Fun Archives - NY Foodie Family

15 Ways to Entertain Yourself at Home During Social Distancing

Posted on March 18, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

You’re stuck at home for an indefinite amount of time. There’s only so much cleaning and organizing that you can do. If you have kids, you’re trying to entertain them and stay sane. But you deserve some fun too! Here are 15 ways to entertain yourself at home during social distancing:

1. Learn a Tik Tok Dance. Here are 15 Tik Tok dances that you can learn…..and they are not as easy as they look!

2. Work Out – The gym might be closed, but exercise is important. Not only for your physical well being, but for your mental health as well. Fitness Blender, PopSugar Fitness, Yoga with Adriene,and Madfit are only a few of the sites where you can find free workouts to do.

3. Have a virtual book club – Make reading social by having a virtual book club with your family or friends. Everyone reads the same book and then discusses it together via your favorite group chat/video app.

4. Watch a cooking show – Michelin-rated Chef Massimo Bottura, who recently opened Gucci Osteria in Beverly Hills, has created Kitchen Quarantine. Every day at 3 PM (EST) on his Instagram, he cooks, offer culinary tips and holds online Q & A sessions.

5. Pamper yourself – Take a bath, paint your nails, put on the face mask.

6. Create – Let’s Make Art offers art subscription boxes as well as online tutorials. Or order your own kits from your favorite online retailer. Paint-by-Number, coloring books, calligraphy, knitting, embroidery….the options are endless. Some local craft/pottery places are offering deliverable paint a piece of pottery kits. Bakeries are offering decorate cookies or cupcake kits. Check out your local businesses!

7. Take virtual field trips – These aren’t just for the kids! You can visit museums, zoos, National Parks and more from your home.

8. Create or just listen to fun playlists – Music can be very uplifting in stressful times. Spotify has tons of playlists, like All Out 80’s and Michelle Obama’s workout playlist, or make your own!

9. Meditate – Now is a great time to spend some time meditating! Headspace and Calm are popular meditating apps.

10. Candy Crush, Best Fiends, Homescapes, Pokemon Go, Wizarding World of Harry Potter.……you get the drift. Find a mindless game app.

11. Listen to a new podcast – I’m sure you have your regular podcasts that you listen to, but why don’t you try a new one? Here’s Esquire’s list of the 57 Best Podcasts You Can Listen to in 2020.

12. Binge watch a new-to-you show – Like you haven’t already started doing this! If you need some ideas, check out this list of 55 Best Shows to Binge Watch on Netflix (March 2020) from TechJunkie.

13. Cook something – Yes, you’re probably cooking A LOT more than you are used to. But what about cooking something new to you or something a little more indulgent than you’d normally make? There may be meat and poultry shortages in the grocery stores, but there’s lots of fresh produce!

14. Plan some fun outings – This too shall pass. And when it does, we will all be itching to get out of the house! Start planning now for some fun outings that you’ll take once we are done social distancing.

15. Do whatever that thing is that you’ve always wanted to do but, “never had the time” – Because now all you have is time! Find something off that list that you can do or try now! There are YouTube videos, books, articles and apps for almost everything out there.

28 Days of February Family Fun

Posted on January 30, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.)

February will be here in a couple of days. Although it is a short month, with Valentine’s Day, the Olympics and President’s Day/February break, there is a lot going on! Here are 28 days of February family fun!

1. February is Black History Month. Published this month, read Young, Gifted and Black with your kids to introduce them to 52 Black heroes from past and present.

2. Will the groundhog see his shadow today? Tradition says if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, we can expect an early spring! Here are twelve Groundhog Day picture books that you can read with your kids.

3. Have a video game day! Have your kids show you their favorite video games and play with them. My son’s current XBoxOne faves include Cupheads and Marvel vs. Capcom.

4. Today is the Super Bowl! Make some of these snacks for your game day party while you cheer on the Eagles or Patriots! While I’m not a football fan, I will be watching the half-time show and the commercials. Take a sneak peek at some of the commercials!

5. Today is World Nutella Day! Here are 60 ways you can use using this delicious hazelnut spread.

6. Check out the new shows coming to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime in February and plan some binge watching.

7. Valentine’s Day is in a week. Have you made or purchased your child’s Valentines? If you need some ideas, here are over 50 Valentines you can print at home.

8. The 2018 Winter Olympics begin tomorrow in Pyeongchang County, South Korea. Have your child find South Korea on a map. Pick out some sports that your family will watch and cheer on Team USA!

9. Today is National Pizza Day! Make homemade pizza for dinner. We love this Onion Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza with Balsamic Glaze.

