It’s the wise guy vs the pint size when Robert De Niro gears up for an epic prank battle in this heartfelt family comedy now available to own for the first time on digital and available on Blu-ray December 22 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. When Grandpa comes to live with his daughter and grandson Peter, a begrudged boy looks for ways to cause havoc in his grandpa’s life. He didn’t expect retaliation which leads to an all out prank war. Old School vs New School, who will win?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
about The War With Grandpa:
Sixth-grader Peter (Fegley) is pretty much your average kid—he likes gaming, hanging with his friends and his beloved pair of Air Jordans. But when his recently widowed grandfather Ed (De Niro) moves in with Peter’s family, the boy is forced to give up his most prized possession of all, his bedroom. Unwilling to let such an injustice stand, Peter devises a series of increasingly elaborate pranks to drive out the interloper, but Grandpa Ed won’t go without a fight. Soon, the friendly combatants are engaged in an all-out war with side-splitting consequences.
Alongside De Niro and Fegley is a top-notch cast including Academy Award® nominee Uma Thurman (Kill Bill series, Pulp Fiction), Rob Riggle (21 Jump Street, “Modern Family”), Cheech Marin (Cars series, Coco), Golden Globe® winner Jane Seymour (Wedding Crashers, “Jane the Virgin”), Laura Marano (Lady Bird, “Austin & Ally”) and Academy Award® winner Christopher Walken (Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can) that bring even more laughs throughout the mischievously funny and charming film. From director Tim Hill (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, “SpongeBob SquarePants”) with a script by Tom J. Astle (Get Smart, Failure to Launch) and Matt Ember (Get Smart, Epic), THE WAR WITH GRANDPA is sure to entertain audiences of all ages.
With the purchase of THE WAR WITH GRANDPA on disc or digital, fans are eligible to earn points towards special rewards via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. Members can redeem their points for digital movies, signed collectables, box sets, win exclusive prizes and more! For FREE registration and details please visit www.MyUniversalRewards.com.
Grab a copy of The War with Grandpa on Blu-ray from Amazon.com (affiliate link) or enter the giveaway for a chance to win using the rafflecopter form below. Many will enter, one will win.
I found the perfect decoration to put on my door for the holidays this year and every year after! I was at my final craft fair of the year selling some of my crochet goods when I saw a booth by Wood and Glass Creations selling adorable skis from reclaimed wood. I had to have them! Not only were they absolutely adorable, but skis also have a significant meaning in my home. Let me tell you why with a wonderful winter story that actually happened.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many years ago, when I was still in grade school, my family took a trip to Eaglecrest, a ski resort in Juneau, Alaska. It has different levels of difficulty from the bunny hill being one of the easiest to Ptarmigan being one of the hardest.
As a family we decided since no one had really ever been on skis that we would take lessons. My mom, who doesn’t even like to read instructions, found this idea tedious. I mean, how hard can it be to glide downhill? But since the whole family was together and enjoying the snow, she reluctantly took a lesson.
The first lesson was basically: this is how you put your skis on, this is how you stand, and this is how you stop. It was all pretty easy and mundane for a woman who balances like an Olympic gymnasts. But, since the lesson was paid for, she completed the pizza stop technique before bailing.
Now, my mom has never, and I mean never done anything the constitutes as “the safer route”. Her main goal has always been go big or go home. So after her first and might I add only lesson, she looked at the bunny hill and scoffed. With so many newbies and kids skiing on the bunny hill, my mom obviously found this hill thrill-less . Each level of difficulty looked unappealing and a waste of valuable ski time. And let’s face it, the adrenaline rush seemed non-existent. That is, until she hears just how amazing Ptarmigan is.
Before she can even second guess her decision, she hops on the ski lift and makes her way to the top of expert ridge. Through what I have heard and the legends that were shared after, her downhill mastery went something like this:
After leaving the ski lift and glancing around for only a second, my mom, never changed her decision to commence with her downward motion. If anything, the determination pulsing from her body made the mountain tremble. This was gonna be a good day to fly.
With her adrenaline pumping, my mom left the edge and began her amazing journey through the snow. With each second she rocketed down the mountain faster. The bodies of other skiers are left almost standing still. Their only mark in her path is the sound of a whoosh as she quickly passes by their stagnant bodies.
