Calling all Beatle fans! Whether you’re an OG fan or starting out as a baby Beatle lover, this special collection from Magna-Tile is a must for your collection.
The Beatles Collection Magna-Tiles Structure Set comes with everything you need to create a Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, Magical Mystery Tour Bus, a record player, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Kaleidoscope, The Beatles Album Collage, two different bass drums and display the Beatles Song Titles!
The set is an official Magna-Tile product and is compatible with all other sets. Each piece is made with SuperColor® Technology on both sides that equals bright colors and a scratch-resistant coating.
The Beatles Collection Magna-Tiles Structure Set comes with 28 small squares, 10 small rectangles, six quarter rounds, six small triangles, one hexagon and two chassis. You can pre-order the set for $134.99 on CreateOn or Amazon.
We have a lot of holidays coming around the bend. First up, Valentine’s Day! But Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, not to mention birthdays—they’ll all be here before you know it. So many gift-giving holidays, so few ideas that go beyond the everyday ordinary. Wait, hold up! We found a Chicago-based start-up that will create a personalized, radio-quality song designed with your loved one in mind. Read on to hear how Songfinch will connect you with a songwriter who will record a special song featuring all the inside jokes, nicknames, stories and wishes you want captured within the notes, making for a memorable gift literally like no other.
Songfinch's Personal Story
Founded by a team of Chicago music and technology veterans Josh Kaplan, Rob Lindquist and John Williamson, Songfinch's goal is to capture moments and stories in song. “We, as people, create story-worthy moments every day, and more and more, these experiences are being valued above things that can be purchased,” shares Williamson, “There’s no medium that speaks more directly to the soul than music. By leveraging the power of music, we’re creating an entirely unique approach to the gifting space, and we’re really excited to help people connect with others in new ways.”
Choose Your Own (Song) Adventure
You'll complete what Songfinch calls a "story guide" providing details on the person, live event or experience you want to hear recreated in music mode. Your story guide can include anything you'd like, from the oddball characteristics that make your loved one oh-so-unique to the pee-in-your-pants memories that capture the special moments you've shared. You'll also set the particular mood or vibe the song should capture, be it peppy, romantic, jazzy. Then choose the type of vocalist preferred: maybe you're looking for a birthday rap with a blues-y overtone or a crooner-style wedding anniversary ballad.
We tested out this amazing new service and here’s how it works!
Personal Story from Our Writer, Amy Bizzarri
I chose to create a song to gift my music-loving daughter, Chiara, on her 7th birthday. I shared some insider details on her bright personality as well as all the things that make her happy: playing with her dog outside, traveling, playing the piano.
A Match Made in Musical Heaven
Songfinch will handpick the perfect music artist (from their team of 200+ vetted songwriters) to craft and professionally record a song. One week later, you’ll receive a downloadable/shareable web page known as a “Story Homepage” where you’ll find your love brought to life in song.
Amy's Review of the Experience
We were matched with artist Katie Stump, who recorded a beautiful ballad that truly captured my love for my daughter, Chiara. I have to admit that when I first listened, tears welled up in my eyes! I surprised my daughter by playing her song after school on our car radio. Her reaction: At first, her jaw dropped. She simply couldn't believe she was listening to a song made just for her! Soon she was singing along and making attempts to play the song on her piano. Months later, it remains a top requested song in our already musical household.
How Much for All These Feels?
The cost? Just $249 for a song that will be cherished by your family forever! (Note: Songfinch is offering a discount right now, $199/song.)
"One of the most unique aspects of Songfinch is that the product comes from your heart." explains co-founder Rob Lindquist. "It allows you to intimately share your memories and feelings. . . something that tends to be a challenge for people, especially in a one-to-one setting. Being able to have those types of personal details created into a beautiful piece of music, it seems to speak better than any other gift out there.”
Learn more about Songfinch or arrange a musical ode of your own at songfinch.com.
Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o released her first children’s book in 2019, and Sulwe quickly rose to #1 New York Times bestselling children’s book fame. Now, the author is back with a new special project.
It’s been announced that Nyong’o will narrate the audiobook edition of Sulwe, to go on sale Feb. 23. The story follows five-year-old Sulwe who goes on a magical journey in the night sky that opens her eyes to her own beauty.
photo: Matthew Soltesz
Nyong’o shares, “I’m thrilled to share Sulwe with readers in a new way. It was exciting for me to record the audiobook myself for listeners to get to hear the voices of Sulwe, her family, and the magical world of Night and Day as I hear them in my mind. I hope families will enjoy listening together and that it sparks conversations about what makes each of us uniquely beautiful.”
Inspired by Nyong’o’s own experiences with colorism and self-esteem, the audio book will also includes music influenced by Nyong’o’s Kenyan heritage. You can purchase the audiobook when it releases on Feb. 23 on Amazon for $6.13.
Hank Aaron, the baseball legend and MLB Hall of Famer, passed away Jan. 22, 2021. During his lifetime, he broke records, racial barriers and fought for equality. Read on to learn a little more about his legacy.
Hank Aaron was born Henry Louis Aaron, on Feb. 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama.
His nickname was "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank" because of the high numbers of both home-runs and RBIs throughout his career.
A player's RBI total indicates their number of "Runs Batted In" or how many runs scored as a result from a player's hit. Hank Aaron had 2297, which is the Major League Baseball all-time record to date.
Hank Aaron signed with a scout from the Major League Baseball Boston Braves in 1952, but didn't start his official MLB career until April 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves (who later moved to Atlanta).
He hit his first home run on April 23, 1954.
On April 8, 1974 Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run, surpassing Babe Ruth's record of 714.
His signature on a Braves jersey is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
He finished his career in Milwaukee with the Brewers, with a total of 755 home runs. This record held for 33 years.
Hank Aaron's brother, Tommie Aaron, also played in the MLB. Tommie's career of 13 home runs brings the MLB-brothers total to 768, the highest combined sibling total ever.
Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Hank went pro in 1951 when signed to the Negro American League team, the Indianapolis Clowns.
Because of rampant racism in the United States, American baseball was segregated. (Blacks and non-white players were not allowed to play on the same team as white players.) The Negro American League began in 1937 (and disbanded in 1962) was one of several"Negro leagues" established during this time.
This segregation in Major League Baseball was also referred to as the Color Line, which Jackie Robinson broke in 1945 when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson began playing for the Dodgers in 1947.
Hank said that he decided to become a MLB player after hearing a speech by Robinson. Hank was just 14.
While playing for the Milwaukee Braves affiliate team, the Jacksonville Tars, Aaron faced rampant discrimination, especially when traveling in the South. He was often forced to travel separately from his (white) teammates and had to eat or sleep in different accommodations.
Throughout his outstanding baseball career, Hank faced prevalent racism. While playing for the (Atlanta) Braves as he approached the season (1974) where he was likely to break Babe Ruth's record, he began receiving death threats and a tremendous amount of hate mail. There was even a threat to kidnap one of his daughters. None of this stopped him.
Hank Aaron was a supporter of civil rights, the NAACP and countless other humanitarian efforts to better the lives and rights of African-Americans in the US.
He was the recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor a citizen can be awarded in the United States.
In 2005, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund awarded him the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award. They also established the Hank Aaron Humanitarian in Sports Award.
The famous boxer Muhammad Ali once said that Hank Aaron was, "The only man I idolize more than myself."
In 2001, Hank Aaron was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Princeton.
Ho-Ho-Ho. Letters and face-to-face meetings with Santa are so last year. Enchant Christmas just unveiled the cutting edge new iPhone app, Enchant Santa Calls, which uses cutting-edge 3D animation technology and advanced facial recognition to turn users into Santa Claus, allowing them to make video calls with their loved ones.
