Kit Kat is giving 200 fans the opportunity to be one of the first to taste some of the brand’s newest flavor innovations through membership in an exclusive members-only club. The Kit Kat Flavor Club Sweepstakes invites fans to enter, at no cost, for the chance to be selected to join a limited group of Kit Kat insiders who will receive in-development products and club member swag, delivered straight to their doorsteps.

Kit Kat Flavor Club

Sweepstakes entrants who are selected to be club members will receive three kits during the debut year, timed to Fall 2020, Early 2021 and Late Spring 2021. The brand is excited to announce that the first kit will feature the highly anticipated Kit Kat Duos mocha + chocolate before it arrives on shelves nationwide this November.

“We listened to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our recent Kit Kat flavor launches,” said Amy Minderman, director Kit Kat Brand. “It is important for us to hear feedback from our fans, so that we can continue to create flavors they love, so we are thrilled to introduce the Kit Kat Flavor Club!”

In August, the Kit Kat Brand announced the upcoming launch of Kit Kat Duos Mocha + Chocolate featuring a rich mocha flavored creme on the top and silky sweet chocolate on the bottom combined with classic Kit Kat wafers. The brand is excited to give Kit Kat Flavor Club members the first taste of this dynamic flavor combination in October as part of the first kit, before it hits shelves in November.

Kit Kat Flavor Club

Consumers can enter the Sweepstakes for a chance to win a spot in the Kit Kat Flavor Club. Entries will be open for submission Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. ET, and close on Sept. 29 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Members will have the opportunity to share feedback with the brand team over the course of this one-year program, potentially influencing the future of the Kit Kat Brand’s flavor innovation.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Hershey’s

RELATED STORIES

New Reese’s Snack Cakes Cure Mid-Morning Munchies

Reese’s Halloween Makeover Is Truly Electrifying

Kinder Joy Unveils Minions Surprise Toys

HARIBO Releases New Limited Edition Passport Mix

Chips Ahoy! Sour Patch Kids Cookies Are the Perfect Mix of Sour and Sweet

 

Do you have a budding novelist at home? Barnes & Noble, Inc. is pleased to announce its first National Children’s Short Story Contest for young storytellers and promising wordsmiths!

Barnes & Noble is calling on children ages 6-12 to share their original short stories for a chance to be published in a book, as well as receive a signed edition book from bestselling author Gail Carson Levine

girl writing
“We believe in the power of stories to inspire and bring joy, particularly in challenging times such as the one we’re living in now,” said Jackie De Leo, Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of Bookstore at Barnes & Noble. “Our Children’s Short Story Contest was created to be a fun and motivating outlet for young writers to share their work. We can’t wait to see the submissions, and although we can’t share all of them, we’re looking forward to publishing some budding authors in a book to be showcased by Barnes & Noble.”  

Parents or legal guardians can submit the work on the Barnes & Noble website. Fifteen select entrants will be published in a book sold exclusively at Barnes & Noble this holiday season, with proceeds going to charity.

photo: klimkin via Pixabay

The 15 winners and 15 runners-up will also get a signed book from bestselling author Gail Carson Levine, who will be writing a forward to the published book. Both groups will also have the chance to be featured on Barnes & Noble’s social channels

“We’re so thrilled to be partnering with Gail Carson Levine on this project as she is an author and writing teacher who shows kids, and all of us, the magic of stories and storytelling,” De Leo said.

Guidelines for submission are:   

  • Parents or legal guardians can submit an original written or graphic short story on behalf of children ages 6 to 12 from Apr. 27 through Aug. 31 on the Barnes & Noble website.
  • Entries should include the parent or legal guardian’s name, email, and address. Only the child’s first name and age should be provided with your entry.
  • The work must be an original written or graphic story.
  • Suggested word count is 300 to 800 words or four pages of a graphic story (black & white).

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

 

RELATED STORIES

28 Books for Kids About Racism, Inequality & Injustice in America

“The Week Junior” Offers Free Resource for Kids About the Protests

12 Incredible Kids Doing Good Deeds During the Pandemic

 

When the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) rescued an Atlantic dolphin off the coast of Siesta Key, Florida back in July 2019, they had no idea that he would soon become a resident of their facility forever. After being nursed back to health from a severe case of pneumonia, it was determined that the 26-year old dolphin had hearing loss and wasn’t fit to be released back into the wild.