I should note that her one and only lesson never taught her how to move while on skis. She never learned the back and forth motion, to do a wave upon the snow. Instead, my mom had become one with her skis, gliding across a cloud as she raced to the bottom with ease. Her smile crossed the distance of the valley as she screamed to herself in excitement. That is, until a blip formed in her path. Ahead she spied a small dip in the snow like a tiny ditch. Realizing her lesson never taught her to turn, she crouched her body a bit more for better aerodynamics and figured she would fly over the tiny hole.
When I say mistakes were made, it is an understatement. My mom’s whole day had become a series of unfortunate events leading up to this one massive life changing occurrence.
My mom hit that hole at nearly the speed of sound and the sonic boom of her hit made the world pause. The whooshing sounds stopped, the air stood still, and for a brief moment,, all eyes were glued to her. At that pivotal moment when she expected to soar over the snow like an eagle in flight, her skis lodged into the snow drift and came to a dead stop. The most epic depiction of how a slingshot works then ensued as she was launched from her skis. Some might be thinking that this is an exaggeration to add a bit of intense drama to the scene, but let me assure you, I seriously mean she was launched like a rocket. The energy and forward motion of her nonstop downhill momentum had no where to go but into shooting her from her skis and launching her forward parallel to the snow covered ground. Friction became a theory as she literally broke all barriers of natural laws. I can only image her as a cartoon character as she flew head first downhill, her cheeks must have been peeling back to her skull.
I am not sure if she had the events unfold in slow motion,, while her adrenalin rush peaked to maximum, or if it happened so fast that all she remembers is the flight. I do know that she eventually sticks the landing and tumbles to a not so welcomed stop. And then all went black. Her body sprawled out in the classic accident pose and she can no longer recall about a minute of her life. It was left in the frozen water they call snow forever
Thankfully, rescuers were not far away. They must have seen her flying down the mountain and knew they were going to be needed. My mom awoke from her snow induced coma to find 3 men standing over her asking if she was OK, if she could move, and if she knew where she was. In the distance, another rescuer was in a tree shouting he had found a pole while another was far off up the mountain screaming he found her skis. You would think at this moment, she would have accepted the assistance to make it down the mountain. But nooo, not my mom. Embarrassed and frustrated with the situation she grabs her equipment from the rescuers, puts them back on, and resumes her death defying run down. In the wind she hears one rescuer call out, “a woman after my own heart, she knows how to take a fall”.
Later the mistakes were felt as the injuries sustained reared their ugly head. A sprained neck, massive bruises, and a doctor insisting she remain in bed for 3 days. Normally, she would have defied the doctors orders but when one goes from having a beautifully long neck to no neck at all, listening to a doctor seems wise.
This event is now forever carved into the memories of every member of my family. So when I found these adorable skis, it seemed appropriate to display her iconic ski trip on the door for years to come. I love craft fairs!
Thanks to an awesome fan, Marissa G., I found out that not all the Disney Palace Pets had been turned into epic coloring pages. Not only did she provide the information needed so that I can create the La Grande coloring page, she was also an awesome cheer squad. With the go team go mentality, I put the pedal to the metal and began making the coloring page of La Grande.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
La Grande Story and details:
La Grande was a birthday present to Cinderella from the king (Prince Charming’s father). She is a buttercream corgi puppy with a lighter face and chest, and dark brown nose. It has pale pink cheeks and inner-ear to match its long tail. It wears a blue bow on its tail, a crown, and a blue collar to match its eyes. (disneyprincesspalace-pets.fandom.com)
I took a few liberties in making this La Grande coloring page. The image was so small that the details of her jewels were hard to decipher. I hope I still did her justice.
To download The Berry Coloring Page:
Click the image below
Save the PDF to your computer
Print, color and enjoy
Click the image below to find even more printable coloring pages, activities, and games featuring Disney’s Princess Palace Pets.
Every year Dreamworks releases a fun set of printable Christmas cards. Thank goodness 2020 is no different. This year the cards feature our favorite characters as babies from their Dreamworks Jr. shows and movies. The eight printable cards feature:
Baby Po
Baby Shrek
Baby Puss
Baby Skipper
Baby Donkey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baby Po and Baby Skipper are my favorites. I am looking at them with the realization that their eyes can easily be replaced with googly eyes! How cute would that be?!
Each Card also features a fun and cute holiday saying:
Ska-Doosh It’s the Holidays
Happy Holidays All-Star!
Meowy Holidays!
Thank You!
And In the Morning I’m getting presents!
