• Wired Walnuts Archive

    If you have a theater kid, then you must know all about Hamilton. In our house, it’s the perennial soundtrack that my 12-year-old lives and breathes–and she hasn’t even seen the show…yet. While it can be a bit much sometimes, it’s great to see how this musical theater obsession can easily pique a child’s interest in U.S. history. Such is the thinking over at Cobblestone magazine which is hosting the Rap Into History Challenge. To determine what other figures in American history might inspire future Broadway lyricists, Cobblestone is inviting kids ages 9-12 to create and submit original raps that intrigue them. Selections will be judged by a panel of Broadway producers and Cobblestone editors, and winning selections will be featured online and in print. [&hellip

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    Sesame Street has always been ahead of its time. Since its inception, this beloved children’s television series has represented the diversity of our culture and the very rich tapestry that makes up its own urban neighborhood. Now, with the introduction of its new online program, Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children, families can now better understand autism, which reportedly affects one in 68 American children. At the heart of this digital content is Julia, a preschool character who is also autistic. Despite her differences, she is still a little girl who loves to play and have fun with her friends, a reminder that the universal traits of childhood are still timely. Her experience is played out through a host of online extras, [&hellip

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    Does your kid love Peg+Cat as much as mine do? My 6-year-old admittedly enjoys it more than her big sister, but they still both relish the opportunity to help Peg complete her mission du jour. Even in real life, we make a big deal about finding ways to make things work, from short-cutting a recipe, to fashioning a replacement part for a craft project. If you’re particularly proud of a recent accomplishment, why not share it with other like-minded parents? PBS Kids is hosting a Peg+Cat Problem Solver of the Week. Each Monday, fans are asked to visit the Peg+Cat Facebook page submit an answer to the question, “What problem did your child solve this week?”, along with their child’s first name, photo and hashtag [&hellip

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    In just a few short weeks, I’ll have a kindergartner graduate home for the summer. She’s learned so much this past year, and I can only imagine how much she’ll absorb once first grade starts up. Because our school district has a half-day kindergarten program, we supplemented her education with an enrichment program a few days a week: a great way of extending the learning and enabling her to grasp new concepts not covered by the Common Core. Sure, summer gives us a breather when it come to the frenetic pace of the daily grind, but I like to think my kids can still maintain an education outside of the classroom, even when they’re not hitting the books. If you find yourself looking for ways [&hellip

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    Juggling two kids’ schedules competes for my attention every day. As a mom who’s been working from home for the past decade, I’ve become a master at time management and, on most days, feel like I have a pretty good handle on things. Even though my girls’ lives are undeniably busier than mine was at their ages, their schedules are predictable for the most part. But for moms of little ones, trying to get a baby to nap on queue, or take a bottle when they’re good and ready, is easier said than done. Aiming to make new parents’ a little less overwhelming comes Baby Bundle, a brand-new mobile app designed to simplify your baby’s everyday routine at the swipe of a finger. Monitoring Tools [&hellip

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    Ever try to have a conversation with someone who’s more interested in their phone than you? Yup, we know the feeling–and it’s not a good one. Like so many families, we live busy lives and it seems our work often spills over into our personal time, making it difficult to disconnect. And hey, even if you admit to stealing a look at Facebook while standing on a long line at the post office with the kiddos, you’re in good company. But wouldn’t it be great if every now and then, we could prove to ourselves that yes, we can live with our iPhone, that we won’t stop breathing if we go without checking our Twitter feed every 10 minutes? To help fight that cause and [&hellip

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    They say that cats have nine lives, but if there’s one kitty who’s exceeded all expectations, it’s The Cat in the Hat. The famous feline is, of course, the brainchild of Dr. Seuss who would have turned 110 year old this coming Sunday (now that’s a lot of birthday candles!). In honor of his special day, PBS Kids is airing an all-new, one-hour The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! special on Monday, March 3rd, followed by new half-hour episodes for the remainder of the week. My 5-year-old loves to start her day being entertained by the Cat’s clever antics. It doesn’t hurt that she learns a thing or two along the way. This coming week, viewers will be treated to different [&hellip

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    Move over, Tom and Jerry: There’s a new cat and mouse duo in town, and they’re a great team. Toopy and Binoo is an animated series for kids ages 2-6 that follows the adventures of Toopy, a tall, funny and friendly mouse, and his best friend, Binoo, a tiny, clever and lovable white cat. We got a sneak peek of these new characters who have their own TV YouTube channel and loved what we saw. This isn’t your ordinary game of cat and mouse; with a usually small creature like a mouse being so vocal and a cat being pint-sized and on the quiet, the role reversal adds to the show’s charm. My 5-year-old was quite taken with Binoo, probably because she can identify with [&hellip

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    It was a cold, but clear day in the Big Apple. With a fresh coating of snow on the ground, it was a fitting start to a trade show known for its brightness amidst the cold. We spent the day yesterday in NYC at the annual Toy Fair, checking out all the new playthings kids will be clamoring for later this year. With a comfortable pair of shoes (errr, make that snow boots), camera and trusty pad and pencil, we were ready to roll! To kick off the festivities, we attended a press conference spotlighting none other than Grammy award-winning artist Alicia Keys. (Yes, she’s as stunning in person as you might imagine, if not more). She was on hand to talk about the release [&hellip

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    Do you know where you’ll be this Sunday? Whether you’re lucky enough to have coveted a ticket, or are content to happily nosh nachos from the comfort of your couch, we’re betting all eyes will be on the screen to see which team will take home the Super Bowl XLVIII trophy. (If you’re like me, and don’t quite know your tight end from your end zone, you’ll do your best to smile, devour a chicken wing or two…and wait for the commercials.) But if you happen to have a budding football fan in your house, you don’t need to feign your intelligence about the game (wait a minute, who’s on first?). Arriving just in time for the Big Game is Let’s Play Football, a story [&hellip

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