Well, it’s certainly been a bit. As many of you know, I’ve continued to be active on social, but sort of diverted my content on here for a bit. Working full time while creating content was quite the juggle, and something had to go!
Anyway, as I stepped away and while the world slowed down with events and timely releases, I questioned what I should do with this space. Since I had plenty of time to decide, I’m going to do my best to keep things going here. While it won’t be as toy-centric, I will continue to update with new releases and other entertainment content!
For week 1 of Camp Warner Bros., we were super busy with Super Hero Training. In honor of LEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters, we were tasked with super hero training. Guys, it’s like we’ve been training for this our whole lives!
Since we were traveling and visiting family this week, we were still able to squeak in our training and then some. We loved the way Batman led the training and kept us excited about becoming superheroes. Josh is well versed in superhero training since he’s always “on guard” with his super hero imagination, he absolutely loved this task! And what a perfect task it was to get us pumped for LEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters. We can’t wait to watch this one! Check out the description below!
About LEGO® DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters:
10-year-old Billy Batson shouts a single word and, with lightning bolts flashing, he transforms into Shazam!, a full-fledged adult Super Hero. It doesn’t take long for Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and the rest of the Justice League to take notice and invite the earnest do-gooder to join the team. But to become a member, Billy must reveal his true identity. While fighting off the evil Mr. Mind and Black Adam, Billy learns that he must trust others – and that nothing creates trust like helping those in need. Join the good fight with this giant-sized LEGO DC adventure!
Happy summer, friends! I’m sure you guys are just as thrilled for the summer as we are! After all that distance learning and pandemic teaching, I’m so excited to let loose and enjoy these carefree summer days.
Since most of our camps and activities for the summer have been canceled, we’ve been on the hunt for fun activities. Well, lucky us, we were invited to participate in Camp Warner Bros! With Camp Warner Bros, we’ll be doing various activities and checking out several Warner Bros movies and shows over the next few weeks.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be checking out LEGO DC, Steven Universe, We Bare Bears: The Movie and so much more. With each movie or show, we’ll be sharing a fun activity with you! I plan to share our shenanigans over on TikTok, so be on the look out over there!
Our first activity was a super fun tie die kit with our camp shirts. I love how they turned out—so much so, we did a TikTok to show them off! Be sure to follow along on the #CampWarnerBros hashtag.
Like most of you, I’ve been busy trying to stay afloat with distance learning and navigating this chaotic normal. I won’t even call it “new” because it’s not really new after 3 months now. After being home this long, we have our routines down. And thank goodness, the regular school year is o-v-e-r. We barely made it, but we did it.
I was never really worried about my middle schooler because, thank goodness, he’s adapted well to his study habits. Now, that’s not to say, he’s perfect. He missed quite a few assignments as he got so complacent with the virtual school, but a few nudges, and he was ok.
It was my younger guy who needed a lot of hugs and literal hand-holding. Little man went from having a team of special education teachers and aides to…me. Like so many kids in his predicament, he got the short end of the stick. Kids with different learning needs just can’t adapt as easily as other students when it comes to distance learning and curriculum shifts. With his different processing delays, my boys thrived with in-person instruction and one-on-one assistance. Sadly, we didn’t see any of that during quarantine until we hired a tutor at the end.
Nevertheless, we prevailed. Since my work situation has gone through its own upheaval, as has so many others, I am able to devote my time to helping my little guy with ESY and regrouping after this chaotic last few months!
I’ve focused on toys and entertainment over the years, but I’m hoping to hop back into blogging with some printable and fun summer activities since it looks like summer is taking us down a different path this year!
So, to start, here’s a free quick printable for the last day of school, in case you’re still finishing up this week like we did! I just made K-6th grade, so if you need a different grade let me know! There’s no watermark on the downloads.
Tag me on Insta (@jenrab) if you decide to print out and use it.