Ready for those Holiday Treats
Happy Holidays best friend
have a purr-fect Holiday!
To get these printable holiday cards click the image below and save the PDF to your computer. Then print, cut them out, and fill them out to give to friends and family.
Nickelodeon and Christopher Beaumont (the creator of the Cubeecraft template) have combined their efforts to bring fans a fun and totally adorable Cubeecraft of Marshall from the PAW Patrol! In celebration of the release of the PAW Patrol: PUP-tastic! 8-DVD Collection Limited Edition Marshall’s Fire Truck gift set (affiliate link), available now on DVD, we’re ruff-ruff ready to share instructions on how to make your own Paper Marshall!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like all of the cubeecrafts we have come to love, this Paper Marshall doesn’t require any tape or glue. In fact, after the template has been cutout and the designated notches sliced open, interlocking tabs will connect all the pieces together and form a wonderful new paper toy! In this case it is the happy and helpful pup, Marshall.
To Build the Cubeecraft:
Materials needed:
Printer
Card stock
scissors
x-acto knife
To make:
Cut out each item along the outer black lines.
Cut along the white on each tab using the x-acto knife
Cut along each white lines above the ears, at the bottom of the head, and the white lines on the body for the legs and feet using the x-acto knife
Fold along each inner dotted black lines, color facing out
Slide each tab into the slots you created with an x-acto knife to form a cube of the head, body, arms, and feet
Slide the arms through the white slots on either side of the body.
Slide the feet through the white slots at the base of the body.
Slide the now completed body through the white slots of the head.
Paper Marshall is now complete! There are more detailed instructions with the template as well as pictures to help make this fun paper toy! To get the template click the image below and save the PDF to your computer. Then print and create!
For more information about the PAW Patrol: PUP-tastic! 8-DVD Collection Limited Edition Marshall’s Fire Truck gift set check out our review here. The be sure to grab your copy of the PAW Patrol: PUP-tastic! 8-DVD Collection from Amazon.com (affiliate link):
The Glitch Tech cubeecrafts have been a big hit, which is awesome! I am so happy everyone is enjoying them. I received a lot of positive messages loving them and in those messages there was one resounding request: Can I make Miko in her street clothes? The answer to that is YES!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miko’s creativity and enthusiasm didn’t start when she was hired by Glitch Techs, she was hired because of her exuberant attitude. Her street clothes reflect her creative style. With her bright yellow cat shirt, purple pants, and purple hair, Miko doesn’t hide from the world, she gives it an epic kick or an amazing dance off. Below, is the long awaited cubeecraft of Miko in her street clothes.
To Build the Cubeecraft:
Materials needed:
Printer
Card stock
scissors
x-acto knife
To make:
Cut out each item along the outer black lines.
Cut along the white on each tab using the x-acto knife
Cut along each red line using the x-acto knife
Fold along each inner solid black line and slide each tab into the slots you created with an x-acto knife to form a cube of the head, body, arms, and feet
Slide the arms through the red slots on either side of the body.
Slide the feet through the red slots at the base of the body.
Slide the now completed body through the red lots of the head.
To get the cubeecraft, click the image below and save it to your computer. Then print and create
I was recently introduced to a wonderfully new company called Little Bridges and their unique box kits. Unlike most theme boxes that we get in the mail, Little Bridges shares exactly what is in each box and there is no subscription required! Simply find the box you desire and purchase it with a one time fee knowing that everything inside is exactly as described. Each Little Bridges box contains activities and items that are designed to help initiate family conversations and develop close relationships with family members.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At this moment, they have released their first box called “Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen.” I received this Little Bridges box and I can’t wait to tell you what I found. Keep reading for the review!
When I received the kit in the mail and removed it from the shipping box, I was pleasantly surprised. You know how they say you eat with your eyes? If a meal doesn’t look appetizing, more than likely people will not try it. Little Bridges understands this idea. They made the outside of the box fun and colorful to the eye, which made me and my family excited to rip it open and play with whatever was inside. (Please don’t eat the box. This is just a comparison LOL)
Inside the box, the colors and fun decorations continue. The box itself has a wallpaper type of décor featuring baking supples and ingredients (see image at the top of the blog post). The activities and books are wrapped in a red sheet of tissue paper. The “Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen” box includes
Easy-to-follow instructions
A read-aloud storybook
A keepsake potholder for Grandma
A keepsake apron for Grandchild
Fabric paint for personalization
One-of-a-kind Activity Recipe Journal with conversation cards, journal prompts, and recipe pages
The read-aloud storybook is a hardcover book titled, “What if You Were a Chef At The Zoo?” It features a grandma and her grandkids cooking in the kitchen. However, the kids often make a mess. The grandma proceeds to tell the kids a story about what a chef has to make or do to feed the animals at the zoo. The whole story is a fun rhyme with great artwork.
