The Next Kid Thing – Page 30 – The latest and greatest in gadgets, gear and goodies

Welch’s Juice Ice Bars are a Sweet Frozen Treat

December 15, 2013December 16, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

When it comes to fresh fruit, we have no problem snacking on the real deal, especially when it’s in season. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a fresh piece of fruit and savoring the natural sweetness and natural juices. But freeze juice? Now, we’re talking.

Though we’re well-versed with Welch’s juices, I was recently introduced to Welch’s 100% Juice Ice Bars after attending Momtrends’ Holiday soirée. After freezing the Juice Ice Bars for a few hours, we broke out the treats after dinner the other night. They were sweet, flavorful, convenient, without all of the usual suspects found in other frozen treats. By the way, if you’re adamant about integrating a “rainbow” of food to your family’s diet, Welch’s Grape Juice is a great way to incorporate purple foods since each four ounce glass amounts to a half cup of fruit, which is also one serving.

Back to the Juice Ice Bars: the pack that we sampled came with eight Juice Ice Bars, in three different flavors: concord grape, white grape with natural tropical flavor and white grape with natural cherry flavor. J’s favorite of the bunch was definitely the white grape with natural tropical flavor because, according to him: “it tastes yummy like summer!” Naturally.

And speaking of naturally, one of the major selling points of these Juice Ice Bars is that they aren’t sweetened with HFCS or contain artificial colors or flavoring. I’ll always associate my youth with ice pops, but unfortunately, it’s rare to find frozen treats these days that aren’t laden with artificial additives. Welch’s Juice Ice Bars, though, have simple ingredients that I can feel good about serving my boys. I try to seek out the more wholesome ingredients, especially when it involves convenience and processed foods. So, having frozen fruit juice as an ice pop is a sweet treat indeed.

I love the fact that Welch’s Juice Ice Bars are shelf stable until they’re ready to freeze. This makes having them on hand in the cupboard that much easier. To sweeten the deal: Welch’s Juice Ice Bars are no more than 45 calories per serving.

Welch’s Juice Ice Bars, manufactured by Kisco, are a seasonal product that will be back in stores this Spring. In fact, while doing some research, I found that the die-hard Welch’s Juice Ice Bars fans stock up on these treats and anxiously wait until they return to the store. After tasting them ourselves, I totally understand the demand for these frozen treats.

The only thing that would make Welch’s Juice Ice Bars even better is to have them more accessible year-round. We’re already counting down the days ’til Spring.

I appreciate that Welch’s is a family affair: Welch’s is a Family Farmer owned company that uses concord and Niagra grapes grown in vineyards across North America, with many of the farms having been in their families for generations. The Welch’s Juice Ice Bars come in a freezer friendly bag with flavors including concord grape, white grape with natural cherry and white grape with natural tropical flavor. Welch’s Juice Ice Bars can be found at Stew Leonards, Dairy Fresh, HEB, Canadian retailers: Demoulas, Loblaws and Sobeys. As well as at BJs, Costco, Christmas Tree Shops and Walmart.

Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post, but as always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Kidz Vuz Holiday House Party Highlights

December 13, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

A couple of weeks ago, Biggie and I had a much-needed mom and J day. But it wasn’t just a regular day out, it was a day well spent getting our hands on some of the best gear for tweens.

Though J is a few years away from the official tween stage, we were in great company at the Kidz Vuz Holiday Party. In case you’re not familiar, Kidz Vuz is a safe online hub where tweens gather to dish and disseminate their thoughts on any and everything, including the latest gadgets and gear.

The Kidz Vuz Holiday Party, held at Gary’s Loft just footsteps away from the hustle and bustle of Herald’s Square, was abuzz with a slew of tween-appropriate goodies. From tablets to gaming consoles to books to broadway, The Kidz Vuz House Holiday Party had everyone covered.

Here are some highlights of the wonderful day we had at the House Party of the season:

Samsung

Samsung was front and center showcasing their Galaxy Tab 3 Kids 7.0. Just as the name suggests, this 7 inch tablet is geared to kids and packs a punch in a colorful little package. Heavy on the parental controls, this wi-fi enabled tablet allows kids a safer, yet simple interface. There’s also a standard mode so parents can use the tablet as a fully functioning tablet.

I didn’t get that much time with this cool device, but I was quite impressed with this kid-friendly tablet. My only reluctance about this device is the yellow and orange, which, for us, wouldn’t be as appealing in a year. At just six years old, my older son is already turned off by electronics or “babyish” devices. We’ll group him into the spoiled Apple generation.

