Most of us grew up understanding the basics of the law. Still, with children becoming increasingly sophisticated in their media use and technology demands, teaching kids about the law today is essential.
In addition, the complexity of today’s society makes it necessary that parents have a firm grip on how they help their children understand laws, rules, regulations, actions, consequences, etc.
10 Fun and Easy Ways of Teaching Kids about the Law
1. Use cartoons as a learning tool
Cartoons are, by nature, entertaining. Therefore, they cannot teach in the way traditionally used in a classroom. However, they can be used as a form of creative education, using the characters’ personalities and interactions to illustrate ideas. For example, use cartoons to explain crime and punishment, freedom of speech, traffic rules, etc.
2. Role-play
Role-playing is excellent for children because they can act out scenarios that relate to what they have been taught. Role-playing is a fun way to get your child excited about learning something important but not glamorous or interesting enough to pique their interest on their own. In addition, children learn physical and verbal habits through role-playing that will aid them later in life.
According to recent studies, role play significantly impacts a child’s potential for creative thinking and cognitive flexibility. Pair role plays with legal education, and you might raise debate team captains and future jurists.
3. Use hands-on activities – Teach Kids About The Law
Children’s learning is intensified through experience. Create a science fair project that allows them to learn about the law by creating their laws and enforcing them. Then, have them break their rules to explain why and how they think they should create or enforce those laws better.
4. Use music
Music is fun and catchy and will attract your child’s interest immediately. In addition, singers/songwriters often turn to politics and social issues for inspiration for their songs, making these concepts more memorable when connected with something your child already likes.
5. Create your own stories
Parents often need more time to pore over textbooks or listen to lectures because they are too busy trying to maintain the family schedule. Use these moments of spare time to brainstorm a family story that could help teach your child about the law. Then, as your child becomes more aware of the issues, use this story to teach them about the connection between their daily lives and standard rules, laws, and regulations guiding their everyday lives.
6. Use educational books – Teach Kids About The Law
The Tuttle Twins series contain colorful, easy-to-read, and highly entertaining books. They are filled with lessons about law as it applies to everything from health to shopping. The books are available in most bookstores and on many online sites. They offer a fun way to teach your child about the law and encourage your child’s imagination while they learn.
7. Use school projects
School projects often provide a natural forum for meaningful conversations with younger children. When children create a school project that requires a research project, they will become aware of topics they did not know existed. These are prime opportunities to show your child how these concepts and skills apply to their everyday lives.
8. Use social media
Many tweens and teens today use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay in contact with their friends. However, you can use these sites to connect with your child about important social and legal issues that affect them. You may even find that your child has opinions about the law.
9. Use art – Teach Kids About The Law
Art is a powerful way to teach children about the law because it allows them to express their feelings and thoughts through drawings, sculptures, or other media types. Besides live-action role-playing, art is the ideal way to help children learn and express their opinions about the law.
10. Use volunteerism
Many families do service, and volunteering is an essential part of their lives. Whether you are part of a local police or fire department or donate your time and money to charitable organizations, there are opportunities for your family to be involved in helping the community and teaching kids about the law.
Final Thoughts
Educating kids about the law when they are young gives them the tools to make informed decisions about their lives. This can be accomplished through several different methods, and we hope this short guide helps you find your own tools to teach your children how to become responsible citizens.
As the holidays approach, I see Facebook posts with crowds of close and extended family members joyfully gathered around the dinner table. To be honest, I scrutinize their photos closely. I would never tell this to my friends, but I look at how many generations are gathered and what people are wearing. Who showed up with slippers on their feet and who hit the mark looking casually chic. Who forced their way to the middle of the photo, and who wants their leg and arm crooked at the end?
My own family photo dumps are with fewer people; usually, it’s just me, my husband, and our two teenage almost-adults. This year, we did our traditional “Rebel Thanksgiving,” where we drove to a local hotel staycation as a family. It’s our way to avoid seeing the empty seats at our table.
I hope that I will accept that the family I was born into is not meant to be a part of my life for at least the next few chapters moving forward. (Twenty20 @KlavdiyaV)
We made one last-ditch effort to reconcile with my mother
On our way home, we stop by my mother’s house in another last-resort effort to ask for reunification after five years of separation. She is not expecting us. We don’t know what to expect. My Motto-Of-Commitment for the task? Be Wise and Compassionate.
The rule my husband is to enforce is to not let me cry and not to let me get mad. My mission is to reunite under any circumstances and have my family back in the lives of my kids. They deserve to know my side of the family too. But my children know the lie in this. The truth? My kids have two present and (mostly) stable parents who love them and guide them to the best of their ability. They are surrounded by a spider web-like network of friends and friends who we made family.
My kids are used to this separation. They don’t feel like a part of them is missing. They don’t want to cross oceans for someone who would not cross a stream for them. They are over the drama, the pleading, and the hurt they witness. It’s uncomfortable for them, watching their usually-strong mother begging for inclusion. Again.
I need closure, but my kids do not
They choose to stay in the car in the driveway. They don’t require closure. They are already enough. They will not crash their grandmother’s holiday when they were not invited. My husband and I ring the doorbell. We no longer have a key.
