Could your kiddo use some cardboard magic in their life? If your creative child needs an outlet for their artsy side, this new product is the perfect playtime activity!
Cardboard Magic is an eco-friendly toy that gives your child the chance to create their own dramatic play set. Instead of a ready-made playhouse, this imaginative option lets littles start from the ground up and color or design the exterior and interior to their heart’s content.
The cute collection includes several different options to meet your child’s interests. Choose from a color-in play house, princess castle, rocket, pirate ship, mini castle, coastguard boat, castle (larger-sized), beach buggy, safari jeep, ice cream truck, food truck, fire truck, mini house, or helicopter.
Whether your child is a future sea captain, a budding foodie, or just enjoys a day filled with plenty of pretend play, these cardboard color-in’s take creative crafting up a notch—or a few. Each kit is 100 percent recyclable and made to use indoors or outdoors (depending on the weather).
How can you get a Cardboard Magic kit for your fam? Visit the brand’s website here to browse options, learn more about the products and buy a kit for your kids.
Launch your little learners into space with these easy to connect circuit-building sets. Circuit Explorer allows kids to make custom builds with lights, sounds and motion. These connectable circuit pieces are simple and durable and do not require reading, so kids can play independently.
Kids will learn how to engineer simple circuits with these off-the-board space-themed circuit playsets, including a Rocket, Rover, and Deluxe Base Station, that combine creative imaginative play with STEM fundamentals. Circuit Explorer’s kid-friendly, 3D design makes it easy to snap the pieces together in the correct order to instantly receive feedback and interactive results to know they are on their way to a galactic journey, such as light, motion, or sound, championing a child’s creativity while encouraging STEM learning and honing problem-solving skills.
Circuit Explorer Rocket, Circuit Explorer Rover, and Circuit Explorer Deluxe Base Station all feature real-working, kid-friendly 3D circuit pieces designed specifically with safety in mind, eliminating the worry of short circuiting or other hazards. Children utilize cause and effect logic to determine when they have completed the circuits correctly. Each set also comes with friendly astronauts, robot figures, and stickers, so children can customize their Circuit Explorer sets and launch into hours of space-age adventures. To add even more customizable fun, Circuit Explorer sets feature a universal grid-like design to allow for additional construction play pieces to be incorporated.
“We’ve reimagined what it means for kids to learn about circuits by providing a product that allows a younger age group to become familiar with these basic concepts, ultimately learning skills that will make future learning less intimidating and more fun,” said Lisa Guili, General Manager at Educational Insights. “Now there is no need for kids to choose between learning basic circuits or expressing their creativity. Circuit Explorer allows for the combination of both that has never been done before.”
The following Circuit Explorer sets are available:
Follow the easy instructions to build a rocket with light-up nose cone and nozzles, a space rover with light-up headlights, and a landing pad with color changing light effects—or connect the pieces correctly another way to create out-of-this-world custom, light-up builds. Then launch into hours of screen-free, pretend-play fun with the included astronaut and robot figures!
Kids can connect with home base as they build a communication station with a rotating radar dish, and power station, or they can power up with a rover charger to take their space rover with a motor out on a mission along with a non-powered space rover both with wheels and light-up headlights. Explore the unknown for hours with two included astronauts and two robot figures.
Snap the 3D pieces together together to build a fully powered, large-scale, space-themed world including a Deluxe Base Station with towers, rotating diner sign, planetarium with Color changing dome, voice synthesizer that includes 10 space sounds, communication station with rotating radar dish, and one fully-powered space rover and a free-rolling rover, both with light-up headlights. Includes six astronauts and two robot figures for hours of imaginative play.
3…2…1…Blast off! The Right Stuff brings us the incredible story of America’s first astronauts. The special two-episode premiere will air on Disney+ on Fri. Oct. 9.
Based on the bestselling book by Tom Wolfe, the eight-episode season looks at the early days of the U.S. Space Program and the iconic story of America’s first astronauts, the Mercury 7. Produced for National Geographic by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Warner Bros. Television, The Right Stuff takes a clear-eyed look at America’s first “reality show,” when ambitious astronauts and their families became instant celebrities in a competition of money, fame and immortality.
