Nostalgia alert! Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots are making a comeback—on the big screen.
The beloved childhood game is back and battling again. Instead of battling on your kitchen table, these robots are duking it out in a new feature film.
photo courtesy of Businesswire
The live-action adventure is a collab between Mattel Films, Universal Pictures and Vin Diesel’s One Race Films. Not only is Vin Diesel’s production company bringing the battling bots to life, the actor is starring in the flick.
Diesel said in a press release, “To take the classic Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em game, with Mattel as my partner, and align it with the kind of world building, franchise making success we have had with Universal, is truly exciting.”
Robbie Brenner, executive producer of Mattel Films added, “We are proud to bring this iconic piece of Mattel IP to life on the big screen with our tremendously talented partners Vin Diesel, One Race Films and Universal.”
Currently, there is no release date for the film, but stay tuned.
Out of the ordinary, strange, unprecedented…However you say it, the last year has been a whirlwind for parents. With these added challenges, moms have shown the world just how extraordinary they are. From balancing at-home learning to taking care of others to helping their communities, so many moms are creating a better story for themselves and for everyone who relies on them.
To celebrate the remarkable power of moms and inspire moms everywhere, we’ve teamed up with Once Upon a Farm, an organic children’s nutrition company co-founded by Jennifer Garner, for our A Better Story Starts Here Contest. Now through March 31st, tell us about a mom who is creating a better story for themselves, their family or their community for a chance to win! We’ll select five honorees who will be featured on the Red Tricycle website and will receive a one-year subscription from Once Upon a Farm, along with a $100 Visa gift card! For each submission received, we’re also giving back to Save the Children—a non-profit organization helping kids grow up healthy, educated and safe across rural America. Red Tricycle is donating $1* and Once Upon a Farm is donating 10 pouches** to support families across the country.
The entry period for this contest has ended. Stay tuned for the winners! Official rules available here.
Walt Disney World Resort is turning the big 5-0—and there’s plenty of bday magic for the whole fam to enjoy!
Get ready for “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” at the Florida resort. Starting Oct. 1, 2021 guests can enjoy new experiences in the resort’s four theme parks. Along with the all-new experience awesomeness, the Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park will get a royal makeover. Look for new gold bunting, gold embellishments and more.
photo: Courtesy of Disney/Matt Stroshane
At night the Cinderella Castle will transform into one of the resort’s new Beacons of Magic, glowing with a radiant light display. Other resort landmarks, such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park’s Tree of Life, EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth and Disney’s Hollywood Studios’s Hollywood Tower Hotel will also glow as Beacons of Magic during the 50th anniversary celebration.
The Cinderella Castle isn’t the only fave park fixture to get an anniversary upgrade. Mickey and Minnie are also getting a sparkling makeover. The iconic pair will sport custom-made looks in EARidescent fabric with shining gold highlights.
“The World’s Most Magical Celebration” kicks off Oct. 1 and will last for the following 18 months. Stay tuned for more details about the resort’s plans or visit DisneyWorld.com/50 for future information.
As a brand, Nike has always been a forerunner of innovation. In 2015, the company launched the first products in its FlyEase line that was largely inspired by teenager Matthew Walzer who was seeking an easy way to put on shoes.
Now the collection is expanding not only with a new style, but one that is completely hands off. So how does the new Nike GO FlyEase work? Check out the amazing video below.
Nike uses a bi-stable hinge that allows the shoe to be secure in fully open and fully closed states. The shoe also used a signature Nike GO FlyEase tensioner which uses the motion of kicking off a shoe to redefine function.
The innovative new footwear is perfect for athletes, people on the go and especially moms who have their hands full. The initial launch comes in three colorways: white, Celestine Blue and Volt, black, Dynamic Turquoise and Hyper Crimson, and black, Anthracite and Racer Blue.
For now, the Nike GO FlyEase shoes will only be available by invite for select Nike Members, but the brand will roll out to the general public within the year. Stay tuned for pricing and availability.
SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog is coming to a LEGO shop near you! LEGO Ideas has announced that a concept design submitted by 24 year-old, UK-based LEGO super fan Viv Grannell will soon be brought to life for fans all over the world.
LEGO Ideas is an initiative that helps take new ideas that are then voted on by fans with the hope of them being turned into real-life bricks. Grannell took inspiration from SEGA’s platformer experience Sonic Mania™, and incorporates characters and environments from the game’s Green Hill Zone level.
photo: LEGO
The Sonic Mania Green Hill Zone LEGO Ideas® design first goes into the product development phase in partnership with SEGA® and after finalization, will be available worldwide. The set is the perfect representation of Sonic the Hedgehog and comes as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary this June.
