New Ways to Celebrate Halloween With Your Kids (That Don't Involve Trick-or-Treating)

There are some people who feel like the only way to celebrate Halloween with their children is to take them trick-or-treating. However, that is entirely misleading. There are tons of ways parents can help their children celebrate the holiday without having to knock on strang doors. There is nothing wrong if a parent would choose to not participate in trick-or-treating. They most likely have a valid and logical reason.

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If they would like to still celebrate the Halloween season with their little ones, they could try alternatives such as throwing a little party or having a Halloween movie marathon session. Continue reading to find out more fun ways to celebrate Halloween with the kids that don’t involve trick-or-treating!

DECORATE THE HOUSE FOR HALLOWEEN & GET THE WHOLE FAMILY INVOLVED

Decorating the house and yard for Halloween can be a fun-filled family activity. From infants to grandparents, practically everyone can get involved. You can make it even more fun by creating some of your own decorations.

Decorating the house can quickly be turned into a memorable Halloween family tradition. Each year, you can have each of your children create a keepsake that they can cherish throughout the years. As they get older, it could be their very first set of decorations for their own houses.

A HALLOWEEN MOVIE MARATHON

Watching Halloween movies may very well be the best thing about this time of year! There are so many different spooktacular to choose from! For parents with younger children, there is the option to watch age-appropriate films; however, if you have older children and don't mind getting scared, you can throw on some great horror movies!

There are also usually some awesome Halloween-themed movies on TV that usually start airing at the beginning of October. So, instead of taking the children trick-or-treating, try having a Halloween movie marathon instead!



PLAN & THROW A SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN PARTY

This Halloween, you and your family can plan and throw a family-friendly party instead of trick-or-treating! It is a great way to spend some time with your loved ones and closest friends. It's the perfect way to have an amazing time while being able to socialize.

Try assigning your children certain tasks to get them involved in the party planning too. While preparing the food yourself is an option, to save time and money, guests can be asked to bring along one of their favorite dishes.

CREATE & BAKE HALLOWEEN GOODIES

Trick-or-treating isn't the only fun way for kids to get yummy holiday goodies! Why not try baking or creating your own Halloween goodies for the entire family to enjoy? Most craft stores even sell the meltable chocolate along with an astonishing variety of moldings to create your own lollipops and candies.

Assuming they are old enough, children should be asked to assist with the kitchen fun. Plus, if your child has allergies to any food or is on a special diet, making your own delicious treats is a safer alternative to going out trick-or-treating!

HAVE A HALLOWEEN THEMED FAMILY GAME NIGHT

To have some holiday fun with the little ones -- if trick-or-treating isn't your thing -- you can plan an action-packed Halloween themed game night. You can either try playing some traditional store-bought games or try searching the internet for age-appropriate games to play.

For those feeling particularly creative, you can even invent your own Halloween games to enjoy with your loved ones! Why not invite some close friends over and make an entire night of it?

Source:  https://www.moms.com/halloween-parents-children-fun-activities-trick-treat/

Make Your Family Day At Disney Stress-Free

Disney is both the happiest place on Earth and the most magical (depending on which park you visit), but it may not always seem that way when visiting with little ones. Luckily, there are a few tricks parents can learn to help them and their toddlers enjoy a happy and magical day at Disney!

Visiting Disney parks for a day can get costly quickly, and dealing with a cranky child while spending big bucks can mean grumpy parents, too. But it doesn't have to be this way! You can take your toddler to the wonderful world of Disney and enjoy your time as a family. Simple tricks such as not skipping nap time and taking time to splurge on your own treats can make your day at Disney fun for everyone.

We rounded up a few of our favorite ways to make your day at Disney (and your toddler's) stress-free!

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PLAN AROUND NAP TIMES

If your little one needs a nap every day around 1 p.m. it's probably best not to line up for a ride at 12:30 p.m. After all, just imagine how cranky your toddler (and you) will be having to finish the line and ride during nap time.

Instead, it's a good idea to plan breaks around your kid's nap times and head back to your room for a bit or find a way they can sleep on the go. For example, bring a fan to attach to their stroller while they catch up on their rest.