Available now to download for free on the Apple App store, the app is the perfect tool to connect with loved ones around the world this holiday season. Get your jolliest “ho ho ho’s” ready for an unforgettable video call experience. Making calls will require an iPhone 10 or newer, while anyone with an iPhone device can receive a call.
“We were not going to let a year go by without making a magical experience for our valued guests. The team has rallied to create an experience like no other with Enchant Santa Calls. A video calling app that allows you to BE Santa and amaze your loved ones with an unexpected call from the big man himself. We hope parents, children and friends all use the app to bring a little awe and wonder into their lives, during this challenging year.” said Kevin Johnston, Founder and CEO of Enchant Christmas and Enchant Labs.
Enchant’s mission is to make magical memories which is so important this year. The app gives users the ability to gift anyone with a special video chat surprise, allowing them to reach friends and family via their iPhones. In addition, the app also gives users the option to select Santa’s race, customizing the experience to each individual. After the call, the app provides a recording of the most joyous parts of the call, making these magical moments sharable.
Enchant Santa Calls is free to download and offers free, 15-second recordings as Santa through the app. To place a live, 10-minute video call, users can purchase call credits in bundles with 2 calls for $5.99 USD, 5 calls for $8.99 USD and 20 calls at $24.99 USD.
Story Pirates are getting ready for the holidays! The top-rated and award-winning podcast has just released a holiday recording your kiddos will love.
The wacky songs are all about holidays made up by kids and include “Monster Day,” “Diggy Day,” “Hug an Alligator Day,” and “Shmeep Loo.” You can listen by clicking here to stream the songs on various music platforms such as Amazon, Apple Music, Pandora and Spotify.
photo: Story Pirates
If you’re looking for more fun activities during this season, check out the Story Pirates After School sessions. The highly interactive series is connecting with best-selling Random House Children’s Books authors, including Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Treehouse) and Chris Grabenstein(Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, The Smartest Kid in the Universe).
For November and December, kids can interact with a variety of authors who will read and talk about their books, as well as take questions from kids. These webinar-style author visits are open to the public andStory Pirates Creator Club members get a discount on the fees.
Our new series, Tiny Birth Stories, is aimed at sharing real-life stories from our readers to our readers. In just 100 words or less, we’re bringing you the raw, the funny and the heartwarming stories you’ve lived while bringing babies into the world. Here are five stories that will have you laughing, crying and nodding your head in solidarity.
Interested in telling your birth story? Click here.
The night we delivered cookies and more by Elise
It was the week before Christmas, and I had some friends over to bake Christmas cookies. By early evening my stomach was really hurting and I assumed it was from eating too many cookies. Snow started falling and the pain got worse – it was time to go to the hospital! An intern checked to see how far along I was and she yelled, “that’s his head!” Still in my sweater I wore to the hospital the intern delivered her first baby. The cookies we brought the nurses were still warm.
When everything you think you know goes out the window by Jennifer C.
Nothing went as planned! Thankfully, I had planned for that. I thought when my water broke, I’d KNOW! When it did, I assumed I had been peeing my pants all day. I thought I could labor without pain meds! I only lasted an hour in the hospital before I requested an epidural. I thought I would deliver in record time. I labored for 26 hours. I thought my baby would come home with us. Instead, she was in the NICU for 10 days. Nothing went as planned, but I guess plans are meant to change. I was okay with that.
How hypnobirthing techniques prepared me for labor by Rebekah
I currently have 6 children, but this is the story of the birth of my 3rd, a beautiful baby boy. I practiced hypnobirthing techniques throughout my pregnancy, so I was well prepared for labor. My labor started in the middle of the night just two days before my due date, and I labored calmly at home, in and out of the shower, for hours. At 6 am my good friend (and mom of 7) started encouraging me to go to the hospital. I kept saying no, I wasn’t far enough alone, but eventually acquiesced. Once they got me in a room the nurse checked me and I was 9.5 centimeters! I begged for an epidural but the doctor said there was no time. I was SO scared of pushing without one, but in just a few pushes my 7lb 15oz baby was born, and my recovery was so easy. It was an amazing experience.