At the height of the Cold War in 1959, America fears it is a nation in decline as the Soviet Union dominates the space race. But, the U.S. government has a solution – put a man in space. Newly-formed NASA is given the monumental task, and a group of the nation’s best engineers estimate they’ll need decades to accomplish the feat, but they only have two years.
NASA engineers, including rocket scientist Bob Gilruth (Patrick Fischler) and Chris Kraft (Eric Ladin), work against the clock under mounting pressure from Washington. Together, they hand select seven astronauts from a pool of military test pilots.
The two men at the center of it all are Major John Glenn (Patrick J. Adams) and Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman). Other members of the Mercury 7 include Captain Gordo Cooper (Colin O’Donoghue), Wally Schirra (Aaron Staton),Scott Carpenter (James Lafferty), Deke Slayton, (Micah Stock) and Gus Grissom, (Michael Trotter).
The series also examines the astronauts’ families, including Annie Glenn (Nora Zehetner), Louise Shepard (Shannon Lucio) and Trudy Cooper (Eloise Mumford).
While Halloween may look a bit different this year there are some things that will remain the same. Your little ones will feel the magic of the night when they dress up to look like their favorite characters. Pottery Barn just launched their new Halloween collection filled with favorites like Mickey Mouse.
The new assortment consists of costumes and treat bags for kids, toddler and baby, including Winnie the Pooh, PAW Patrol and more. There’s even a light-up Pterodactyl. Prepare for a spooky at-home celebration with spooky tablecloths and place settings just for kids. Continue the celebration well into the night with Halloween themed pajamas and bedding featuring Mickey Mouse and Snoopy.
Kids Light Up Pterodactyl Halloween Costume
Pottery Barn
Your little dino-lover will light up the night with this Light-Up Pterodactyl Costume. Featuring battery-operated LED lights in the wings, this costume will become a favorite dress-up outfit once Halloween is over. The colorful plush material is soft to the touch and will keep your little pterodactyl warm and cozy all day and night long.
Prepare for liftoff! Our 3D Rocket Costume lights up and boasts metallic silver and blue fabric with sheer flames made of chiffon at the bottom that moves as the rocket takes off. Plus, it’s hypoallergenic so it’s safer for your child. This cute little rocket lights up with colorful LED lights around blue trim.
Your Halloween get-together just got a whole lot cooler with these glow in the dark plates. Decorated with classic Halloween icons (Bat, Cat, Spider and Pumpkin) they are crafted from sturdy, kid-friendly melamine.
This organic Halloween-inspired sheet set featuring exclusive Peanuts artwork wil get your little ones in the Halloween spirit. The sets are made of 100% organic cotton percale
The Organic Snoopy & Friends Halloween Sheet Sets retail from $16.50 – $119 depending on size.
My First Halloween Pajamas
Pottery Barn
Dress your little pumpkin in this adorable one-piece. Featuring “My First Halloween” embroidered across the bottom, it’s crafted from 100% cotton to help keep your little one warm and cozy through the night.
Hello Bello always goes over and above to provide families with unique experiences through their bundle boxes. Each bundle comes with 7 packs of diapers and 4 packs of wipes to help get you through the month. July’s bundle is even more special as it turns into an adorable DIY rocket.
The box is equipped with instructions, but Hello Bello also created a video , voiced over by Kristen Bell, showing how the box comes to life right before your eyes. Additionally, Hello Bello is launching a fun collaboration with retired NASA astronaut and artist, Nicole Scott and her Space for Art Foundation.
This isn’t the first time that Hello Bello’s bundle boxes have transformed into a fun plaything. Their May boxes were designed like treasure chests and the November/December boxes turned into fun gingerbread houses.
Gather up all of those little astronauts in training. Students from across the nation will have an opportunity to ask questions of the NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The special Earth-to-space call will air live at 1:10 p.m. ET on Fri., Jun. 19 on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
NASA astronauts Robert Behnken, Christopher Cassidy and Douglas Hurley will answer questions recorded by K-12 students from the Challenger Center’s national network of learning centers. Challenger Center provides more than 250,000 students annually with experiential STEM education programs. Challenger Center President and CEO Lance Bush will give opening remarks via a pre-recorded video. The student question-and-answer session will be the first of its kind with astronauts who arrived at the station on a commercially owned and operated spacecraft.
