Whether there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring, these cute projects will help you pass the time.
Excitement is building in your house. Your little critter can hardly wait for the Punxsutawney prophet himself, Groundhog Phil to make his annual prediction. Will he grant your snow baby six more weeks of snowman building or is it on to spring tulips and rainy day puddle jumping? Craft while you wait with one of these simply adorable Groundhog Day crafts for kids.
Almost Unschoolers
1.Almost Unschoolers has the scoop on how to make this geometric groundhog that’s a perfect fit for preschoolers.
2. Put that sensory box to good use by having your little ones search for tiny groundhogs and match them to a printout like this fun idea from @playroomprek on Instagram.
Allison Sutcliffe
3. No matter how your aspiring artist chooses to paint or color this cute groundhog, his shadow will always be close behind. Get the template, instructions, and a cool texture painting idea at allkidsnetwork.com.
Allison Sutcliffe
4. Your kidlet can play peek-a-boo with this groundhog puppet, who loves popping in and out of his grass-lined toilet paper roll to look for his shadow. Print your own cuddly paper puppet template online to get this project rolling!
Allison Sutcliffe
5. We dare you not to love this simple cut-and-paste, googly-eyed groundhog who’s a Pinterest fave. Three hearts make up his face, teeth, and button nose, followed by ears and eyes trimmed freestyle. All you need is a glue stick at the ready to assemble this furry friend!
6. Our friends at Kids Activity Blog have the how-to on this adorable, paper-bag craft.
Housing a forest
7. We can’t quite put our finger on what makes these petite puppets so adorable, but we bet your little ones will love making them. Housing a Forest spells out the necessary steps to construct this easily animated guy.
Coming up with New Year’s Eve party ideas is a lot easier than you think
Whether you stay up until midnight (or 9 EST) to watch the ball drop or decide to do a Noon Year’s Eve thing, you can still host a memorable New Year’s Eve Party for kids. From easy appetizers to creating their own countdown and making confetti poppers, there are dozens of ways to make the last day of the year one they’ll never forget. We’ve got the best New Year’s Eve party ideas perfect for celebrating at home.
If your kids won’t make it to midnight, why not host a mock countdown before bedtime? There are dozens of videos available online where they can watch the ball drop (even if it’s last year!) and if you shout “Happy New Year” before the clock strikes 12, it will still be a stand-out celebration for them!
Another good New Year's Eve party idea is to host a good, old-fashioned pajama party with friends or just your family! Pile the living room high with sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets (props if you opt for a fort!), wear your coziest PJs, and camp out to watch the ball drop and the new year begin.
4. Dress to the Nines
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If a PJ party won't do the trick, host a formal affair in honor of the new year and let your littles don old dresses, jackets, gloves, bow ties, boas, and the like. Serve sparkling cider in fancy flutes, petite appetizers, and of course, a New Year’s cake!
5. Have a Cookie Encounter
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Break out the sugar and flour and let your kids pick their favorite cookie recipe to bake. If you want to try something different this year, check out our favorite holiday cookie recipes.
Why watch the big event on TV when you can host your own? Create your own sparkling ball with a balloon or even piñata and lower it at midnight (or at any time of day if your littles can't stay up that late!). Your kids will love counting down in your own home—and bonus if the piñata ball drops prizes or treats!
You wouldn’t believe the amount of glow stick apparel out there! There is everything from necklaces to bracelets and glasses, and they all make a serious statement in the dark or in the backyard when you’re ringing in the new year. Check out our other glowingly good ideas here.
Poppers, pots and pans, confetti-filled balloons, you name it! Put together DIY noise-making machines to set off at midnight (or 8 PM, we won't tell!). These DIY Easy Confetti Poppers made from toilet paper rolls and construction paper are the perfect New Year's Eve party idea for younger kids.
Whether it's just you and the kids or if you're having a gathering, make a trip to the party store to pick out a wig for the big event! Kids will love taking on a new look for the night.
