Getting a holiday picture with Santa is a Christmas tradition, and while many families walk away with a picture-perfect shot, there are just as many who end up with a major Santa fail. Until they get older, tons of littles find the big man in red terrifying––and these photos prove it. From crying babies to getting Mrs. Claus in on the action, keep scrolling to see some hilarious Santa photo fails that’ll keep you laughing the entire holiday season.

1. The fingers tell it all.

2. If I contort myself, I just might get away.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Jtgl7AzW8/

3. Double NOPE.

4. The weather outside is frightful…

5. Hittin’ the ground running.

6. Not impressed with the cookies, Santa.

 

 

7. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

 

8. “Other duties as assigned.”

 

9. This Santa looks like he’s fresh off the set of Stranger Things

 

10. Little Suzie desperately tries to dab her way out of danger.

 

11. Everyone’s had it.

 

12. ‘Twas a holiday standoff, and all through the house…

 

13. It could almost be a Renaissance painting, if it wasn’t so funny.

 

14. “Get. Me. OUTTA HERE!”

 

15. 👀

 

16. It almost looks like they’re singing.

 

17. Dubious.

 

18. Older sis, living her best life.

 

19. “Come ON. If we don’t sit on his lap, we don’t get a TOY!”

 

20. An official tradition!

 

21. Little Timmy never liked the color purple.

 

22. Santa with that QB grip looking for his wide receiver.

 

23. Activate: meltdown mode.

 

 

24. There is no middle ground in the game of thrones.

 

25. “I think we’re done here.”

 

26. The eyes say it all…

Source: Laura Green for Red Tricycle

27. Who dis?!

28. Horrifying. We’d be scared too, little one!

29. Double your pleasure, double your fun.

30. Glo-oooo-ooooo-ria!

 

Happy holidays—and good luck out there, parents.

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: Beach House Photography via Instagram.

 

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Parents of little ones, be sure to check your toy box because there’s been a recall of the Sophie la Giraffe Bead Maze. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the wooden triangle shape piece fails to meet the mandatory federal standard for small parts, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Sophie The Giraffe Recall

The recall includes a round wood-based bead maze toy in the shape of the Eiffel Tower with a Sophie giraffe figure and three wooden shapes:  Orange triangle, red heart and green star, that sort into the wood base. The gray Eiffel Tower stands 8 inches tall on a green circular base measuring 6 3/4 inches in diameter.  This recall involves the following batch numbers:

Recalled Batch Numbers:

9321/J09504/022019

9474/J09504/042019

9549/J09504/052019

The batch number is found on the bottom of the base of the packaging above the barcode.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Sophie la Giraffe Bead Maze toy and check the bottom of the toy for the recalled batch numbers.  If the toy matches the recalled batch numbers, consumers should destroy the triangle piece and contact Juratoys to receive a free replacement triangle piece.

This toy was sold at specialty toy and gift stores nationwide from February 2019 to November 2019 for about $25.

—Jennifer Swartvagher  

Featured photo: Janod

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It takes more than, “I think I can” to make your little believers fly; they’re also going to need a little pixie dust. But where to get it? Follow this simple step-by-step DIY pixie dust recipe and your kids will be Neverland-bound in no time.  

pixiedust-supplies

What You’ll Need

Glitter (at least two different kinds)

Mixing bowl

Spoon for mixing

Vials for holding pixie dust (available here, or at your local craft store)

Labels

Baby powder, if you plan on sprinkling your dust outside (see last step)

Step 1: Pour in the sparkles

Let your little Peter Pans or Wendys pick and pour their glitter into a medium to large-sized bowl (bigger bowl = less mess). Fine glitter works best for pixie dust, but you can toss in different grains to add dimension (and sparkle!) to your finished product. Note: Keep your glitter away from carpets or furniture; it takes some real magic to get sparkles out of fabrics.  

 

pixiedustbottle-step1
pixiedustbottle-step2

 Step 2: Spoon Into Vials

What vials, you ask? Amazon and Etsy sell multitudes of magical-looking tiny glass bottles (some even have attached loops to turn your vials into necklaces!) perfect for pixie dust. If this is a last-minute sort of project and you don’t have time to order in advance, look in the jewelry section of your local craft store to find small bead containers. Even better? Just look around your house: Old salt and pepper shakers work great — just dab some glue over the holes if you don’t want glitter all over everything, or tell your tiny Tinkerbell to keep her sparkle-spreading strictly outside.

pixiedustbottle-step4

Step 3: Slap a Label on It!

