Waddle up to this year’s Halloween party in a bump-worthy getup that’s sure to entertain

If you’re rocking a baby bump this Halloween, there’s nothing wrong with throwing on a shirt that says “Exhausted Pregnant Lady Is My Costume” or buying yourself one of those timeless Preggo sweatshirts. But if you want to get a little more DIY about it, we’ve found lots of bump-worthy options—whether you want your belly on full display or prefer a more subtle look. Keep scrolling for some great (and often hilarious) maternity Halloween costumes that are sure to be a hit this year.

E.T.

The red hoodie looks super comfy, but if you don’t have a bestie who’s a makeup artist you’re probably not attempting this DIY. We’ll still admire it though! The bike handlebars and basket are the icing on this costume.

Kool-Aid Man

This one never gets old, and we’d bet neighborhood parents love the nostalgia hit. The best part? All you need is a Kool-Aid colored t-shirt (red and purple are popular), some face cutouts, and a cardboard brick wall. Oh yeah!

Winnie the Pooh

Head back to the Hundred Acre Wood with this sweet and simple costume. All you need is a cropped red t-shirt over a form-fitting yellow dress. We especially love these beehive buns!

Wilson

You can literally wear any cozy clothes to become Tom Hanks’s beloved soccer ball from Cast Away—you just need someone to draw Wilson on your bump. Finish the look with a straw headpiece. Hope you and baby find a dessert-ed island to hang around on Halloween, yum.

Bun In the Oven

This one requires a little more work but the payoff is laughter all around. Just wear all black and make a simple black oven from your most recent Amazon box. Don’t forget the bun in your oven!

Monsters Inc

Whoever said baby bumps don’t make the perfect monster eyeball was just plain wrong. This family Monsters, Inc. getup is delightful if you’ve got the energy to craft a giant green Mike Wazowski. Beyond that, just throw on your coziest black leggings and long-sleeve shirt. Le blue hard hat optional.

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Make Dr. Seuss proud with this easy-peasy getup for Halloween. Simple black leggings are paired with a red shirt, blue wig, and DIY “Thing 1” and “Thing 2” cutouts.

Disco Ball

Missed your chance to hit the dance floor at Studio 54? No problem! This DIY disco ball pairs a grey gown with a stretchy sequinned silver belly band and a grey wig. Extra points for the silver hanging loop—it’s all about the details!

Basketball

This costume is definitely a slam dunk! Grab your coach and put your best bump forward with some athleisure wear, a few sweatbands, and a basketball drawn on your belly.

Ali Wong

Comedian Ali Wong is known for her sassy standup, especially while preggo. All you need to channel your inner funny girl is a leopard print dress, cat-eye glasses, a microphone, and a top knot.

Prego Tomato Sauce

This is a classic, comfy maternity costume idea. Bonus: If you’ve got a big sibling to join in the fun, let them shine as the little meatball that they are.

Marge Gunderson

Fargo fans, this one’s for you. To get into the spirit of Frances McDormand’s iconic expecting police chief, grab yourself a beige or yellow button-up, a Minnesota-worthy parka, and some kind of trapper hat with a fake police badge. Don’t forget some hot cocoa in a coffee cup!

Gumball Machine

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVt3Jh-LP6g/

Go big with color this year! This easy-to-make gumball costume simply involves gluing copious amounts of pompoms on a white shirt and pairing it with red bottoms. Giant quarter, anyone?

Snowman

Ready for winter? If you can’t wait for chilly days, then embrace some snowman vibes by attaching oversized pom poms to a white shirt and tying off the look with a festive scarf. You’ll get betting tons of warm hugs with this costume.

Mama Rivera (Coco)

Kids still obsessed with Coco? Mama Rivera is a great way to transition from comfy day wear to a night of trick or treating! A flowy skirt, easy sandals and a pretty embroidered top are all you need to embrace with Dios de los Muertos (or Halloween).

Hilarious Halloween parenting memes and all that candy are only two things we love about October

Your kids have chosen their Halloween costumes (and then changed their minds 1,000 times), the candy has been bought and then restocked and then restocked again, and you’ve lined up all the best Halloween movies on Netflix. Now that you’re ready for the big night, it’s time to grab a mini-Snickers, relax, and laugh at these hilarious Halloween memes about parenting we’re sure you can relate to.

