Jurassic Quest: A Prehistoric Journey You Need to See

by Christine LaiAugust 17, 2021

Breaking news!! Santa Clara county has been invaded by over 70 dinosaurs and they are hungry! We advise all curious and inquisitive young paleontologists who desire a safe view of these beasts to proceed cautiously down to Santa Clara County Fairgrounds but to stay within their vehicles at all times. Read on for an exclusive first look at these ferocious creatures then make sure to reserve a time slot (don’t forget the promo code!) for your chance to come face-to-face with these behemoths.

Jurassic Quest is a drive-thru event complete with a digital audio tour. Prior to arrival, guests are texted a link which, when opened on a cellular device, streams one of three different narrated stories through YouTube or SoundCloud. The kid-friendly ones recommended by the staff are The Adventures of Nick & Marty and Safari Sarah’s Big Day. Signs and placards along the route give instructions of when to start, pause and resume the audio tour.

The dinosaurs range from small Velociraptors to an 80 foot long Spinosaurus along with a nursery of baby dinosaurs sure to delight the family. The ever popular Tyrannosaurus Rex and his herbivore friends Stegosaurus and Triceratops are also among the notable dinos. Prepare for the Jaws theme song to play in your head at the sight of the impressive Megadolon and be glad it’s a prehistoric creature!

Meticulous detailing of each dinosaur was made in consultation with leading paleontologists to ensure that every detail is replicated—be it feathers, fur or scales. The dinosaurs move in convincing fashion with heads and tails swinging, eyes blinking and roar intermittently so make sure to have your windows open for the full effect.

We absolutely love that each dinosaur is accompanied by a sign that states not only its name but the correct pronunciation (say “Pachycephalosaurus” three times in a row) — this is particularly helpful in the education of parents whose dinosaur species knowledge might be lacking. We also love that this experience is safe, contact-free and a fun way to entertain the kids and we think you will, too!

Good to know:
• There is an enticing souvenir booth you must drive through to exit so it may help to prepare the kids beforehand (read: prevent meltdowns) or consider purchasing a Quest pack to save money
• A free, safari-style photo with families in their vehicles and a dino as a backdrop is included at the end of the tour
• The tour lasts about one hour, porta potties are on site

Getting there:
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, Lot A
441 Tully Rd (entrance off 7th Ave)

Tickets: jurassicquest.com
Red Tri readers use JQREDTRI for 10% off

—photos and story by Christine Lai

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Want to Go to Hawaii for Free? Here’s How

by Karly WoodDecember 2, 2020

Hawaii has been off limits to most of the world during the pandemic, but a new program is changing all of that.

The 50th state in the U.S. just launched a new “travel” program and it’s all about remote work from the Hawaiian Islands. “Movers & Shakas” is a state/private-supported program that is offering 50 free roundtrip flights to Oahu to pre-employed people. Keep reading to get all the deets!

photo: Tatonomusic via Unsplash

Recipients must stay and work on the island for at least one month and in exchange they must give a few hours a week to a nonprofit organization. The program is also offering discounted rates at hotels and restaurants to make the program even more enticing.

Jason Higa, CEO of FCH Enterprises says “Working from Hawaii can provide a much needed respite from the isolation and burnout caused by remote work. With the lowest rate per capita of COVID infections in the country, and an abundance of social distancing activities and dining experiences, Hawaii is ideal for those seeking a safe place to work and play.”

Interested people need to apply by Dec. 15 at the Movers & Shakas website.

––Karly Wood

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American Girl’s New Cookbook Has Us Longing for a Summer Cookout

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 24, 2020

Summer is the perfect time for kids to learn new kitchen skills and have fun cooking for friends and family. American Girl is launching a new cookbook that offers dozens of kid-friendly recipes for cakes, tarts, cookies, icy treats and more that use the bounty of seasonal fruits, celebrate summer days, and help keep kids cool. American Girl Summer Treats offers an enticing collection of delicious baked goods and cool sweets from Mermaid Ice Cream Pops and Frozen Lemonade to Watermelon Cake and Day-at-the-Beach Cupcakes.

With more than 50 inspiring recipes will encourage young chefs of all experience levels with no-fail instructions, gorgeous full-color photography, helpful cooking tips and ideas for serving and preparation. Kids can find the perfect recipes to help their families get ready to celebrate the 4th of July or throw an ice cream party.