Blow up several balloons with the hours left until the new year written on them (IE. Five Hours to Go, Four Hours to Go) and let your kids take turns popping them as each hour passes.
When the clock strikes 12, we'll be toasting our bubbly flutes, so let the kids join in and put a spin on things! Pour sparkling cider for the petite partiers and get ready to toast—with toast! Let your kids nibble on their favorite toasts, everything from peanut butter and jelly to Nutella or even cheese! They'll have fun putting together these easy snacks and raising a slice to the new year!
A fun and noisy craft for kids, these New Year’s bells from Paging Supermomare pure genius. Pick up silver bells, golden yarn, and cool wrapping paper, and your party guests will be jingle-jangling in no time.
Your revelers will most definitely be tooting their own horns if they're edible! Only a little messy and way tasty, these tasty treats create a real sound machine when you nibble off the end of the cone.
Drum up a little luck for the New Year. Kiddos will love the thumping sounds made by this clever craft. What’s it gonna take to make one? Glitter glue, stamp paint, star, and letter stickers. Don't forget to make a wish. Find out more from No Time for Flashcards.
15. Say Cheese!
Kelly Aiglon
Capture the moment with a DIY photo booth. This is where all those silly wigs and fancy dresses will have their chance to shine!
One of our favorite New Year's Eve party ideas is to make your own confetti to toss when it is time to celebrate! Cut whatever paper you'd like into strips, then cut the strips into squares. Of course, tossing confetti makes a mess, but the kids will love using those paper squares to make art collages later on.
Celebrate the beauty of spring by making a magical fairy garden all your own
Your little one is no stranger to enchantments: from peering under rocks to fashioning wings and wands, the kingdom of the fairy is a magical place perfect for budding imaginations. What better way than to combine a love of the fae with a little small-scale gardening, of the little people, by the little people, and for the little people! We’ve got an easy tutorial on how to make a fairy garden for kids right here. For more seasonal fun, try a different gardening project for kids or giggle at a few spring jokes.
What You Need to Make a Fairy Garden for Kids
Sara Olsher
A garden pot. Preferably one that is wide and/or bowl-shaped, so you have more room for all the tiny things, but any will do. Don’t forget the potting soil!
Plants. You can use annuals like lobelia, violets, or marigolds, or use succulents/sedum or other dwarf ground covers. If you want to get elaborate, get some bonsai trees. If your garden is indoor-only, look for teeny-tiny house plants, which you can pick up at a garden center for only a few dollars. Be sure and water the plants when you bring them home and before planting.
Shortcut: no plants or place to really grow them? Try a little florist moss for a woodland effect without the woods!
Little Things.Here’s where you can get creative. Decorate your fairy garden with little items found or created. Pinecones trees, stick teepees, and stones for benches or garden paths all give the fairy garden an au naturel feeling. Many nurseries now carry miniature “fairy house” items, but you can scour your toy boxes for the just-right accessory: a petite teacup could become a fountain or reflection pool, little flags from hors d’oeuvres designate fairy territory, large marbles become garden globes. We love this popsicle stick house (and table and chair set). Also, try aquarium stores for tiny castles and similar structures. And don’t forget LEGO bricks!
Create Your Fairy Kingdom
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Fill your pot with soil. If you have any larger “structural” items, such as a tiny house, put that in place before you plant. Designate an area where you will put your garden path. Most of the smaller items can be added after, or in some cases, on top of the plants.
Make sure your plants have been watered but aren’t still soaking wet.
Tip: Layout your plants and larger garden decor in the pattern you’d like before you remove the plants from their pots. That way, you can rearrange them a bit before deciding exactly where they’ll go.
Plant your plants with enough space in between them for them to grow. As a rule of thumb, plant the largest plant you have first (i.e. the bonsai tree) and anything that might trail over or creep a bit closer to the edge of the pot. Before you accessorize, be sure you are happy with the placement of your plants. You can move them a bit after planting if necessary, but it’s best to avoid this too much as it will traumatize the plants and they may not thrive.