No judgment from us.

Must. Practice. Restraint.

One must always cover one’s tracks

Who’s in charge here??

When it comes to holiday decorations, reason goes out the window

I haven’t had my coffee. Don’t mess with me

 

It’s all about what’s available right now

Related: 41 Hilarious Parenting Memes to Get You Through the Day

This is an emergency!

Funny Halloween meme

And they wonder why we don't want to buy a costume in July

Funny Halloween meme
courtesy Sarcastic Mommy

Hey, no taxation without representation!

funny halloween meme
Someecards

And that's why we unfriended them

Someecards

It's just...not...fair!

funny halloween memes

We always tell our kids, "Practice makes perfect" 

funny halloween memes

No, you cannot substitute Bit-O-Honey

funny halloween memes

Wait, does anyone really have a perfect jack-o'-lantern pic?

Funny Halloween meme
Freshly Picked

If this is you, I don't think we can hang out anymore...

Finally, we're on trend!

Someecards

Related: Hilarious Potty Training Memes to Keep You Going when the Going Gets Rough

Guess you didn't get the last text, Fred...

Any red or white will work. Or beer. Just sayin'

Someecards

At least we're being honest with ourselves

Kids! They say the darnedest things!

Someecards

The good news is, Christmas candy!

How we all got here, pretty much

Someecards

And this is how you win parenting, folks

Because reward charts work so well

Someecards

Don't even get us started on Christmas

Just modeling good behavior for our kids

Well, that's just despicable!

It's called "Sugar-Induced Memory Loss," it's a thing!

 

 

 

For your next painting session, challenge your little ones to skip the brushes. Believe it or not, there are countless ways to paint without paintbrushes, using everything from balloons to fly swatters. Your budding artists will get a kick out of these off-the-wall ideas. Keep reading to get inspired.

Pick a Pinecone

No Time for Flashcards

For this simple activity, No Time for Flashcards switches a paintbrush for a pinecone. It’s all about experimenting with the materials and seeing what happens when you roll the pinecone around. At the end of it, you’ve got some pretty cool abstract art too!

Let’s Roll

Childhood 101

Kids can make their own wrapping paper with this cool idea from Childhood 101. Gather up a bunch of different textured items from around the house to make different prints, like bubble wrap, rubber bands and mesh bags.

Brick by Brick

Pink Stripey Socks

If you’ve got a LEGO lover in your family, they’ll be obsessed with this craft from Pink Stripey Socks. They can start by making a design out of blocks, then dip it into paint and stamp it on paper. They can also experiment with using individual bricks as stamps—the sky’s the limit.

Bubble Painting

Artful Kids

Little ones love bubbles, so it’s not surprising that they’d also get excited about bubble painting. Artful Kids has the scoop on three different ways to paint with bubbles. They’re all fun and easy, and don’t require a ton of supplies.

Freeze Paint

Learn with Play at Home

Popsicle painting could be the coolest way to paint… literally. With this simple idea, freezing paint is not only a fun setup process, but it’s pretty easy to clean up, too. It's a perfect project for indoors, but the icy paint also works great on the pavement outside, too! For more info on where to pick up those handy popsicle sticks, head over to Learn with Play at Home.

Crafty Combs

No Time for Flashcards

New combs are the best way to get clean, clear pictures, so be sure to hit up the Dollar Store before trying your own version of this bright idea from No Time for Flashcards. The drop and drag skills needed can be tackled by even the tiniest artist, making this a great weekend project—the whole family can join in on the fun!

Splatter with Swatters

Munchkins and Moms

Art is definitely not what comes to mind when you imagine a fly swatter. But, with the right supplies (butcher paper, tape, a wall and willing swatters) you’ll see creativity flying around in a few seconds flat. You’ll be Lord of the Flies all afternoon. Zip over to Munchkins and Moms for the how-to.

Cotton Ball Crafts

Domestic Mommyhood

The family supply of cotton balls will be in major need of replenishment after trying this project, but it’s worth watching your tiniest creator get in on the action. Ideal for toddlers on up through preschool, using clothespins and cotton balls is an excellent lesson in fine motor skills; and it helps the littles keep colors separate! Find out what you can use if you don’t have a muffin pan handy, over at Domestic Mommyhood.