In the months since his recovery, CMA was thrilled to offer residency in their Dolphin Terrace. Not only that, they are asking the public for help in giving him a new name!

Now through Jun. 7, anyone can send in their submission to give the 700-pound dolphin his very own name. All you have to do is visit SeeWinter.com by June 7 and submit your idea!

The soon-to-be named dolphin will join a few famous friends from the Dolphin Tale movies, Winter and Hope. Not only that, his other CMA neighbors will include nurse sharks, sea turtles, otters and pelicans.

––Karly Wood

 

RELATED STORIES

Kristen Bell to Host Two New Special PBS KIDS “Read-Along” Story Times

Bus Drivers Set Up 22 School Buses to Spell “2020” to Honor Graduating Class

7-Year-Old Throws Sweetest Mini Prom for His Babysitter

On National Chocolate Chip Day (May 15) Nestle Toll House is challenging chocolate chip lovers to “Remix the Original.” This contest invites bakers (or pro-level eaters) to share their most creative recipe concepts using Nestle Toll House morsels on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

🚨 Contest alert: Calling all kitchen creatives! It’s time to Remix the Original. We are searching for the most original way to use our Nestle Toll House Morsels. One grand prize winner will have their idea made into a recipe on VeryBestBaking.com and receive a baker’s package including a year’s supply of Nestle Toll House Morsels! To enter, follow the instructions below. 💛 1. Follow @nestletollhouse on Instagram 2. Comment on this post with your original morsel recipe idea with a brief description and ingredients needed. All entry comments must begin with “My contest entry:” 3. Tag a friend 💛 Limit to one entry per person, entries must be contained in a single comment. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C), 18 and older. Entries must be received by 11:59pm ET on 5/20/20. For Official Rules, including how to enter and judging criteria, see our IG highlight or go to this link: https://bit.ly/3cqaUcp

A post shared by Nestle Toll House (@nestletollhouse) on

Nothing is off limits, as long as the recipe is made with Nestle Toll House morsels. 

The eight most creative (and tasty) submissions will face off in a tournament, and then fans will vote to decide who takes the grand prize!

The winning entry will receive a prize box from Nestle Toll House with a year’s supply of morsels, baking gadgets and major bragging rights. The winning concept will also be developed into a recipe by the Nestle Toll House Head Pastry Chef and featured on the Nestle Toll House website.  

The contest will be open for submission starting at 10:00 a.m. ET on National Chocolate Chip Day, May 15, 2020 and will remain open until May 20, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Nestle

RELATED STORIES

Auntie Anne’s Is Selling DIY At-Home Pretzel Kits & We Can’t Wait to Order

Make Your Day a Little Sweeter with a DIY Baskin-Robbins Sundae Kit

These Cinnamon Churros from ALDI Transport You to the Fairground

merci for Moms Photo Sweepstakes Official Rules

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

 

HOW TO ENTER: The Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) will run from 4/27/2020 at 12:00 a.m. PST to 5/10/2020 at 11:59 p.m. PST and will run on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Any entries received after the sweepstakes has closed will not be included in the Sweepstakes. In order to enter the sweepstakes, participants are required to do the following:

 

  • Post a photo of a mom moment you are thankful to have had to a public account on one of the following social platforms: Instagram, Twitter or Facebook AND Include #merciForMomsSweepstakes in the post

 

OR

 

Photographs and videos must be in digital format. Only online entries will be eligible. No print or film submissions will be accepted for entry into this Sweepstakes. Entries are limited to one entry per person per day. Any use of automated or programmed methods of effecting entry is prohibited.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Employees or Sponsor, their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible to win the prize package.

SPONSOR: This Sweepstakes is sponsored by merci (“Sponsor”). Sponsor reserves the right to cancel the Sweepstakes at any time and substitute another promotion in its place. The Sponsor is deemed to be the party providing the prize package for this Sweepstakes. The Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment within 30 days of the winner providing requested mailing information. If winner does not receive prize within 45 days, the winner is to email Red Tricycle for follow up (kenzie@tinybeans.go-vip.net). The winner forgoes any prizes after 180 days without follow up.