10. Take a family road trip! Hop into the car and visit a new-to-you nearby town. Have lunch or dinner out, and explore the sites. Enjoy being a local tourist.

11. For many kids, breakfast is their favorite meal of the day. Start your Sunday off by going out for brunch!

12. Make some chocolate playdough (that you can’t eat!) and then make some chocolates in these heart-shaped molds that you can eat!

13. Today is Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras! Read some of these Mardi Gras books with your kids and make a King Cake! In the United Kingdom, today is also known as Pancake Day. Celebrate with pancakes for dinner!

14. Happy Valentine’s Day! Plan a Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt for your kids with a sweet treat for them at the end. Have heart-shaped everything today! Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make Valentine’s pancakes for breakfast and heart-shaped sandwiches for lunch. Shape pizza dough into a heart shape for dinner tonight!

15. Add these recently released middle grade children’s books to your book collection or borrow them from the library: The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle (January 23), Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire (February 6), Checked (February 6), The Unicorn Quest (February 6), Marabel and the Book of Fate (February 6), Payback on Poplar Lane (February 6) and The Midnight Gang (February 27).

16. Have a family game night. We are enjoying Sushi Go Party!

17. Today is National Random Acts of Kindess Day! Challenge your kids to show kindness. Some ideas include give 5 compliments today, hold the door for the person behind them and/or help someone in need.

18. Visit a museum. Science museums are a family favorite since they are so hands-on and fun for everyone.

19. Happy President’s Day! Here are seven ways to celebrate with kids.

20. Plan a family movie night! Some popular children’s movies being released on DVD this month include Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie (February 13), Wonder (February 13), and Coco (February 27). And for mom time, A Bad Moms Christmas (February 6).

21. Make a bird feeder and hang it outside a window to watch the birds (and possibly the squirrels!) eat.

22. Today is National Margarita Day! Make a kid-friendly alcohol-free frozen margarita for the kids…..and maybe ones with some alcohol for the adults! You can serve them in these fun glasses! It’s also National Chili Day. This Slow Cooker Beanless Chili is a great way to celebrate!

23. Have a family date night out and go to an Escape the Mystery Room. Read about our fun experience doing this.

24. Read a chapter book together as a family. Take turns reading a couple of pages. My son and I are finishing up The Lost Hero and will soon be reading A Wrinkle In Time. I want to read it before the movie comes out next month.

25. Celebrate the end of the 2018 Winter Olympics with a Korean dinner. Either go out for Korean BBQ or Bibimbap (one of my favorite dishes!) or make Korean food at home! Maangchi and Kimchi Mom are both great websites to find recipes.

26. Today is National Tell a Fairy Tale Day. Have your children retell their favorite fairy tales.

27. Plan a trip out to the movies. Family-friendly movies coming to the big screen this month include Peter Rabbit (February 9), Monster Family (February 9), Early Man (February 16), and The War With Grandpa (February 23).

28. If it is winter and COLD where you are, go outside and fascinate the kids with Frozen Bubbles.

31 Days of January Fun

Posted on December 28, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.)

It’s hard to believe that 2018 will be here soon. Check out this calendar with 31 days of January fun! Make the most of the month with some family fun, good food and more!

1. Happy New Year! If you’re like me, you don’t make resolutions. However, I like to reflect on the past year and make goals for 2018. What are you going to work for this year?

2. Check out what’s new to Netflix in January. You can also check out what’s coming to Amazon Prime and hulu this month!

3. Get to the gym! It’s going to be packed with all the new members who joined for the new year. It’s winter and it’s cold. I need motivation too. But we can do it! If you don’t want to join a gym or prefer to exercise at home, this workout dvd set looks like a good one.

4. Happy Trivia Day! Play a game of Trivial Pursuit or check out a trivia night at a local restaurant or bar.

5. Have a winter scavenger hunt. Visit a local park and try to find the items on this list!

6. Sleep in! When was the last time you turned the alarm off and let yourself wake up naturally?

7. Try a new winter sport. If you’ve never been snow shoeing, tubing, skiing or snowboarding, now’s the time to give it a try!

8. Any fellow bookworms out there? Check out the books being published this month! Still Me ,The Perfect Nanny and The Girlfriend are making it to my to read list!

9. Have a movie night! Make some popcorn and rent a movie. Some movies coming out on dvd this month include American Made (January 2), Battle of the Sexes (January 2), It (January 9) and My Little Pony: The Movie (January 9). Check here for a complete list.

10. If you didn’t make room for all your new holiday gifts before the holidays, now is the time to declutter. Have everyone in the family donate 5 pieces of clothing, 5 books and 5 toys or other items.

11. Try making at least one meatless dinner this week. Pizza, pasta are always good choices. This recipe looks like one that my kids will approve of.