Tip: If you aren’t using live plants, you still need to create an elevated surface in your pot. If you prefer to skip the dirt, you could try using small pebbles to create a relatively flat surface on which to create your garden.
Now place in an area where fairies are sure to visit: garden, deck, porch, bedroom windowsill, or dresser near a window.
Lions and tigers and… cars? If seeing the zoo on foot doesn’t cut it for your animal-loving brood, there are plenty of immersive animal experiences that’ll give you the feeling of an authentic wildlife safari park from the comfort of your (or someone else’s) car. Whether you want to gaze at giraffes from a double-decker safari truck or see the wild from the comfort of your own front seat, here are the best safari park experiences in the U.S.
Safari West - Santa Rosa, CA
Safari West
While a three-hour tour through the Sonoma wine country usually conjures up visions of gorgeous grapes ripening on the vine, Safari West will have you rethinking those expectations. Here, you'll board a double-decker safari truck and log some serious face time with zebras, giraffes, water buffalo and any number of the other 800 animals that call this preserve home. Expect learning to happen, too. Safari West guides love actively engaging guests, promoting conservation and education efforts on their tours, as they expertly weave the open-air jeep in for a closer look. When tummies rumble, belly up to the Savannah Cafe that overlooks the park; the authentic food, beautiful scenery and grown-up grape juice from the region hit the spot after a long safari.
Wildest Extra: Want to make a weekend out of it? Spend the night in one of Safari West's 30 authentic African safari tents, with polished hardwood floors, en-suite bathrooms (with hot showers and real toilets), hand-hewn furniture, and ultra-plush linens atop comfortable beds.
The San Diego Wild Animal Park (a branch of the San Diego Zoo) has everything a zoo has to offer, with a plethora of ways to see it all. Rather than keeping animals in small cages, this place opts to let the animals roam free—and puts the people in various vehicles to go out and see them. Families can commune with exotic wildlife from golf carts, African trams, zip lines, behind-the-scenes truck tours, or, even in a hot air balloon for a spectacular bird’s eye view of it all. Add in a ropes course for adventurers as young as seven, and you could spend days taking it all in. But at the heart of this animal wonderland is a mission to save the critters of the world, with its researchers and activists leading conservation efforts in 45 countries, with 380 partners in its conservation work, five conservation field stations and 200 conservation scientists working in the field or the lab, according to this article.
Wildest Extra: Want to really wow your wildlife-loving kiddos? Opt for an overnight in an authentic safari tent. At the Wild Animal Park's "Roar and Snore" overnights, you'll get a nighttime tour of the zoo (with up-close animal encounters), then fall asleep to the sounds of lions' roars in the distance.
Gas up the family wagon and grab a bucket of tasty grains for the “locals” at the gate before taking off along the three-mile paved drive through this natural animal habitat. Expect a few delighted shrieks from the littles as ostriches, llamas and zebras poke their heads through the windows to say hello and help themselves to tasty treats. When you’re done with the drive, be sure to check out the Village Walk-Thru where the kidlets can spend some QT with potbellied pigs, chickens and goats and more. Let the good times roll!
Wildest Extra: For an added fee, you can feed giraffes from a special platform, get up close and personal with the penguins or feed and pet the rhinos—all while learning how zookeepers take care of the animals and how the Safari Park is helping the animals in the wild.
What’s not to love about a family-owned and operated animal park where it’s all about the beauty of the land and the animals that make their home there? Drive your car or hop on the bus to get a rolling tour of this bucolic oasis. Little rangers can be on the lookout for llamas, bison and ostriches, all of whom may cautiously approach the tiny outstretched hands looking to feed and interact with them. It’s a ring-side seat your sidekick won’t soon forget. Add in dinner at the Trailside Grill and you’ve got the whole day planned. The park opens in May and runs through October before closing for the winter.