 

WINNER SELECTION:  Winner will be selected within 72 hours after the close of the Sweepstakes Period from among all eligible entries received during the Sweepstakes. Winner will be determined at random by a Red Tricycle employee. Winner will be contacted via email from Red Tricycle. Winner will have 24 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected at random from among the remaining eligible entries. A list of winners may be requested at any time by contacting kenzie@tinybeans.go-vip.net. Red Tricycle and merci are not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive winner’s emailed information on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, email being inadvertently flagged as junk or other email form, or at any website or any combination thereof. Every reasonable attempt will be exhausted prior to prize forfeiture and a new winner being selected, including, but not limited to review of all sub-folders and accounts where emails may inadvertently be directed.

 

PRIZES/APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE: Prize is valued as follows: ONE (1) GRAND PRIZE: A year supply of merci Chocolates for winner and a friend. Winner will also receive a $100 Target gift card.  A year supply of merci Chocolates is equivalent to (2) boxes a month. The Grand Prize has an estimated value of $450. Grand prize winner may be required to submit an IRS W9 form.

 

GENERAL: Subject to all federal, state and local laws/regulations. This sweepstakes is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Neither Red Tricycle nor their affiliates will have any liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind caused by any prize or resulting from acceptance, possession, use and/or misuse of any prize or participation in these promotions. By participating in this promotion, entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of Red Tricycle, which are final and binding in all respects. Red Tricycle is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer or in administration of the promotion.

 

INTERNET: Red Tricycle and merci are not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Red Tricycle on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or any combination thereof. If for any reason the promotions are not capable of running as planned for any reason Red Tricycle reserves the right in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes and select the winners by random drawing from among all eligible entries received from all methods combined up to the point of the action taken by the Red Tricycle.

 

SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY REQUIREMENTS & CONDITIONS: By submitting a Sweepstakes Entry, Sweepstakes Entrant warrants and represents that: (a) Sweepstakes Entry does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other legal or moral rights of any person or entity; (b) Sweepstakes Entrant owns all rights to the Sweepstakes Entry, including without limitation, copyrights, and has received prior written permission from a third party if any Submission was photographed or videoed by someone other than the Sweepstakes Entrant him/herself; and (c) Sweepstakes Entrant will indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, Administrator and related entities, agents and assigns from any claims and damages (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or relating to the breach or alleged breach of your representations and warranties herein, the Sweepstakes Entry, or Sweepstakes Entrant’s conduct in creating the Sweepstakes Entry, the acceptance or use of any prize or otherwise in connection with this Sweepstakes.

 

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS/RELEASES: If the photograph or video submission contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the photograph or video, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the photograph or video, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph or video in the manner set forth in these Official Rules without additional compensation. By participating in the Sweepstakes, participants give Sponsor and Red Tricycle the right to share participant’s images, videos and text. Participants acknowledge and agree that the Sponsor may at any time use any entry provided by you for internal business purposes and promotional external media (placement on the sponsor website, inclusion in sponsor social media or email blasts for example) that is directly related to the photo sweepstakes.

 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: By entering this Sweepstakes, all entrants agree to release, discharge, and hold harmless Sponsor from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of their participation in this Sweepstakes or any Sweepstakes-related activities and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any prize awarded hereunder. Red Tricycle assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, or delay in operation or transmission; communications line failure; theft or destruction of or unauthorized access to Sweepstakes entries or entry forms; or alteration of entries or entry forms. Sponsor is not responsible for any problems with or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, human errors of any kind, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrants’ or any other persons’ computers related to or resulting from participation, uploading or downloading of any materials related to in this Sweepstakes.

 

RIGHT TO CANCEL OR SUSPEND SWEEPSTAKES: If for any reason the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, trojan horses, denial of service attacks, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsor that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual(s) who tamper with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Sweepstakes.

AMENDMENT: Any and all rules and regulations stated within, may be amended for a specific Sweepstakes to be in compliance with the rules and regulations of a specific Sponsor. Any amendment of rules and regulations will be stated in the Sweepstakes post.

PRIVACY POLICY/DATA COLLECTION: Information provided by you for this Sweepstakes is subject to Administrator’s privacy policy located at https://tinybeans.com/privacy-policy/ (“Privacy Policy”)

 

 

Photo: Jack Weerts

As a child, I longed to own a set of World Book Encyclopedias so I wouldn’t have to beg my mother to drive me to the local library whenever I was assigned a school report. I imagined the ease of doing research in my very own home. Over the years, encyclopedia salesmen in felt fedoras and suspenders came calling at our house. I’d listen in on the conversation between the screen door as my mother kindly said, “We’ll think about it,” knowing full well that meant NO. Why have something that takes up so much space and costs so much money when you can borrow it for free?