When it comes to fighting forest fires, Sup and his crew are the best of the best—that is, until they’re put to the test. In Playing with Fire, John Cena’s Superintendent Jake Carson is a tough character who doesn’t like to let his guard down. His crew is equally resilient, astute and comedic to boot. When given their toughest test yet, the crew is tasked with watching over three kids who happen to have their own hurdles to overcome.
Playing with Fire is a hilarious and family-friendly comedy that boasts some of the funniest actors in the business, including Judy Greer as Dr. Amy Hicks, Keegan-Michael Key as Mark and John Leguziamo as Rodrigo. Together with the well rounded kid actors, the vulnerable Dennis Haysbert and star, John Cena, Playing with Fire has all the elements to make the whole family smile and crack up over these shenanigans.
Because of Playing with Fire’s family-centric storyline and target audience, Paramount Studios invited me, along with several fellow bloggers and their families to interview the cast and director Andy Fickman. Instead of us bloggers queuing up the questions, we took seats in the back rows and let the kids take the reigns. And what a treat that was!
We all know that Keegan-Michael Key is a riot and that John Cena is a talented entertainer, but I loved listening to the kids interact with the kid actors.
When asked if any past experiences helped with the role in Playing with Fire, Christian Convery shared how he learned how to act improved because of Keegan and everyone else on this show.
Of course, there were laughs when John Cena rebutted and said that Christian didn’t learn to act from him!
Speaking of acting, as a perpetual entertainer who is laying his stake in family friendly films, I appreciated when one of the kids asked John Cena why he transitioned from fighting to acting. Cena’s answer was so diplomatic and relatable for the kids to understand. The kid reporter shared that he was born in 2008 when John asked his birthday.
“By the time you were born I believe I had already won seven WWE championships and I had been wrestling full time for close to seven years. So, I’ve been wrestling for 17 years. And I’d love to keep doing it forever and ever. But you have like 200 matches a year and man, I’m–I just don’t know if I can have 200 matches a year anymore. So, I really enjoy storytelling and I enjoy entertaining audiences and having fun. Movies is a different way to do that.”
The overflowing soap suds scene in the firehouse was one of our absolute scenes from the film. And, not surprisingly, it attracted questions from the kids, including my own! Jack asked a rather introspective question: when the soap and the suds get everywhere the little boy owned up to his mistake. Have any of you owned up to like a very big mistake?
Keegan-Michael Key had the best answer that could totally double as a parenting reminder: “Owning up to mistakes, I mean, I feel like I do it every day. Feel like I’m owning up to some mistake every day. Cause it’s very good to say–to hold yourself accountable for your actions because then you can learn from them. And also, it helps wipe the slate clean every day if you–if you really do it. And, the only key to it really, I think, is that you just have to really be sincere.”
And to round out this fun press junket for Playing with Fire, my sweet Josh, despite his speech delay, was unfazed and asked the actors what their favorite part of the movie was.
The most memorable answer, of course, came from the littlest kid actor, Finley Rose, without hesitation said: When John Cena made pooping in the woods.”
Brave firefighters, angsty teens, crazy action scenes, silly comedy and poop: what more can a kid ask for in a movie!?
Playing with Fire is in theaters on November 8.
Full disclosure: I was invited by Paramount Studios to participate in this press junket. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.
It’s the time of year again when all things spring and all things baby start to permeate in my world! With several friends just having given birth or recently announcing that they’re expecting, the baby love is something fierce these days.
I always love covering baby gear and baby news here on NKT. After all, the latest and greatest in baby gear is what got me started in the blogging realm.
And speaking of babies, The New York Baby Show is once again setting up camp at Pier 94. I hope you can join us for all the awesome new baby gear and fun!