Wildest Extra: Winter sleigh rides through the lower park make for a magical, snowy, family-friendly outing. Sleigh bells ring!
With a focus on preserving and encouraging the repopulation of native Northwest wildlife, this sanctuary, just 60 miles south of Seattle, is a surprisingly perfect place to be on a rainy day. In the true spirit of the Pacific Northwest, the bison, elk and bighorn sheep (and moose, if you can spot one) are a little less camera shy when it’s overcast and drizzling. The park's all-new "Wild Drive" premier tour lets you drive your own car through the Trek's Free-Roaming, where you'll cruise by herds of Roosevelt elk, bison, moose, caribou, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, swan and deer.
After that, stretch your legs on the Animal Walking Paths as you check out grizzlies, cougars and more. Kids will love the "Kids Trek," a nature-inspired playground with ropes, slides, sand, cabins and a massive “tree trunk" to climb. Up for a hike? Access to more than five miles of paved and primitive walking trails is included in admission.
Wildest Extra: Don't miss Eagle Passage, an immersive experience that allows visitors to see majestic bald eagles close up while giving the rescued birds—all of whom have some degree of long-term wing injury—a safe passage between habitat sections.
Drive your car on a three-mile gravel trail to see some of our country's most popular wild natives, including bison, black bears and wolves. When you're ready to stretch your legs, the winding walk-through, Fort Bearizona, will give you the perfect view of the park's resident jaguars, grizzly bears, and more. Craving cuddles? Creepy-crawly lovers can see bugs, spiders and nocturnal animals at the Mine Shaft Experience.
Wildest Extra: Want a peek at the resident bears... right now? Check out the park's Grizzly Cams!
Alpaca, bongos and camels are waiting to say hello to kids and their parents as they drive through the African Safari Wildlife Park. Cup in hand is the way they roll here. And when the drive comes to an end, be sure to check out the Walk-Thru Safari, where kidlets can come face to face with white alligators, ocelots and playful gibbons as they stroll along. In warmer months, the park brings out its giraffes for up-close encounters that let you feed these long-necked beauties a snack.
Note: The park is closed from Dec. through Apr. Check the online calendar for details.
Wildest Extra: Want to come face-to-tongue with a giraffe? Sign up for the 30-minute Giraffe Encounter, which lets you feed and mingle with the giraffes, Matata, Rudy, Poptart, and Harrison.
Be sure to slap your “Will Break for Bison” bumper sticker to the back of your ride before driving the gang through this open-air Safari park in Oregon. Families can get up close and personal with mammals, reptiles and birds as they check out the sights and feed a few of the residents in this 600-acre park. When your little animals get restless, take a break at Safari Village, a walkable area with trains, playgrounds and a petting zoo to keep kids busy and happy. As for conservation, Wildlife Safari’s staff works hard to protect animals both internationally and domestically. They’ve helped bring over 235 cheetah cubs into the world as part of their super successful cheetah breeding program. Hooray!
Wildest Extra: Want some wine with your wild? Be sure to get tickets for the park's "Sippin' Safari," which will honor the park's 50th anniversary on July 22 with live music, wine and beer tastings, and local food trucks.
Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari - Ashland, NE
The winner of USA Today's Best Safari Park two years in a row, this Nebraska wildlife park (which is owned and operated by Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium) lets you enjoy a four-mile, drive-through experience showcasing North American wildlife. You'll see a menagerie of animals, including American elk, bison, waterfowl, raptors and white-tailed deer. At Wolf Canyon, guests can get out of their cars to gaze at grey wolves and American black bears. After the drive, take a hike to one of the park's overlooks to view the animals from above.
Note: Due to a current Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak in Nebraska, the American white pelicans in the Pelican Wetlands, the sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans in Crane Meadows and the chickens at the Hands-on Corral will not be on display until further notice. The Eagle Aviary will be closed, but the eagles are still viewable to the public. The whooping cranes will be off display.