12. Today is National Hot Tea Day and January is National Hot Tea Month! I’m not a huge tea drinker, but when I do, I love using this teapot when using loose tea leaves.

13. If you haven’t already, it’s time to take down the Christmas tree and holiday decorations.

14. Practice gratitude. Every night this week name three things you are grateful for.

15. Happy Martin Luther Kings, Jr. Day. Today is the MLK Day of Service. Find a project to volunteer at and honor his legacy today.

16. New York City Broadway Week begins today through February 4. Find 2-for-1 tickets on many shows!

17. Anyone else get an Instant Pot for Christmas?!! Check out all of these recipes that you can make in it!

18. Are your kids always telling you jokes? Check out this site and tell them a joke today!

19. It’s National Popcorn Day! Make your own popcorn with a popcorn maker and then sprinkle with some of these fun seasonings!

20. It’s time for family game night! This month we are playing Mexican Train. It’s an extended family favorite and we now own the game.

21. Have an at-home spa day. Do your nails, put on a face mask and relax.

22. Give your brain a workout! Try to complete a Sudoku or a crossword puzzle.

23. January is the best time to stock up on winter apparel and linens! If you are looking to buy new sheets and towels, now is the best time to find the best deals. If you can guesstimate your children’s clothing and shoe sizes for next winter, you can find boots, winter jackets and clothing on deep discount.

24. Pack a note in your child’s lunchbox. Tell them how much you love them or wish them good luck on their test.

25. Do your kids love slime?! Enjoy making some with them with a kit or make your own with ingredients you may have in the house.

26. Clear the paper clutter. Cancel any magazine subscriptions that you don’t read.

27. Many of us in snow regions should have gotten snow by now! Bundle up and go play in the snow! Have a snowball fight, build a snowman, make snow angels…..then come in and warm up with a big mug of hot cocoa!

28. Let your kids plan a day of fun and enjoy a day of doing what they want!

29. Happy Library Shelfie Day! Take a picture of your bookshelves and post on social media! #LibraryShelfieDay

30. Not many fruits and veggies are in season in January. However, you will find citrus like oranges and grapefruit and root veggies and kale. Try eating lots of these foods this month!

31. It’s the last day of the month! Celebrate with a winter cocktail or mocktail!

31 Days of December Fun

Posted on November 30, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

1. Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas Movies begins tonight. Schedule in time to watch some of your favorites. Why not plan a movie marathon night or two?

2. Looking for a new Netflix binge? Check out what is leaving and what’s new for December. If you’re more of an Amazon watcher, here’s what’s coming to Amazon Prime in December. If you’re more of a bookworm, check out all the new books being published in December.

3. Have you put up your Christmas tree or started decorating yet? If not, now’s the time!

4. Get in the Christmas spirit by listening to some holiday music. Sia, Pentatonix, Gwen Stefani and Lindsey Stirling all have new Christmas albums out.

5. Hanukkah begins next Tuesday. Get in the spirit by reading some of these books with your children. Or get them ahead of time so you can read one each night of Hanukkah!

6. Be a Christmas Angel. Check your local church or community organizations to see if they have holiday wish lists for children in need.

7. Still working on your holiday shopping list? Check out my gift guides on the hot holiday toys for school-age kids and preschool kids.

8. It’s getting chilly out there. Have you switched over to your flannel sheets?

9. Check out your community calendar and schedule in a day of local fun. Whether it’s a winter festival, show or parade, stay local today!

10. Take a drive around your neighborhood and check out the holiday lights.

11. Get your picture taken with Santa!

12. Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate. Even if you don’t celebrate, why not make some latkes? They are delicious!

13. Have a date night. Just you and your significant other. No friends, no kids. It’s time to reconnect before the holiday craziness begins.

14. Declutter and do a Goodwill drop-off before the holidays. Help your kids clean out and make room for new toys, books and clothes.

15. Spend some quiet, relaxing time as a family. Work on a puzzle together. We enjoy the White Mountain family jigsaw puzzles. We have this What’s For Breakfast 400 piece puzzle that has pieces in three different sizes so everyone can work at a level that’s right for them.

16. Winter is perfect for soups and stews. We love this Loaded Potato Soup. Even better, it can be made in the slow cooker!

17. Today is National Maple Syrup Day! Enjoy some homemade (or frozen) waffles or pancakes and pour on the maple syrup. We love Soukup Farms Coffee Infused maple syrup!

18. Bake some holiday cookies. Here are 30 cookies from around the world!

19. Do a random act of kindness (RAOK). Pay for the person’s order behind you at the drive-through or double the tip you leave your waiter or waitress.