The 2019 New York Baby Show, on May 18 & 19 at Pier 94 will once again be the largest show for new and expectant parents in the country. Now in its 9th year, no other event provides a better experience for thousands of expectant and new families from New York and neighboring counties, seeking a family-friendly jamboree of top brands, great speakers and seminars, big giveaways, and lots of learning, support, bonding, and fun as you make your way into parenthood. We are giving away tickets for you and your family to experience the show. See below for details… etc. Normal ticket price is $30 per family (for 2 adults and up to 4 children), and $20 per individual. Now, just for NKT readers, I have 25 free tickets to giveaway! This is first come, first served. Once all the tickets are gone, the code will no longer work. To grab your FREE New York Baby Show Tickets, go HERE!
Did you miss the free tickets? You can still grab 50% off for family or single tickets Here!
Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As always, thank you for supporting The Next Kid Thing
The other week, I had the chance to check out Pretty Woman on Broadway, and what a fun night it was! Perfect for a girls’ night out, Pretty Woman on Broadway is full of nostalgia, upbeat music and thrilling choreography.
Perhaps because I was a teen when the movie Pretty Woman came out, but I complete forgot the risqué storyline until I was sitting in Nederlander Theater. Pretty Woman on Broadway was true to the movie and boasted the same 90s pop vibe. Composers Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance paid homage to the original film with so many great songs throughout this musical.
Samantha Barks’ portrayal of Vivian Banks was lovely, as was Andy Karl’s Edward Lewis. Their chemistry was palpable and exceeded my expectations. The beauty of Broadway includes enjoying a live show and experiencing full theatrical production in person. With that, it was fun enjoying the show with friends, while we shared laughs and enjoyed a show!
If you’re looking for a fun, nostalgic show to see with girlfriends, be sure to check out Pretty Woman on Broadway.
Tickets are as low as $59 at Ticketmaster. Use MOM1 for a discount at Ticketmaster.
This post is made possible by support from Pretty Woman: The Musical. All opinions are my own.
Get ready to celebrate summer with the season’s most awaited collab: vineyard vines for Target. Set to launch in stores and online on May 18, vineyard vines for Target is getting a head start with a summery reveal and pop up at Brookfield Place.
Boasting more than 300 items in this collaboration, this line features the clean-cut, classic and fun designs that vineyard vines fans already love. What makes this collaboration so appealing is the accessibility and desirable price tags. With items as inexpensive as $10, and most items under $35, vineyard vines for Target could be another sell-out hit.
Ranging from diaper bags to beach towels to ladies’ sundresses to men’s pullovers, vv for Target has something for every member of the family. This collaboration not only features clothing, but also housewares and travel accessories, perfect for beach outings and vacations.
I had the chance to shop the collection at the launch party last night in NYC. The event had a fun Nantucket vibe, complete with oyster shuckers, a lobster shack and a summery photo opp. Word on the street is that there were quite a few celebs onhand. I was too busy shopping and oggling at all the fun vineyard vines clothes that I finally don’t have to feel guilty about buying!
In contrast to the sweatshirts in vineyard vines boutiques, the pullovers in this line are right around $35—And don’t forget to use your Redcard for that 5% discount! Other items that I love in this collection include that wagon, all those amazing bags, coordinating shorts, $10 t-shirts and the versatile throws and blankets.
I’m so ready for this gray weather to be done so we can have a picnic in all of our vineyard vines gear. 😉
For now, check out what I found at the NYC pop up. The vineyard vines pop up at Brookfield Place is open May 10-12, where you can shop and enjoy fun activities.
vineyard vines for Target drops in stores and online on May 18.
As if we didn’t love them enough, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have launched a new line of baby products called Hello Bello. The brand, which is as adorable as it sounds, is geared to be an affordable line of premium products. Exclusive to Walmart, Hello Bello’s line of plant-based products are intended to be accessible to anyone.
A few months ago, I attended a media event to celebrate the launch of Hello Bello. Because they’re everyone’s favorite mom and dad, it was a packed house. It was great to hear them speak so candidly about parenthood, their marriage and the impetus behind their latest endeavor.