Stay tuned for more details, including release dates and pricing.
Can you believe it? 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of The Wiggles, the world’s most popular children’s entertainment band. To kick off the year-long celebration, The Wiggles are releasing a new video focused on diversity and inclusion entitled, We’re All Fruit Salad.
The new song honors the legacy of The Wiggles greatest hit Fruit Salad with a nod to today’s social climate. The song delivers a message of unity, respect, appreciation and acceptance. Several of The Wiggles celebrity friends, including Lou Diamond Phillips and stars from the Broadway smash “Ain’t Too Proud-The Life and Times of The Temptations” are featured singing in the video.
“If you want to see a room light up, watch what happens when children start singing. It’s a joy that spreads through young and old. It has been a real adventure over the last thirty years, and we hope to be having this much fun for at least another 30 years to come! 2021 marks a very important moment for us and we cannot wait to celebrate this milestone with all our fans, young and young-at-heart,” said Anthony Field, Blue Wiggle.
Over the past 30 years, The Wiggles have been a fixture in many homes, entertaining and educating children and families all over the world. Generations of fans that grew up watching are sharing their love of The Wiggles with their own children.
“Thank you to our Wiggly fans all around the world for listening to our music on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services. We’re looking forward to sharing lots of exciting new Wiggly tunes with you over the year ahead!” said Lachy Gillespie, Purple Wiggle.
Stay tuned as more 30th year celebration collaborations and activations are revealed throughout 2021.
It feels like eons since we’ve seen Chip and JoJo grace the silver screen, but with the launch of new streaming platform Discovery+, they’re officially back! Debuting on Jan. 4, the platform is now streaming several of the upcoming shows from Magnolia Network, that will debut later this year, and has all the Gaines goodies you could ask for.
The “Magnolia Network Preview” is currently showing advanced episodes of Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines and the new Fixer Upper: Welcome Home. The rebooted DIY fan fave is set to debut on Fri., Jan. 29, with a new episode airing each Friday through Feb. 19.
In a blog post by Chip, he writes “This past year, we have poured our hearts into content and programming for Magnolia Network. Searching for stories we believe the world needs to hear. Stories that bring us together, that let us see things in a whole new light. Stories that connect us to our roots, and to one another. And for Jo and me, it dawned on us that we wanted to be a part of this lineup with a new season of Fixer Upper.”
You can expect more of what you’ve come to love from Fixer Upper, including Demo Day, ham sandwiches, shiplap and a look into the Gaines family as they change homeowners’ lives. Get a trial of Discovery+ and stay tuned for the official launch date of The Magnolia Network later this year.
Heading into the new year, people could use a little extra encouragement, extra energy and extra excitement. Dunkin’ is taking charge, brewing the extra boost everyone needs to tackle 2021 and get things done. Dunkin’ today announced the addition of Extra Charged Coffee to its menu, packing 20% more caffeine than Dunkin’s classic Hot and Iced Coffee, while delivering the same great taste.
Dunkin’ Midnight: New Dunkin’ Midnight is the brand’s darkest roast ever, featuring a rich, smooth, full-bodied flavor, rounded out with notes of decadent cocoa and an intensely dark finish. Dunkin’ Midnight joins the beloved Original Blend and Dunkin’ Decaf as a permanent addition to the brand’s coffee lineup.
Explorer Batch: The first coffee blend to be introduced as part of Dunkin’s new Limited Batch Series, Explorer Batch is a medium roast featuring dark berry notes, rounded out with a smoky finish. To craft its unique Explorer Batch, Dunkin’ sourced beans from four highly regarded coffee regions, including Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Sumatra. Explorer Batch will be available for a limited time, with new Limited Batch Series coffees to be introduced throughout the year.
Available at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide beginning Dec. 30, Extra Charged Coffee, served hot or iced, features green coffee extract that gives coffee drinkers an extra boost with 20% more caffeine. For an extra incentive to try the brand’s buzziest new beverage, Dunkin’ will be offering Medium Extra Charged Coffee for $2 through Jan. 26.
“Since opening our doors more than 70 years ago, Dunkin’ has served a superior cup of coffee. Now, for the first time in our history, we’re offering the boldest and most diverse assortment of blends and customization options to fuel a new era of coffee at Dunkin’,” said Jill Nelson, Vice President, Marketing & Culinary at Dunkin’. “From the darkest roast in our portfolio to the most caffeinated hot and iced coffee varieties, we are more committed than ever to keeping Americans running on Dunkin’ in 2021.”