Once your jar is filled and closed, let your kids make a special label for it. Don’t skip this step: This is what turns a simple jar of glitter into a magical vessel of super-special fairy dust.

pixiedust-label

Step 4: Enjoy!

Let your kiddos keep their pixie dust in a special place — or make it into a necklace by twisting tiny eye screws into your bottle corks.

  

pixie dust label

Step 5: Want Something Flashier? 

If your spell-casters want to throw their pixie dust instead of bottling it up, simply add equal amounts of baby powder to glitter — then take it outside and toss it by the handful. Kids will love seeing their pixie dust go POOF as the glitter falls to the ground. (Note: This version doesn’t look as pretty in a bottle, so it’s best to keep it for tossing.)

pixiedust-step3

 

All photos: Melissa Heckscher

 

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diy pixie dust

 

If you’ve only used your high chair for meals, get ready to knock your parenting game up a notch. With these easy ideas for high chair activities, your baby will be safely contained and entertained, giving you a chance to whip up dinner, make a quick call, do some cleaning, or finish your own meal.

Stirring the Senses

Bradley Gordon via Flickr

Sometimes, around-the-house items like a wooden spoon or spatula can serve as the best toys or distractions for baby. Hand one over while you're cooking and let baby chew, touch and bang to their heart's content.

 

Magnetic Magic

torbakhopper via Flickr

Place a small metal pan and a handful of magnetic letters, shapes or animals on your child's high chair to keep baby busy with sliding and touching the different shapes. Choose large items with securely affixed magnets to avoid a choking hazard. If the pan goes crashing down from the high chair, the magnets should keep the items from going flying. 

Flour Power

Amberlei Hellewell via Flickr

In the middle of baking? Let baby get involved by sprinkling a bit of flour on the high-chair tray for them to push around...and probably get all over themselves.

Banish Boredom with Beads

This classic wooden-bead maze toy, the Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze ($13.99), comes with attached suction cups that make it perfect for high chairs. (Bonus: You can tote it to restaurants to keep babe entertained before the food comes.)

Musical Chair

Dano via Flickr

Turn off the tunes and let your little one make the music instead. Tiny maracas, cymbals or a xylophone are all great ways for baby to shake or bang out a catchy beat from the comfort of the high chair.

Golden Globe

Hello Bee

Who isn't mesmerized by a snow globe or its DIY equivalent? Fill a water bottle with water or oil, glitter and small items such as shells, buttons or beads to create your own baby-safe snow globe or sensory bottle.

It's in the Bag

Can Do Kiddo

Unleash your baby's inner Picasso with mess-free painting. Slip a piece of construction paper into a resealable bag, squeeze in a few drops of paint, and seal it up. Tape it to the high chair's tray and watch the masterpiece come to life.

Turn on the Water Works

The Imagination Tree

If baby's high chair has a tray with a tall lip, you have the perfect spot for baby to splish and splash. Take a cue from Chasing Cheerios and add a drop of food coloring to up the fun factor. Note: This will get messy. Put on the right bib (check out our favorite bibs for every occasion) and maybe save this idea for a warm day when you can park the high chair outside. Or a day when you'd planned to clean your floor.

Pipe Play

elizabeth weislak via Flickr

To keep baby's brain and hands active, reach for a handful of pipe cleaners and an empty water bottle (for older babies) or a wide-mouthed plastic jar (for younger ones). First, twist pipe cleaners in half to soften pointy ends. Then, show baby how to fit the cleaners into the bottle or jar and watch those motor skills grow.

Stick With It

Chasing Cheerios

For the DIY-inclined, this Velcro board is a great way to keep baby's hands busy. To make this board, the Chasing Cheerios blog advises that you sand a wooden board, then affix strips of sticky-backed Velcro to it. Cut smaller pieces of Velcro to affix to blocks or other small toys. Your little one can attach the different items to the board and explore that satisfying telltale Velcro sound when they pull them off. Velcro will also help keep the toys on the high chair tray.

