NKT Halloween Safety Tips

halloween_pumpkinThe spookiest time of year has finally arrived! Happy Halloween, everyone! As you put the finishing touches on the kid’s costumes (or if you’re like me, haven’t even started your own) let’s not forget the importance of safety. According to a report I read, statistics show that pedestrians are twice as likely to be struck by a car on Halloween night as they are the rest of the year. Not only are cars a concern, but so is the potential of getting lost.

There are plenty of sites and articles that offer advice on how to keep safe this weekend, but I thought I’d add my own two cents as well!
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Yum-O! Lunch Program Launches

I had quite the interesting morning; it was actually a super yummy morning! I’m in the midst of catching up on posts and organizing photos, but I thought I’d share a few photos from my morning with Rachel Ray and Sen. Gillibrand at P.S. 89 / I.S. 289 in Tribeca.

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Together with a few other bloggers, I was asked to attend a media event for the launch of Rachel Ray’s Yum-o! Organization’s new partnership with New York City’s Department of Education, Office of SchoolFood. The Senator and Rachel Ray are both advocates of keeping kids healthy and fighting childhood obesity, and I’ll be sure to share more about what they had to say.

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As much as I love awesome kid products, I’m just as passionate about learning and sharing about healthy eating and wellness, in general. I’ve written about healthy eating and the reform of nutrition standards here on NKT, and so, participating in this very informative event and to be able provide exclusive coverage on NKT was such an honor.

There’s much more to come!

There’s a Party in My City Awesome Giveaway

So, you know the Yo Gabba Gabba There’s a Party in My City tour I’ve been buzzing about?  Well, there will be a party in my city!

As I mentioned in a previous post, there are three NYC shows on November 21st at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. (which are both sold out), and because they’re awesome, they added another show at 5 p.m. so more Gabba fans have a chance to hang with the gang. 

DJ Lance, Brobee, Toodee, Muno, Foofa and Plex are expected to rock out to various tunes, including some that are heard regularly on the show.  And I hear that there may even be some special guests at the shows.  Trust me, the Yo Gabba Gabba gang knows how to get down.  (Like there was ever any doubt!)

But, if there was ever a reason to do a Dancey Dance, today’s the day!

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Oh yeah, friends.  That’s right!  Our friends at W!ldbrain are giving one lucky NKT reader four tickets to see Yo Gabba Gabba at the SOLD OUT 11 a.m. show on November 21!  Awesome, right?

Concert tickets, in general, can get pricey—nevermind ticket prices in NYC—which is why I’m so excited about this AWESOME GIVEAWAY.  Four tickets to this show, which run as high as $75 last time I checked, is a dealbreaker for many families.  I think it was quite generous for our friends at W!ldbrain to offer this fabulous giveaway—which by the way, is definitely my favorite/most awesome giveaway ever.

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So listen up friends, to win the Awesome Giveaway for four tickets to see Yo Gabba Gabba on November 21, at the 11 a.m. show at Beacon Theatre, you must comment below with your favorite character, celebrity guest or Dancey Dance from the show.  Multiple entries are encouraged.

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1, 2, 3, 4…

Probably one of my coolest blogger events to date is today’s destination: Sesame Street. I have butterflies and am filled with so much excitement; it’s almost surreal that, together with several other bloggers, I’ll be touring Sesame Street and learning all about their latest advancements. Best of all, I can’t wait to share everything I learn during my day trip to everyone’s favorite street. The only thing that would make this trip even MORE awesome would be if I could bring my Sesame Street-loving kid along, too! Next time…


For now though, I thought I’d share one of my all-time favorite songs from Sesame Street, Feist singing the Counting Song! This one makes me smile every time!

I’ll be back with the word on the street. Enjoy!

Color Outside the Box with Lights, Camera, Color

Crayola had all kinds of fun goodies at the Holiday Showcase, but one simple and clever innovation in particular shows just why this company is associated with generations of creativity. With a new web application called Lights, Camera, Color, Crayola is once again thinking outside of the box—literally.

After uploading photos, the Lights, Camera, Color application gives kids a chance to print, color and customize their creations. Whether they’re photos from family gatherings, vacations, fun outings, field trips, birthday parties—you name it—kids can create their very own coloring pages.

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The Grass is Greener

…on the counter top!

The forward-thinking, creative minds over at Boon have done it again with another fantastic idea. They’ve combined a very simple idea and design to create a very cool countertop drying rack that channels a patch of grass.

