Virtual Kindergarten Readiness Works, According to New Study

by Sarah ShebekMay 25, 2021

Write your first name, recognize numbers, know the sounds of the alphabet, pay attention and take turns…the list of kindergarten readiness tasks can be daunting. Summer success programs can be key to help kids prep for school, but when COVID-19 locked down the country last year, educators had to innovate.

Would a fully virtual readiness program work with four and five-year-olds? The Ohio State University decided to try it and researchers found that it was successful in theory and in practice. Their data showed that it was feasible to operate, it was popular with teachers and parents and it had success in teaching children literacy skills, early math skills and emotional regulation.

“The promising evidence is that a virtual problem like this can succeed, despite the challenges,” said Rebecca Dore, lead author of the study and senior research associate at Ohio State’s Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy.

Ninety-one families enrolled in the four-week virtual program last year and received storybooks plus a computer tablet preloaded with educational videos. It also included weekly individual video interactions between teachers and children and a weekly video or phone meeting with parents. The final result? Seventy-seven percent of families finished the program and teachers found that kids were engaged for more than half the lesson 90% of the time. Participating children were tested before and after the program and the final data showed an upswing in all testing categories.

Although life is returning to normal, the success of this virtual program is promising for other scenarios. Kids who live in very rural areas may not have ready access to resources and kids who must stay home due to extended illness could certainly benefit from future online offerings. Technology for the win!

––Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of andrii Sinenkyi /Pixabay

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California Can Soon Reopen Theme Parks & Here’s What You Need to Know

by Karly WoodMarch 8, 2021

No one was more excited to get the news that California can start the process of reopening theme parks than residents themselves––except maybe theme park enthusiasts! Disneyland, Six Flags, LEGOLAND, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios and more have all been closed since last March but new guidelines will soon allow the parks to reopen.

First things first, there are a few things you need to know. California currently utilizes a color-coded, tiered system that places counties into varying levels of “openness” based on Covid-19 case rates. Only parks in counties that are in the red, orange and yellow tiers will be able to open.

photo: Christian Thompson via Disneyland Resort

That means that all parks in the purple tier, where the virus is still considered “widespread” will not be eligible for reopening. Once the county moves to the red tier, amusement parks are eligible to open starting Apr. 1.

While in the red tier, parks can operate at a limited 15 percent capacity. Once they move to the orange tier, they can increase to 25 percent, and 35 percent once in the yellow tier.

Now for the potentially bad news: for now, attendance is limited only to in-state visitors. That means, don’t start planning that big Disney trip to California just yet!

But keep that chin up. Currently California has administered over 10 million vaccine doses so that yellow tier is closer than ever!

––Karly Wood

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You Don’t Have to Be an Astronaut to Visit Mars, Thanks to NatGeo

by Karly WoodFebruary 25, 2021

The last few weeks the world has been buzzing with excitement over the Mars landing. Now, National Geographic wants to take everyone on a trip to the red planet.

In collaboration with NASA, National Geographic has just launched an exclusive augmented reality (AR) experience on its @natgeo Instagram. The AR activation gives users an opportunity to be the Perseverance rover with its 360 degree look.

To access the new AR feature, head to Instagram and click on the link in NatGeo’s bio. Your stories will open up with the brand new filter as an option.

With the new activation, families can operate the rovers extremities and see Mars through its eyes. National Geographic collaborated with NASA on the Mars AR activation to ensure accuracy through the experience.

photo: Rawpixel

Can’t get enough of Mars? You’ll want to pick up National Geographic’s March issue, which explores the red planet as well as visit the immersive experience available online at the National Geographic space hub, natgeo.com/space.

––Karly Wood

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Review: 6-Volt NCAA College Mascots Plush Ride-Ons

By The Toy Insider

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

November 16, 2020

Photo: Dynacraft

Classic play has had a big year and one category that’s been taking off with families spending more time at home is an old favorite: ride-on toys. The 6-volt NCAA College Mascots ride-on assortment from Dynacraft brings famous mascots from the University of Georgia, University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Arkansas, Louisiana State University, and Clemson University from the sidelines to the sidewalk just in time for the holidays. Kids ages 3 and up can rock the neighborhood at a maximum speed of 2.5 mph activated by an easy-to-operate foot pedal. Each ride-on comes with a special “team bus” where the mascot lives for charging in between playtime.

Read the full review on thetoyinsider.com, and check out the Toy Insider’s full Holiday Gift Guide to see the top picks of the hottest toys this holiday season!

The Toy Insider

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

The Toy Insider is the go-to source for product information and the latest news about children's toys, tech, and entertainment. Its team of toy experts publishes two annual gift guides—one for summer and one for holiday—and reviews toys 365 days a year on thetoyinsider.com, a trusted resource for parents.