When the hardest part was picking a name by Fatima C.
Aside from the regular aches and pains from growing a human, I rarely lost sleep, still traveled like a mad-woman for work and never got sick – everything was so smooth and I loved being pregnant! The only wildcard was that we didn’t know the gender. Just over 3 weeks before my due date we finally decided on a boy name – Weston. After timing out contractions and calling the hospital, hubby and I were on the road by 6.30AM and checked in an hour later. Labor progressed quickly afterwards – I wanted to start pushing shortly after noon but had to wait for the doctor to make her way back. She actually left the hospital because she thought I wouldn’t deliver until that evening! I was finally able to push around 1.30PM and the kid popped out barely 10 minutes later! Our little boy was born with a hot set of lungs and completely healthy. It felt like all he was waiting for before making his way into the world was just his name. :)
Medical inductions times three by Laura S.
I had severe hyperemesis with all my pregnancies, so I should have known none of my births would be easy. All three of my labors had to be induced for medical reasons, and all three seemed to last longer than 2020. The shortest was 30 hours, the longest was 48. I fully believe they all would have stayed in forever if I’d allowed them. I did find out I have one relatively useless super-talent: I can push babies out in record time! My longest delivery was 45 minutes and the shortest was 6. So I’ve got that going for me.
The absolute perfect gift for L.O.L. fanatics, this transforming playset from MGA Entertainment goes from plane to car to recording studio to mixing booth in a snap — no tools required! And before kids are ready to send their favorite dolls off to their next performance, there are more than 50 surprises to unbox and uncover, including working lights and sounds, a drink cart complete with plates and cups, rolling suitcases, and so much more. Parents will also love that this set ditches the traditional plastic blind bags and instead features paper bags — a more eco-friendly option, part of MGA Entertainment’s overall commitment to environmental sustainability.
The Toy Insider is the go-to source for product information and the latest news about children's toys, tech, and entertainment. Its team of toy experts publishes two annual gift guides—one for summer and one for holiday—and reviews toys 365 days a year on thetoyinsider.com, a trusted resource for parents.
Disney+ released the moving second trailer for Clouds. Inspired by an incredible true story, Clouds is story about the resilience of the human spirit. Zach Sobiech (Fin Argus) is a high school student with raw musical talent living with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer.
At the start of his senior year, Zach is ready to take on the world, however when he receives the news that the disease has spread, he and his best friend and songwriting partner, Sammy (Sabrina Carpenter), decide to spend his limited time following their dreams. With the help of Zach’s mentor and teacher, Mr. Weaver (Lil Rel Howery), Zach and Sammy are given the chance of a lifetime and are offered a record deal. Along with the support of the love of his life, Amy (Madison Iseman) and his parents, Rob and Laura (Tom Everett Scott and Neve Campbell); Zach embarks on an unforgettable journey about friendship, love and the power of music.
Clouds is directed by Justin Baldoni and produced by Andrew Lazar, Justin Baldoni and Casey La Scala. Kara Holden wrote the screenplay with a story by Casey La Scala & Patrick Kopka and Kara Holden. The movie is produced by Wayfarer Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures and Mad Chance / La Scala Films.
All aboard! BRIO is infusing Disney magic into their railway universe with the launch of a new line of Disney trains. These sets feature cute retro-designs that bring Mickey and his friends into the world of BRIO railway.
Your little conductor will head out new railway adventures with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy. The BRIO Disney Mickey Mouse Battery Train will inspire hours of imaginative play. Then kids can record sounds, voices or announcements with the BRIO Disney Mickey Mouse Record & Play Station. Children can also invite Donald and Daisy to join the fun with the BRIO Disney Donald & Duck Train. These sets are also completely compatible with all other BRIO railway products.