20. Donate non-perishable food to your local food pantry.

21. Have a gift-wrap-a-thon. Gather all your wrapping supplies, put on some fun tunes and get all your presents wrapped and ready!

22. Have a family game night! Here’s one of our family favorites.

23. Bundle up and plan a day of ice skating fun!

24. Don’t forget to set out cookies and milk for Santa! It’s also National Egg Nog Day! Celebrate with one of these 18 recipes!

25. Merry Christmas! Hope Santa brought you everything you wanted! Enjoy the day with family and friends!

26. Spend a relaxing day at home enjoying all your new presents. If you’re a real go-getter, start finding homes for all your new gifts.

27. The planner nerd in me is so excited for the new year. New Year = new planner! If you don’t use a planner, now’s the time to think about using one for 2018! I love the Happy Planner and have two – one for the everyday and one for my blog planning.

28. Get some fresh air. Take a family walk around the neighborhood.

29. After all the holiday spending, have a no spend day. Make your coffee, pack your lunch, cook dinner. Try not to spend any money today.

30. Hopefully, we have snow by now. Get out in the snow and build a snowman, go sledding, have a snowball fight! Then you can warm up with a nice mug of hot cocoa!

31. It’s New Year’s eve! Ring in 2018 with your loved ones!

Escape the Mystery Room {Family Date Night}

Posted on November 27, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

We recently celebrated my husband’s birthday. When asked what he wanted to do, he requested we visit Escape the Mystery Room at the Palisades Mall. This is one of those places where they lock you in a room and you must solve a series of clues to escape before time runs out. My children are 9 and 11 and we thought this sounded like a fun family date night.

Escape the Mystery Room has locations throughout the Eastern part of the United States and one location in Austin, Texas. There are several different themed rooms to choose from with a variety of difficulty levels (1 through 5). During our visit themed rooms included Black Ops, Escape from Alcatraz, Treasure Island, Superhero’s Adventure, Houdini’s Magic Cell, Sherlock’s Library, Special Agent, Zombie Apocalypse and Hollywood Premier. The room themes change approximately every twelve weeks.

We arrived at the Palisades location around 3:3o PM. When we arrived we went to the desk and asked for suggestions of themed-rooms appropriate for families. The girls at the desk noted that their most popular room is Escape Alcatraz. However, they had no more reservations for the evening. The other two rooms they recommend for beginners are Superhero’s Adventure and Treasure Island. They did note that only 50% of visitors are able to escape the room on their first visit. We let the kids choose and they voted for Treasure Island. However, the next reservation available wasn’t until 7:05 PM.

Escape the Mystery Room costs $20 a person, regardless of age. The experience for the four of us cost $80 plus tax. They accept credit cards and once we paid and reserved our spot, we were told to come back at 7 PM. Luckily, the place is located in a large shopping mall, so we shopped and ate dinner before our reserved time.

We arrived back at Escape the Mystery Room at 7 PM. We were given a sheet of rules and instructions to read over before our experience. There was also a list of charges if you broke locks, keys, or other items in the room. Phones had to be turned off and pictures are not allowed to be taken. Although you can be grouped with others, fortunately, it was just the four of us in our room.

We were escorted to the Treasure Island room, given a super brief overview and locked in. We were allowed to call for assistance two times, if needed. We had 50 minutes to figure out the 4 digit code that would unlock the door and set us free. There was very little direction given as to what you were supposed to do and it took a good 10-15 minutes before our daughter found our first clue! We were on our last clue when we needed to request a clue. Honestly, we didn’t find the info given very helpful, but we were at the last clue.

This was a Level One (beginner) room and we escaped with 6 minutes to spare! We were told we could use the extra minutes to continue on and try to figure out the Level Three puzzle. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for us to complete it. But we were super excited that we were able to complete Level One!

I thought that there would be a fun photo op at the end or some recognition for escaping the room, but there wasn’t. So we had to take our own picture in the lobby as a souvenir!

I think my 9 and 11-year-old were at a perfect age to do Escape the Mystery Room. The Level one room was challenging, even for us adults. If your children have short attention spans, are easily frustrated, or are not interested in puzzles, then I don’t recommend this experience. My kids enjoy these types of challenges so this was right up their alley. As soon as we left, my daughter wanted to try another room!

The Details:

Escape the Mystery Room
Palisades Center (this was the location that we visited, but check the map for the nearest location to you!)
3681 Palisades Center Drive
West Nyack, NY 10994
(845) 358-1978

Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 10 AM – 9:30 PM, Friday & Saturday: 10 AM – midnight
Cost: $20/person
Parking: Plenty of free parking

Tips:
*Reservations are highly recommended. You can call or book online. If you want to make a reservation while at the mall, arrive several hours before your targeted time.

