After a long winter, bike season has arrived, but don’t settle for the same old ride. Get your kiddos in gear with these super cool (and surprisingly easy) ways to trick out their bicycles and tricycles with serious flash without a ton of cash. Scroll down to get inspired.
Who knew that everyone's favorite fix-it material could also be used for a majorly cool bike makeover? You can forget standard industrial duct tape, because these days, it's a snap to find pretty nifty patterns and colors that any kid will dig. The actual makeover process is as easy as it sounds, and you can get the whole sticky scoop at Skunkboy Blog.
Ah, don't you just love when a craft looks cool, but is oh-so-easy to create? That's the deal with these handlebar streamers, which can be whipped up in just a few minutes using a hair tie and ribbon. Customize the colors for your kid and you're ready to roll! Get the uber easy how-to over at Green & Gorgeous. And while you're there, get inspired by tricking out the spokes, too.
Talk about wheely cool bike style! We're loving how this idea is part pinwheel, part optical illusion. You can get as creative and colorful as you want, and use different kinds of paper, tape, and even shiny materials. For all the info you need, head to this Instructables page.
Ring ring! We're pretty sure the only thing better than a cheerful bike bell is one that's been painted and personalized for your little rider. All you need is paint, and maybe an artistic kid or two. Learn more at Idle Wife, and order a bike bell here.
Does your mini cyclist have a license to drive? This cute sign is not only a great way to personalize a bike—it'll also keep track of which wheels are yours when there's a group ride. You can use your kid's name, or even create a funny vanity plate: SPD RCR, anyone? Get inspired over at Jana Eubank.
We can't get over how cool this idea is—or how perfect it is for any kid who pretends his bike is a trusty steed. And not to worry, cowpokes, this is actually easier to pull off than you might think. Start gathering cardboard, practice your horse sketching, and you're halfway there. For the full handy instructions, gallop on over to Makedo's Instructables page.
How much fun are these LED lights? Easy to install and battery operated, you and your crew will be the star of the sunset community ride. Buy them here.
This piggy bike basket is over-the-top cute and doesn't require any huffing or puffing to make, either. Materials include cardboard, paint, and a few other things you probably have around the house. For the complete instructions, hit up Pink Stripey Socks.
Are you counting down the days until your next road trip? Playmobil just debuted their VW line and we can’t wait to get on the road again. The iconic toymaker announced in September that two legendary Volkswagen vehicles would be given the Playmobil treatment in 2021 – the Playmobil Volkswagen T1 Camper Van ($63) and the Playmobil Volkswagen Beetle ($51).
Playmobil T1 Camping Bus ($49.99): The iconic red and white-colored van is equipped with a mini-kitchen, fold-down seating that converts into a sleeping area, and plenty of storage space. Remove the roof to access the camper’s interior, seating figures at the table or behind the wheel. Open the two side doors to reveal shelves for your non-perishable foods and a fold-down vanity with mirror. When you are ready to continue your adventure, pack away supplies in the truck and stow your luggage securely under the straps on the roof rack. Set includes two figures, van, luggage, map, camera, food supplies, thermos, cups, and other accessories.
Playmobil Volkswagen Beetle ($39.99): This classic compact car comfortably seats up to four figures. Use the roof rack to store your surfboard and beach bag, or remove the rack to access the car’s interior. The rear also opens for added fun. Set includes three figures, car, surfboard, cooler, beach umbrella and sand toys, and other accessories.
Both sets are currently out of stock on the Playmobil store, but you can request a notification for when they become available again.
Editor’s note: At the time of this writing, the vehicles had been released but are significantly less expensive on the Playmobil site than they are on Amazon so prices might not match right now.
I am a wife and Mom of 2 boys, living in NYC trying to make it work. Not a minimalist but a realist. I run Stylish Spaces, a full service luxury home organizing company.