TAKE SNACKS AND EVEN MORE SNACKS

Snacks at Disney are amazing, there's no denying that, but they're also quite costly. Instead of splurging all day on over-priced treats, pack some of your toddler's favorites in order to have a more budget-friendly visit.

It's fun to have a few treats while at Disney, but as parents, you know how much and how often kids can eat. A lot! Toddlers will be just as excited to get a pack of goldfish crackers or fruit snacks as you will be to save money on similar treats at the park.

BE PREPARED TO BE EXTRA PATIENT

Visitors to Disney know they will most likely be spending a good part of the day standing in lines and walking through crowds. Patience is simply a part of the Disney experience!

As parents, especially when taking toddlers, you will want to plan on being a bit more patient than usual. Pushing a stroller through a crowd, having an over-excited toddler, and trying to figure out where to go next can lead to a stressful visit for parents unless mentally prepared.


GO WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE

Disney is not immune to the weather. It may seem like its own little world, but Disney parks definitely experience some extreme temperatures! The parks located in Florida and California can see severe heat (including humidity in Florida!), which makes for an uncomfortable visit for anyone.

Toddlers and young children are especially affected by hot temperatures as they don't handle discomfort as well as adults. Braving the rain may not seem like a big deal to adults, but kids won't want to spend time being soaked. Do yourself a favor and try to go when the weather is a bit nicer, such as springtime.

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LOOK UP DISNEY'S PARK RULES BEFOREHAND


The park has a few rules that may affect families with young ones, such as the size of strollers allowed in the park. Some items, such as glass containers (except baby food jars), are also not allowed. Wagons are also prohibited, which may surprise families with children who are not familiar with Disney parks.



Things such as balloons and plastic straws are not allowed in Disney's Animal Kingdom, which may be inconvenient for families trying to visit more than one park a day. Of course, these are just a few examples of rules that may affect families. Going over the entire list is a good idea prior to your trip to avoid having to throw out any valuables!


SOURCE: https://www.moms.com/make-your-day-at-disney-with-toddlers-stress-free/

Halloween time! 10 Pumpkin Recipes Kids Will Love

Kids already know Halloween is all about costumes and chocolate. But there's one main thing that many people enjoy about the fall season, and that's pumpkin.

It's the time for Pumpkin Spice Coffee's, warmer clothing, and putting Pumpkin into everything and anything that you can. But while you love pumpkin, your kids might not.

Thankfully, there are many great ways to prepare this food so the whole family can enjoy it.

PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE

Smoothies are a great way for children to get nutrients and ingredients that they might not want to eat... and since pumpkin is so healthy (it has Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Potassium), it's a good idea to put this food into a smoothie.



Everyone loves a nice, creamy smoothie, and this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie from Saving Room For Dessert is perfect for the fall season. With vanilla almond milk, canned pumpkin puree, banana, Greek yogurt, and more, your children will be so happy.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

What's better than a muffin? Making a batch of muffins with your kids... and using the blender. These Pumpkin Muffins from Cooking Light are perfect for families since they're simple to make and won't take much time.

This recipe has ingredients like maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, and rolled oats. These are things that you might have in your kitchen (and if you're out of a few, they can be found at any grocery store). These are great for snacks and breakfast.



APPLE BACON PIZZA WITH PUMPKIN SAUCE

Frugal Nutrition's Apple Bacon Pizza With Pumpkin Sauce has sweet and savory flavors that kids love (apple and bacon)... plus it's pizza, so it's family-friendly. You'll make the pumpkin sauce from milk, pumpkin puree, and other delicious ingredients. Your children will adore this so much and ask you to make it a lot, so it's definitely going to become a weekly tradition to make this pizza recipe.

Remember These Classic Fairy Tales Your Kids Will Love

Reading is a great way for kids to learn new words, enjoy themselves, and get their creative sparks flowing. It's important to get your kids interested in reading as soon as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to start reading to your kids early on. Thankfully, there is a huge amount of children's literature to choose from.