Wildest Extra: For an extra $65 per person, you can book a Backstage Experience to see the animals and their keepers up close. Experiences include a Cheetah Conservation Experience, which gives visitors a backstage look at the state-of-the-art Cheetah Conservation Breeding Facility to see and learn how keepers care for the park's 20 cheetahs; and the Tiger Conservation Experience, in which visitors will get the chance to tour and meet the tigers at the Tiger Conservation Breeding Center.
A sprawling sister property of the award-winning Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the Wilds lets visitors get an unfettered glimpse of the animals who call this 10,000-acre park home. Here, it's the humans who go in the "cages" and the animals who get to roam free. To see the wildlife, visitors must board the park's open-air safari vehicles to see the resident rare and endangered animals roaming in their large, natural settings.
What else? Want something extra special? Select from a variety of specialty tours to soak in The Wilds’ stunning scenery. Whether you want to float the day away during a relaxing Fishing Safari on one of nearly 100 lakes; whoosh above it all on a Zipline Tour; saddle up on a Horseback Safari through the quiet prairies; snap some Insta-worthy shots during one of the park's gorgeous Sunset Tours, or get a behind-the-scenes look at the animals with a Wildside Tour—there’s an adventure for everyone!
The original drive-through safari park in the U.S. (and believed to be "the first cageless zoo in the country"), this safari spot has been serving up African game park experiences for the whole fam since 1967. It’s four miles of drive-through meetings with oryx, giraffes, rhinos, wildebeests and a whole slew of animals we’ll bet you’ve never heard of (with more than 900 total, we’re pretty confident taking that bet), each living it up in an area that replicates their natural habitat. And the lions for which the park is named? Well, they’ve got their special spot where they can’t get up to too much mischief. Ice this cake with an adjacent KOA campground where you can fall asleep listening to the nighttime sounds of the animals outside your tent, just like a real safari!
Wildest Extra: The get-up-and-move activities that are available after your car safari are awesome perks. Mini golf, a safari cruise, plenty of rides and even a splash park are all part of the day’s adventures at Safari World, the 55-acre amusement park portion of this preserve.
Born out of a desire to help dwindling animal populations, Fossil Rim found its roots and eventual footing in propagation programs for threatened and endangered species. Thirty years later, families still flock to this Texas park, where they can take their own vehicles around the 9.5-mile Scenic Drive, or get insider deets and educationally potent tidbits when they ride along on a Guided Tour. We love that The Overlook is smack dab in the middle of this drive, as it's the perfect stopping point for antsy toddlers. Get out and interact with friendly tortoises and curious goats at the Children’s Animal Center, or grab grub at the snack bar.
Wildest Extra: A two-hour nighttime tour through the park to see what wild antics the animals are up to once the sun sets is as thrilling as it sounds! Want to stay even later? Adventurous explorers can also spend the night at the Fossil Rim Lodge, which was the original home for original Fossil Rim owner Tom Mantzel; or at one of the safari cabins overlooking one of Fossil Rim's most popular wildlife watering holes.
Nominated as one of the top 10 Best Safari Parks in the U.S. by USA Today, this 100-acre park is home to hundreds of exotic mammals, birds and reptiles from all over the world—with an assortment of fun ways to see them. Climb aboard the open-air safari truck—or upgrade to a"Supermog" (an all-terrain, safari vehicle modified from a medium-size Isuzu truck)—and set out on a bumpy ride into the Serengeti preserve to see zebras, sable antelope, gemsbok, and more. You may even get a chance to feed a giraffe along the way! When the ride is over, there's plenty more to see, including the "Tiger Splash" show, which lets you spy on Bengal and Siberian tigers as they splash around in their pool and interact with their keepers; and the "Predator Feed," where keepers throw 800 pounds of raw food to eagerly-waiting carnivores.
Wildest Extra: Adrenaline junkies will want to sign up for a zip-line tour over the rolling hills. The "Racing Raptor" features three parallel lines—so you and your kids can zip the more than 1,000 feet together above the animals; the Predator zipline tour gives brave riders a course of five zip line runs above it all (Children must be 8 years old to ride.).