I love that I get to work with all types of people to really help them reclaim their homes. Families are my favorite to work with because I understand the struggle of everyday life as a Mom and think it’s important to help people’s home support their life so they can spend time doing the things they love with the people they love. I am also here to let everyone know there is no such thing as perfect but there is such thing as simple and easy when it comes to organizing.
1) Keep a designated donation bin in your house, so as you find things you are ready to let go of, you can easily toss it in the bin and donate that bin once a month. – Works great for parents, as children are always growing out of clothes and toys.
2) I hate to say it but tidy up your apartment every night before bed. You will be amazed at the difference just 10 – 15 minutes makes.
3) Please don’t roll your eyes but kids really do like organization. Empower your kids by getting them involved. Have them help you clean up. When you have designated spaces for toys and their belongings, they can help clean up and will know where to find the things they want.
4) File folding. Anyone who has worked with me knows…. I love file folding. It’s easy to see all your clothes, great use of space and easy to maintain ( even for kids! )
1
i Design Linus Turntable Kitchen Organizer
A modern update to a lazy susan.
$29
Perfect for your kitchen table, pantry, shelf, outdoor dining table, or countertop. Also great for your bathroom, office, cabinet, or vanity
These clean modern baskets help keep the mess at bay with kids running around. Encourage habits like picking up their toys into these easy to carry baskets.
The twisted design maximizes the bottom half of the S-hook's space, allowing your totes to hang perpendicular to the hook, rather than hidden along the side.
Great for remote learning for kids or baby essentials
$35
These carts work great for kids learning to baby products next to a changing table. Easy to put together and sturdy it's a organizational dream on wheels.
Drawer dividers are the ultimate organizational tool. Separate your drawers from socks to undies to different kids clothes. Maximize the space you have while keeping it organized.
If your kids watch YouTube then they probably know the Kids Diana Show. Pocket.watch announced the launch of a new consumer product line for kids based on the popular YouTube channel. “Love, Diana – The Princess of Play,” line will be available Oct. 5, 2020, with Walmart as the exclusive retail partner.
This new line features dolls, doll accessories, and styling heads; plush toys; hair accessories, and jewelry; collectibles; bath and beauty; furniture and playsets and more.
“Amid social distancing, playtime looks different as families navigate a new normal,” said Stone Newman, pocket.watch CRO. “However, pretend play remains an essential part of children’s growth, and it’s inspiring to see millions of kids and families around the world have found a playmate in Diana. We’re proud to introduce consumer products that encourage imagination and capture the inherent creativity in kids. We are thrilled to be partnering again with Walmart and that they are supporting Love, Diana as our exclusive launch partner.”
The Kids Diana Show was last month’s No. 2 most-viewed YouTube channel based in the U.S. with over 3.4 billion monthly views. Boasting 14 channels with family-friendly content translated in nine languages, Diana uses her global influence to embrace the power of play for good, imagining a new world for a new generation of girls. She believes, “If you want to be something, you have to pretend to be her first!” Collectively her 14 channels generated over 5 billion views in August.
Targeted to ages 3+, the Love, Diana lifestyle product line will encompass the core characteristics of playfulness, creativity, empowerment, and friendship that Diana’s audience knows and loves. It will foster imagination and pretend play at a time in the world when kids are challenged to entertain themselves both on- and off-screen:
Love, Diana 13” poseable Mashup Dolls by Headstart – Love, Diana Mashup Dolls encourage kids to embrace all of their colorful aspirations. The Princess of Play’s introductory doll collection inspires girls to be whoever they want to be. Each doll comes with two themes for unique and distinct looks. Girls can “mashup” outfits across the whole collection for hours of pretend play and fun:
Superhero x Princess ($19.99) – Who says you can’t be a Princess and a Superhero? Features a superhero cape that transforms into Diana’s signature pink dress and tiara.
Party x Mermaid ($19.99) – From swimming in the sea, to throwing on her favorite party dress, there’s a world to explore when Diana is your playmate!