Do you have any tips for keeping babies entertained in their high chair? Share them in the comment section below. 

— Suzanna Logan

Looking for a fun, inexpensive robot craft, no-batteries-required? We’ve got three! You don’t need to be a master coder or electronics guru to pull off these no-tech robots for kids of all ages. Just scroll down to build a robot. Or, beep boop, beep, beep, boop!

1. Paper Robot Glider

Former elementary school teacher and mom of two Chelsey—who blogs at Buggy and Buddy—posted a neat paper robot glider that’s super-easy and fun to make. She even included a free, printable robot template, but you can easily create your own robot design to suit your tastes.

What you’ll need:

  • A basic robot design printed on heavy card stock
  • String (we used parachute cord that was purchased from a craft store)
  • Pony beads
  • Drinking straw
  • Scotch tape
  • Markers and/or crayons

Have your mini-robotics expert color and design her robot on the paper template.

Cut out the robot design.

Cut the drinking straw into approximately one-and-a-half inch lengths, then tape the straw pieces to the back of the paper robot.

Hang the cord over a door knob, then thread both ends through the straws. Secure the ends of the cord with a pony bead so the paper robot doesn’t slide all the way through.

Hold the ends of the cord in each hand, pull the cord, then voilà! The paper robot glides up and down.

2. Button Robot Hangers

Whether your kiddo use these button robot hangers on their backpacks or as ornaments, they are cute and easy to make.

What you’ll need:

  • Assorted buttons
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue

Select buttons that can serve as a robot’s head, body, arms and feet, then arranged the pieces to see what they might look like.

Thread a pipe cleaner through the button holes, starting with the head, then moving down to the body, then finishing with the robot’s feet.

Add another pipe cleaner for the robot’s arms, then thread the pipe cleaner through the button holes of the arms.

Glue on googly eyes, position your robot’s arms and legs, then your button robot is complete!

3. Robot Self Portrait

What you’ll need:

  • Perler bead kit
  • Mini-canvas
  • Paint
  • Glue

Have your robot designer create a robot self-portrait using Perler beads, then fuse the beads with an iron per the instructions provided by Perler.

Paint the mini-canvas, then glue the completed, fused robot portrait to the mini-canvas.

Display your robot designer’s robot self-portrait!

What are your favorite robot projects? Tell us in the comments below!

—Kipp Jarecke-Cheng

Don’t be scared by the peak temperatures — it’s prime time for fun. Distract your little one from the heat with cool-to-the-touch sensory bags. Make them yourself with stuff around the house, from frozen peas to hair gel. Scroll down for the ideas, and get your fridge ready!

Super Chilly Water Bead Bag
Ice cubes can be too intense and slippery for tiny hands to handle, so introduce your babe to this chilly water bead bag. Each bead maintains its shape without turning the bag into a block of ice. Click over to Familylicious for the tutorial.

Photo courtesy of Familylicious

Frozen Peas Sensory Bag
Here’s a chance for your explorer to experience a cold mess without any mushy cleanup! Let him or her poke, prod and mash frozen peas for endless fun. Whether they use their fingers or a rolling pin, the feeling of popping frosty peas will make them giggle with delight. Get the How-To at A Little Pinch of Perfect.

Photo by Katie Pinch of A Little Pinch of Perfect

Sparkle Shine Sensory Bag
Your little snowball isn’t going to be able to keep hands off this wintry, iridescent bag. The crisp snow crunching in their small palms will make them forget all about the humidity. Find out how to make summertime snow from Growing a Jeweled Rose here.

Photo courtesy of Growing a Jeweled Rose

DIY Cooling Sensory Bag
Make your own cooling sensory bag to help beat the heat. Fill a ziplock bag with all kinds of knickknacks, knowing that none of them will end up in your infant’s mouth. Then squirt in some hair gel, and throw the bag into the fridge for a few hours. Violá! Learn the tricks to making a foolproof sensory bag over at Plain Vanilla Mom.