Summer looks a lot sweeter.

Recipes Include:

Fireworks Bundt Cake
Classic Peach Pie
Mud Pie Sundae
Mixed Berry Shortcake
Fruity Cake Tower
Blackberry Tart with Pecan Crust
Individual Cherry Cobblers

American Girl Summer Treats will be available on May 26. Preorder now for $19.95.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of American Girl

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Baskin-Robbin’s Valentine’s Treats Will Have You Falling in Love

by Shahrzad WarkentinFebruary 2, 2020

Nothing spells love quite like a decadent dessert and Baskin-Robbins is scooping up something special for Valentine’s Day in February.

Baskin-Robbins’ new Valentine’s Day Card Cakes are a sweet way to show someone how much you love them. The mini ice cream cakes, which are perfect for sharing with your little lovebugs, are designed to look like classic valentines and candy grams, each with a special message on top. There are five in all to choose from and they can be found in the dipping cabinet at participating Baskin-Robbins locations.

The popular ice cream chain is also rolling out a new Flavor of the Month for your next date night. The aptly named Date Night flavor combines chocolate with caramel and a hint of salt. The enticing mixture is swirled with mini milk chocolate caramel cups and a caramel ribbon.

You can enjoy the special flavor on its own or in a Date Night Three-Scoop Sundae, which tops the ice cream with caramel pralines, hot fudge, real whipped light cream, chopped almonds and a cherry on top.

For the month of February, Baskin-Robbins is also bringing back the fan favorite Love Potion #31 which features a white chocolate and raspberry flavored ice cream with chocolate chips, raspberry-filled chocolate flavored hearts and raspberry swirl.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Baskin-Robbins via PRNewswire

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Surfs Up! Catch Your First Wave at a Surf School for Kids

by rtkathleenberksonJanuary 21, 2020

If your little beach bum has been attempting to ride the waves that are really your sofa cushions, it may be time to give him a real surf experience. Surf Diva, a surfing school that welcomes kids as young as five years old, is an iconic part of the San Diego surf scene. While your sofa will get a break, the skills your little gremmie learns will last much longer than a 15-minute thrill ride. Here’s what you need to know before you dive in.

Grab Your Boards

Founded in 1996, Surf Diva is one of the biggest and most well respected surf schools in the world. Their expert instructors work with surfers of all levels and ages, though the youngest little surfers must be at least age 5 and able to swim 10-15 yards in a pool.

To start the lesson, Surf Diva expert instructors will take the kiddos (and adults alike) out on the beach with some shore education. There, your little surfers will learn to respect the beach and wildlife all while in the water (read: doing the stingray shuffle). Then, the instructors will jump into the surf basics: paddling, board positioning and popping up to standing. After perfecting the techniques on land, it’s time to hit the water.

Surf’s Up! (Where It’s At)
Surf Diva teaches their lessons at La Jolla Shores Beach, the widely agreed “Best San Diego Beach to Learn Surfing.” The Shores are known for their mellow waves and the soft, sandy bottoms that keeps little toes happy. If your young ones need any further enticing to get out there, this beach is also known for its wildlife sightings. On calm days, dolphins, stingrays and seals share the waters with surfers.

The beauty of La Jolla Shores beach are the waves. Surf Diva will take the kids to a tame, mellow and shallow area and keep your little surfers within their comfort zone. When your little dude or dudette rides his or her first wave, it just might become the best day of your little one’s life.

Insider’s Tip: Parking can be tricky in the area, especially on weekends. Your best bet is to park near the shop to start as there is a 90-min limit. Go in, sign your documents, pay and get your wetsuits (thankfully, boards will be down at the beach waiting for you) before driving down to the beach. There you can park without a restricted time limit. Because you and your kiddos will be having the time of your life, the last thing you want to worry about is having to move your car in 90 minutes.

Catch a Wave! (When to Surf)

As we know, what passes as winter here in San Diego is quite tropical compared to the rest of the country. Even though the air may be a bit cooler, surfing is a year-round sport. Equip your kiddos with a wetsuit and they will barely know it’s winter. Surf Diva will rent you one for $5. Rent it without hesitation – this is a vital component for happy surfing kids.

The best bet to launch your little surfers is a private one-on-one lesson. A one-on-one instructor to kid ratio is the best way to ensure ample riding and devoted attention. This investment is for a fun skill and a lifetime of fun. They also run after school surfing programs, camps and much more.

