Disney+ Day is quickly approaching and among the tons of new content lies the reboot we’ve been waiting for. Home Sweet Home Alone is almost here!
It’s been over 30 years since the OG film debuted (yeah, you’re that old) but holiday mayhem is about to be had in the style you know and love. Home Sweet Home Alone debuts exclusively on Nov. 12 as a part of the Disney+ Day lineup. So how will this new film compare? Keep scrolling to see the trailer!
The story follows Max Mercer who’s family accidentally left him behind on a trip to Japan. While he hangs out solo, he ends up protecting his family home from a couple trying to snag a priceless heirloom.
The new film stars Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Archie Yates, Aisling Bea, Kenan Thompson and many more. Don’t forget to tune in only on Disney+ when the movie drops on Nov. 12.
There are ordinary dolls—then there are keepsake dolls. Piccolina, a brand dedicated to empowering today’s young children to become tomorrow’s leaders, has launched a new collection, Trailblazer Dolls. They celebrate heroic women in history, including Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie and Rosa Parks and they’re an heirloom quality edition to any playroom.
Each doll is 16″ tall and comes with removable clothing and accessories, as well as a matching drawstring bag. Jennifer Long, an artisan doll maker, designed and handmade each creation, and each designs is based off of the illustrations from various artists for the Trailblazer collection. And there won’t be any shortage of imaginative play, since each doll has an incredible, true backstory!
Piccolina is making the collection available in limited runs, so you may want to act fast to grab your child’s favorite historical character. The launch riffs off the company’s popular Trailblazer t-shirts, which feature colorful illustrations of real-life, inspirational women. There’s even matching mommy and me attire so you can get in on the fun!
At $98, the dolls are the perfect special gift for a birthday, Christmas or big milestone. The only issue might be choosing which one to buy!
Spring is in the air, and that means it’s time to introduce my favorite toddler gardening activities! Gardening is great for kids ages 2-5 because it builds skills, gets them away from screens, and connects them with the big, wide world. Especially now, when there are fewer opportunities to get out and involved in the community, gardening can be another link in their social chain.
While it might sound exhausting to some moms, gardening with toddlers can be a lot of fun if you manage your expectations. Let’s be clear: there will be no Better Homes & Gardens cover images from your backyard. Your toddler will need to learn what they can and can’t do in the garden, and will probably make some mistakes along the way. But you’ll have something better than a pristine backyard: an occupied toddler!
Here are 7 concrete ways to get your toddler gardening that will keep them busy for at least fifteen minutes.
1. Planting
If you’re sowing plants with big seeds, call up the toddler troops. Pea, bean, squash, and sunflower seeds are the perfect sizes for little hands with limited coordination.
Start by grabbing a muffin tin and pressing it into the ground. This makes perfectly spaced indentations as a guide for your child. Have them poke one hole in each indentation (or one hole per pot if you’re gardening with containers). This will be about half the length of their pointer finger. Then they can practice putting one seed in each hole and covering it. In a few days, they’ll be rewarded with adorable green sprouts.
2. Watering
You know your kids best, so you can judge what exactly they can handle. Some toddlers might be able to use a partially filled adult-sized watering can. Others might be better suited to a toy watering can, or holding the hose with you. You can also make homemade watering cans using a milk jug with holes poked in the side. Finally, you might have a very young toddler whose best bet is a measuring cup filled and emptied over and over on some very sturdy plants.
3. Bug checks
One of the best ways to keep your garden pest-free is regularly picking bugs off your plants by hand. This is the perfect job for toddlers in the garden, especially those who love creepy-crawlies. I know my toddler just loves this job. (Well actually, she might just enjoy eating beetles.)
Teach your little one to identify good bugs like spiders, ladybugs, praying mantises. Then, learn what common bad bugs look like, including tomato hornworms, Japanese beetles, squash bugs. When you go out, bring a bucket of warm, soapy water around your garden. Every time they find one, have them drop it in the bucket.
4. Weeding
Of all the toddler gardening activities, this is the most dubious. After all, you don’t want your prized, heirloom tomato seedlings yanked up by an eager three-year-old!
I suggest only letting toddlers join your weeding team in July or later. Your veggies should be quite large by then, and the weeds are (hopefully) much smaller. Most older toddlers can follow a simple rule of “only pull the little ones.”
The other challenge with letting toddlers help weed is that they’re unlikely to have great technique. Instead of digging in and pulling weeds out by the roots, they’re likely to only yank aboveground leaves. If you’re making weeding a regular part of your daily schedule (or even just once or twice a week) this will be fine. Pulling weeds often is what prevents them from taking over.
5. Loading wheelbarrows
Sometimes, you just want to do all the weeding yourself. That’s okay, because kids can still get involved by loading up wheelbarrows. Have them follow behind you, gleefully chucking little handfuls of weeds into the wheelbarrow.
Warning: some handfuls will probably end up on you, the toddler, or other passing siblings.
6. Harvesting
Is there anything more rewarding than picking your fruits and vegetables after weeks of hard work? Get your little guys used to that joy and excitement by letting them help with the fun stuff, not just the work.