“A journey to the zoo: From a picky koala to a curious gorilla, laugh and learn together about zoo animal eating habits. Spending time with grandma should always be this fun.”
At the end of the book there is a cute “Grandma’s Secret Sauce” recipe where it gives grandma and the grandkids a chance to hear more real-life stories frim grandma. This keepsake book can become a family tradition to encourage intergenerational story telling.
The pot holder for grandma and the apron for the grandkid is a perfect keepsake to remember their time together. These items can be personalized and they can be reused for another fun afternoon of Love, Laughter, and Legacy. while baking. The “Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen” box comes with fabric paint to make a fun design on the pot holder. The apron has a white heart to draw on with a marker.
The final item in the box is an exclusive one-of-a-kind Activity Recipe Journal with conversation cards, journal prompts, and recipe pages. The book is also hardcover with a spiral bind to make it easy to use in the kitchen. The décor featuring kitchen supplies and ingredients from the inside of the box flows to the pages in this book
This journal will allow grandma to share her recipes with her grandchild and share the stories behind them. This journal is not a one time use, it is a book to fill out over time, tell more stories, and bond with each other. The activities included in the journal are:
Conversations from the Kitchen where grandma and the grandchild pick their favorite recipes together and write them down. There is space to write why it is their favorite recipe, ingredients. and directions. It is the perfect opportunity for the two to work together in creating a forever memory and a book of delicious recipes.
Memories and Recipes: This section allows grandma to share her favorite recipes, family traditions, and keep a journal about what she loves most. It is like a letter to her grandchild that they can read together and discuss.
More Activities and Recipes: This is the place where grandma can help the grandchild record their family tree, make salt-dough keepsakes, and share even more recipes. This section comes with the recipe and instructions on making a salt-dough ornament.
Check out the Little Bridges unboxing video to see all the items included.
This “Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen” will make an awesome gift for either grandma or the grandkid. All the items are well made, even the books have hardcovers, the instructions are clear, and the set can easily become a beautiful addition to the kitchen. With the holidays coming, imagine this under the tree and opened on Christmas Day. The activities, no doubt, will begin almost immediately with fabric paint flying onto the pot holder and marker connecting to the apron. The keepsakes will be ready to use to make those fun holiday sugar cookies and tell the story about the first time grandma made them.
I give the “Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen” activity kit five stars. Not only will this activity kit encourage members of the family to communicate, it will help increase intergenerational bonds, develop literacy skills, help the grandkids to learn their family history, teach them to cook, and more.
“Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen” activity kit is added to our Holiday Gift Guide as an amazing present that will give for years to come and become a family tradition. The activity kit can be purchased at https://littlebridges.com/. The Little Bridges website describes the box, shares testimonies, explains the reason behind their creations, and it gets us excited for even more activity boxes that are coming soon!
More about Little Bridges:
LOS ANGELES (November 12, 2020) – Little Bridges announces the launch of their debut family heritage series with the release of their inaugural project, Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen. The first in a line of intergenerational themed activity kits that include exclusive Little Bridges content and entertaining keepsakes designed to stir vibrant exchanges based on family traditions and history, Grandma & Me: In the Kitchen is designed for Grandmothers and their 4+ year-old grandchildren.
Available today, the Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen activity kit includes a picture storybook (“What If You Were a Chef at the Zoo?”), keepsakes to craft and personalize (a handprint potholder for Grandma and an apron for grandchild), and a one-of- a-kind activity recipe journal that captures favorite family recipes as well as the cherished stories behind them. All of the activities in the kit are intentionally designed to jump-start meaningful conversations between Grandma and her grandchildren.
Little Bridges is an innovative direct-to-consumer company dedicated to creating products that foster enduring multi-generational experiences. Founded by veteran publishing executive, children’s book author, and intergenerational product expert Kate Jerome and lifelong media entrepreneur and dedicated environmentalist Raoul Goff, Little Bridges is committed to fashioning beautiful and life-changing creations that can bring people together and facilitate insightful, legacy-building connections.