However, why not go old school instead? Yes, although the classic fairy tales might seem a little dated at times, they still have that magic that modern children books seem to lack. Here are 10 of the best fairy tales to entertain your kids.

RAPUNZEL

The German fairytale, Rapunzel, was first published in 1812 as part of the legendary Brothers Grimm Children's Household Tales. However, the story actually goes further back, with the German Rapunzel an adaptation of an earlier story by Friedrich Schulz in 1790, with the Schulz story influenced by an even earlier tale published in 1634.

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The plot focusses on the usual trope of a young girl trapped in a tower, needing someone to rescue her. However, this time the girl isn't saved at all, and instead it ends with her saving a prince from blindness. The book also has one of the most famous fairy tale lines of all time: "Rapunzel Rapunzel, let down your hair".

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

Goldilocks and the Three Bears is probably one of the most famous fairy tales in the world and even has the ability to creep out adults too. The story first came from 19th-century Britain, where three versions were originally said to exist. However, the most common plot is that of a young girl (Goldilocks) who breaks into an empty house, sits in the owner's chairs, eats their porridge, and sleeps in their beds.

Although Goldilocks isn't aware of it, the owners of the house are actually three bears, Papa bear, Mama bear, and Baby bear, who return home to find Goldilocks fast asleep.

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LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD


Little Red Riding Hood is probably one of the most famous fairy tales in the world and has the ability to frighten both children and adults. The tale was first published in Europe and can be traced all the way back to the 10th century. However, the plot that we know and love today centers around a young girl named Little Red Riding Hood.

The girl is named after the red hooded cloak that she wears while walking in the woods on the way to her grandmothers. However, things take a turn for the worse when Little Red Riding Hood is accosted by a Big Bad Wolf, who attempts to eat her for himself. Yes, it might be a little scary, but it's such a classic that it deserves a place on this list.

THE GINGERBREAD MAN

The Gingerbread Man, otherwise known as The Gingerbread Boy, first appeared in print in 1875 and has been a popular fairy tale ever since. The plot focusses on the escape of a gingerbread man, who jumps off a baking tray minutes before being put into the oven.

THUMBELINA

Thumbelina was written by legendary fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1835. The story focusses on a tiny girl named Thumbelina who goes about her life avoiding marriage proposals from toads, moles and a variety of other small animals. Eventually, she meets someone of her own size and ends up falling in love.

At the time, Andersen's fairytales were hugely disliked, with critics claiming that they were too informal and lacked morals. However, nearly 200 years later, and the same fairytales are still being read to children every night, all over the world. Take that, critics!

Potentially Dangerous Smartphone Apps That Your Kids Already Know About

It can be hard parenting tweens and teens, especially in this age of social media and smartphones. Kids have access to so much more than their parents did, so it’s important that all parents educate themselves as much as possible about all the different apps their kids are using. With a new school year upon us, police are warning parents about 15 different smartphone apps that could be red flags if you find them on your child’s phone.

Police departments across the country are asking parents to be more vigilant when it comes to their children’s smartphone use. They have compiled a list of 15 smartphone apps that parents should be aware of, especially if their child has any of them downloaded onto their phones. The Madill Police Department recently posted an infographic of all fifteen apps including; MeetMe, Grindr, Skout, WhatsApp, Tiktok, Badoo, Bumble, Snapchat, Kik, Live.me, Holla, Whisper, Ask.fm, Calculator and Hot or Not.

The infographic posted by Madill Police Department gives a brief description of each app and explains to parents why they should be cautious of letting their child use it. “With school just around the corner, we wanted to share with Parents, 15 Apps you should be aware of on your child's phone/tablet .. and the dangers that come with some of them,” the description on the post reads.

Lt. Jim Donnelly of the Bensalem Police Department spoke to ABC 7 and explained what parents need to do to ensure their children aren’t misusing these apps, noting that parents should be vigilant especially if they find the apps Kik, Whisper, and Skout on their child’s phones.

"We're dealing with a lot of criminal investigations where we see a lot of these apps pop up," Donnelly said.

"Maybe go into your kids' cell phone, talk to them about the dangers of it, see who they're talking to, who their friends are," added Donnelly.