Bust a Few Balloons

Growing a Jeweled Rose

Pop Art just got literal. To re-create, add balloons to poster board carnival-style, and let the kids pop to it. While this scores pretty high on the mess-o-meter, the fun factor is also sky high. Want to know how it’s done? Artistic mama Crystal explains how to get just enough paint in every balloon over at Growing a Jeweled Rose.

Create with Condiment Bottles

Fun at Home with Kids

Squeeze a little more fun out of the afternoon by mixing up a batch of microwave puffy paint. We love the recipe and tutorial perfected by Asia of Fun at Home with Kids. We really love the condiment bottles that are used as both paint container and applicator, rolled into one.

Sponges as Stamps

Buggy and Buddy

You’ll be pulling a few out anyways, so why not use sponges to make art? Create shapes and characters, or keep it simple with one style. We can’t get enough of the adorable ode to Very Hungry Caterpillar spotted over at Buggy and Buddy.

Use Baking Tools

Mama.Papa.Bubba

There’s nothing cookie cutter about this creative use of everyone’s favorite baking tool. Instant stamp-like prints (perfect for filling in later!), easy handling for little hands and one-step cleanup make this idea from Mama.Papa.Bubba a sweet way to fill an open afternoon.

Use Things that Vroom

Craftwhack

Make tracks for the toy box and pull out the biggest, baddest monster truck, right on down to the teeniest, tiniest sports car, and watch your kids zoom their way into creativity (extra points for making vroom noises while they paint!). Cleaning up the tires may take a little more time, but the twofer on artistic and imaginary play can’t be beat. We like how mom Jeanette over at Craftwhack set up her little painter for an afternoon of colorful tread-burning fun.

Fun with Food

Gabby Cullen

They’ll have a whole new appreciation for veggies after this project. First, slice apples, potatoes, bell peppers, celery (you can even use broccoli!) or any other fresh food you find in the fridge. Then, give each kid their “stamp” and watch as they dip and print. You can even talk about why each print looks just so, adding a little science to their art.

—Susie Foresman & Gabby Cullen

 

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Yes, you can skip the bakery birthday cake and take matters into your own hands. Even if you aren’t blessed in the culinary department, we’ve rounded up a bunch of cake hacks and DIY tricks that will help you pull off a Pinterest-worthy masterpiece. Box cake mix is about to get a serious upgrade—read on for all the sweet deets.

Warm Up Your Icing Tools

Jennifer Pallian via Unsplash

If you've decided to make your own cake at home, a warm spatula or knife will make spreading frosting easier. Head over to the Kitchn for the details, and their preferred tools! 

Give It a Crumb Coat

iStock

Once your cake is completely cool, it’s time to get frosting! We swear by the crumb coat trick—spread a thin first layer of frosting over the whole cake to catch the crumbs before you do the rest of the decorating.

Get a Perfect Sprinkled Look

Beki Cook’s Cake Blog

Go wild with sprinkles inspired by Beki Cook’s Cake Blog. She’s got a hack to make decorating a cinch (it involves a plate and some careful maneuvering). Click here to find out how this colorful confection is made.

Easy Gumdrop Cake

Lyndsay Sung

Sometimes basic is best when it comes to cake decorating! It doesn’t get much easier than this idea from Lyndsay Sung via You Are My Fave. Just buy a bunch of chocolates or gummies and pop them on the frosted cake. Click here to see two more simple ideas that look just as delicious.

Whip Up an Easy Name Topper

Paper & Stitch

Feeling crafty? This cute idea from Paper & Stitch is easier than you’d think—just spell out your kiddo’s age with a few supplies that you might already have at home. To get all the details on how it’s done, click here.

Add Cookies for Crunch

Studio DIY

If your kid loves circus animal cookies, they’ll adore this cute creation from Studio DIY. Best of all, the starting point is a basic cake from the grocery store. Music to our ears! To get the details (plus five more ways to jazz up store-bought cakes), click here.

Use Toys for Cake Toppers

Butterlust

We love this sweet idea from Butterlust, especially for kids who are obsessed with all things prehistoric. The recipe includes a rich chocolate frosting and ganache, but you can also simplify it with a store-bought cake if you’re short on time. Click here to learn more.