In a new year filled with new brews, coffee lovers can find the perfect Dunkin’ drink to match their mood, and perhaps, a little something extra. From Dec. 30 through Jan. 31, the My Dunkin’ Mood Quiz will ask questions that help gauge guests’ vibes, and then recommend one of the brand’s coffee beverages that can best fuel them through the day. Everyone who participates can enter to win one of five amazing prizes, including Dunkin’ coffee for a year, $5,000 in cash, and more.
Dunkin’ will continue to surprise fans with a little something extra throughout the month of January, so they should stay tuned for updates on the Dunkin’ App and the brand’s social channels.
To bring a little sweetness to help ring in the New Year, Dunkin’ has a fun new donut to pair with its new coffee options. The new Dunkfetti Donut features a cake donut ring with special celebration confetti sprinkles baked within, and topped with a sweet glaze. For more information about this new limited time donut and other snacks being served at Dunkin’ in January, including a Gluten-Free Fudge Brownie and Croissant Stuffers, please see here.
You’re so busy preparing for the physical needs of your soon-to-arrive baby, it’s easy to forget that finding a pediatrician is something that may take some time and effort. And it should be done before baby arrives. To make things easier on you, we’ve simplified the process to six easy steps below.
Step 1: Determine what factors are important to you in a pediatrician.
Things you may want to think about are:
Location
How many physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners are in the practice
Ease of making/getting appointments
Experience levels of the staff
Regular business hours and after-hours care
If there are separate waiting rooms for sick kids and well visits
Their philosophy of care
Where they have hospital privileges
How they prefer to communicate with you
Step 2: Check your insurance to see which providers are in network.
It’s helpful to get a basic idea of which providers are available to you through your insurance. Sometimes, it’s worth it to pay more out of pocket for an out-of-network provider. That, of course, depends on your insurance plan. Give your insurance a call to find out the low-down on what your financial obligation will be for both in- and out-of-network options.
photo: iStock
Step 3: Ask your friends for recommendations.
Your friends’ personal experiences with their providers is always a great step toward getting narrowing down what may be a good fit for your family. Ask your buddies about both positive and negative experiences they’ve had with their pediatrician’s practice. One additional step is to join a parents group on social media for your local area and ask them for feedback. Parents love to share their experiences with important team members like pediatricians. And you are sure to find the honest scoop on providers in your area when asked. You will probably notice that several physicians get repeated mentions as providers that are amazing or those who fall short of the mark. Check these physicians against your insurance list to get an idea of where to go from there.
Step 4: Interview pediatricians over the phone.
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of pediatricians, review their websites and schedule an interview to discuss the factors above. While this may be more difficult to do with COVID-19 restrictions in place, it’s not impossible. If the pediatrician is not available, ask to speak with a physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner or nurse. In every other area of our lives we talk to the people “doing the work.” So talking to your prospective provider should be no different. Even if they are a busy, thriving practice (which can be a good sign), they should be able to spend 5 minutes telling you about their practice before you give them your business.
While you are chatting with the pediatrician’s office, verify they are accepting your insurance and new patients. Your insurance website may not be up to date and it can be very frustrating to find a perfect fit, only to realize the office no longer takes your insurance or isn’t accepting new patients.
Step 6: Make your choice & set it up.
Now that you’ve gotten the scoop on the pediatrician’s offices in your area, you are now ready to choose the lucky practice that will partner with you in your baby’s health! Let them know that you would like to have them as your provider as soon as your little one arrives and ask them if there is any paperwork you need to fill out prior to that. Find out their protocol once your baby is born now—how soon they will want to see your baby after birth and when you should call to make your first appointment.
Congratulations! You can now check off one more thing on your “must do” list for welcoming your sweet bundle and get back to choosing diapers, bottles and other baby essentials. Stay tuned for our second article on important questions to ask during your first pediatrician appointment.
Much of the world has slowed down over the last year, but the Imagineers at EPCOT have used this time to make some big changes. One of the first to be revealed is the eye catching fountain that stands in front of Spaceship Earth.
The acrylic structure stands where the original fountain did in 1982, welcoming guests to the magic of EPCOT. The reimagined fountain took inspiration from the geometry of the original, while adding a light at the center of the liquid-cooled fixture to go with the changing colors.
The fountain is made of three 16-foot acrylic pylons with the park’s logo and immediately draws your eye upward toward the sky and Spaceship Earth. Imagineers hail the fountain as the centerpiece of EPCOT’s entrance plaza.
Stay tuned for even more changes coming to the park as EPCOT continues to make more magical transformations in the months ahead.
