold in a variety of colors including yellow, pink and blue. IKEA has been notified of 123 reports of issues worldwide, including four reports of injuries, most of which were burns.
Consumers can check if their products are affected by looking at the bottom of each product. Recalled items will have a supplier number of “23348,” “Made in Taiwan” and “PLA” molded on to the bottom.
The TALRIKA and HEROISK product were sold at IKEA stores nationwide and online from Aug. 2019 through May 2021 for $4-$12. If you do have a recalled item, stop using it immediately and return to an IKEA location for a full refund.
––Karly Wood
All photos: Courtesy of CPSC
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Looking for a fun way to keep your kids excited about reading this summer? How about free books!
When you sign your young readers up at Barnes & Noble you can spend the whole summer reading––and earn some free books to tuck them in at bedtime when school starts again. So how does it work?
When students in grades one through six read eight books over the summer and complete a reading journal, they can earn a free book at Barnes & Noble. All you need to do is download the journal here and print it.
Then, complete the information requested and have your kids log the books they’ve read over the summer. Turn in the journal at any Barnes & Noble location between July. 1 and Aug. 31, 2021.
Once completed, kids are able to choose from a pre-set list of free books grouped by grade level. The list includes titles like Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer and Because of Winn-Dixie.
The Barnes & Noble reading program website also offers suggested reading lists if your kids need some ideas on what to read.
—Shahrzad Warkentin
Feature photo: JHVEPhoto via iStock
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There’s a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel…some days I even need sunglasses! But regardless of how much things may be coming back to “normal,” that languishing feeling can still abound. To help combat the pandemic-induced brain fog, I turn to storytelling games.
Storytelling can be your parenting secret weapon: When you engage your kids with a story, you get perspective and insight into what is important to them. Maybe they make a story about a dragon that gets excluded or a superhero that gets sick. There’s an opportunity there to listen. Through storytelling games, we can give space to our kids to express themselves and share what’s going on.
I love storytelling games because they can:
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Energize the simplest of routines
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Support bonding & connection
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Build social-emotional learning
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Boost executive function skills
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Encourage creativity in unexpected ways
Playing storytelling games gives kids:
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Space to develop their voice
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Tools to make then replicate the games and make their own stories independently
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Bonding time with you and/or their sibling
Lose your inhibitions about storytelling – just start and let your kids pick up the rest but if you need, here’s a basic recipe for stories:
All Stories Have:
1. Characters
2. Setting
3. Conflict
4. Resolution
So, to create an original story—name a character or two, decide on a location and create a problem. You don’t need it all figured out before you start. The story often will tell itself, and many of these games rely on collaboration. Let go and trust that some kind of resolve will happen!
You Can Play Storytelling Games Anywhere
It can feel overwhelming to think that you have to find more time to play. Guess what? It is there. The possibilities for storytelling exist…when you are in line at the store or walking to school. How about waiting for the playdate at the playground or at the dinner table? There are opportunities to inject these games into the most enervating moments to add that spark and whimsy that we are craving as we crawl our way through the pandemic. For loads of game inspiration, check out our Instagram page.
The One Word Story
Tell a story one word at a time. Each player can only say one word at a time. Go around and try to tell one cohesive story. It is challenging and inevitably funny! This is a playful way to practice impulse control and also just good silly fun! Learn more about the mindfulness benefits of this game and get more tips on how to play here.
Fortunately, Unfortunately
In this game, players build on a single story adding in peaks and valleys into the narrative. They alternate the way they start their contribution with either the word, “Fortunately” or “Unfortunately.” I like to start neutrally, with “Once upon a time” and then build in the alternating words from there. You’ll get automatic drama from those transition words. You can decide ahead of time how many contributions you’ll get so that the story has an endpoint (“We’ll do 5 turns and then you make one up on your own”). This scaffolding is super helpful—I speak from experience—so that the game has a conclusion and you have an out!
The Sound Story
Tell a simple story, add in sounds (like environment noises or exclamations) and then strip away all the words and just leave the sound. See if you can boil it down to 5 essential sounds, which you make while you tell the story. Then tell the story again only using sounds!