Cassidy launched to the space station Apr. 9 and currently serves as the commander of Expedition 63. On May 30, Behnken and Hurley became the first NASA astronauts to launch to the station aboard a commercial spacecraft and rocket, lifting off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket as part of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission. Behnken and Hurley joined the Expedition 63 crew after their Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, arrived at the station May 31.
Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides unique, authentic experiences designed to enhance student learning, performance and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Astronauts living in space on the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through the Space Network’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS).
For nearly 20 years, astronauts have been continuously living and working on the space station, testing technologies, performing science and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Through NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon by 2024, with eventual human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.
If the at-home orders have you scrambling for indoor activities, we’ve got easy science experiments you can pull out at a moment’s notice from the comfort of your home. Each kids science experiment reveals air’s invisible power, and (usually) uses what you’ve got in the recycling bin to demonstrate it. Read on to learn how to levitate water, submerge tissues without getting them wet and suck an egg into a jug using only a match.
Keep it Simple
Allison Sutcliffe
Thankfully, science experiments don't have to be super complex or time consuming. These easy-peasy experiments only require a little prep and leave a big impression on tiny minds. Plus, we’re betting most of what you need to test these theories is already lying around your house.
1. Sink or Swim. Instead of bobbing for apples, your tiny tot will make straws dive and surface with a gentle squeeze. The Kids Activities Blog lays out the important deets for this hands-on experiment that uses a two-liter bottle and play dough to fully certify straws as scuba-ready. Take the dive into serious science with this one!
Why it works: Squeezing the bottle increases the air pressure inside the bottle and forces water up into the straw, which makes it heavy enough to sink.
Allison Sutcliffe
2. Blow Their Minds. Bet your cutie a clean room that she can’t blow a rolled up piece of paper towel into an empty bottle. Sounds like a safe bet, right? But thanks to air pressure, the cards are definitely stacked in your favor. To set up the experiment, place an empty two-liter bottle on its side. Ball up the corner of a paper towel that’s about half the size of the bottle’s top and place it just inside the opening then challenge your little scientist to blow the paper towel into the bottle (Trust us, it can’t be done). No matter how hard she tries, she’s not going to win that bet. Learning plus a clean room? We’ll take it!
Why it works: Even though you can’t see it, that bottle is full of air; when you try to blow something into it, there’s just no room.
3. Be Unpredictable. Two balloons, a yardstick, string, and a hairdryer are all you need for this experiment that will keep your mini me guessing. To get things moving in the right direction, blow up the balloons to the same size and then use the string to attach them, a few inches apart, to the yardstick. Once you’re all set up, ask your kidlet what will happen to the balloons when you aim air from the hair dryer between the two balloons. The obvious answer? They’ll be blown apart. But once your wee one takes aim, she’ll see that the balloons are actually pushed together rather than apart. Who knew?
Why it works: Blowing air between the balloons lowers the air pressure and makes the pressure surrounding them higher, pushing them together.
Allison Sutcliffe
4. Levitate Water. You won’t need to incant Wingardium Leviosa with perfect pronunciation to suspend water during this exciting experiment. Start by filling a glass of water about 1/3 full, then cover it with a piece of cardstock. Tip the glass over, keeping the cardstock in place with your hand, and hold the whole shebang over your unsuspecting kidlet’s head (or a sink if you want to do a test run first!). Then slowly let go of the cardstock while your mini me waits excitedly below. Look ma, no splash! The card stays in place and your little guinea pig stays dry.
Why it works: The outside air pressure working against the cardstock is greater than the weight of the water in the glass.
Allison Sutcliffe
5. Grab a Tissue. To be wet or not to be wet is the question answered in this simple experiment full of drama. To set the scene, loosely crumple a tissue so that when you stick it in a small glass and turn it over the tissue doesn’t fall out. Then, have your little lab assistant fill a bowl with water, turn the glass over and submerge it completely (psst… keep the glass parallel to the water to make the experiment work). Ta da! The tissue stays dry even when it’s below the water line.