Many commenters took to the Madill Police Department’s Facebook page to thank the police department for sharing this information, adding that it’s helpful in starting a dialogue with their children about what’s appropriate and what’s not on their phones.

“Thank you for posting this. I will definitely have a conversation with my kids & will be checking phones!” wrote one parent.

“I’m a HS English teacher in Lubbock Texas. I would LOVE to have a copy of this graphic to hang as a big poster in my classroom,” wrote another.

Social media can be fun and even educational for a lot of kids, but it’s something that definitely needs to be monitored. This infographic gives parents an easy to consume snapshot of apps that could be problematic if not used properly. Here’s a summary of the infographic provided by police.

MEETME: a dating social media app that allows users to connect with people based on geographic proximity. App users are encouraged to meet in person.
WHATSAPP: Popular messaging app that allows users to send texts, photos, voicemails, and makes calls and video chats.

BUMBLE: Similar to "Tinder." The dating app requires women to make the first contact. Kids have been known to create fake Bumble accounts that falsify their age

LIVE.ME: A live-streaming video app that uses geolocation to share videos so users can find out a broadcaster's exact location. Users can earn "cins" as a way to "pay" minors for photos.

ASK.FM: known for cyberbullying. The app encourages users to allow anonymous people to ask them questions

GRINDR: A dating app geared towards the LGBT community. The app gives users options to chat, share photos, and meet up based on a phone's GPS.

TIKTOK: A new mobile device app popular with kids. It's used for creating and sharing short videos. With very limited privacy controls, users are vulnerable to cyberbullying and explicit content

SNAPCHAT: One of the most popular apps in recent years. While the app promises users can take a photo/video and it will disappear, new features, including "stories", allows users to view the content for up to 24 hours. Snapchat also allows users to see your location.

HOLLA: A self-proclaimed "addicting" video chat app that allows users to meet people all over the world in just seconds. Reviewers say they have been confronted with racial slurs, explicit content and more.

CALCULATOR%: Only one of several secret apps used to hide photos, videos, files and browser history.

SKOUT: A location-based dating app and website. While users under 17 old are unable to share private photos, kids can easily create an account with an older age.

BADBOO: A dating and social networking app where users can chat, share photos and videos and connect based on location. While the app is intended for adults only, teens are known to create profiles.

KIK: Allows anyone to contact and direct message to your child. Kids can bypass traditional messaging features. KIK gives users unlimited access to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

WHISPER: An anonymous social network that promotes sharing secrets with strangers. It also reveals a user's location so people can meet up.

HOT OR NOT: Encourages users to rate your profile, check out people in their area and chat with strangers. The goal of the app is to hook up.

Who Is Blippi, And Why Do Kids Love him?

Chances are, if you have a kid between the ages of 2 and 6, you've heard of Blippi. The bespectacled fellow who wears really bright colors, glasses and a bowtie? In the past few years, Blippi has become an icon in the kiddie-sphere. His videos have views in the billions, and he has millions of followers. But who is Blippi? That's what most adults want to know.

WHO IS BLIPPI, AKA STEVIN JOHN?

Blippi is Stevin John, who has a background in brand development and online content creation. “My goal with Blippi was to bring positive emotions and memories to the act of learning," he writes in the "About" section of the Blippi website. According to the Blippi website: "Stevin grew up in a small town where he was surrounded by tractors, cows, and horses!" If you've ever seen his videos, you know that much of his content revolves around construction equipment and other outdoor activities like visiting parks and farms.


WHAT DID BLIPPI DO BEFORE BLIPPI?
Before he went into the field of digital content creation, he was in the military. John is a former member of the United States Air Force, serving as a C-17 Loadmaster with the 4th Nuclear Airlift Squadron. After his service, he moved to Los Angeles to begin his career in the digital space. "I wanted to be a fighter pilot, but I soon started to realize the military wasn’t for me," he explains to The Spinoff.