But the encyclopedia salesmen all did something that forever changed the trajectory of my academic knowledge. So that my mother had something to ponder and peruse, they each gave her the “A” volume to try out. “No obligation to buy and you can keep it even if you determine you don’t want the rest,” they’d promise.

That’s how my family came to own the ‘A’ of Encyclopedia Brittanica, Colliers Book ‘A’ and the ‘A’ volume of World Book Encyclopedia, which meant that when my 4th-grade teacher assigned animal reports, I did mine on the aardvark. When my 7th-grade teacher’s fall project was countries of the world, I chose Argentina. Throughout my childhood, I did reports on the Amazon, Arizona, Agamemnon, Anteaters, Abigail Adams, Arches National Park, Jane Austen, Argon, and Attila the Hun.

Of course, I often needed more than one source, so I still had to spend time thumbing through card catalogs and wandering the stacks in a quest to follow the trail of the Dewey decimal system. But those encyclopedias always got me started in my quest for the quickest report.

Today, however, access to information is too easy. If I can’t recall the habitat of the aardvark in casual conversation, it’s available in seconds on my smartphone. When my children ask a question that I can’t immediately answer, I say “look it up” and they do. Then and there. I don’t have to say, “Let’s look that up when we get home,” or “Hold that thought until Tuesday when we should have time to swing by the library.”

Now, while we’re driving through Yosemite, we can investigate the history of Half Dome from the safety of our car. No need to read the plaque at the crowded viewpoint by the side of the road. While we’re hiking along the cliffs, we can determine the height of Bridal Veil falls and know within seconds the amount of water that has cascaded over the cliff since the last snowstorm while someone else in our party looks up the visual differences between poison oak and poison ivy as we attempt to stay on the beaten path. That is, of course, if I would let them take their phones out and would stop preaching about being present and pointing out the people who are about to walk off a precipice while checking their email or taking selfies on moss-covered rocks over a dangerous crevasse.

But that is a different story.

When my now college kids first began using computers for elementary school projects, we had to remind them to fact check. Wikipedia can be wrong. But Wikipedia was then the main place where tricks were played with on-line information. Lately, we all have to be careful as we sift through articles, considering sources and their biases or motivations behind downright lies. It’s said that the main way to tell if something is real is if it is publically available on several different sources, which means that, while we may now have the ease I always dreamt of with access to research materials available in our own homes, the work is in many ways more difficult.

Different online sites often repeat the same information verbatim and it is tricky to find the original source and to know if it is accurate. Access to information today means too there is a massive amount of material floating in the cloud of infinite capacity. Top sites can have been boosted with ad dollars. I am less trusting and less certain of the facts I grew up believing as new information surfaces. Are these “facts” for real? Unfortunately, our children are having to learn through their academically formative high school and college years that dark forces lurk in the world of information.

Adding to the challenge that technology has presented us, students often use submission programs like Turn-it-in.com. It is a great way for teachers to check for plagiarism, but now portions of the report my daughter wrote on the Revolutionary War in AP US History four years ago can’t even be used in her college history class because she’d be plagiarizing herself. Seriously! If you have a unique idea on the writings of Thomas Paine and you describe your notion brilliantly when you’re 18 and then incorporate your own thought into a paper when you are 20, you can go to campus court for self-plagiarization.

Our children already have enough stress in their lives but they, like us, now have to navigate all the false information being planted by foreign operatives and others into our newsfeeds and likely into seemingly authentic sources. I hear students complain, “No one really knows what is legit anymore.” It is true for all thinking people these days, I fear.

Sometimes I wish a salesman would come to the door and I could reduce their stress with a full 22-volume set of World Book Encyclopedias.

I often return to the wisdom learned in my 6th-grade report on Aristotle, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” I tell my children to listen to ideas from all sorts of people but filter carefully. It is healthy to question and to be aware, yet I know it can’t be good for our souls to so often doubt veracity.