 Photo courtesy of Jen Haas


Giant Outdoor Water Sensory Bed
Looking for a sensory experience that engages the entire body? If you’re planning to spend all days outdoors, or have a party with playgroup friends, this gigantic water bed could be the answer to helping your little swimmers beat the heat. If you have a really young one, make it on a smaller scale, like a private island for your infant. Check out the leak-proof tutorial from Homemade Toast.

 Photo credit: heartbroken_stupid via Imgur


Watermelon Sensory Bag
Riff on your favorite cold and crisp summertime fruit. Grab a ziplock bag, hair gel, some red food coloring and watermelon seeds (or black beans) and swirl it all together. Use green tape to seal the edges and then toss it in the fridge to keep it cold. Instead of playing with real food, they can now push at these seeds until the sun goes down. What an awesome idea from Fantastic Fun and Learning!

Photo credit: Fantastic Fun and Learning


Ice Cream in a Bag
Got an older kiddo that can really shake and a wee one that likes to squish and taste? This bag is the perfect family bonding project that hands big and small can take part in. Let your baby feel the bag before and after. If you’re up for the challenge, let them give the bag a couple of good shakes. Learn how to make ice cream in a bag over at A Little Pinch of Perfect.

 Photo by Katie Pinch of A Little Pinch of Perfect

Want more sensory play ideas for baby? Check out these 10 ideas that’ll make time fly

— Christal Yuen

Sure, Ariel dreamed of ditching her fishtail for some human feet, but most of us born on land have wished we could instead be part of her undersea world. Well, becoming a mermaid is within the grasp of anyone with an ocean-sized imagination. Just follow these five simple steps and you’ll be king or queen of the sea in no time.

orion_mermaid
1. Find a fin. Sure you could hunt down a wicked sea witch and bargain for the real thing, but may we suggest a few alternatives? A pair of adult-sized leggings make a sweet tail if you stick two kid-sized legs inside.

2. Eat like a mermaid. Goldfish crackers, seaweed snacks and “sea” cucumbers are on the menu. Check out these awesome mermaid snacks.

3. Comb your hair with a fork. Because why not?

4. Practice your mermaid kick. Keep both legs stuck together while you flap and wriggle from one end of the pool to the other.

5. Make a shell necklace. Gather small shells from the beach (or your local bead store) and string up a creation worthy of sea maiden.

Do you have any other ideas on how to earn your mermaid fins? Let us know in the comments below! 

Photo and copy by Erin Feher

 

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Whether it’s made with Mod Podge or maybe just mud and sticks, anything your kid crafts is a work of heart. With Mother’s and Father’s Day around the corner, we wanted to brush up on some spots where kids can create a keepsake worth keeping. Check out these six spots where your whole gang can get fired up about art.

Art and Soul Pottery Studio
Art and Soul offers up everything from glass painting to canvas, mosaics and tie-dye. Note that their prices for pieces range from $2.50 to $120 so be sure to pick your pottery carefully.

Address: 4920 Roswell Rd.
Phone: 404-303-9959
Online: www.artandsoulpotterystudio.com
Let’s Party: Art and Soul offers a wide range of project-based party packages ranging from Finger Painting ($13.50 per child) for the wee ones to tie-dye t-shirts ($17.50) for your tweens.


That Pottery Place
No appointment is needed for this open studio spot. Or, if you are searching for something more structured, try one of their pre-selected project classes. If you have a group of four or more, you can even schedule your own class and select from their portfolio of projects making for a perfect playdate.

Address: 2569 N. Decatur Rd., Decatur
Phone: 404-371-4557
Online: www.potteryplacedecatur.com
Let’s Party: Party packages include two hours of paint time in their private room (for a minimum of five painters) with a price of $15 per child. Each child gets to select one item to paint from their party shelf selection.

All Fired Up
If you are going to make this a regular habit then All Fired Up’s three Atlanta-area locations are the way to go with their punch cards that earn your a free piece to paint. With over 800 different items of pottery, they have something for everyone. Don’t miss their summer camp offerings that tackle a different project each day.

Address: 1563 N Decatur Rd.
Phone: 404-270-9048
Online: www.allfiredupinc.com
Let’s Party: Book their Van Gogh Party ($16 per painter) for an hour and a half of studio time, or their Picasso Party ($20 per painter) which includes higher priced items to select from and a birthday plate for guests to sign.