Nintendo
We didn’t spend much time at the Nintendo Lounge, but it was quite the hotbed for the tweens and teens, which meant the target audience was satisfied. We did, however, have a chance to check out a few of the Nintendo DS games, which were fun. Unfortunately, we’re not a big DS family since we mostly co-play on our XBox and PS3 and J prefers the iPad to a DS. Nevertheless, I always enjoy Nintendo’s expansive offerings on their various platforms.

Spinmaster

J spent almost the entire afternoon at Spinmaster’s nook. He was immediately drawn to the Tenkai Knights building sets. Along with several other dudes, J built creation after creation until he could build no more.
We are longtime Spinmaster fans, so we have been testing out the other toys they had on display. I loved seeing how my favorites, Kawaii Krush and Zoomer, were well-loved. Tenkai Knights have firm placement on our Christmas list.

Hasbro

Hasbro, another longtime favorite of ours, had several fun toys for the kids to explore. The most popular of the Hasbro corner, though, was definitely the Rebelle shooting range. This fun extension of Nerf includes the Heartbreaker, Guardian, Sweet Revenge and Pink Cross.

À la Katniss from Hunger Games, the Rebelle Heartbreaker underscores the popularity of archery, especially for our fearless females. Make no mistake though, plenty of boys were giving the gear a spin for themselves.

The Furby Boom, which is looking like a hot item this holiday season, was also a featured product from Hasbro. This new take on the quirky character is interactive via an app, is responsive and loves to dance. This latest iteration of Furby is much more vibrant (if that’s even possible) and has more flair than ever.

Downtown Bookworks

This fun children’s publishing company had a selection of superhero books that made quite an impression on us. With board books featuring DC Superheroes, such as: DC Superheroes, ABC 123 and My First Batman Book, this publisher has numerous titles that would make our littlest superhero fan stand proud.

But it was The Official DC Super Hero Cookbook that kept my biggest superhero fan completely engaged. I love that this book combines two of our loves: superheroes and cooking. The Downtown Bookworks table let the kids decorate their own superhero cookies with a stencil. J made his own Flash cookie, which we devoured on the bus on the way home. By the way? This Wonder Woman apron was EVERYTHING!

Green Mustache Smoothies

One of my favorites of the day was Green Mustache Smoothies. Created by a mom of a picky kid, these smoothies are made with a full serving of greens and fruits. It’s non-GMO, organic and tastes amazing. My younger guy is showing picky tendencies or textural issues, but he absolutely LOVED these smoothies.

We normally buy another brand of smoothies, but after tasting these, we are sold. In fact, I’m headed out today to pick up a few flavors at our closest store, which is 20 miles away. I will be dropping off an info sheet at my local organic store, in hopes they pick this product up.

Chloe’s Fruit

Chloe’s Fruit was another delicious treat, this time featuring frozen fruit. With quite a few flavors to choose from, I can see myself choosing this delicious treat over Tasti d-lite anyway.

The Lamp NYC

The Lamp NYC is an organization described by NYCcharities.org as an organization that educates and equips people to shape the media landscape through hands-on training. The Lamp NYC teaches young, impressionable minds about news, reporting, commercials, digital media and more. The purpose of this charity is to immerse kids head-on with the different types of media that shapes our ever-evolving informational landscape. I love the purpose and meaning of this charity, and it’s one that I hope to get my kids involved in, when the time is right.

Kids’ Night on Broadway

Kids’ Night on Broadway takes place on Feb. 24- March 2. For this program, kids 6-18 see a Broadway show for free with a full-paying adult. Tickets go on sale on January 8th for this fabulous experience that gives kids a taste of culture as well as a peek behind the scenes during a fan festival. This is definitely something I’m hoping we can take part in, so I’ll be penciling in the dates now!

Stonefire Flatbreads

Lunch was catered in part by Stonefire Flatbreads. J and I ate some delicious sandwiches made with these amazing breads. These are the fluffiest flatbreads and pitas I’d ever tasted. Seriously, so fluffy and filling! A big thanks to Stonefire for introducing me to a new family staple.

Homewood Suites

One of our absolute favorite places to stay when we’re on the road is most definitely Homewood Suites. In fact, during Hurricane Sandy last year, we had a family member who was staying at a local Homewood Suites and we had the opportunity to stay there for a week. We had the chance to experience the great complimentary weekday meals, fabulous indoor pool and impeccable service. Whether traveling for business or with family on vacation, we personally seek out the comfort and convenience of establishments such as Homewood Suites.