Icing Letters Letters You Can Actually Read

Aneta Pawlik via Unsplash

It’s pretty tricky to pipe words with icing, which is why we love this tip from the Food Network. Use a toothpick to make dots where the letters should go, then pipe them on when you’re happy with how they look. Click here for more helpful hacks.

Make an Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Sprinkle Bakes

Keep it cool with this amazing ice cream cake from Sprinkle Bakes. Ice cream sandwiches form the base, and it’s topped off with even more ice cream, sprinkles and sugar cones. Click here to get the step-by-step instructions.

Craft an Easy Donut Cake

A Subtle Revelry

Take inspiration from A Subtle Revelry and make a supersized donut for the birthday kiddo. The pink frosting and sprinkles on top are essential! To grab the recipe, click here.

Make a Layer Cake without Making Lots of Cakes

The Kitchen McCabe

Perfect for summer parties, all you need for this recipe from The Kitchen McCabe is a big batch of berries. Plus, there’s a way to make a layer cake without actually having to make multiple cakes—yes, please! Get the scoop by clicking here.

Make a Candy Cake

Rodrigo Andrade via Flickr

This Kit Kat cake is actually a single layer cake lined with Kit Kat bars and topped with M&Ms. Not only does it look super cool, but it's easy to transport, too. Get the recipe from Mom Loves Baking

—Susie Foresman

 

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“Hey Shaq, what’s the weather today?” If you’ve ever wanted to mix up your Amazon Alexa experience, the company just dropped two new celebrity voices! Shaquille O’Neal and Melissa McCarthy are available now to tell you jokes, report on the forecast, or even do a little rap.

Following up on the hugely popular addition of Samuel L. Jackson’s voice, Amazon is offering the option to purchase two more instantly recognizable personalities at $4.99 each. Once you’ve bought one (or both) just say “Hey Shaq” or “Hey Melissa” to activate the option. If you need a little sneak preview, enjoy the following clips:

“We’re thrilled to add two new celebrity personalities to Alexa and had a great time working with Shaquille O’Neal and Melissa McCarthy on this project. We can’t wait to see what customers think,” said Toni Reid, vice president of Alexa Experience & Echo Devices.

Need more Alexa inspo? The digital assistant can read to your kids, cook your dinner, and even track Santa!

—Sarah Shebek

All images courtesy of Amazon

 

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It’s hard to keep up with all of LEGO’s cool new releases, but this one is definitely a showstopper. The group just released a vintage typewriter that’s sure to be a conversation piece in your home. It was designed by a LEGO fan and it’s a fantastic gift for the expert builder or wordsmith in your life.

The typewriter has all the functionality you’d expect, with a center typebar that rises each time a letter key is pressed, a carriage that moves as you type and a roller to feed in real paper. It also comes with a letter signed by Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, the chairman of the LEGO Group and fourth-generation member of the family privately owning the business.

 

 

The fan who pitched the idea, Steve Guinness, said “I wanted to create something totally different from anything that LEGO has ever done before and showcase that you really can make anything out of LEGO. I bought a vintage typewriter for my research and then played around with bricks and the mechanism until I was happy with the design. I hope it will bring nostalgia to adult fans like me, and wonder and curiosity to younger fans who might not have ever seen a real typewriter!”

You’ll be able to snag this set starting June 16 if you have LEGO VIP Early Access for $199, or July 1 as a member of the general public. It clocks in at 2,079 pieces for adult builders to construct. Write on!

––Sarah Shebek

 

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You bought a new slip ‘n slide, you stocked up on craft supplies and you have a shelf full of books to keep your kids entertained this summer—or so you’d hope. No matter how prepared we are for summer, at some point every parent hears those dreaded two words: I’m bored. Luckily, the internet has an endless supply of entertainment and Families.Google has made it easier than ever for families to find the stuff that’s both enriching and fun. Keep reading to see how three moms are using Google’s Digital Fun resources this summer:

Natasha D’Anna

Natasha’s twins love being creative together, whether it’s doing nail art, reading the same books or exploring crafts on YouTube. Google’s Digital Fun resources make it easy to find ways to be creative as a family, including virtual tours of museums, I Spy games and online coloring books.