The Story Clap
Take turns telling a story, clapping your way from one player to the next. Remember the story recipe (location+characters+conflict). Draw inspiration from books you read. Making a prequel or a sequel to your favorite story is also an awesome place to start. Learn more about how Story Clap works.
Storytelling Games to Get through Parenting Challenges
Sometimes you can circumvent challenging parenting moments by creating a joyful distraction of a story. Or when asking your kid to step out of their comfort zone. Anytime that you are asking kids to do something hard, storytelling comes in handy. Literature abounds with examples of characters that do hard things. Whether The Little Engine That Could or Bumblebee Girl, you can find a character that your child relates to and imagine as if you were them, doing the task at hand.
Nail Trimming & Teeth-Brushing
I like to tell a story in sections, during these most mundane—but necessary—of parentally supervised hygiene tasks. I recommend Chompers, a story podcast expressly for teeth-brushing! When nail-trimming too, I ask my son to pick a location and a character and I start in with the clippers and the story. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense. It’s both a distraction and connection during an otherwise annoying task.
At the Dinner Table
Tell a quick story about the dinosaur that ate the tree…and then your kid becomes the dino, and the broccoli is eaten…maybe! I love to use games like Magic Stew to inspire bravery at the table.
Storytelling at Bedtime
But of course! However obvious it seems to tell a story at bedtime—it can certainly be draining on you. Additionally, too much kid involvement has the opposite effect on relaxation—so my suggestion here is to keep it simple. Set limits, like a timer for the length you want to tell the story, knowing that you can always pick up with the “next installment” tomorrow. Once you know the parameters, ask for input: location, characters, what’s the problem? Then, get cooking on the classic story recipe and let inspiration do the rest!
This post originally appeared on Child's Play in Action.
It’s officially time for a trip to the Mall of America: Mars Wrigley just opened it’s newest store! The 24,000 sq. ft. will open on May 1 and packs more excitement than a fresh bag of M&M’S.
M&M’S Mall of America store will feature free immersive experiences, digital downloads, personalization station, M&M’S, “Wall of Chocolate” and exclusive in-store merchandise. So where, in the vast land that is the Mall of America, can you find the store?
Head to Level 1, East near the Rotunda of Mall of America if you want to visit in person. Not close to Minnesota? You can visit virtually! Visit MMS.com to “walk” through the store and purchase M&M’S products using a 3-D virtual experience.
The second store to open in 2021, this M&M’s location offers unique experiences. Shoppers can check out M&M’S Sweet Moves and show their their personality through color, sound and movement and head to Peanut Peak to view the beauty of Minnesota.
This particular location also pays a special honor to Minnesota culture with decor that is unique to the region. The Mars Candy Factory was opened in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1920 and has a special place in the legacy of the company.
Head to mms.com to check out the new digs!
––Karly Wood
All photos: Courtesy of Mars Wrigley
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The Smithsonian is now on the list of attractions, organizations, and events that are set to reopen to the public again! After a year filled with closures galore, you can get ready to start planning a stellar summer vaycay—and it can include seven of the Smithsonian’s museums along with the National Zoo.
Over the course of May, all of the Smithsonian’s facilities will welcome back visitors on a staggered schedule. Keep reading to see when your local museum will open.
photo courtesy of the Smithsonian
May 5
The Sreven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
May 14
The National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Portrait Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
May 21
National Museum of American History
National Museum of the American Indian Washington, D.C. location
National Zoo
Like other national attractions that have reopened to the public, the Smithsonian facilities will adhere to safety measures based on the CDC’s guidelines. These include requiring visitors ages two and older to wear face coverings, implementing social distancing and one-way directional paths, providing hand sanitizer, conducting enhanced cleanings and monitoring the number of visitors in each location. Guests are asked to stay home if they are sick or don’t feel well.
There are currently no on-site public tours and some galleries or exhibits are closed or have capacity limits. The restaurants and food trucks at the National Zoo will open this May, but the museum cafes will remain closed.
You must reserve a free timed-entry pass for all Smithsonian facilities. To reserve passes, contact the Smithsonian at 1-800-514-3849 ext. 1 or visit the organization’s website here. Passes are available starting the week before each facility’s opening.
—Erica Loop/Feature image: Alejandro Barba via Unsplash
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