Obviously, some plants are less-suited to toddler harvesting than others. Plants that could be damaged by rough pulling are probably not a good bet for independent gathering. Toddlers should also be supervised to make sure they only pick ripe fruits.
7. Fall clean up
When the summer has passed and all that’s left of your garden is dried vines and stalks, it’s time to put your beds to bed. Toddlers are easily amused by the idea that gardens go “nighty night” for the winter and need to be tucked in, so let them help.
Have them wear those cute little gardening gloves (or snow mittens, if that’s easier) and yank up all non-perennial plants. I recommend using gloves because some common plants like squashes, cucumbers, and pumpkins, have very prickly vines.
Once everything’s out of the ground, have them help put compost on the beds. Fall is a great time to add nutrients to your garden because weeds won’t immediately grow and deplete them. Plus, the cold weather gives your compost time to fully break down and mix into the soil.
Have your little tike help you shovel 2-3 inches of fresh compost onto your beds. This job is ideal for toddlers because it requires no accuracy, serious muscles, or dexterity. If your kid can chuck their dinner off the table, they’ll do just fine with compost.
As a bonus, they get messy! (Ok, maybe that’s not a selling point…)
Hillary is a former high school teacher who went rogue and became a freelance writer. She's also a certified doula and yes, she'd love to hear your birth story. When not offering support and advice to families, she tends to her garden, two tiny humans, husband, and cat.
We all know there’s nothing like a mom for getting things done. They do it on a daily basis and often in the face of public meltdowns and wild animal-like antics. We’ve scoured the scene for new or noteworthy mom-invented projects, and we’re totally inspired. These mom bosses have grabbed ideas from daily life to create some awesome products that we can’t live without. Scroll through to see them all.
If there’s one thing moms are passionate about, it’s the health of their kids. From chemical-free products and platforms that promote health and wellness, these mompreneurs are changing the industry for the better.
Cozy Clothing Brands
Ten Little
Whether you’re looking for the cutest summer swimsuit, gender neutral clothing or the best kids shoes, navigating the world of apparel can be overwhelming! That’s where some amazing women entrepreneurs come in, who’ve taken their experience as moms and turned it into sensory-friendly items, activity-based headwear and the cutest slippers-turned-shoes on the market.
They say it takes a village and thankfully our tribe of moms is constantly churning out ways to help each other navigate parenting. Whether it's inventions to reduce the daily amount of laundry, wooden baby toys that help with development or revolutionary lunch boxes that make kids excited to eat, this list of 13 moms have got each other's backs.
Oh, Baby!
Zipease
The baby industry is constantly evolving, and it's because there are some amazing women at the helm. From vegan accessories and revolutionary feeding gear, to back-saving baby carriers, 25 mom inventors are changing the face of what it means to manage the newborn and infant stage.
The Best of Travel, Home & Life
Pink Papyrus
When it comes to creativity, moms have no shortage of inspiration. From unique wall art and heirloom keepsakes to pretty pet accessories, these women are making home, travel and life in general more beautiful.
Services That Make a Difference
Hey Mama
We all need help getting things done. From finding the perfect carpooling app and learning a foreign language to finally taking that online sewing class, there's a slew of mom-invented services out there to help you tap into your inner passion or just get things done.
—Kate Loweth, Amber Guetebier, Erin Lem and Karly Wood
Have you ever stressed over keeping your family’s heirloom ornaments safe? Last year, Ayaan Naqvi, 12, noticed that ornaments kept falling off the Christmas tree and thought there had to be a better way to keep them safe. When a school project called for an invention the Ornament Anchor was born.
When parents and teachers swarmed his booth asking if they could buy some, Ayaan knew he was on to something. With his brother, Mika’il, 13, as his business partner, the two worked together to design the product, patent it, create an awesome website, calculate profit margins and do their own market analysis all on their own. They tested the market last December through a grassroots strategy and sold 6,500 ornament anchors at local craft and Christmas Fairs.
Ornament Anchor launched in Nov. 2019, only three months before the pandemic began. For Ayaan, it was difficult to suddenly quarantine and homeschool while launching a product. He had to completely pivot his strategy of introducing the product to major retailers this year at various trade shows and expos which all got cancelled.
The brothers didn’t let those cancellations slow them down. Ornament Anchor has sold out on QVC twice and the boys have been featured on Good Morning America. Their business has earned a net profit of over $250,000 this year. Ayaan has had a passion for animals so he donates a portion of the proceeds to local animal shelters.
Ornament Anchors come in packs of 24, 48 and 96. Each anchor can hold up to 48 ounces (3 pounds), so you can display all your favorite ornaments without worrying about them sliding off and breaking. Ayaan and Mika’il are saving Christmas, one ornament at a time.
It’s not every year that you parent during a pandemic. While some moments you’re eager to forget (like your baby’s epic up-the-back blowout during your latest Zoom call), other moments you want to bottle up and remember forever. Leave it to Artifact Uprising to memorialize the sweet, sour and unforgettable parenting moments of 2020.