As a celebrity couple, they acknowledged that they have access to so much. Growing up in the midwest with limited resources, Bell and Shepard acknowledge that their friends, family and many others don’t always have access to affordable, high quality items. With sustainability and price consciousness in mind, the couple embarked on creating a product line that anyone can afford and also feel good about using on their baby’s skin.
Hello Bello will launch with 10 products across multiple SKUs, ranging in price from $1.88 to $23.94, with the majority under $8. Parents can expect products formulated with safe and effective ingredients, including organic botanicals when possible; delivering greater comfort and performance including Diapers, Wipes, Shampoo & Body Wash, Bubble Bath, Baby Lotion, Diaper Rash Cream, Hand Sanitizer, Mineral Sunscreen, Bug Spray and Laundry Detergent.
“We know parenting is hard enough as it is,” shared co-founder Dax Shepard. “Parents shouldn’t have to choose between what’s good for their baby and good for their budget. That’s why we couldn’t ask for a better exclusive retail partner than Walmart, who is making it possible for us to offer premium products at a non-premium price.”
At the event, we were gifted a collection of some of the products. I’ve since shared them with some fellow baby mamas who are praising the quality Hello Bello. Of note, I’m completely obsessed with the diaper prints and the poop slogan. How can you not?
I’ve been using the lotion after my shower. The natural smell of the lotion is pleasant and not overpowering. It has a very thick consistency, which is great for babes, but almost too thick for my personal liking.
Bell and Shepard have become quite the powerhouse in relatable endorsements, specifically in the parenting category, so it’s interesting that they’ve launched their own brand alongside of their business partners. I can’t wait to see this brand flourish.
Hello Bello is available at Walmart stores and online.
Full Disclosure: I received a gift bag at the event. As always opinions on NKT are my own.
It’s been a blustery few weeks here in NYC/NJ. Despite the snow last week, my older son and I had the chance to check out King Kong on Broadway. Technology, choreography combined with Broadway flair, King Kong was quite the production, and one that blew my 11 year old away.
King Kong
King Kong on Broadway followed a similar storyline to that of the classic. With the magic of a computerized backdrop and projector,the main settings took place in 1930s NYC, SS Wanderer and Skull Island. Each major backdrop was seamlessly projected to set the stage and create an unmistakable story surrounding the iconic settings. We were most impressed with SS Wanderer and how the audience was taken “onboard” Carl Denham and Ann Darrow’s excursion to Skull Island. The way the stage morphed into the bow of a ship was so unique and truly a sight to see.
The main sight of this show, was, hands-down, King Kong. This massive animatronic Gorilla descended onto the stage with an undeniable presence. Together with the orchestra’s accompaniment and the troupe who make King Kong come to life, the larger than life Gorilla made heads turned and jaws drop with every scene he shook. With the animated back drop, impeccable lighting and the King’s Company who worked together to control his every movement, King Kong was a believable Gorilla and a thrill to watch.
Christiani Pitts who played Ann Darrow is a beautiful and commanding lead. To share the stage with a two-ton animatronic Gorilla is no easy feat, however, Pitts pulled it off with grace. Eric William Morris’ Carl Denham was an entertaining, albeit smarmy producer. The vocals were collectively a beautiful production, but King Kong was definitely the star of this show.
King Kong
After the show, we were treated to a talkback with several members of the cast. From this intimate chat, we learned quite a bit about the cast, including how they spend upwards to 7 hours a day practicing and training to make the show come together. We were able to get a little more perspective on Kong and how the King’s Company Ensemble must thrust, jump and maneuver themselves to make Kong come to life. The cast members who operate as the VooDoo Operators control the facial movements by computers from a room above. All of the people who are in the King’s Company range from break dancers, dancers, performers, but none other than one of the VooDoo operators were puppeteers before this show.
Above all, King Kong was unique and often mesmerizing, if not quirky. The namesake of the show provided an unforgettable spectacle, and a production that will wow even the young Broadway goers.
Full Disclosure: This post is made possible by support from King Kong Broadway. All opinions are my own.