Whether you drive your vehicle, rent a zebra bus (you know you want to) or take advantage of the guided bus tour, your pack will have a grand time spotting many (and even touching a few!) of the 65 different species that roam this 250-acre Serengeti adventure park. Think zebras, elk, bison, camels and more. When the park first opened, it was specially designed to capture the imagination of the littles and engender a lifelong love of animals. Not much has changed since then. Kiddos of all ages love the personal attention they get from the curious animals here! Don't miss the park's newest resident: Malaika, a giraffe calf born in January.
Note: The Wild Animal Safari also has locations in Strafford, MO and Aggieland, TX.
Wildest Extra: The chance to hand-feed animals at the park's Walkabout Adventure Zoo is a hoot for the tot lot. "The animals are sociable, and you may be slobbered on if you are too close," warns the website (in other words, animal-loving kids will be in heaven). Fuzzy, friendly and hungry, these animals are sure to elicit some giggles from the little ones who feed them.
Valentine’s Day just got sweeter—at Costco! The warehouse club has Le Chic Patissier’s heart-shaped macarons back in stock, just in time for the holiday.
The fab French-inspired foodie find was already spotted by Instagram user @costcosisters as early as Jan. 8 and we’re about ready to head to the warehouse ourselves to grab a box or two.
photo: Red Tricycle
Fans of the petite treats may remember Le Chic Patissier’s strawberry-vanilla and raspberry macarons from year’s past. These Valentine’s Day goodies feature vanilla and raspberry flavors. Le Chic Patissier’s website describes the delish delights as, “Using 100% natural ingredients, we source high-quality vanilla from Madagascar and fresh seasonal fruits for the puree.”
Nab a box of 25 for $12.99 at select Costco retailers while these limited-time sweets are still on store shelves.
Art is all around us—you don’t have to go to a stuffy museum to introduce your kids to the fine arts. We’ve rounded up 18 jaw-dropping outdoor art installations across the country that the whole family will appreciate. Some are interactive and others are just larger than life, but all of them are well worth a visit. Keep reading to see them all.
Isak Heartstone | Breckenridge, CO
Kate Loweth
From a downtown full of sculptures to live theater performances, Breckenridge is full of ways to explore the arts. Track down the famed Breckenridge Troll while you are there. Named Isak Heartstone, this 15-foot tall wooden troll sculpture is located on the Trollstigen Trail next to Illinois Gulch Trailhead. This massive sculpture is by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, who is known worldwide for bringing awareness to recycling and upcycling by building great things out of trash. Bonus: you can even explore the area's public art using the self-guided audio tour.
Created by a husband-wife pop artist duo, this larger-than-life spoon and cherry sculpture can be found at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Admission is free, so you can also check out the garden’s other pieces, including everything from a giant blue rooster to wind chimes that make soft music. Here's our guide to other kid-friendly Minneapolis activities.
Wynwood Walls was started in 2009 to showcase international street art. Stroll through the rotating collection of more than 50 murals at this outdoor museum, then head out into the Wynwood district to check out the surrounding art galleries and eclectic shops.
Like a colorful mirage, this weird and wonderful exhibit is in the middle of the desert outside Las Vegas. Kids will get a kick out of these 30- to 35-feet high sculptures, made from painted and locally-sourced boulders. Check out our guide to other kid-friendly Las Vegas attractions.
The BeltLine is a fantastic family-friendly pedestrian loop that’s expanding around Atlanta, and, as a new and very popular initiative, has a growing collection of artworks exhibited. There’s a mix of permanent and temporary exhibits, and even musicians and performers on occasion. Even cooler, as the Beltline expands, so will the collection (there are currently 110 different works exhibited). Grab your strollers and bikes, and hit the trail!