Just Kiln Time
As well as paint-your-own pottery options, Just Kiln Time also offers Kiln Time On Canvas classes that give step-by-step instructions working with acrylic paint where you leave with your own masterpiece.

Address: 27 Atlanta St., Marietta
Phone: 770-428-9699
Online: www.justkilntimeshop.com
Let’s Party: Twenty bucks per painter buys and hour and a half of paint time in their party room.

Sip and Stroke
Sip and Stroke’sSaturday morning kid’s canvas classes are a true stroke of genius. Two hours to run errands? Yes, please. We also love their mixed media approach to parties offering a variety of pottery, canvas, bead or mosaic themes.

Address: 4401 Shallowford Rd., Roswell
Phone: 770-641-9833
Online: www.sipandstroke.net
Let’s Party: Prices vary depending on theme ranging from $15 per child for pottery painting to $20 per child for a “Crazy Mosaic Party.”

Mud Monkey on Peachtree
This new neighborhood spot located in the Peachtree Battle shopping center is already abuzz with Buckhead bitties.

Address: 2385 Peachtree Rd. NE, #105
Phone: 7404-812-1750
Online: mudmonkeyonpeachtree.com
Let’s Party: Call for more information on party packages.

Did we miss a spot? Tell us where you and your kids like to get crafty in Atlanta!

—Phebe Wahl

Photos courtesy of Art and Soul via Facebook, That Pottery Place via Facebook, All Fired Up via Facebook, Mud Monkey via Facebook

You’ve played Mouse Trap and even tackled Bella Organic’s annual fall corn maze. Take your brood’s love of games, puzzles and everything brain-teasing to the next level at Mazes, the brand new exhibit at OMSI that gives a whole new meaning to family game night. Now through May 6, this highly interactive exhibit will have you lost (and found!) in a real winding maze, and solving mind boggling illusions and puzzles. Read on to find out what you’re bound to get yourself twisted up in.

photo: Kelley Gardiner

Mazes
The focal points of the exhibits, that take up the most real estate and will probably get your little explorers most excited, are the two mazes to wind through. The first, and largest, is the Maze of Illusions. As you make your way through the maze, you’ll find plenty of optical illusions to solve or just enjoy. As you encounter each illusions, make sure you pay attention because you’ll need to remember them in order to find your way back out of the maze. Volunteers monitor the maze, and emergency exits are available on each end just in case anyone starts to lose their nerve. Expect to spend 10-15 minutes winding your way through.

The Junior Maze is shorter, both in height and distance, for younger problem-solvers. They’ll find percussion instruments along the way to jingle, bang, and beat, so expect a little bit of volume. If your child is old enough to stand up, they can enjoy bead races and turning wheels with marbles.

Good to know: The Maze of Illusions and Junior Maze are not accessible by wheelchair, motorized scooter, or strollers. 


Puzzles
In addition to those mazes, there are plenty of puzzles and activities to keep your family entertained. Several patterned floor mazes (like the colored path maze, and headlong maze) near the entrance encourage problem-solving, and trial and error, as kids enter the maze and figure out the solution with their feet and brains. A rope course is tricky enough to keep older kids thinking as they try to scramble up, around and through without getting tangled in the “intricate web of ropes.”

photo: Kelley Gardiner

Hands-On Activities
If you’ve still got brainpower after solving puzzles and triumphantly exiting the maze, OMSI’s new exhibit has plenty to do. Build your own marble race, draw a maze and display your masterpiece for all to see, try balancing on a balance board with an embedded marble, and learn about the history of mazes. At the far end of the exhibit, your family is encouraged to “Make a Maze” with long soft blocks, getting kids of all ages (even toddlers) in on the fun.

photo: Kelley Gardiner

The Scoop:
Mazes is included with a regular OMSI admission, which gives visitors access to all other exhibit halls (Earth Hall, Life Hall, Turbine Hall, Science Labs, and Science Playground), $13 adult, $9.50 3-13, and members get in for free.

OMSI
1945 SE Water Ave.
503-797-4000
Online: omsi.edu

Have you visited this new exhibit at OMSI yet? What did your family think? Let us know in the comments!

—Kelley Gardiner