HOW DID BLIPPI GET STARTED?
So, how does a guy who was in the Air Force become one of the most popular children's entertainers on the internet? It's quite simple actually, Stevin John became an uncle. "When he was two years old I noticed my sister was using YouTube because it was free, but I started to see there just wasn’t any good quality children’s content on there," he says. Noticing that there was a lack of content featuring things kids like, including tractors, animals, and diggers. And thus, he came up with the idea for Blippi. Wearing a costume sewed by his mom (including his signature blue and orange cap) he posted his first video as Blippi in January of 2014.

Blippi is more like the millennial (John was born in 1988, which makes him 31) answer to Mister Rogers than slick YouTube influencer. But that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to use the internet. His videos are more aligned with the wholesome educational content parents search for on YouTube. Kids will learn their colors while Blippi runs through an empty playground. His visits to a construction site has kids running around singing his "I'm an excavator" song for days.


'It seems like the kids really enjoy me but the parents do too because they can keep their kids entertained with Blippi and they know it's safe content that's educational," John said to The Daily Mail.

Perhaps you heard about Blippi because of the scandal. Before he became Blippi, Stevin John had a web presence as Steezy Grossman (he legally changed his name from Stephen Grossman to Stevin John.) Steezy Grossman made a truly gross video where he pooped on his friend. The video went viral of course, mostly because of reaction videos other people made while watching it. “At the time, I thought this sort of thing was funny, but really it was stupid and tasteless, and I regret having ever done it,” John said in a statement to BuzzFeed News.

Thankfully, the video has been taken down, so none of his young fans can't accidentally find it. It is clear that John takes his role as an entertainer for kids very seriously. “Watching Blippi become part of children’s lives and so in turn in became a part of their families’ lives. Blippi is continuing to grow because these children really love Blippi, and now their parents are talking about it and spreading the love,’’ he says. “I believe that children are super smart and they have good intuition. I think they can tell that Blippi is genuine and I have fun doing what I do."

IS BLIPPI MARRIED?
Some parents may not know this, but Blippi is a bit of a heartthrob. Moms all over the internet have commented on how handsome Stevin John is. But sorry folks, he's got a girlfriend.

While Blippi has grown a lot in the five years since John started, there's still so much he wants to do. Currently his videos are on YouTube, and he also self-publishes them on Amazon Prime video as well. Because of this, he has fans all over the world. Via his website, parents can buy Blippi merchandise, including a Blippi doll, DVDs, CDs, and apparel. As the brand has grown, he now employs a team to help him keep the ship sailing. He's also working on adapting the videos into a live show, and producing a mostly animated show with Netflix. Then there's the shoe deal with K-Swiss.

SOURCE: https://www.moms.com/blippi-youtube-personality-bio-net-worth-info/

Time for Movie Night! Here are the Best Family Movies on Netflix in August

This August, every night can be movie night with these great family films now available on Netflix

Mary Poppins Returns

Even though nobody was clamoring for a new Mary Poppins, Emily Blunt whirled into Mary Poppins Returns, and managed to make it a winner. Returns looks to improve on the original by offering an actual villain and some tumult, but it's still for the younger set, with plenty of positivity, as well as catchy songs (we're guessing co-star Lin-Manuel Miranda, best known for Hamilton, chipped in on those).

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

The rest of the comic book movie canon can stand aside, as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the most stylish superhero film ever. Visually inventive at a level that most films can only aim for, Spider-Verse shows what happens when you bring a comic to life and have fun with it (unlike Ang Lee's Hulk). Fortunately, Spider-Verse is grounded with a great story revolving around young Miles Morales, who finds his world invaded by Spider-Men from different realities.

Coco (2017)

One of the sweetest films I've seen in years, Coco is a delight from start to finish that both parents and children will adore. The film centers around 12-year-old Miguel, who dreams of being a musician despite his family's strict no-music-ever policy. Miguel's journey gets magical, though, as his mischief sends him on a detour through the dayglo-imbued land of the dead. Don't worry about this trip being scary, as this land of the dead has nothing to do with the George A. Romero zombie movie of the same name.

Oh, and there's one major perk for watching it on Netflix: you don't have to sit through the 21-minute-long Frozen short "Olaf’s Frozen Adventure" that you were forced to endure if you saw Coco during its first weeks in theaters.