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The Grass Countertop Drying Rack features a two-piece design where baby and kid accoutrements rest on the blades of glass to dry, as water drains into the detachable lower tray. Grass is dishwasher-safe, in addition to being BPA, PVC and Phthalate-free.

Because of our small space, I appreciate kid products that can blend with our modern design, or in this case, add a bit of fun without being too cartoon-y. I love the clean lines, fun design and affordability of this new product ($19.99) from Boon. No word yet on when it’ll be out in stores, but I’m sure it’ll be available very soon!

YGG Premiere Week & There’s a Party in My City

Happy Yo Gabba Gabba Premiere Week, everyone! I know many of you are huge YGG fans like us, and I’m sure you’re well aware that the new episodes begin this week. There’s all kinds of good stuff happening at Gabba Gabba Land, with appearances from funny man, Andy Samberg; our family fave, The Roots and MGMT just to name a few.

Check out this awesome behind the scenes video with Andy:


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Sesame Street inspires American Apparel Tees

bigbirdGood news for fans of the street synonomous for sunny days:  this fall, American Apparel and Sesame Street are collaborating to offer limited edition classic t-shirts to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street.  Big Bird and other Sesame Street characters will be printed as the original line drawings on American Apparel shirts.

I love the classic homage to the Sesame Street gang, yet vintage feel of this line of shirts. What’s so awesome about these shirts is that not only will the kidlets love them, but so will we.  They come in both adult and kid sizes and will be available this fall.

Forty years garnered a lot of sunny days and big, big fans.  I’m so excited about these and can’t wait to see more!  I’m not only excited about these shirts, but I’m so excited that I’ll be going on a tour of Sesame Street next week!  I’m looking forward to sharing all about that, too!

Time to Play’s Must-Have Holiday Toys

At last week’s Time to Play Holiday Showcase, I had the chance to check out, firsthand, the hottest toys of the upcoming holiday season. With all of their insightful predictions and the large range of toy companies represented at the event, it”s really no wonder that Jim Silver, editor in chief TimetoPlayMag.com, and Chris Byrne, content director TimetoPlayMag.com aka The Toy Guy are recognized as experts in the industry.

With all the toys that were showcased, I can only imagine how daunting it was for TimetoPlayMag.com to choose their top 16 must have toys. Having had the chance to check out almost every single toy on the list in person, I can see just why they all made the cut.

And without further ado, here are the first few of Time to Play’s picks for the must have toys for the 2009 holiday season. I’ll break down the list to add my commentary.

1. Barbie Fashionistas
Fashionista Barbie
Barbie’s been a girly favorite for generations, but this new line boasts six distinct fashion personalities, as well as the ability to strike a pose, thanks to its 12 points of articulation.  I personally love the Artsy and Sassy Fashionistas! With their adorable accessories, including trendy outfits and with hot boots or shoes to coordinate, I think Barbie Fashionistas is the most stylish Barbies to date.  Starting at only $11.99, Barbies Fashionistas are just as affordable as they are stylish.

2. Crayola Crayon Town from Wild Planet

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Crayon Town adds a whole new dimension to crayons–quite literally! With Crayon Town, kids can create an entire town, complete with 3D structures to color and build, including a horse ranch, neighborhood, airport, construction site and zoo. Each set includes Crayola crayons, coloring sheets, pop-up buildings and accessories. I love that Crayon Town adds even more imagination and creativity to a crayons, a product that is well known as the arts and crafts standard. The only caveat I see for this toy is the amount of pieces and probability to lose stuff. Other than that, with all the activities included in Crayon Town, this set is bound to be a hit. Starter sets start at $9.99 and deluxe sets are $19.99.

3. Rocky the Robot Trucks from Matchbox


Rocky the Robot Truck is, just as he’s named, a robotic truck. I thought this guy was one of THE coolest toys included on Time to Play’s list, but that also has a lot to do with my truck-loving tot. Rocky the Robot Truck from Matchbox is a dump truck that has a personality of its own. It can stand up, squat, shake, tells jokes and even dance with the help of interactive sensors. Rocky says over 80 quips and hilariously enough, Rocky even urges kids to “shake what your mama gave you!”

Rocky the Robot Truck
You can only do so much to cars, trucks and toys for boys, so I appreciate the fun and technological twist to Rocky the Robot truck. I have a feeling that in a month of so, Rocky will be one of those hard to find holiday toys! Rocky retails for $59.99, but I saw a link for $49.92 on QVC.