This magical place is the only American sculpture garden and the last major international project created by artist Niki de Saint Phalle. It’s inspired by the mythic, cultural, and historic roots of California, and it’s a wonder for kids of all ages. There's a bright mosaic snake wall, a maze entrance to the garden and nine free-standing sculptures, which include totems inspired by Native American, Mexican and pre-Colombian culture. Don't forget to look for Queen Califia herself, a mythical warrior queen! Looking for more outdoor art in Southern California? We’ve got the best places right here.
If you head to the Portland Avenue stretch of the Minnehaha Creek Trail, you’ll find Jeff Barber’s "Cottontail on the Trail.” The rabbit (or Minnehaha bunny) is an iconic trail marker and landmark, and on most warm days, you’ll find kids crawling, playing, and jumping all around the impressive bronze sculpture.
Art that looks good and can be touched? Sounds like our kind of place. In 2014—using repurposed concrete for water play areas and salvaged logs for climbing—environmental artist Adam Kuby collaborated with GreenWorks Design Firm to create a playspace that reflects the recent, and nearby Crystal Springs restoration efforts. A popular spot for kids and adults alike, take a peek at our insider’s guide to find out more.
Affectionately named “Lupe,” this metal pipe rendering of a wooly mammoth was designed by LA artists Feyja Bardell and Brian Howe. It was installed on the Guadalupe Trail in 2015 and represents the spot where the bones of a 12,500-year-old mammoth were discovered 10 years earlier. While kids can’t touch or climb on the structure, it’s a perfect way to get them excited for a day of science and fun before heading to the nearby San Jose Children’s Museum, where a replica of the prehistoric animal can be found. Search for more cool outdoor art in the San Francisco Bay Area by clicking here.
This woodsy, magical garden inspires creativity for all. Not only is it a wonderful place to wander through at your own leisure, but the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum caters to families as well. The permanent collection is filled with the works of Charles Umlauf, a prestigious sculpture who taught at the University of Texas, Austin for 40 years. Each sculpture is gently waxed, and touching is okay (climbing is not). Stop by on family day, the second Sunday of each month, for art-making, sculpture demos, family yoga, live music, and storytelling. Family days are free, and the rest of the time, admission is just $7 for adults and free for kids under 12. Get more information about the museum here.
You can check out both permanent and rotating exhibits at Socrates Sculpture Park. It's free to get in, there are a lot of events (yoga, music performances, kid workshops), and the former landfill is landscaped with over 90 varieties of plant life. Plus, there’s plenty of other fun stuff to do in the area. Hallets Cove, which you’ll find just north of the park, is a public beach and kayak launch during the warm months of the year. Find out more here.
Modern art at its finest comes to Chicago in the form of Crown Fountain. With its two 50-foot glass video installations of Chicagoans as new-age gargoyles spouting out water and visitors running around in swimsuits just like any public splash pad, it’s definitely a bucket list hit for all ages. Bonus: it's super close to The Bean. Check out this guide for other famous fountains in Chicago and this story on everything fun to do in Millennium Park.
This Spokane playground is basically a toy that’s built to scale so playground runners can slide out of the big red wagon’s handle. This sculpture was built in 1990 and is 27 feet long—at least we know it’ll fit Clifford! Get more info here.
This museum can be also described as a larger-than-life art sculpture that kids and parents can run around in. Jump on a plane, climb through a wire tunnel… It’s constantly “under construction” by a team of 20 different artists to ensure that every visit will be different. Get more kid-friendly St. Louis hot spots here.
Four huge tunnels sitting in a desert leading nowhere might not seem like art, but there’s definitely more than meets the eye with this installation. Just looking through one of these can reframe how you see your surroundings, and the shadows they cast can teach little ones about sun orientation. Plus, they are just totally awesome to run through!
555 Mission St. Sculpture Garden | San Francisco, CA
A quiet sculpture garden in the SOMA district of San Francisco is like jumping into a colorful children’s book. Pixelated silhouettes and cousins of Jack Skellington live here. The plaza is also perfect for a downtown picnic.