2160 Avenida de la Playa

La Jolla

Online: surfdiva.com

Have you taken your kiddos surfing? Tell us about the experience in the comments below!

— Kathleen Berkson

Photos provided by Surf Diva

This Folding Travel Tricycle Will Change the Way You Travel with Kids

by Shahrzad WarkentinAugust 22, 2019

Traveling with small kids comes with plenty of challenges, the least of which is navigating through crowded airports. Luckily, the new Liki Trike is a complete game changer for parents and kids on the go.

Why maneuver through those crowds with a stroller when you can make things easy and fun with a tricycle? A ride on a trike can be much more enticing than getting strapped in a stroller and with a one-handed control bar, you’ll have your other hand free to carry all that luggage.

The best part of all is that this lightweight trike folds down easily and is so compact you can fit it in an overhead bin or car trunk. That’s right, no more gate checking your stroller and hoping it returns in one piece.

The Liki Trike features five different functional modes and is designed to grow with your toddler from ages 10 months to three years. For the youngest riders, parents can control the trike, but it can also be converted into a fully-functional (yet still foldable) tricycle.

The Liki Trike is available in two different models starting at $249.99. You can order one online here.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Courtesy of Liki Trike

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4 Things Moms Will Love about Target’s Newly Redesigned Stores

by Karly WoodApril 4, 2019

When it comes to Target, it doesn’t take much to get moms excited. When we aren’t dreaming of meandering the aisles alone with our Starbucks, we’re making some major drive-up orders on our mobile devices. As if our shopping experience couldn’t get any better, Target’s new store design aims to make your next trip to the retailer even better. By taking each store’s neighborhood and needs into consideration, each and every remodel is unique.

Here’s what we love about the Target’s new look.

Boutique-Style Beauty

As busy parents, we don't always have the time, budget or patience to take our kids to the mall and shop high-end beauty counters or stores. Target's redesigned beauty aisles seek to remedy that craving and at a much better price point. Continue to shop your fave drug store and signature Target brands, but in a boutique-feel setup.

Head-To-Toe Outfit Displays & More Mannequins

Stuck trying to find the perfect outfit for a special occasion? Target is seeking to make your clothes shopping experience even better by offering more style suggestions for men, women and kids. Outfit pieces found on mannequins are directly adjacent to the display so you can get the look you see in a cinch

Modern & Open Displays

No more trying to bypass other shoppers in dark, tight aisles! Target's newer, inviting displays are brightly lit and contain smaller subsections of products so you don't have to stand looking at 12 shelves of products, trying to find that one bottle of shampoo.

Reimagined Spaces for Tons of Departments

Target has abandoned traditional departments they've held fast to over the years, for center aisle popouts and corner niches. New LED lighting open shelving is making huge changes in kitchen, home, baby and toys that are just as enticing as they are functional.

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: Courtesy of Target

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Our Kids Live in a Curated World

By Tyler Jacobson

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

March 19, 2019

Photo: Shutterstock

Raising Generation Z teens has some interesting moments. For instance, I discovered that Netflix has an interesting effect on my teens—it turns them into sloths who only move when absolutely necessary. They love nothing more than plunking themselves in front of the TV binge-watching their favorite shows from start to finish.

Watching them made me nostalgic—and a little jealous.

I remember how it was when I was their age. I had to patiently wait for 24 hours to watch the next episode of my best shows. It was more dreadful if said shows came on weekly because then I had to endure the torture of waiting a whole seven days to see what happened next. Talk about suspense!

Living in a Bespoke World

Things are totally different now thanks to smart devices and the internet. Nowadays kids everywhere reap the benefits of living in a curated world where they can watch or read what they want when they want it.

It is a wonderful life but I realized that it has a darker side, too.

For one thing, more parents are complaining that their kids are choosing to stay tethered to their devices instead of doing something imaginative or creative. Teen internet addiction is a real thing, fed partly by having an enticing array of curated items—music, movies, games, etc.—delivered right to our kids’ screens.

While internet addiction is serious, I’m more worried about the death of imagination and creativity that my kids display. Even the younger ones rarely play pretend games anymore. They don’t spend hours wondering what their favorite TV characters will get up to next because they can watch whole seasons of those TV shows in days. Having what they like constantly fed to them on demand does nothing to spark their imagination.