Astronaut x Hairdresser ($19.99) – Diana believes a girl doesn’t have to be just one thing – switch between exploring space and creating hairstyles, the possibilities are limitless!
Six-Inch Love, Diana Dolls ($9.99) by Headstart – Diana is the Princess of Play, and she loves to dress up. There are 6 great themes in the introductory collection. Their interchangeable outfits and accessories mean that girls can make their own mash-up fashions, just like Diana! Collect them all – Princess, Ballerina, Superhero, Doctor, Hairdresser, and Birthday Party.
Role-Play Outfits ($24.99) by Jerry Leigh – Inspired by the Princess of Play’s actual wardrobe in her videos, little girls everywhere can have Diana’s “look” in these life-size role-play kits. Perfect for playtime, partytime and even Halloween, girls can let their imaginations go anywhere. Every set includes a life-size outfit and themed accessories to complete the look.
Signature Princess Dress-Up Outfit – Diana’s iconic ‘Princess of Play’ outfit, regularly featured on her hit YouTube channel.
Ballerina Popstar Dress-Up Outfit – A mashup of a dancing diva and a singing superstar, this outfit showcases the versatility of your creative dreamer.
Mystery Shopper ($39.99) by Headstart – The ultimate surprise toy for every little girl and fan of Diana, this shopper is going to lead to hours of exciting play. Open up Diana’s life-sized shopping bag to reveal the exclusive 13” Love, Diana Shopper doll. Watch the Mystery Shopper magically transform into a playset that includes a styling chair, salon mirror, and extra outfits – over 15 surprises inside. Use the Shopper for easy storage after hours of play. As a special gift from Diana for her fans, the handle doubles as a love friendship bracelet for your child to wear.
Style Me Diana Styling Head ($29.99) by Headstart – Now little girls can style Diana’s hair into their favorite look with the life-size Diana styling head. This styling head is full of surprises. Open up the storage compartments to reveal hair accessories for girls as well as the doll head. Accessories include a comb, barrettes, scrunchies and much more. Want a different look? The colorful play hair straightener includes hair chalk that can be used for color change on either the styling head or your head, too. The color change rinses out easily with water.
Cupcake Cart with Exclusive 6” Baker Diana doll ($19.99) by Headstart – Put your chef’s hat on with Diana! Push a cupcake cart and display your cupcake creations. The cart comes with a molding compound so Baker Diana can serve up colorful pretend cupcakes.
13” Popstar Diana Doll with my-size electronic Musical Microphone ($29.99) by Headstart – Diana is all about the glam, fam! The doll comes with an electronic microphone for you, press any of the 3 buttons to hear Diana sing her latest hit and you can sing along too. Microphone plays the official Love, Diana theme song Play It, Be It.
Light Up Fairy Doll ($34.99) by Headstart – Light Up Fairy Diana is so magical! Her wings really flutter when you press the bow on her back. Her heart icon lights up and her hair magically illuminates.
Diana and Honey ($39.99) by Headstart – Join Diana and Honey for a ride! When doll Diana sits in the saddle, Honey’s mane and tail light up!
Love, Diana Princess of Play’s My-Size Real-Life Vanity ($99.99) by KidKraft – Turn your bedroom into Diana’s bedroom with the same vanity that you see in her videos. Utilizing Diana’s iconic heart shape, the adorable heart mirror-vanity includes 24 Love, Diana clings to decorate and customize your space. Cloud shelves store and display your favorite accessories, with a fold-down drawer with “secret message” Love, Diana icon.
“We’re thrilled to partner with pocket.watch to bring the beloved star Diana to homes everywhere through dolls, pretend play dress-up, and more, during a time when play is more important than ever before,” said Steve Ronchetto, Vice President of Toys at Walmart.