Suzanne Weerts is a producer, writer and storyteller who shares tales from her life on stages across Southern California. The mother of two young adults, she does a lot of yoga, eats a lot of chocolate and drinks her fair share of wine in a quest for calm.

 

We’ve all had to pivot in the past few weeks in an effort to keep up with the ever-evolving health guidelines. As most communities are now sheltering in place, the impact on local business is most significant. Here at Red Tricycle, we’ve been pivoting ourselves, and trying to figure out how to best support the local businesses that have been near and dear to our hearts for over a decade. Here’s where we’re at today:

  1. We’ve tweaked our calendar to now support virtual events. If you are hosting any classes, camps or entertainment either on your website or Facebook, you can submit your event via our virtual event submission page and we will publish and promote it ASAP.
  2. We’re encouraging all readers to support local businesses by shopping online, either for merchandise, a gift card or a membership. If you offer any of these shopping opportunities, please submit your info to our online business support page and we will promote your business through various channels including our website, newsletters and social media.
  3. We’re trying to gauge how small business owners are feeling about their business and the economy. Will you take this 4-question survey? Will will share results with all respondents.
  4. We’ve put together a list of financial resources for small businesses, from the SBA, to IRS and Facebook’s small business grants.
  5. We started a closed Facebook Group for family-friendly businesses and event leaders.  We’re brainstorming, collaborating, sharing marketing tips, and helping each other get through this challenging time. If you would like to connect, please join us here.

Thanks and feel free to email us directly with thoughts or concerns. 

 

 

 

Product Hunt allows users to share and discover new products. Over the past few years, they have put on Makers Festivals to encourage makers to build and launch products in a short period of time. A new online festival has just been announced and it is open to people from all backgrounds from all over the world. 

person on tablet

With so many people working from home, Product Hunt thought it would be a good time to host a global work from home festival that could benefit coronavirus relief efforts. Many products exist or have been created in order to make lives easier during this time. They even launched their own Product Hunt Merch shop last week focused on WHO’s COVID-19 response fund. 

Now, Product Hunt wants makers to do the same. The call is out for the development of products geared towards assisting people at this time, from self-care to tools aimed towards healthcare workers on the front lines. Makers can work alone or in remote teams. Projects are not limited to a certain platform and they would like to see both no-code and code-based initiatives. 

According to the rules posted on the website, products must be built within the period of the Makers Festival. Registration has started and continues through until Apr. 1 at 11 p.m. PT. All products must be submitted by Apr. 16 at 11 p.m. PT.

Voting will be open from Apr. 20 – Apr. 24. Entries will rated based on a combination of popularity within the online community and judging from the Product Hunt team. Winners will be announced on April 28.

Check the submission guidelines for more details. 

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: bongkarn thanyakij from Pexels

RELATED STORIES

Some Restaurant Chains Announcing Free Delivery Amid Dining Room Closures

Yoga and Exercise Videos That Will Get Your Kids on Their Feet

Travel Plans Cancelled? Take a Virtual Vacation

Calling all cutie pies! The search for the next Gerber baby is on! Your little one could be selected as the company’s next “spokesbaby.”

From Feb. 5 to Feb. 21, parents or legal guardians of children from birth to 48 months are encouraged to submit their little one’s photo and story on Gerber’s online submission portal for a chance to have their child serve as a Gerber ambassador for the year.  

Gerber Baby Search

“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary of Photo Search, we’re extremely proud to look back on all of the babies that we’ve celebrated and to continue Gerber’s long-standing heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby,” said Gerber President and CEO Bill Partyka. “We always strive to make each year of Photo Search bigger and better than the last, and we encourage families all over the country to submit their little ones for a chance to be a part of this special year with us.”  

Launched a decade ago, Photo Search was inspired by countless photos sent by parents who see their little one in Gerber’s iconic baby logo. Photo Search celebrates babies from all backgrounds and the promise to do “Anything for Baby”. 

For 2020, Gerber has updated its Photo Search entry process to allow you to include photos and videos of your little one and to share stories about your family. To enter your child in the 2020 Photo Search and to read the official entry rules, visit Gerber’s online submission portal.

—Jennifer Swartvagher  

Featured Photo: Gerber via Instagram

RELATED STORIES

Parenting Trends You’ll See Everywhere in 2020

10 Top Picks for Play Mats and Baby Gyms

The Latest & Greatest (and Safest) Baby Monitors