 

Chelsi Eiselstein

Yes, summer just started, but we all know how back to school sneaks up on us. Chelsi is helping her soon-to-be Kindergartener get in the learning mindset this summer with STEM activities from Families.Google, including math tips from Sesame Street and videos about science and space.

 

Vera Sweeney

Families.Google has digital fun for kids of all ages, which is perfect for Vera—who is always on the lookout for things that her eight year old and thirteen year old can enjoy together. As a fun family bonding activity, Vera’s kids can learn music through Chrome Music Lab or solve a virtual puzzle together!

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced that K&M International is recalling more than half a million Wild Republic Slap Watches. The small battery inside the watches can fall out and cause battery ingestion or choking hazards.

Wild Republic Slap Watches come in 42 models in various colors. The face on the watch has an animal design or a historical figure. If you flip the watch over, you’ll see “Made in China” with the initials K&M. The label does note that the slap watch is made for children three and up. About 463,000 watches were sold in the U.S., with about 75,000 more sold in Canada.

If you bought this watch for your child, immediately take it away and contact Wild Republic for a full refund. They were sold at various zoos, museums, aquariums, online at WildRepublic.com and Amazon for approximately eight dollars between 2018 and 2021. No incidents have been reported so far.

—Sarah Shebek

Disney recently announced the closure of 60 North American stores this year. Before you start to stress or worry about where you’ll find the latest Disney gear and toys for your kiddo—the beloved brand has plans to focus on and expand its e-commerce business.

If you’ve browsed or bought from the shopDisney platform, you’re already ahead of the game. In the next year, Disney aims to create a more seamless and personalized shopping experience for guests online. Along with shopDisney, the company will focus on and integrate Disney Parks apps and social media platforms.

Of the changes, Stephanie Young, president, Consumer Products Games and Publishing, said in a press release, “While consumer behavior has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer.”

Young continued, “Over the past few years, we’ve been focused on meeting consumers where they are already spending their time, such as the expansion of Disney store shop-in-shops around the world. We now plan to create a more flexible, interconnected ecommerce experience that gives consumers easy access to unique, high-quality products across all our franchises.”

The changes will include more than just an expansion of online shopping opportunities. Disney’s plans include an assortment of new merch, including adult apparel collections and artist collabs. Look for premium home products, collectibles, and streetwear coming to shopDisney.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo courtesy of Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland

 

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An intimate romantic dinner out while the kids are with a sitter may not be in the cards for you this year, but one thing that the pandemic can’t take away from Valentine’s Day: all the sweet candy. This year Americans are buying up candy like they did toilet paper, and estimates from CandyStore.com say spending on candy this year could potentially top $2 billion. But what exactly are Americans buying to satisfy that sweet tooth? Read on to find out the most popular Valentine’s Day candy by state and what candy trends to expect this year.

Curious what the top candy is by state? From M&M’s to heart-shaped boxes of chocolates check out 10 states below and then hop over to CandyStore.com for the full list or click the interactive map below:

Alabama: Candy necklaces

Alaska: heart-shaped boxes of chocolates

Arizona: M&M’s

Arkansas: Conversation hearts

California: heart-shaped boxes of chocolates

Colorado: heart-shaped boxes of chocolates

Connecticut: heart-shaped boxes of chocolates

Delaware: Hershey kisses

Florida: heart-shaped boxes of chocolates

Georgia: heart-shaped boxes of chocolates

Source: CandyStore.com.
Trends to look out for, according to CandyStore.com

• Conversation heart candy will make a comeback in 2021

• M&M’s ranked #1 in both Oregon and North Dakota. This year expect this chocolatey favorite to spike in popularity.

• Cupid Corn’s popularity may be fading away but only time will tell.

Some interesting Valentine’s Day candy facts, from Candystore.com:

• 47% of people said they will buy themselves a box of chocolates this year.

• 58 million pounds of chocolate are bought during Valentine’s Day week.

• The peak selling period for conversation hearts is only 6 weeks long. Wow!

• It takes manufacturers 11 months to produce enough for those 6 weeks.

• Vodka infused with candy remained popular with conversation hearts last year.

• Children receive 39 percent of all Valentine’s Day candy and gifts.

featured image: Laura Ockel via Unsplash 

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