In conjunction with pocket.watch’s online and in-store launch of Love, Diana at Walmart, the company kicked off Love, Diana Adventures, a live-action and animated hybrid series that debuted Sept. 5 on YouTube with over 10 million views in just four days on the first episode. The eight prequel episodes, first six episodes, and accompanying theme-song music video have generated an astounding 200 million views to date. The series will also be debuting across pocket.watch’s OTT Network which includes Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, PlutoTV, Samsung TV Plus, Sling and direct-to-consumer apps on iOS, Android, Fire TV and Apple TV in October.
Pocket.watch is also extending the Love, Diana brand into mobile gaming. The Love, Diana mobile game will feature a collection of fun minigames bursting with personality, vibrant colors, and imagination that will allow kids to design their very own “Princess of Play” experience. It will be available on iOS and Android devices later in 2020.
This week, Walmart released its highly anticipated Top Rated by Kids Toy List. Packed with 36 toys that have all been tested and chosen by kiddos, the list is perfect for making your 2020 holiday wish list!
From tech savvy and surprise toys, to outdoor gear and screen-free entertainment, there’s something for everyone on this year’s list.
Character Inspired
These film and TV-inspired toys are perfect for your streaming kiddos.
With the upcoming introduction of Disney+ you won’t have to worry about the littles not-so-pleasant reaction to their fave films leaving the streaming service. Why? According to recent reports, the new streaming service will allow you to download titles for free, save them and watch them offline.
Disney+ launches Nov. 12. Even though the service will include a mega-load of Disney picks, including franchise favorites such as Star Wars, The Avengers and Frozen, some movies may come and go. While this could leave kiddos craving more, it doesn’t have to.
Cnet recently reported on Disney’s download decision, citing CEO Bob Iger, in statements made during Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit. “But by and large, almost all of it is there.” Iger continued, “And if you’re a subscriber, you can download it and put it on a device, and it will stay on the device as long as you continue to subscribe.”
So how will Disney+’s downloadable content work? Iger added, “If you wanted to download 10 classic Disney films that may not have all been available at once before, you can do that, basically fill all of your hard drive on one of your devices, and you or your child can watch wherever they are.”
Disney and shopDisney.com recently released its 2019 Top Holiday Toys. Not only can Disney’s toy guide give you gifting ideas, but it also makes shopping a one-stop experience. Simply visit shopDisney.com to fill your kiddo’s wish list. You can also find the top toys available in Disney store retail locations.
So what’s on Disney’s 2019 list? Check out the top 15 playtime picks!
Toy Story Woody Interactive Talking Action Figure
This interactive option ($32.95) is perfect for Toy Story fans. The action figure has plenty of from-the-film phrases and talks when he detects another Toy Story talking toy nearby.
Disney Animators' Collection Five-Inch Mini Doll Gift Set
This set includes 14 beloved characters ($99.95) for the animation enthusiast. There are plenty of Disney princesses for your film fanatic to spend the day engaged in magical play.
Minnie Pet Bath Set
With a real working sprayer, this pet bath set ($24.95) is perfect for playtime with pampered pet Fifi.
Minnie Flower Cart
Make pretend play even more fun with this child-sized flower cart ($49.95) for trips to a make-believe market.
Classic Simba Plus
Lion King fans will adore this sweet plush toy ($19.95). With faux fur, this cuddly friend is sweet as can be.
Marvel Thanos Talking Action Figure
The Avengersaction figure ($32.99) speaks 15 phrases—and that means hours of fun-filled play for your littles.
Cinderella and Carriage Deluxe Gift Play Set
Between Cinderella's carriage and the fairy tale star's classic ballgown, this set ($79.95) is pure Disney magic.
Mickey Kids Kitchen
Get ready to cook with Mickey's mini kitchen ($99.95). The set comes with a light-up stove, color-changing pizza and so much more.
Cars Lightning McQueen Remote Control Vehicle
Lighting McQueen gets moving in this radio-controlled toy set ($19.95). Your kiddo can steer the Cars car with a sweet "steering wheel" handset.