Jerome, co-founder and beloved “Mimi” of three grandchildren, is passionate about helping nurture the grandparent/grandchild bond. “Research shows that strong intergenerational relationships are mutually beneficial—contributing to both a child’s sense of self and an adult’s sense of purpose—and this activity kit provides a wonderful way for grandparents to connect with little ones as they pass down family traditions and help build their personal development.” says Jerome. “For generations, gathering in the kitchen represents the heart and soul of family tradition so it’s a great foundation for this series.”
As a follow-up to Grandma and Me: In the Kitchen, Little Bridges is planning to release a second kit in 2021, Grandma & Me: Explore Outdoors. The company will also expand the intergenerational activity kit concept to include future products branded around such groupings as “Mama & Me” and “Grandpa & Me.”
“If the present circumstances have taught us anything, it’s that life is precious, and we can’t take it for granted,” says Co-Founder Goff who is a devoted father and new grandfather himself. “With Little Bridges, we hope to help people focus on the intangibles that really matter as families build deeper relationships.”
“All of us want kids to learn how to nurture great connections with the people in their lives” adds Jerome. “At Little Bridges, we like to say that we provide the tools and you provide the love. Our motto of ‘love, laughter and legacy’ sums it all up!”
About Little Bridges Parents and grandparents know that family stories and important conversations are essential to a child’s well-being. Yet, in this busy world, it’s often hard to find the time or the way. That’s where Little Bridges comes in. Each kit provides a set of fun-filled activities intentionally designed to inspire meaningful conversations, connections, and delightful legacy moments between kids and their favorite adults. Together, we envision a partnership of real impact. Little Bridges provides the tools…you provide the love! See more at www.LittleBridges.com
The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! is now on DVD! SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face catastrophe – until a most unexpected hero rises to take center stage to prove that the power of optimism really can save the world. This one-of-a-kind musical event boasts the full, extended-length broadcast of the hit Broadway musical, plus an exclusive sing-along version only available on this DVD! Also featuring a special guest appearance by voice actor Tom Kenny as ‘Patchy the Pirate,’ this is one under-the-sea spectacular that you don’t want to miss.
To celebrate the DVD release of The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!, Nickelodeon has release two amazing DIY crafts to make us feel like we are under the sea and at Bikini Bottom. The two crafts are: 1. a DIY Jellyfish Umbrella and 2. a Plankton Paper Roll Craft!
DIY Jellyfish Umbrella
The DIY Jellyfish Umbrella brings the viewers to the stage with a wonderful lighted and colorful jellyfish. It takes just a few supplies to make this Jellyfish umbrella and it is a project the whole family will enjoy. NOTE: adults should handle all things requiring the glue gun.
The supplies needed are:
Clear Children’s Umbrella
White Tulle
Pink Tulle
White Wire Ribbon
Thin White Ribbon
Hot Glue and Glue Gun
Clear Packing Tape
Scissors
Battery Operated Copper Eire String Lights
To get the instructions click the image below and save the PDF to your computer. Then print and create!
Plankton Paper Roll Craft
Mr. Krabs’s arch-nemesis Plankton has returned, cleverly disguised as a paper roll craft! Who knows, maybe this plankton can help you steal the Krabby Patty secret formula…MWAHAHAHAAH. The supplies are simple enough to come by. If a toilet paper roll is hard to find, cutting a paper towel roll in half works as well.
The supplies needed are:
Paper roll
Green, Yellow, Red and White Construction Paper
1 Green chenille stem
1 black chenille stem
adhesive (tape, glue stock, and/or hot glue)
Scissors
Black Marker
To get the instructions click the image below and save the PSF to your computer. Then print and create!
The Holiday season is upon us. It has begun and there are less than 60 days to Christmas. That kind of makes me panic a bit. However, I have done a little work, scanned a few sites, read several magazines, and asked a few kids to discover what are the top toys on the Christmas Wish Lists. I also have put n a couple gift ideas that I find absolutely amazing. If a toy can encourage learning through fun, it impressed me and made it on the list.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below, are the top 10 toys (plus a bonus toy) I found to be some of the most popular items for Christmas. Many are based on popular movies and shows, popular advertisements, and brand new merchandise kids will love. The bonus gift idea leaves me saying…what?
1. Little Passports
To encourage learning through fun with experiments and crafts, I found Little Passports a great idea for any kid. Little Passports has different boxes for different age levels (3-5, 6-8, 9+), different themes (i.e. Science, Explorer, USA), and more. We can buy one box or have them shipped throughout the year making it the gift that keeps on giving.