*If you want to make this a couples only date, I recommend gathering up some friends to make it a group date. Otherwise you may be grouped with other people.

*If this is your first time doing an Escape the Mystery Room try a Level One room. My husband and I found this room challenging for our first experience.

Holiday Gift Idea: MunchPak Subscription Box

Posted on November 22, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this blog.)

The holidays are quickly approaching. Are you like me and frantically trying to figure out what to get everyone on your list? Do you have some hard to shop for people? The ones who don’t seem to need anything? Or, you don’t want to get people “stuff” that they don’t really need. How about giving a MunchPak subscription box? My whole family loves when this box arrives. We enjoy sampling the snacks over a couple of weekends throughout the month and discussing which ones are our favorites.

Inside each MunchPak box is a selection of international snacks from around the world. The snack selection includes candy, cookies, chips and depending on what box size you choose, even drinks. What’s even better is you can decide how frequently you or your gift recipient receives each snack box. You can choose from 5+, 10+ or 20+ snacks per box. Then you decide how long of a subscription you want to send. Do you want to give a one time box or send a box for 3, 6, or 12 months? If you prefer that your recipient chooses which box they’d like, you can send a gift card instead. Bookmark this post, because on Cyber Monday (November 27), you can save 50% off a MunchPak subscription! Otherwise, you can save 25% off subscriptions the rest of the week. Regular price subscriptions start at just $9.95 depending on which box you order!

Are you wondering what comes in this box? Like I mentioned, there’s a variety of different types of snacks. You will receive chips, cookies and candy. The snacks will come from all different countries from around the world. Although there is not a card included to tell you where the different snacks come from, they do have an app that allows you to scan the UPC code and find out more. Many of the products have the country of origin right on the label. Otherwise, I visit the MunchPak site and search the shop to find out more info. Curious to see what a box looks like? Here is a review of our most recent MunchPak box! Inside our November box was:

Chewits (Blackcurrant) – (Candy from United Kingdom) Our box had the blackcurrant flavor of Chewits. This is a candy from the United Kingdom. The squares are individually wrapped. They start out hard but as you suck on them, they get soft and chewy. The blackcurrant flavor reminded me of a berry/grape flavor.

Cow Tales Crispy Moo Bar – (Candy from United States) I had previously heard of the Cow Tales brand of candy before receiving this box. My daughter had even gotten a Cow Tales candy trick-or-treating on Halloween. This is a crispy rice bar with marshmallows. It’s very similar to a Rice Krispy treat with little caramel bits on top.

Chiky Choko Banana Cookies – (Cookie from Costa Rica) These are banana cookies with a bottom layer of chocolate. The banana flavor was very faint. Six cookies came in the package.

Lotte Pikachu Ramune – (Candy from Japan) The packaging of this candy appealed to my Pickachu-loving son. Inside are pink balls of candy. They have a strawberry flavor on the outside and as you suck on it, the texture and flavor changes. We found the flavor to get sour and then grainy with a banana flavor.

Tayto Ripples (Sour Cream and Onion Flavor) – (Chips from Ireland) These are Ireland’s take on sour cream and onion potato chips. They were nice and crisp with a light sour cream and onion flavor.

Takis Zombie Habanero and Cucumber Tortilla Chips – (Chips from Mexico) These are a seasonal chip produced by Takis. I personally wasn’t a fan of the habanero and cucumber flavor combo. I found them to be hot and sour. However, my husband really enjoyed these. He thought the green coloring was unnecessary though.

Vidal Gummi Circus Clowns – (Candy from Spain) Our family loves gummy candy. These clowns come in different colors but are all cotton candy-flavored with a cherry-flavored nose. I found these gummies to be a bit hard and on the chewier side. I couldn’t really discern the cotton candy flavor.

Lotte Stone Age Chocolate – (Candy from South Korea) These are different colored candy covered chocolate eggs.

Kidsmania Wacky Monkey – (Candy from Mexico) This was also a super fun candy. The package has a monkey that claps its cymbals together with the push of a button. Yes, my son kept the monkey after we finished the candy! The candies are multi-colored, crunchy, sweet bites similar to a SweeTart flavor.

Eiffel Bonbons (Strawberry) – (Candy from France) This candy comes in several different flavors, but we received strawberry. These have a powdery coating on the outside and are chewy strawberry-flavored balls.

Pei Tien Energy 99 Sticks (Pumpkin Roll) – (Snack from Taiwan) I wasn’t sure how to classify this snack. It’s not really a chip, cookie or candy. The outer shell looks and tastes like a puffy cheese doodle without the orange powder or cheese taste. Inside is a sweet filling, that you couldn’t tell was pumpkin flavored unless you saw the package.