Dermalogica

I had the opportunity to get my face mapped while at the Kidz Vuz House Party. The well-versed aesthetician told me things about my skin that I had no idea about, such as I could still have acne prone skin and it still be dehydrated. I also learned a bit about the Dermalogica’s teen line, which is more concentrated for problem skin that is often brought about during those hormonal teenage years.

Justin Case

Kidz Vuz had a lovely raffle going towards Lamp, which I was more than happy to make a contribution. As luck would have it, I won a fabulous Justin Case Rechargeable Power Case from Innovative Technologies, which is a back up battery and iPad case all in one. I read all about it on NYTimes.com, so I’m quite excited about this win!

A big thank you and congrats to my friends Rebecca and Nancy of Kidz Vuz. I attend a lot of events throughout the year, and this was, by far, one of the most well-organized and informative events where my kid and I both came away with a lot of great information and fun goodies to boot.

Full disclosure: I was not compensated, although I did receive a generous swag bag from the event. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

PBS Kids 2013 Holiday Programming

December 10, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Like many others in our area, we enjoyed a fun snow day yesterday! Though we didn’t park ourselves in front of the tv all day, we did, however, catch some of our favorite holiday episodes from a few of our fave PBS Shows. In fact, because it’s Holiday Week on PBS, they will be featuring encore presentations of holiday favorites, including CURIOUS GEORGE: A Very Monkey Christmas, ARTHUR’S PERFECT CHRISTMAS, and holiday-themed episodes from PBS KIDS series, such as WILD KRATTS, SUPER WHY!, THOMAS & FRIENDS, and more.

ARTHUR’S PERFECT CHRISTMAS

Arthur gives kids a new spin on seasonal traditions in his first one-hour prime time special, showing children many ways to celebrate “the holidays.”

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT CHRISTMAS!

Gather the family for a holiday adventure with the Cat in the Hat, Nick and Sally as they help a lost reindeer find his way home.

CURIOUS GEORGE: A VERY MONKEY CHRISTMAS

In A VERY MONKEY CHRISTMAS, Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat can’t figure out what to give each other for Christmas.

DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD

This holiday season, DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD premieres two winter-themed episodes: “Snowflake Day!” and “A Snowy Day”.

Thomas & Friends

During holiday week, THOMAS & FRIENDS will debut two episode premieres from : “Snow Stops Play” and “Tinsel & Trains.”

ELMO’S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

There’s a miracle on Sesame Street in this special holiday tale, which premiered on November 27 and repeats December 11 and 25.

Be sure to check your local listings for exact dates and times.

Full disclosure: I am a PBS Kids VIP and am sharing this information to benefit you, my readers! I was not compensated, however, I did receive promotional material.

Gift and Entertaining Ideas from the Momtrends Holiday Soiree

December 5, 2013December 5, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

During the weeks leading to the Holidays, I’m often busy with kid-centric gift ideas and reviews that I forget to shift gears to focus on friends and adult family members.

Luckily, at the recent Momtrends Holiday Soiree, we were introduced to quite a selection of stylish gift, entertaining and decor ideas. I browsed gift ideas from the hosting venue, Roberta Freymann; enjoyed delicious non-alcoholic drinks from Welch’s; sipped some Anna de Cordonui bubbly , who also taught us how to wrap a bottle. We also enjoyed noshing on treats with Nocciolata spread and some Cabot snacks, while learning festive decorating ideas from Teleflora.

With Christmas parties in mind, I finally learned how to do a “goddess” braid, thanks to Glamsquad. I’ll have to try this for an upcoming cocktail party. Vitabath natural soap is one of my all-time favorites, so I was glad to see the brand at the event. Santa even made an appearance wearing none other than a Fruit of the Loom hoodie. I just love the way Fruit of the Loom’s hoodies have a cool pocket within the pocket, perfect for holding an iPhone or other device.

And because the holidays are all about giving, many people brought gently used coats to donate to Baby Buggy, the charitable organization that helps babies and kids in need. In addition to all of these fabulous gift and entertaining ideas, it was so nice seeing so many of my friends, and take my mind off of my ongoing frazzled state.

As always, we left the Momtrends event with a gracious gift bag with goodies from many of the aforementioned brands. I’ve been a longtime fan of Alladin products, so I was excited to find a cool mason jar drinking cup inside. Also, at the event, I won the raffle for super chic, but affordable Denizen jeans. All in all, it was a lovely evening well spent with great friends and fabulous finds.