From eye-catching woodblock prints to layflat photo albums to send to Grandma, Artifact Uprising has a photo book and gift for every occasion. We’re huge fans of their high quality items that make personalised photo gifting—whether to a relative or yourself—easy peasy. Scroll down for our top picks.
Star Wars fans are anxiously awaiting the Season 2 premiere of The Mandalorian. It’s hard not to smile at the sight of The Child (aka Baby Yoda). Now Pottery Barn is bringing the loveable character to life through Pottery Barn x Star Wars The Mandalorian.
Launching today, the collection will feature The Child pillow, cotton pajamas, soft blankets, quits, sheet sets, towels and a variety of swaddles to keep baby cozy and warm.
Whether you’re a novice chef or limp across the finish line after a day of cooking, Le Creuset’s 5-Piece Mickey Mouse Set is about to making cooking more magical.
The new set from the ultimate French cookware company has all you need to whip up a meal in style. It includes an enameled cast iron Round Dutch Oven with a stainless steel knob, two stoneware ramekins and a silicone trivet, all with a Mickey design!
Le Creuset’s signature cast iron products come with a lifetime warranty and make the perfect stovetop to oven to table cookware. They can easily become heirloom pieces, especially in a fun set like these!
You can purchase the set on lecreuset.com for $300, on sale from $450.
September 1st marks a momentous day for wizards and muggles alike. “Back to Hogwarts” day signals the beginning of a new and magical year. Today also marks the addition of new pieces to the Harry Potter collections from Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen.
This year may look different for those looking to catch the Hogwarts Express to head back to school for a new term. Excitement and magic can still be created. Harry Potter fans everywhere can experience the magic of Hogwarts at home with innovative décor and accessories as well as comfy apparel.
Prep the perfect desk space anywhere with the Deathly Hallows Lapdesk and Hogwarts Ticket Desk Mat and stay cozy with a variety of plush robes, festive pjs and nursery essentials.
This enchanting table lamp is inspired by The Wizarding World. Hand-painted in a gold finish with a white linen shade this lamp adds a touch of magic and charming style to your nightstand. The lamp retails for $199.
This plush beanbag captures the Deathly Hallows in a stylish way. The bean bag retails for $159 – $259 depending on whether you need just the cover or the insert as well.
The best memento for new parents is an artifact that truly embodies the place where their baby was born. The DMV is chockful of businesses and entrepreneurs that reflect our areas innovative streek while producing remarkable products. So next time you’re invited to a baby shower, think about gifting the parents something DMV-centric and supporting a local artisan.
City Pillow
Naked Decor
Did you hear the baby’s nursery is D.C. themed? Get the expectant parents a D.C. Capital City themed pillow. The 18″x18” pillow comes in different colors or black and white and has the names of the various D.C. neighborhoods on it. It’s sure to generate plenty of pillow talk.
It's never too soon to start teaching your kid to be proud of who they are and where they're from. Enter these adorable onesies. Created by local parents of a newborn, the design features the word ‘love’ with the bars and stars of the D.C. flag forming the E (genius, right?!). But the best part? The design comes in grown-up sizes, too!
Orange orioles and bright red cardinals, crabs or dogwoods...your state is something special. Gift the new bundle of joy, a personalized birth announcement which displays your newborn's name and birth date, and celebrates their home state’s unique features. Designed and made by talented mom and artist, Jill McDonald in Missouri, it's a relic for the proud parents with plenty of hometown pride.
Cost: $55 Online: uncommongoods.com
Every new parent needs coffee! If you’re looking for coffee from a local establishment, Compass Coffee is the place to go. Compass is fanatical about making superb coffee, from espressos to blends. Their original café and roastery is in Shaw but they have several locations in D.C. As an added bonus, it was founded by two former Marines. Oorah!
Proud UVA grads becoming parents? Shower them with Cavalier love with a woven blanker by The Northwest Company. It has a sweet bear running down the field to make a touchdown! It’s made in the USA and will keep baby warm and snug.
The Etsy shop, Bannor Toys, makes handmade wooden heirloom toys perfect for babies. Among their repertoire are Virginia and D.C. organic state shaped wooden baby rattles. What a great modern gift to give as a keepsake! An organic, all natural wooden rattle in the shape of your home state. As baby plays, they develop their senses of touch, sight, and sound. Bannor Toys started by accident as Jesse Bannor set out to build a few toys in her Madrid, Iowa workshop for her own children. Local parents fell in love with her creations and, before she knew it, she was getting custom orders left and right. Bannor Toys is an eco-friendly, family owned company that makes safe, durable, beautiful, and fun homemade wooden toys.
Kristin Rapisardi of Norfolk, VA. has a fabEtsy shop named Brilliant Critter where she sells digital prints of her original watercolors. One of her cool creations is a DC custom city print. The print comes in a number of different sizes with a custom name added on a sheet of Archival heavy weight fine art paper. Brilliant Critter is filled with Kristin’s whimsical creations and although her degrees are in Graphic Arts and Marketing, her love of painting is her passion.