The soon-to-be released Disney's Frozen 2 features favorite characters coming back to the big screen. Now your child can play out the best moments of the movie with this cool castle ($139.95).
Frozen 2 Anna and Elsa Doll Set
Celebrate Disney's Frozen 2 release with the beloved stars! This doll set ($34.95) includes all the clothing and accents Anna and Elsa need for fashionable fun.
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Deluxe Figure Play Set–First Order
Your Star Wars fan can spend a day (or more) of play with the 10-figure set ($26.99). This Star Wars-themed selection includes Kylo Ren, a Sith Trooper and more.
Every mom has been there, you’ve loaded the kids in the car and hit the road only to hear the dreaded words “I have to pee!” five minutes into your commute. One mom had the clever idea to give her kids a bathroom reminder on her funny vanity license plate, but unfortunately the state of New Hampshire didn’t think it was acceptable.
Wendy Auger is a mom of four, which makes her all too familiar with the sudden bathroom needs of young kids. Her hilarious vanity plate, “PB4WEGO,” served as a mom motto on her car for 15 years until the state of New Hampshire decided to recall it due to the fact that it violates state rules, saying that plates can’t include any references to “excretory acts or functions.”
A governor intervened so this mom could keep her hilarious license plate https://t.co/pvkxmgjqtN
Prior to receiving the letter from the state, Auger had nothing but positive feedback on her ingenious license plate. “(People) think it’s funny,” she told TODAY Parents. “I get thumbs-ups, honks on the highway, people yelling ‘Awesome plate!’ in drive-through lines. It brings a chuckle and a smile to the people who can figure it out.”
So she decided to fight the recall. That’s when New Hampshire state Governor Chris Sununu got wind of the situation and decided to step in. “Upon this being brought to my attention, I reached out to the Division of Motor Vehicles and strongly urged them to allow Wendy to keep the license plate she has had for the last 15 years,” Sununu said in a statement. “I recently left a message on her phone to share the good news that her plate will not be recalled.”
Auger is happy to have the matter resolved and even though her kids are now growing up and no longer need the reminder, she says they still love their mom’s clever plates and insisted that she keep them even when she recently purchased a new vehicle.
It looks like The Lion King and Aladdin aren’t the only Disney faves getting a live-action reboot. Recent reports set The Little Mermaid at the center of Disney’s soon-to-be filmed remakes, and rumors are swirling that one role in the under-the-sea adaptation is already filled!
According to Vanity Fair, Melissa McCarthy may nab the role of Ursula. The actress isn’t the first celeb rumored to have a shot at the Disney villain role.
Superstars such as Lizzo, Lady Gaga and Bette Midler surfaced as early front-runners for the part. But now, if the McCarthy rumors are true, these would-be vocalist villains won’t get a shot at remaking the Disney classic.
While there are no other cast member announcements as of yet, Rob Marshall is set to direct the film. Hamilton creator/star Lin-Manuel Miranda will reportedly work with original score composer Alan Menken on a new slate of songs for the rebooted flick.
As of now, there’s no information from Disney on a production schedule or release date.
Your childhood kid lit fave is coming to the big screen—again! The newest version Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig, is set to debut next Christmas and the first photos of the film are here.
Vanity Fair recently debuted a sneak peek at the feature film, giving us a glimpse into Gerwig’s version of the Louisa May Alcott classic. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen as the March sisters, the book-to-big-screen gem also features Timothée Chalamet and Meryl Streep.
Shot on location in Alcott’s home state of Massachusetts, Gerwig reportedly did plenty of research on the IRL places Alcott and her sister’s may have visited. Little Women star Ronan, who plays Jo, told Vanity Fair, “The physical place really reminds you of the story you’re trying to tell.”
Even though you can check out a few fab photos of the film now, you’ll have to wait for it to debut on Dec. 25 for a full look!