Lotte Milkis Apple Soda – (drink from South Korea) This is a new flavor of Milkis sodas. Its a creamy bubbly apple juice that tastes extra sweet.

Every box is a surprise of snacks. This subscription box is a lot of fun and a perfect gift for any foodie or snack lover on your holiday shopping list!

Hot Holiday Toys for Preschool Children {Holiday 2017}

Posted on November 20, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. NY Foodie Family receives a small commission if you make a purchase through this link. Thank you for supporting this blog!)

I think preschool children are some of the easiest to shop for. At this age they are into their favorite television characters and toy manufacturers are very aware of this! They are also at a great age for starting to learn to play games and do crafts. Although there seems to be unlimited options, here are some of the hot holiday toys for preschool children this holiday.

Disney Junior Doc McStuffins All-in-One Nursery – Doc McStuffins helps your child take care of their baby dolls in this all-in-one nursery set. It comes with a cradle and a scale. Included in the many different doctor accessories are a light-and-sound stethoscope and a laptop that has a light-up screen, makes sounds and plays music. This is a preschool toy of the year finalist. The laptop and stethoscope each require 3 x AAA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 3+. Retails for $79.99.

Go! Go! Smart Wheels Race & Play Adventure Park – Watch as Gavin the Go-Kart races down the track and off the jump ramp! This set includes a ferris wheel that spins, a tumble-down carnival game and a swinging gate. It plays 40 songs, melodies, sounds and phrases. Requires 3 x AAA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 1 -5. Retails for $39.99.

LeapFrog LeapStart – This is LeapFrog’s new interactive learning system. Using the stylus, children use one of the 25+ books (sold separately) to engage in over 30 different learning activities. Recommended for ages 2-7. Retails for $39.99.

Moonlite – Moonlite is a children’s storybook projector that attaches to almost any phone. Using the flashlight function it projects story images onto the wall or ceiling. Recommended for ages 3+. The projector retails for $24.99 and each story reel retails for $7.99. Available stories include Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Ugly Duckling, Duck & Goose and more.

Luvabella – Luvabella is an interactive baby doll. She moves, talks and plays, learning as kids play with her. She comes with four interactive accessories including a spoon, bottle, pacifier and stuffed animal. 4 C batteries are required, but not included. The doll is available with blond hair, brunette hair or dark brown hair. She retails for $99.99.

Paw Patrol My Size Lookout Tower – Paw Patrol fans will love this 2 1/2 ft.+ tower. It has interactive lights and sounds and comes with a Chase figure and vehicle, 2 Chase pup packs, one Marshall figure and 2 Marshall pup packs. Requires 2 x AAA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 3+. Retails for $99.99.

Paw Patrol Sea Patroller – For Paw Patrol fans, Spin Master’s newest addition to the collection is the Sea Patroller. This boat makes sounds, has flashing lights and comes with a detachable anchor. The set comes with a Ryder figure and Ryder’s rescue ATV vehicle, an octopus and two lifesavers. This is a preschool toy of the year finalist. 3 LR44 button cell batteries are included. Recommended for ages 3+. The set retails for $59.99.

Rusty Rivets - Rivet Lab Playset

Rusty Rivets Rivet Lab – Fans of Rusty Rivets will enjoy this transforming playset. This set includes real lights and sounds from the show and comes with an exclusive Rusty figure. There’s a moving crane, elevator and blaster. You can add to the lab with other Build Me Rivet Systems sets, that are sold separately. Requires 3 LR44 batteries, included. Recommended for ages 3+. Retails for $39.99.

Soggy Doggy Board Game – In this game players move their piece around the board, taking turns bathing the doggy. But the dog likes to shake himself dry. If he shakes himself on your turn, you get wet and have to go back to the start. Requires 3 x AA batteries, not included. Recommended for ages 4+. Retails for $19.99.

Activity Kits for Tween Girls {Holiday 2017}

Posted on November 13, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this blog!)

As kids get older, it gets harder to buy gifts for them. As a parent of an 11-year-old daughter, I can tell you that she still enjoys creating things. Activity kits are great presents because kids have to spend the time making something before they can enjoy it. They can then take ownership of their project and have pride in their work. It ends up meaning a little more to them. Every year, new activity kits are manufactured. Here are some of the newer activity kits for tween girls. Maybe one of these will interest the tween on your shopping list this holiday season! Please note, we have not personally tried any of these products yet, so cannot attest to the quality and ease of use.