All photos are courtesy of Momtrends

Activision Family Game Summit Makes Family Connection

December 5, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

A few weeks ago, Activision, the video game powerhouse, invited us to their annual Family Game Summit. Held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, this year’s theme focused on connecting through video games.

Sure, family time should transcend screen time, but Activision presented a solid case on how and why video games often connect family, regardless of age or interest. This year’s celeb guest host was Korie Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame. She talked briefly about how their family connects, and her thoughts on the business, among other things.

As usual, I found the stats to be the most interesting part of the event. I learned a few key takeaways, including:

Fun means different things for everyone
Free doesn’t always mean free
Actively manage your online parental controls
Your kids’ friends lists are not always friends
Check your kids’ profiles for publicly facing information

And, of course a Family Game Summit wouldn’t be a summit without a showcase of the latest new games. Just in time for the holidays, Activision spotlighted just a few titles that are all about family fun. The titles featured at the event were:

Angry Birds Star Wars, Wipeout Create and Crash, Transformers Ultimate Battle Edition and Ultimate Autobots Edition, Skylanders Swapforce, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Moshi Monsters Katsuma Unleashed and SpongeBob Square Pants Plankton’s Robotic Revenge

Our most favorite of the lineup is, of course, Skylanders Swapforce. As diehard Skylanders fans, this franchise continues to keep the family gaming going. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Angry Birds are also fun games that require patience and strategy. I’ll post separate reviews for the aforementioned, so check it out soon.

As with previous Activision Family Game Summits, we were able to bring kids. My boys had a blast in the kid zone playing with new friends, coloring and going crazy. A definite highlight though, was schmoozing with TMNT and Sponge Bob! I mean!

Once again, Activision outdid themselves with a lovely and informative event promoting co-playing and family bonding over video games. Of course, as with everything, moderation is key, so don’t go playing video games all day and night.

Thanks to Activion and the other sponsors, we were sent home with a very generous gift bag with samples and other branded material. I love that Amazon also had a presence there, and I learned all about Amazon Prime and got to know their latest Kindle a little better.

All in all, it was yet another lovely event, where I learned interesting information about family time and video games!

Full disclosure: Activision provided us with a gift bag As always, all opinions are my own.

Cyber Monday Deals for Kid Clothes and Gear

December 2, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I love bargains, and many are to be had right now. I gathered a few more great deals from retailers that I personally shop from for my kids and nieces and nephews. Here are just a selection of great Cyber Monday deals for kids’ clothes, gear and more!

American Eagle Outfitters Cyber Monday Sale
Store: American Eagle Outfitters
Discount: 50% off sitewide via coupon code “94C486V1”
Shipping: Free shipping

Hollister SoCal Beach Party Sale
Discount: 50% off sitewide
Shipping: Free shipping
Expires: December 2

TheChildren’s Place Cyber Monday Sale

Discount: Up to 40% off with an extra 30% off via coupon code “CYBERPLACE”
Shipping: Free shipping
Expires: December 2

Gymboree
Discount: 40% Off Sitewide
Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $50
Gymboree rewards members get free shipping

Janie and Jack
Discount: 25% off Sitewide

Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $75

Ruum
Discount: 40% off site wide, use the code 648
Shipping: Free shipping

Land’s End
Discount: 30% off site wide
Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $50

Toys R Us
Discount: Select deals, including several BOGO 50% off

Diapers.com
Discount: select Cyber Week deals on basics, toys and gear, including 30% off of Britax carseats
Shipping: free shipping on orders over $49

Target
Discount: various deals, including some great ones using Cartwheel

Shipping: free shipping on orders over $50

Cyber Monday Toy Deals on Amazon

December 2, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Happy Cyber Monday, all! I hope you’re recovering well from the Thanksgiving holiday.

Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day coined by the National Retail Federation due to the influx of online spending after returning to work following the Thanksgiving break and Black Friday hullabaloo. Experts say they’re expecting upwards to 131 million to be shopping today.

That said, I’ll be doing a little bit of shopping myself today—some for myself, some for the family and of course, just perusing the sales themselves. With all the buzz about Cyber Monday deals, I thought I’d share some of the hottest deals on kid-related goodies.

First off: Amazon has some excellent toy deals. And while I often feel overwhelmed by Amazon’s overall site (is there anything they DON’T sell?), it’s so convenient to shop at one spot for a myriad of items. One of their hottest deals of the day is select Fisher Price and Mattel toys are half off or more.