Why it works: The air pressure inside the glass is strong enough to keep the water out and the tissue dry.
Complicate Matters
Get mom or dad in on the action with these experiments that take a little more time and some helping hands to demonstrate just how powerful air pressure can be.
6. Blast Off. Nothing makes air pressure more tangible than a classic bottle rocket launched on a sunny summer afternoon. You and your sidekick can spend time fashioning a plastic bottle into a space-worthy vessel with a cone top and flamboyant fins on the side. Then, hook it up to the air pump and let her rip! Up, up and away! Science Sparks has simple instructions you can use (and even a cool video!) to make one with your budding scientist.
Why it works: Pumping air into the bottle builds up pressure until you just can’t add any more and all that force sends the rocket flying.
7. Make Eggs Magical. This “look ma, no hands, wires or mirrors” trick will get them every time; an egg being sucked into a jar while your little scientist delightedly looks on is always a hit. To perform this illusory feat, you’ll need a glass jar with an opening just smaller than an egg (think: old school milk jug) and a peeled, boiled egg. When you and your Little have checked these items off your list, it’s time to start the show. Mom or dad should toss a lit match into the glass jar, followed by your mini lab assistant, who’ll quickly set the egg over the opening. Abracadabra! Alakazam! The match dies out; the egg gets (seemingly) inexplicably sucked into the bottle. And just like that you’ve performed another bit of parent magic without breaking a sweat.
Why it works: The match uses up the air inside the bottle. Once that happens the pressure outside the bottle is greater and pushes the egg down into the bottle.
8. Build a Barometer. The invisible air pressure around us is always changing, but try explaining that to the tot lot. We've found a seeing-is-believing DIY barometer experiment to turn the tides for your tiny skeptic. Not only will you reveal ever-changing air pressure, but you can also predict any summer storms heading your way. Get all you need to know about making your own version using a screw-top jar, rubber bands and a straw at Wonderful Engineering.
Why it works: When the air pressure is high, it pushes down on the straw tilting it up, and when it’s low, pressure inside the jar pushes up against the straw pointing it down.
9. Inflate Marshmallows. Put those marshmallows you’re stockpiling for summer s’mores to good use in this DIY vacuum experiment. To make the vacuum, use a hammer and nail to pierce a hole (big enough to fit a straw) into the lid of a screw-top glass jar. Next, stick a straw ever-so-slightly into the hole and seal the edges with play dough or molding clay so there’s no way for the air to get out other than through that straw. Now you’re ready to see what happens to a marshmallow when it’s trapped inside; place the marshmallow in the jar, screw the top back on, and have your mini me take the air out gulp by gulp through the straw (just be sure to cover the straw hole between breaths so no air makes it back in). As the air is removed, the marshmallow expands, like a nightmare vision straight out of Ghostbusters. Who you gonna call?
Why it works: When you use a straw to remove all the air from the jar, there’s no air left working against the marshmallow. Instead, the air trapped inside the marshmallow is able to expand.
10. Pit Balloons Against Bottles. Is your future scientist ready for another challenge? Just like blowing a paper towel into a jug, this science experiment from Steve Spangler Science is oh-so-much harder than it looks. To entice your little experimenter, place an un-inflated balloon into an empty plastic bottle and ask him if he thinks he can blow it up. Easy right? But no matter how hard he tries, that balloon just won’t fill with air! The trick to inflating the balloon is a simple one that takes mom or dad’s helping hand and just like that, what was once impossible becomes possible!
Why it works: At first, the bottle is full of air so there’s no room for the balloon to expand when you try to blow it up. But when you try this experiment after the trick, there’s an escape route for the air inside the bottle, leaving room for the balloon to inflate.
May 27th marks a new era of human spaceflight with American astronauts launching in an American rocket from American soil for the first time since 2011. This monumental flight to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is sure to inspire a new generation of kids interested in space travel. Skechers’ new Space Collection for kids is the perfect way to encourage your little ones’ interest in space and mark the start of this exciting new chapter in American space travel.