Additionally, living in a curated world means that they miss out on the natural randomness and serendipity that can inspire innovation. They are only likely to be exposed to the kind of music they like or get suggestions for more books from their favorite author or genre. There’s no space for them to discover other books, songs or shows unless they go looking for them. This means that they might never discover anything outside their scope of interest.

Staying in the Comfort Zone

Another worrying thing is that living in a curated world encourages kids to stay in their comfort zones. My kids rarely try anything new unless I push them. As a result, they risk spending their lives in their own constricted self-centered worlds, unexposed to different perspectives and the beauty of looking at things from a different angle. Unless I teach them to consider other perspectives, my kids might go through life thinking that they- their likes, preferences or needs- supersede others’.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for curated content—but I’d also like to see my kids using their imagination, finding new interests, challenging their perspectives and discovering something new about themselves in the process.

Tyler Jacobson

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Tyler Jacobson is a happy husband, father of three, writer and outreach specialist with experience with organizations that help troubled teens and parents. His areas of focus include: parenting, social media, addiction, mental illness, and issues facing teenagers today.

Here’s How Your Kids Can Get a Free LEGO Set in October

by Erica LoopSeptember 19, 2018

Who doesn’t like something for free? Um, everyone does! Well, your kiddo can get a free LEGO set at LEGO Stores in October.

So how can your LEGO-loving kiddo score a free model? The answer is easy—register for the Monthly Mini Model Build. Every month LEGO stores across the country offer free events for kids to build seasonal or themed models. And they get to take home what they build, without an added charge.

Photo: Josh Hallett via Flickr

October’s mini build is the LEGO Scarecrow Witch model—because Halloween is right around the corner. Obviously, these monthly events are extremely popular. Again, kids get to build a model and take it home for free. And that makes it extra enticing. Due to the popularity, LEGO stores limit availability to 120 mini models per store.

If this sounds like something your child just has to do, the time to register is NOW. Registration for the monthly event begins on the 15th of the previous month at 9 a.m. EST. That means October’s registration opened on Sep. 15. Registration is limited to LEGO VIP card members only. If you aren’t currently a member, you can register for VIP card status first.

The Scarecrow Witch model event is set for Oct. 2 and 3, with these exceptions of the LEGO fashion Valley, Arundel Mills, Overland Park and The Mills at Jersey Gardens stores. These LEGO retail spots will hold their event on Oct. 9 and 10. The build is open only to children between the ages of 6 and 14.

According to the LEGO website, this is a building event. You will not be permitted to take the toy without building it in the store or pick up the set at a later date (if you don’t attend the event). Visit the LEGO website to register for the October build ASAP!

—Erica Loop

Featured Photo: Efraimstochter via Pixabay

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Pie’s the Limit: LA’s Tastiest Pie Shops

by Jenifer ScottNovember 13, 2017

As the sizzle of summer has cooled into fall and the quickly approaching holidays start making their way into our hearts (and schedules), nothing quite hits the festive spot more than a slice of mouthwatering pie. You and your pint-sized pastry lovers can relax with your plate pie-led high or pick up a holiday sweet when you don’t have time to bake. Check out our picks for the most delicious Los Angeles pie shops that truly understand how to put the “comfort” in “comfort food.”

Simplethings Sandwich and Pie Shop

Simply put, from the brown paper and cup of crayons covering every table, to the delightful selection of mini pies, this place is hands-down one of the most kid-friendly pie shops around. Pies here come in three sizes: Cutie Pies (perfect single serving for little pie lovers), medium-sized Simple Pies (meant for sharing), and the Big Pie (if you want the whole shebang to take home, say for Thanksgiving!).

Easy As Pie: With so many enticing flavors it will be tough to pick one, but kids will certainly love the Mud Pie and Chocolate Cream offerings. Simplethings also whips up gluten free chef special pie flavors each month on a rotating menu (through the end of November it’s GF pumpkin!). Be sure to check the pie schedule online in advance to make double sure they have the flavor you crave on any given day. Just in case you have room for lunch (to go with dessert), check out their in-house kids’ menu featuring grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta, mac & cheese and more.

Locations in Westwood, Mid-City and Burbank
Online: simplethingsrestaurant.com

photo: Simplethings Restaurant via Facebook

What’s your family’s favorite place to grab a slice of pie? Share any we missed in the comments!

—Jenifer Scott

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