Aside from Fisher Price and Mattel, Amazon also has several other deals worth noting, including select VTech Toys and one of my personal favorites, the Air Hogs Helix. I imagine these deals will go quick, so be sure to check them out!

Here are just a few of my favorite deals that are tried and true:

Mike the Knight Glendragon Castle Playset $17.99, regularly $34.99

Skate and Spin Dora is down to $19.99 from $39.

Fisher Price CornPopper is just $7.49

Vtech slide and talk smart phone is $9, regularly $29.99

Monster High 13 Wishes Party Lounge & Spectra Vondergeist Doll Playset $15.99, down from $34.99

Air Hogs Helix X4 is $60, regularly $80

Happy shopping!

Holiday Shopping: There’s an App for That!

November 23, 2013November 23, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As we’re in the throes of reviews and prepping for the upcoming holidays, I’ve also been busy scoping out the sales and deals. I not only love the impending holiday season and excitement surrounding the festivities, like so many others, I get such a thrill from the anticipation of the glorious day: the family, food, fun, celebration and of course, gifts. I absolutely love giving gifts, so naturally, I love shopping for those gifts just as much.

The holidays go beyond the commercialism and overindulgence. In fact, I truly believe in streamlining the shopping process as much as possible in order to enjoy the festivities later on. The most obvious tips: shop early and shop online as much as possible. But for those of you who much prefer the brick and mortar shopping experience, there are many ways to save money and sanity. And of course, there’s an app for that!

Here are just a few of my favorite mobile shopping and list-making apps, which are perfect for shopping in general and quite timely for holiday shopping.

In lieu of a paper and pen, this year I’ve turned to Pinterest to bookmark potential presents and gift ideas for my guys. I’ve been pinning presents onto my list, usually directly from the retailer’s site. Most social media savvy retailers now have Pinterest icons, which makes list-making easy while you’re at home. But when you’re on the go, pulling up said lists are convenient when accessing the Pinterest app. The camera option on the Pinterest app comes in handy if you want to add an object that you see at a store. I always make it a habit to take photos of cool things I want in a store. With Pinterest’s camera capability, I can actually catalog those photos on my boards.

Pinterest just keeps getting better and better. Case in point: let’s say you’re at a cool store in a different town, you can add a geographical location to your pin. This feature would be helpful to remind you where you were and to also tell others who may be interested in buying this product.

As with all geo-tagging posts or photos, be smart!

Red Laser

Red Laser is one of my favorite and most-used apps. When I first got my iPhone, this was one of the first apps I used.

Who doesn’t love to scan their own items!? This app is primarily used to scan upc barcodes to find prices. They’ve updated the app to where you can now “favorite” or “add to list.” If you’re shopping for a big ticket item or looking to find the best deal, Red Laser comes in handy.

After scanning an item in the store, you can see how much it’s offered else where. Beware though, sometimes, the app will show pricing from Ebay or another retailer that may make it hard to pricematch. One of my favorite updates to this app is that you can now input loyalty cards. I love that all 5 billion of my loyalty cards will now have a home on my phone, rather than in my bulging wallet.

Time to Play Shop For Kids App

New to the shopping app scene: my friends at TimetoPlayMag.com recently debuted the “Shop for Kids” App. This app is quite timely as we descend on the toy stores and big box retailers while we’re on the hunt for the must-have goodies and gadgets. The free app gives you access to TTP’s credible reviews, as well as provides a live price comparison tool and a link to their daily giveaways. According to a recent article on Bloomberg, EMarketer points out: “Mobile devices can drive two ways—by allowing users to buy items on their smartphones and tables, and as research tool that could lead to in-store purchases.”

On a recent “research” trip to Target, I strolled the boy toy aisles in search of something fun for my older guy. Biggie is all into TMNT like many boys his age, but WHICH vehicle would excite him the most this Christmas? I pulled up the Shop for Kids App and scan two different versions of the Shellraiser vehicle. Through the app, I found that TMNT Shellraiser Vehicle is $17.99 online yet on the shelf (as seen in my picture), it’s $23.49. That’s a $5.50 difference!

Granted, online prices are different than in-store prices, but sometimes you can find a much better deal online AND free shipping. Back to the Shellraiser, because I couldn’t decide between two different vehicles, I loved that the “Shop for Kids” App provides reviews, which, for me, is often the tiebreaker! Since the RC Shellraiser had better reviews, I added that toy to my aforementioned Pinterest Christmas list. The Shop for Kids App is available for both iOs and Android.