1. Just My Style Flavored Lab Lip Gloss – As much as my daughter wants to wear makeup, since she’s only eleven, we only allow her to wear lip gloss. She would love making her own flavored lip glosses with this activity kit. This would also make a fun activity to do with a friend when they “hang out.” The kit comes with four lip glosses (3 flavored, 1 shimmer) that kids can layer and mix to create a customized tube. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $9.97.

2. Alex Toys Knot-a-Mermaid – Mermaids continue to be popular. With this kit, kids can make their own mermaid blanket, just by tying knots. After the blanket is completed, they can stitch the shell appliques on. Recommended for ages 8+, retails for $19.99.

3. YOUniverse Crystal Growing Jewelry – Kids learn the science behind growing crystals and then make jewelry with their crystal creations. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $12.97.

4. Just My Style Glitter Roller Perfume – Kids mix and create their own fragrance with this kit. There are also stickers in the kit to decorate the bottles. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $9.97.

5. Just My Style Sparkling Fashion Plates – Do you have a budding fashion designer? This kit includes 15 different plates that kids can mix and match to create more than 100 designs. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $14.97.

6. ORB Doll Designer: Strawberry Sweet – With this kit, kids design their own doll. They create an outfit for their doll by layering different pieces of fabric and decorating it. Each kit comes with a doll stand and a pet. Recommended for ages 8+, retails for $12.99.

7. Plush Craft Personalized Pillow – Tweens love any type of room decor and personalization. Initials are a big hit with this age group. If your tween isn’t into a personalized pillow, Plush Craft makes all sorts of different pillow designs including, animals, a peace sign, an ice cream cone, an XOXO design and more. Kids follows a legend and use a special stylus to punch fabric strips into the pillow. Recommended for ages 5+, retails for $16.99.

8. ORB Fluffables – With these kits, kids create their own fluffable. Using a stylus, kids push fluff into the form to create their animal. They can follow the enclosed pattern or create their own design. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $9.99.

9. YOUniverse Galactic Bath Bombs – My daughter and her friends love bath bombs. With this kit, they can make their own by mixing compounds and adding color and shimmer. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $12.97.

10. Project Mc2 H2o Nail Science Kit – In this kit, kids will use hydrographic printing to create unique nail designs. 3 AA batteries are required, but not included in this kit. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $24.99.

11. Project Mc2 Smart Pixel Purse – Using an app, kids program their own designs which they can then show off on their purse. Or they can use one of the pre-programmed designs. Recommended for ages 6+, retails for $59.99.

12. Gel-a-Peel Accessory Craft Kit – Kids can design and create their own color changing accessories using the templates provided. 3 gel tubes, 16+ templates and 5 designer tips are included in this kit. There are different kits including neon, color change, sparkle and more. Recommended for ages 8+, retails for $19.99.

Hot Holiday Toys for School-Age Kids {2017 Gift Guide}

Posted on November 9, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this blog!)

It’s that time of year again. The toy catalogs are coming in and the kids are starting to make their holiday wish lists. Don’t get stressed out because I have rounded up this season’s hot holiday toys in NY Foodie Family’s 2017 Holiday Toy Gift Guide. I recently attended Play Fair in New York City, where the biggest toy brands were showcasing their newest toys, just in time for the holidays! Here are some of the recent new toys that are sure to be a hit with the school-age kids on your list!

Air Hogs 2-in-1 Hyper Drift Drones – These remote controlled can race on the ground or in the sky. The drone detaches and has a self-righting cage so it always lands upright. Each set comes with one hyper drift drone, one controller, one USB charger, an instruction sheet and spare propellers. Sets retail for $39.99 each.

Grossery Gang Muck Chuck Garbage Truck – Muck Chuck Garbage Truck is one of the newest additions to the Grossery Gang. It has a trash launch catapult and lots of storage space to hold Grosseries. The cab and sides open for battle mode. The truck comes with two exclusive grosseries. Recommended for ages 5+. Retails for $19.99.

Hatchimals Surprise – The newest from Hatchimals is Hatchimals Surprise. Inside each speckled egg are twin Hatchimals. Help them hatch and then watch as they learn new things. Choices include Peacats (shown above), Giravens, Deerioles and Ligulls (sold exclusively at Target), Puppadees (sold exclusively at Toys ‘R’ Us) and Zuffins (sold exclusively at Walmart). Recommended for ages 5+. Retails for $69.99.

L.O.L. Surprise! BIG Surprise – You will be lucky to find a L.O.L. Surprise (Little Outrageous Little Surprise) BIG Surprise this holiday season. The toy, released back in September continues to sell out and if you do find one, expect to pay a lot more than the $69.99 it retails for. The L.O.L. Surprise! are blind bag dolls and accessories. Inside the BIG Surprise are 50 surprises, each individually wrapped, resulting in the ultimate unboxing experience. If you can’t get your hands on the BIG Surprise, smaller mystery pack dolls are more readily available. Recommended for ages 6+.