As an added bonus, Little Passports is featuring a fantastic sale where if you buy a multiple month subscription, your first box is free. Simply use code: FIRSTMONTH. Let the exploration begin!
2. Disney’s Frozen 2 Shape Shifter Olaf Plush
This Olaf toy is probably one of the most adorable creations I have seen. Being a Frozen fan myself, I can say Olaf is simply the cutest. This plush doll actually has a surprise; he comes apart and can be placed back together in the weirdest ways. He also talks. Olaf is a build and play but also a snuggle toy to love. He can be found on Amazon.com (affiliate link).
3. Pomsies Lumies
The Pomsies cats were a huge gift for 2019. They were hard to find as almost every kid wanted one. They are interactive, they light up, and they are adorable. For 2020, Pomsies has created a new must-have toy called Lumies. Lumies are little interactive unicorns that come in multiple colors. These use lights to glow in several different colors, they turn colors into beats to create fun music, they have over 100 sounds and phrases, and have 4 game modes. To find these cute little Lumies check out The Pomsies Store on Amazon.com, which has several different kinds and colors of Pomsies and Lumies.
https://amzn.to/31ETLIM
4. Super Colossal Indominus Rex
Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous is a highly popular show made by Dreamworks. It features kids going on a camping trip to the isle of Isla Nublar. Unfortunately, for the kids, they are there when Jurassic World accidently releases the Indominus Rex. Get more information about Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous by clicking the image below.
This highly sought after toy features an extra large version of the Indominus Rex. She is 18 inches high and over three feet long! She can swallow up to 20 mini action figures (say goodbye to all those Lego Minifigs mwahahahaha). The Indominus Rex also comes battle-ready with articulated arms and legs and extra-wide jaws that can open and close. This is a great toy for kids that love dinosaurs and /or action play! It can be found on Amazon.com (affiliate link).
5. Squeakee The Balloon Dog
Say hello to the cutest robotic dog ever! Squeakee is a fully interactive balloon dog that can perform tricks, listen to commands, and more. Amazon.com (affiliate link) highlights several different abilities including
Use the pin to make the dog sound like he is popped and being deflated
Train Squeakee with his squeaker toy
Feed Squeakee with his pump to make him sound like he pees and farts (always a crowd pleaser
Tickle Squeakee and he will roll on his back and ask for more
Squeakee responds to your voice.
With over 60 sounds and movements, I will admit, I want one of these as well.
6. L.O.L. Surprise! OMG Remix
L.O.L. is probably on every girls wish list. This brand has made waves with its fashion sense, dolls, and accessories. Combine these poplar dolls with the unboxing craze, and you have a giant recipe for success. This L.O.L. Surprise! OMG Remix comes with over 70 items in a wonderful box featuring 2 rock bands. That includes 8 dolls and 4 instrument! Get the boom box set at Amazon.com (Affiliate link).
7. FAO Schwarz Giant 69″ Dance-On Piano Mat
This Dance Piano Mat is over five feet long with large keys to dance on. Play your favorite music or become a composer with your feet. It gets the whole family up and active! By following a few instructions, the dancer can learn, play, record, and create! This is a gift that works for girls and boys…and adults! Get it from Target.com
8. Present Pets Glitter Puppy
Everything has gone cutesy this year and these Present Pets are probably one of the cutest gifts so far. These interactive glitter puppies feature over 100 actions and sounds And to make it even more adorable, the puppy will unbox itself! Each box contains only one puppy. It is a surprise which color and character you will receive! This is a perfect gift with tons of cuteness and fun! Get it from Amazon.com )affiliate link)
9. Hilarious Battling Robots
I have to say, this is one awesome gift! With two ninja battle bots, this is probably one of the most hilarious toys out there. The box contains the Red Dragon ninja and the Black Tiger ninja with 6 weapons to choose from. Basically, give the ninjas their weapons and watch them battle. They have over 100 sounds and movements making each battle a unique fight. The awesome thing is you can train and level up your bots to make them even better fighters. After all, learning the skill of spatula fighting or how to use a boot on a rope is a must needed skill for any ninja fighter. Amazon.com (affiliate link) has a fun video to show an example of an epic duel.