With the accessibility to shopping apps via smartphones, shopping in-store has never been easier. Happy shopping! If you score a great deal with one of the above apps, let me know!

Trick or Treating with Moose Toys Trash Pack and Glitzi Globes

November 7, 2013November 7, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Halloween has always been one of my most favorite times of year. The crisp, cool air, costumes, monsters—oh, and the treats!

With two younger guys, we love getting all into the Halloween fun. I’ve made the boys’ costumes the past two years, and even threw something together for myself too! We went as a Star Wars-themed group with Biggie as Luke Skywalker as an X-Wing Fighter Pilot, the babe as Wicket the Ewok and me as Leia. We had a blast with it, and I’ll always have the boys’ smiles and laughter from the Halloween festivities etched in my mind. Having missed out on two Halloweens in a row, this year made it that much more special.

And speaking of special, one of the Halloween events we enjoyed this year was our community’s trunk or treat. Trunk or treat was a fun way to connect with our lake friends while watching our costumed kids parade around the parking lot. And once again, we teamed up with Moose Toys to hand out some fabulous non-candy treats. As superfans of Trash Pack and a new adoration for Glitzi Globes, I’m not sure who was more excited about our treats.

In fact, as our box of treats arrived, I immediately posted a Vine of the uber cool Glitzi Globes. I’ve been collecting snowglobes for as long as I can remember, so the concept of being able to create tiny collectible globes almost blew my mind.

It turned out, the Glitzi Globe samples that we handed out at Trunk or Treat were quite the hit. Several friends came by not two or three times, but as many as five! I don’t blame them!

The tiny glittery globes that are put together with a few drops of water transform into cutesy collectibles. Glitzi Globes make a fun activity and if you’re like me, they make for a fun new obsession. Like the big kid I am, I have my eye on the Mega Dome Showcase. I just need a girl of my own to help me out with toys like these! Or, I can just get them for myself, ahem.

Trash Pack are definitely a mainstay as well, so it was equally awesome to hand out sample packs of those too. Both boys and girls had a fun time comparing characters. And best of all, after all the parties and candies and trick or treating the kids did this year to make up for last year, it was great knowing that we handed out non-candy treats that we know and love instead of adding to that sugar rush.

A big thanks to our friends at Moose Toys for helping us spread the fun for a very special Halloween.

Full disclosure: we were provided with samples, but were not compensated for this post. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Pumpkin Carving with PBS Kids

October 23, 2013October 23, 2013 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Halloween time is one of my absolute favorite times of year. Cool, brisk air allowing for sweatshirt and jeans, and of course, harvest time coupled with costumes—what’s not to love?

It’s the art of going to the pumpkin patch, painstakingly choosing the most perfect pumpkin and then, planning and carving our pumpkin to depict something we love, that embodies the kind of family Halloween fun that never gets old.

As crafty and artsy as we are, though, pumpkin carving is almost like a science. Unlike when we were kids, there are now specialized, kid-friendly tools and premade stencils to make this craft much easier.

Even better, many of our favorite kid websites provide these free stencils and other Halloween ideas. Last year, we created a Jack Skellington pumpkin via Disney’s website.

And of course, leave it to our friends at PBS Kids to share a plethora of fun character stencils to make this year’s pumpkins that much cooler. Whether you’re a fan of Peg + Cat, Daniel Tiger, the Wild Kratts or our good buddy Curious George, PBS Kids likely has a stencil fit for your pumpkin. Head to PBS Kids to grab a stencil for your family’s pumpkin!

Today, along with a few of our blogging friends, Jack was invited to join GMA Live for a fun segment just on this topic: pumpkin carving and Halloween fun inspired by PBS Kids. It’s always a treat when Jack gets to make an appearance on tv, so it’s quite fitting that it’s PBS Kids, one of our most beloved kid properties.

And speaking of Halloween fun: “CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest” airs Monday, October 28. It is the first ever CURIOUS GEORGE Halloween special.
Throughout the week of October 28, PBS KIDS will feature Halloween programming from other family favorites as well, including new episodes from THOMAS & FRIENDS and its newest series, PEG + CAT, and encore presentations of many other series (check local listings). PBS KIDS will also repeat CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest on Halloween.
Kids can also explore a pumpkin patch with George with a new Halloween game on PBSKIDS.org/curiousgeorge.
“CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest” is also available on DVD.