Adobe Provides Free At-Home Access to Creative Cloud Apps & Resources for Distance Learning

by Jennifer SwartvagherAugust 28, 2020

Distance learning brings with it many challenges, but now Adobe is looking to make the transition a little easier. Adobe is offering Creative Cloud application access at no additional charge to all students and teachers from Aug. 24, 2020 through Jan. 31, 2021 for current U.S. K-12 volume license customers. New U.S. K-12 Creative Cloud customers can also take advantage of these cost-savings by purchasing a volume license for their school or district, giving access (including at-home) to all students and teachers at no additional charge.

We are accustomed to a classroom model for education. Our new reality of distance and hybrid learning is changing the way institutions operate, how educators teach and how student success is measured and achieved.

For decades, Adobe has partnered with educators and education leaders and they remain committed to helping foster positive student outcomes amidst this changing landscape. This latest offer builds on a series of education initiatives put in place throughout this year.

For higher education and 2020 college graduates, Adobe is granting free access to Adobe Portfolio for one year to help them demonstrate their creative skills, which are essential differentiators in today’s fast evolving job landscape.

For parents and educators (K-12 and higher education), Adobe’s Distance Learning Hub provides practical teaching and learning resources. This includes unique curricula such as Khan + Create, a creative lesson plan on the Adobe Education Exchange developed in partnership with the Khan Academy.

The newly launched Adobe Creative Educator program also connects educators around the world and helps them learn how to foster critical skills like creativity in remote learning environments.

Additional resources for educators and parents can be found on AdobeForEducation.com, including industry-leading research on creative problem solving and the creative skills gap in today’s workforce.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Thomas Park on Unsplash

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Country Time Lemonade Offers Stimulus Checks to Little Entrepreneurs

by Jennifer SwartvagherJuly 23, 2020

Summertime means lemonade. Unfortunately due to social distancing guidelines, lemonade stands across the country are closed. To help the smallest of small businesses, kids’ lemonade stands, Country Time is launching the Littlest Bailout Relief Fund, a fund to send stimulus checks to kids who had to close their lemonade stands due to COVID-19.

“The small business government bailouts helped some not-so-small companies and Country Time hopes to help a real small business near and dear to us – lemonade stands”

The Country Time Bailout Relief Fund will send stimulus checks to help kids preserve the values of lemonade stands, honest work and entrepreneurship, while putting a little juice back into the economy. For a chance to receive Country Time Bailout Relief funds, simply visit www.countrytimebailout.com and apply for a bailout check. Check your email to find out if you have been randomly selected to receive a bailout, which will come in the form of a commemorative check in the mail and a prepaid gift card by email.

country-time-giving-money-kids-lemonade-stands-closedand can be saved, or better yet, spent to help invest in the local economy.

“The small business government bailouts helped some not-so-small companies and Country Time hopes to help a real small business near and dear to us – lemonade stands,” says Andrew Deckert of Country Time, “Country Time has a history of helping lemonade stands when they are in trouble, like stepping in to pay for permit fees and fines, and this year is no different. Due to social distancing guidelines, lemonade stands aren’t what they used to be, and we want to help kids foster their entrepreneurial spirit by offering a small relief to those who can’t operate their lemonade stands this summer.”

The Littlest Bailout comes after Country Time launched Legal-Ade in 2018, which helped kids across the country pay permit fees and fines on their lemonade stands due to outdated permit laws. Legal-Ade prompted legislation in several states across the country, including Colorado and Texas, to legalize lemonade stands by excluding them from businesses that need a permit to operate. This year, Country Time will continue helping kids and their lemonade stands to ensure even the smallest of businesses can keep their entrepreneurial dreams alive. So, when life gives you social distancing, make lemonade.

For more information about the Country Time Littlest Bailout, visit www.countrytimebailout.com.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Country Time Lemonade

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We’re Hiring! Looking for an Independent Account Representative, Atlanta

by Stephanie NelsonJuly 8, 2020

Tinybeans and Red Tricycle are seeking an Independent Account Representative in the Atlanta area! If you are a passionate and tech-savvy strategic seller, self-motivated and proactive and familiar with the Atlanta area, read on to see if you fit the bill!

photo: Michelle Rose

Our Mission

Tinybeans is a publicly-traded tech company that is in active growth mode, continuing to invest in fulfilling our mission—to connect parents and their families with the most trusted tools on the planet to help them thrive. We feel fortunate to be welcoming more users to our platforms than ever before and playing an even more important role in parents’ lives.