A free park devoted to 22 sculptures with unbelievable views of the Seattle waterfront makes for a perfect day out with the kids. Unfortunately, these sculptures are hands-off, but there’s a nearby museum with interactive exhibits that your littles can touch to their heart’s content.
Heavy Metal is an uber-fun playground of sound, where your kids can make music with friends or be a one-man band! This sculpture was created in 2000 and is a part of Chattanooga's city public art collection.
Ready to make weekend breakfasts feel extra festive? Your fam will love eating “waffle webs” thanks to this adorable new appliance that cooks up mini waffles in spiderweb shapes.
The Dash Spider Web Mini Waffle Maker is available to buy at Target now for $10. At a petite 2.8 inches high and 5 inches wide, it will easily slide into the smallest of kitchens. The nonstick cooking surface ensures that you’ll get get perfect creations every time!
If you’re hoping to make the first meal of the day slightly creepier, you can also buy a skull version of the waffle maker. This one’s a bit more expensive at $17.99, but it’s already racking up great reviews.
The appliances also come with recipe guides for both sweet and savory waffles. If you need even more inspo, check out our list of other foods you can make with a trusty waffle maker!
Most shoppers make a quick pit-stop in the garden section before heading inside on their Trader Joe’s run, and you’ll definitely want to now that fall products are arriving. On a trip this weekend, our editors spied a spooky and sweet new succulent: baby toe’s!
Known officially as Fenestraria Rhopalophylla, these potted succulents grow in individual stems that look oddly enough like adorable baby toes that you love to nibble. The pretty plants come in brightly colored porcelain pots and are perfect for the spooky season (because baby toes not attached to a baby foot are the stuff of nightmares).
The petite plant is easy to care for, just needing a lot of sun and water when the soil becomes dry. You can also easily propagate if you’d like a total garden of baby toes, which could be the ideal way to scare your neighbors this Halloween.
You’ll find the potted succulents in the usual garden section of your local Trader Joe’s during the fall season for less than $5.
123 Sesame Street is getting a new resident! Sesame Street will be home to Elmo’s new adopted puppy, Tango. And today Sesame Street confirmed that Tango will be a live-action Muppet!
In today’s new 30-minute special airing on HBO Max, Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy, Sesame Street watchers will learn how this petite pup found her new home amongst the Muppets. The first preview photo from the show is cuteness personified.
In the special, Elmo, Grover and Tango meet and head out on an adventure to find her a forever home. The trio will also be joined by Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby and Oscar the Grouch and will show how Tango got her name.
The sweet puppy is sticking around for future episodes and will serve as a model for kids and how to help with family pets. Littles will see how to properly play and care for a pet, in addition to showing all the love they bring to a family.
Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy airs Thursday, August 5 on HBO Max as part of the 52nd season, and will stream on PBS KIDS in 2022.
There’s competition in the plant decor market—ALDI is releasing several cute new options in June! In keeping with the chain’s normal discounts, all are quite the bargain, too.
Fairy Castle Cactus
ALDI
Over the month the company will roll out various green options across stores. Look for this whimsical Fairy Castle Cactus for $3.89 starting on June 2!
Money Tree
ALDI
For a bit more of a challenge, see if you can find the Money Tree when it comes out on June 23. It's petite at five inches tall, with plenty of room to grow.
Fiddle Leaf, Snake Plant, Dragon Tree
ALDI
Even more plants will come your way June 30: a Fiddle Leaf Fig, Snake Plant, or Dragon Tree. They're all six inches tall and $6.99 each in neutral white pots.
Air Plants
ALDI
Don't forget the most delightful option of all, the air plants! These are a steal at $2.99 each and perfect if you don't have much of a green thumb. Plus those pineapple pots are totally adorable. You'll also be able to find them starting June 30.
If you’re not a plant person, there’s plenty more to find at ALDI in June, from inflatable waterparks to unicorn cones. And with locations all over the country, you’re probably closer to one than you think!