10. Star Wars The Child Animatronic Edition
You have seen The Child on my Geeky Holiday Gift Guide, and I am placing it in the toy guide as well. The Child “Baby Yoda” is very popular right now with The Mandalorian season 2 being release for the next couple of months. Everywhere I have looked, The Child was at the top of almost every holiday gift guide list. There is no denying it, this little guy will be under almost every tree.
Last year The Child was hard to find, and this year is no different. Disney has released a brand new Animatronic Edition that features 25 sounds of cooing, giggling and more. His head moves, his ears move, and his eyes open and close. It is like having your very own Baby Yoda! I do suggest ordering The Child when you can because this toy will be flying off the shelves. You can grab it from Amazon.com (Affiliate link)..
Bonus Top Gift of 2020: The Pooping Pink Flamingo
I normally limit my gift guide to the top 10 gifts, BUT I had to share a toy that seems to be taking over the world by pooping. Yes…pooping. This Little Live Pets Gotta Go Flamingo has somehow crashed 2020 by sitting on a toilet. Most stores are out of stock, and those that sell it have doubled it’s price. I did find two in stock at walmart.com, zero in stock at Target, and Amazon.com (affiliate link) has them for sale from other sellers.
The Little Live Pets Gotta Go Flamingo loves to sing, wiggle, chat back, eat, and poop – on the toilet What’s even better is that you don’t have to keep buying flamingo food, he will eat his poop! Well, technically, the poop “magically” turns back into flamingo food when removed from water. It’s recyclable!
The contents of the box include: 1 x Flamingo, 1 x Reusable Flamingo Food, 1 x Scoop (color may vary), 1 x Toilet, 3 x AA Batteries, and 1 x Instruction Manual. That is everything you need to have a pooping good time.
It is getting cold outside. Do you know what that means? It means warm fireplaces, hot chocolate, and board games! If you are like my family, the board games have been played several (thousand) times and the game closet is in need of an upgrade. I mean we all love Shoots and Ladders, but maybe it is time for something more exciting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LootCrate has heard our cries for new games! They have partnered with Wizkids to provide a LootCrate box of games they will send out every other month! Each box will contain THREE games with a combined value of $50 or more! For those with friends or family members who love to game, this makes an amazing gift that keeps on giving! Learn more at LootCrate.com.
I received a LootGaming box featuring games from WizKids and it is amazing! It contained nearly $70.00 worth of games! Check out my unbox video below.
Inside this LootCrate box, which costs $19.99, came three new epic games: Sovereign’s Chain, Thrown, and Fungeon Party. Each of these games have a suggested retail value at or above the cost of the LootCrate WizKids box! I am not sure if this will be normal, but it has me extremely happy with my gaming box! I can’t wait to learn and play the games with my family and friends! This easily gets 5 stars!
To get the WizKids Gaming box, head over to LootCrate and subscribe! The site also has many other themed boxes that will make amazing Christmas Gifts. It is easy to find a box that will match the person you are shopping for. They have Harry Potter, Disney, Superheroes, and more! Because LootCrate makes it easy to shop for Christmas Gifts and the amazing value of each box, LootCRate is a must on the Holiday Gift Giving Guide!
As promised, here are some details about each game.
Sovereign’s Chain – SRP $19.99
Sovereign’s Chain is a strategic game where doing damage to your opponent is just as important as boosting the difference in points in your chain. In this game, the goal is to form a chain of stars and planet cards. Once the game is over the winner of the game is the one with the greatest difference between those two cards. How do you damage your opponent? You can play Class Cards in your opponent’s chain. WizKids.com calls it a “cutthroat card game”
Image from WizKids
Components:
1 x Rulebook
12 x Shield Tokens
20 x Modifier Tokens
20 x Suit Tokens
4 x Reference Cards
15 x Event Cards
70 x Class Cards
Thrown – SRP $19.99
Thrown is a dice game where tricks are to be won. Unlike a normal trick-taking game, Thrown uses dice. This make your tricks random! For each trick won, the winner receives gold. Have the most gold at the end of the game and win. BUT there is a snag, this game also has special ability cards that will allow flipping your or your opponent’s dice to their opposite sides, removing dice, rerolling dice, automatically winning with a particular roll, etc.
Fungeon Party puts the fun in dungeon. Each person is given a quest and is given 30 seconds to complete that quests. Quests might be stack dice on your forehead, bounce dice into the box, knock down a meeple surrounded by dice, balance a meeple on a stick, and more.
We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