This new out of this world collection features NASA’s iconic logos and intergalactic inspired design elements. This is a great way for your little one to show pride for the American space program and support for NASA’s astronauts throughout their stay on the International Space Station.
Skechers Elite Flex – Retro Rocket is a patriotic red, white and blue slip-on with prominent NASA worm logo. The popular Elite Flex style features a soft knit stretch upper, Air Cooled Memory Foam insole and highly flexible comfort midsole. This style is available in kids’ sizes 10.5 through 6.
The Skechers Zaggle – Nebuloid is a casual clog with a water friendly sculpted EVA foam upper, convertible heel strap and colorful space inspired front panel design. Complete with original NASA insignia, astronaut and space shuttle icons, the lightweight, durable and easy to wear kids’ clog is perfect for aspiring astronauts’ summer time adventures. This style is available in kids’ sizes 11-4.
Both pairs are currently available online, with additional Skechers Space Collection styles set to launch throughout the summer and back to school season.
If you are looking for things to do at home with the kids, this list is for you! You can check out all the fun virtual events that your favorite Phoenix-area businesses are bringing to you at home. Create, bake together, get messy with art and more!
Go Under the Sea
Kate Loweth
We know you can’t visit the OdySea Aquarium right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience the wonders of aquatic life, During our temporary shutdown, the aquarium be sharing all kinds of educational content for kids (and adults!) who are at home learning. Find out what the animals are up to with live cams and explore!
Create art projects, join in fun activities and keep the kids busy at home with the i.d.e.a. Museum. With Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday and more, you'll have plenty of things for the kids to do while they are home.
Check out the virtual science center from the Arizona Science Center. Want to watch videos? Or make a volcano or even a rocket? They’ve got you covered. Explore DIY activities, virtual demonstrations, hands-on tutorials and more.
For more virtual fun every day of the week, head to our virtual events calendar. You'll find dance classes, scavenger hunts, animal encounters, drawing classes and MORE!
Chances are, your toddler or baby isn’t ready to start making slime and playing with glitter, but just because your kiddo is young doesn’t mean their minds aren’t primed for imagination. KiwiCo knows that and has developed engaging hands-on projects and activities to spark curiosity and creativity in kids of all ages, keeping kids entertained while spending time indoors.
KiwiCo delivers a craft kit that includes developmentally appropriate projects, inspiration, and activities. The crates are designed by a team of educators, makers, engineers, and rocket scientists (yep, that’s true) to ensure what your little one receives is enriching and entertaining. Every project is tested by kids at each stage of the product development cycle. And the best part? All of the materials are provided in each crate, so no trips to the store to get craft supplies!
Panda Crate was designed for kids ages 0 to 24 months, and is the perfect choice to keep your little one entertained. The Panda Crate kids support young kiddo’s healthy development and lifelong learning, while sparking imagination in the youngest of minds. Each crate is designed to help babies learn by doing what they do best: playing, exploring and interacting with the adults in their lives.
Panda Crate contains stage-specific products, and you can chose the crate that fits your little one’s age. Here are the different crates available:
Bond with Me (newborns – 0-2 months) — Establish a loving connection with your new baby by helping them feel safe and secure. Crate activities include ways to explore the world and help develop cognitive skills.
Count with Me (13 – 18 months) — Your little one is ready to learn about the world by experimenting. The crate helps kids discover cause and effect through repetitive play and master new skills and develop persistence.
Sense with Me (3-6 months) — Your little explorer is ready to roll, as well as sit, crawl and grab). The crate includes toys that play with concepts like over, under and through, which will help teach spatial awareness skills.
Explore with Me (7-12 months) — Engage your toddler’s senses with fun products they can watch, grab, sniff, hear and chew.
Discover with Me (19-24 months) — Help your little one learn academics with activities like sorting objects by size or matching up shapes helps them develop their number sense.
How does Panda Crate work?
To order your Panda Crate, here’s what you need to do:
1. Pick a line based on your kiddo’s age and stage.
2. Panda Crate will be delivered monthly. And your first kit is shipped in two days!
3. Have fun! Watch your kiddo enjoy their create and see their imagination grow as they start exploring immediately.