Tinybeans is a private, protected, app-based social media platform where parents capture and share their children’s life stories. Red Tricycle is a website-based content platform that offers locally-oriented daily inspiration for parents to lean in to creating memorable family fun. With our acquisition of Red Tricycle in March 2020, the Tinybeans family of brands now offers our brand partners a community of deeply engaged, every day users on two of the most brand safe platforms in the world, delivering a combined monthly reach of 25 million pre-natal to pre-teen parents

Your Part in Our Mission:

As an Independent Account Representative in a commission-only role, you’ll be a mission-critical part of our company’s success, playing a key role in ensuring that our most valued customers have positive experiences with our platform right from the beginning. You will drive the sales cycle and conversion, develop relationships with new customers, and help customers get the most out of the partnerships that they form with Tinybeans & Red Tricycle brands.

You are a passionate and tech-savvy strategic seller, with experience in digital/experiential media and a proven track record within sales for national accounts based out of the southeast (CPG, Pharmaceutical, Travel and similar industries) and local accounts (family-focused, Atlanta-based businesses such as museums, schools, hospitals and similar industries) . You are an extremely self-motivated and proactive executive and you operate well in an entrepreneurial culture. You are goal-oriented and resourceful, making strategic decisions to drive the sales pipeline and drive conversion to successfully deliver on your goals.

How You Can Make an Impact:

Operate as an Independent Account Representative
Grow existing accounts and drive rapid expansion of the new business funnel
Customize various sales aids, visual presentations, research reports and sales support data to close deals
Help to identify market opportunities to engage the client base and build brand awareness within the advertising community
Develop partner solutions that clearly achieve client objectives while staying true to the Tinybeans brands and audiences

What You Bring to the Table:

3-5+ years of digital media sales experience required with a proven track record of meeting & exceeding sales goals
The ability to work independently to craft creative and efficient solutions to marketers’ requests for proposals
A self-starter who can handle all aspects of the position, from prospecting to putting together media plans and proposals, to crafting your own pitch and brainstorming campaign ideas for clients
Intellectual curiosity–you are creative in the way you go about tackling problems, and embrace failure as a means to spark innovation and growth
Strategic and consultative skills, with the ability to build strong, performance-based partnerships with National & Local clients and agencies
The ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment

Think you’re the right fit for the job? Send your resume and a cover letter to jobs@tinybeans.go-vip.net with the job title in the subject line.

LEGOLAND California Hotel Is Reopening

by Jennifer SwartvagherJuly 8, 2020

LEGOLAND Hotel is now taking reservations from Jul. 17 on. LEGOLAND Castle Hotel and the rest of LEGOLAND California Resort is getting ready to reopen at a date which will be announced in the near future. Once reopened the resort will operate under adjusted hours.

In order to ensure the health and safety of guests and employees the Resort has an extensive plan of enhanced health and safety measures including reduced capacity, cashless payments, social distancing practices and enhanced cleaning regimes set in place.

For more information on how these are being implemented, please visit the LEGOLAND website.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: LEGOLAND

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Disneyland Announces Phased Reopening Dates

by Karly WoodJune 11, 2020

Disney Parks, Experiences and Products made a huge announcement on Wed., Jun. 10: they have released proposed plans for a phased reopening of the Disneyland Resort! In accordance with state and local government approval, the California resort will begin a phased reopening Jul. 9.

The Downtown Disney District and theme parks will be the first to open, followed by hotels. Guests can start visiting, shopping and dining Downtown Disney beginning Jul. 9, gain access to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Jul. 17 and stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel starting Jul. 23.

photo: Courtesy of Disney

The theme parks will operate at reduced capacity to promote physical distancing and comply with regulations. Like Walt Disney World, both California parks will use a new theme park reservation system that requires all guests (including Annual Passholders) to have a reservation before entering the parks. Due to the capacity limitations, Disney has put a pause on all new ticket sales, Annual Passport sales and renewals temporarily.

Within the park, any experience that draws large crowds, such as parade and fireworks will be temporarily on hold. Character meet and greets will also return at a later time, but park guests will be able to spot them walking around the parks!

Disney has also made changes to ensure the utmost health practices throughout the resort. A Guest Experience Team will be stationed throughout the parks and Downtown Disney District to help guests with any and all questions. As the situation continues to evolve, Disney will release more info on parks and changes, which can be found at Disney Parks Blog and Disneyland.com.

––Karly Wood

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3 More Universal Studios Parks to Open June 5

3 More Universal Studios Parks to Open June 5

by Karly WoodMay 30, 2020

As the country begins to reopen, theme parks are putting safety into place so they too can welcome guests back. Beginning Fri., Jun. 5, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay will open their doors.

Each park will observe strict health, safety and hygiene guidelines as set by the CDC. Guests will be required to wear face masks, receive a temperature check, practice social distancing and follow floor markings.

photo: Universal Studios

All three parks will have reduced hours. Currently, Universal Studios and Universal’s Island of Adventure will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and Universal’s Volcano Bay from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Additionally, all locations will operate with reduced capacity for the time being.

All employees will wear masks and the parks highly recommend downloading the Universal app to go contact free.

––Karly Wood

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