LEGO Kylo Ren’s TIE Fighter– Legos are always popular with children of all ages and there are always new sets coming out. One of the new sets this season is Kylo Ren’s TIE Fighter. Recommend for ages 8-14, this set has 630 pieces. It comes with three mini-figures and a BB-9E figure. It retails for $79.99. Other new sets include Star Wars First Order Star Destroyer, Minecraft Waterfall Base, Witch Hut and Jungle Temple and NINJAGO Destiny’s Bounty.

Shopkins Cutie Cars – Cutie Cars are one of the newest additions to the Shopkins line. They are sold in 3 packs (pictured above) as well as in single packs. Each car comes with its own Shopkin. They are diecast and can be pushed. There are 37 cars to collect in Series 1. Recommended for ages 5+. 3 packs retail for $12.99, single packs retail for $4.99.

WowWee Chippies – These are remote-controlled puppies that can dance, sing, chase their tails and more. They have LED eyes and posable hind legs. There are four different puppies to choose from: Chipper (blue), Chippette (pink), Chippo (black) and Chippella (white). Recommended for ages 5+. Retails for $39.99.

WowWee Fingerlings Monkeys – Fingerlings Monkeys were just released in August of this year. These baby monkeys hang on your fingers and respond to sound, motion and touch. With over 40 different animations, kids can interact with their Fingerlings by petting it, blowing kisses and more. They can grip on to different surfaces. Parents, do not worry, there is an on/off switch! There are currently six different Fingerlings (Bella, Boris, Finn, Mia, Sophie and Zoe) which retail for $14.99. Recommended for ages 5+.

Gift Ideas for Creative Tweens {Holiday Guide 2017}

Posted on November 8, 2017 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting this blog.)

This is the first in a series of gift guides to help you complete your holiday shopping. These are gift ideas for creative tweens. These gifts are great for both girls and boys in the 8+ age range and allows them to use their imagination and creativity. Many of these toys are brand new to the market this holiday season!

1. ORB Molecules – ORB Molecules is the newest product from ORB (formerly ORB Factory). It is the world’s first creation compound. The molecules are brightly colored and come in different sizes. They stick to themselves, but not anything else! The ORB Molecules are sold in kits so that kids can make their own creations. These will be hitting shelves in approximately two weeks and will be sold exclusively at Michaels stores. These kits retail for $14.99. (Recommended for ages 5+)

(photo courtesy of ORB)

2. ORB Morph – Orb Morph is not a new product to the market. Morph is a lightweight, “shape-shifting fluff.” It’s a building compound that kids can mold, that can also bounce and float. As kids play with the morph, it gets softer and fluffier. The material doesn’t dry out and can be reused over and over again. The Morph comes in six different colors and retails for $14.99. It can be found at Walmart, Michaels, Target and Amazon. (Recommended for ages 3+)

3. STiKidotz – STiKidotz are the world’s first 3D pixel art sticker. Projects start with a square base. Kids create a design on the base using the dotzPIXELS to create a design. Once the design is complete you can cut it out with scissors, take off the paper backing and stick it to the surface of your choice. There are creative kits where kids can come up with their own designs. STiKidotz also sells pre-designed kits that kids can follow to create characters and pictures. These kits are available on the dotz company website and beginning November 7, Amazon. A starter pack is $12.99 and includes 2 bases and 36 dotzBLOKs. (Recommended for ages 6+)

Check out the above video to see STiKidotz in action! To learn more about them check out the STiKidotz website!

4. E-Blox Circuit Builder – E-Blox manufactures three different circuit builder kits. The Circuit Builder 115, pictured above, contains 37 pieces which kids can use to create 115 different projects. They will learn about electricity, alarms, motors and more as they create. An instruction booklet is included. These kits require 3 “AA” batteries. The kits retail between $19.99 and $44.99. (Recommended for ages 8+)

5. Oonies – Made by Moose Toys, Oonies are small balloons that you can play with and customize. Use the inflator to inflate the pellets to the balloons. Then customize with the accessory stickers. The starter pack comes with the inflator, 36 pellets and accessories. The balloons stay inflated for approximately five days before deflating. Kids can make their own designs and creations or use the available theme packs. The Oonies site has all kinds of games, challenges and more. The starter pack, which you need for the inflator, retails for $19.99. You can find Oonies at Target, Walmart, Amazon and Toys R Us. (recommended for ages 5+)