I grew up in the middle of a family of three girls. My parents had one thing in common: they never really wanted to do the hard work of raising kids. My sisters were quiet and unassuming and stayed close to home. I was demanding and stubborn, like my father.
I have always been fascinated by the mystery of missing person cases. Not the violence of it. Not the trauma. I am enticed instead by the search for families. Of the missing. Of the love. The longing. I always look for families. I look at the outpouring of love and concern from the community. That is what draws me in and mesmerizes me — the missing of the missing.
My childhood led me to a career as a Federal Parole Officer
I once heard that our careers are usually the result of our childhood wounds. Mine led me to my career as a Federal Parole Officer. I help and support those who are shunned and hated by society. I get to know my offender’s innermost secrets and, at times, the gruesome truth of their offending. I try to heal myself by reconnecting the lost, the discarded, and the isolated to society.
My job has brought me into contact with some of society’s most feared and dangerous people. Most have redeeming qualities and histories of tragedy and loss. Some do not. One, a revenge-motivated bomber, turned his hatred of women and authority figures into a thirteen-year fixation on me. He routinely remembers to send me detailed threats of his ongoing plans to harm me. I look over my shoulder a lot.
I wait for the helpers. My employers. The police. For the surrounding embrace and concern of my extended family. They never come. Instead, for reasons that I am sure make sense to them, my family of origin decided as a unit that there was a danger in being related to me. Of having me around. My mother and sisters announced that they were cutting off all contact. We had become a liability, and being around us made them feel unsafe. They continued family dinners and celebrations. Those don’t include us any longer.
My family also decided to keep the truth from my aging and ailing father. They informed him they were dis-communicating me because I was causing too much fighting and drama. My mother reluctantly agreed to short annual one-hour visits. My sisters never attended.
Speaking hard truths usually comes easily to me in my work. But in my family’s culture of secrecy and mistruths, I am stunned into silence. I now realize that desperation to be a part of a group that doesn’t want me does not feed my soul. It also hurts my children.
I recently decided to shed my family’s culture of secrecy
Last November, I decided to shed my family culture of silence. My little family unexpectedly showed up at my parent’s doorstep, and I told my dad the truth. He was frail and confused but seemed to understand what they had done. I am at peace with this decision, as my dad passed away six months later. He died knowing that my seat at the dinner table had been empty all this time because of others’ choices.
I was not permitted at my father’s deathbed and was not informed of his passing until after his autopsy. The beautiful obituary my family wrote together without me claimed our family motto to be “Family First — Always.” This was the first I had ever heard of a motto in our family.
So, this is how we found ourselves at my mother’s front door on Thanksgiving Day in 2022. I am convinced this time they will accept us. I made one more attempt to lay my heart on the floor and ask to be included. I begged my mother to connect with her grandchildren, to call and share in their extraordinary lives. Let’s be clear that I fully believe my mom loves my children. She just has never been capable of showing love.
Two hours on the couch, and we have made no progress. My mother is cold, distant, and non-committal. It struck me then that I was trying to move oceans for people that would not even cross a stream for me. In my desperation to right the past, I had abandoned my children, who were now waiting in a car in a driveway on Thanksgiving Day. I turned calmly to my husband of twenty-one years and said, “I have changed my mind.” We got up to leave.
I try to stay wise and compassionate
I want to say that as I was leaving the house, I could maintain my commitment to my newly enlightened self. But being wise and compassionate is still a work in progress for me.
On our way out, we saw the display of photos at the front entrance. Not one was of me or my children. I unraveled. I told my mother that the display was perfectly analogous; there was simply no room for us. I am unloved in a uniquely middle-class way. My always-calm husband suggested that we leave before my grief further spilled out.
We got in the car and drove home. My wise and insightful daughter told me she was proud of me. It was the first time she had seen me have any measure of self-respect in front of my family of origin. It still felt like an ending. It felt cathartic. It felt overwhelmingly tragic.
Sometimes transformations occur over time
I’ll tell my therapist about this. She is one of the helpers. Sometimes transformations are not profound and tragic and sudden. All it may take is the courage to turn to the ones who love and surround you, despite your messiness and quietly say, “I have changed my mind.” I have changed my mind about what I deserve, expect, and will tolerate.
I hope I will accept that my family of origin is not meant to be a part of my life for at least the following few chapters. Perhaps they never will be. But the next move is up to them. I no longer cross oceans for people.
It’s time to let go and move forward. I must figure out where I do and don’t belong. And maybe, just maybe, I will make my own family motto, “Family First – Always.” But I will make sure my children believe it.
Answering questions with a single word, refusing to elaborate on what happened, and being intensely private about everything. Why do teen boys withdraw and leave us desperate for more details—and a more satisfying relationship? Just throw us a bone!
“Boys may have a hard time describing their feelings because they simply haven’t had enough practice.” “However, putting feelings into words is very therapeutic,” says Dr. Damour, co-host of the podcast Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting. “The simple act of naming a feeling is almost magical in its ability to reduce some of the discomfort associated with that emotion.” So, don’t give up—and consider these low-key strategies for encouraging deeper conversation.
How do you encourage your teen son to open up to you? (Alexandra_Koch Pixabay)
6 ways to encourage deeper conversations with teenage boys
1. Show that men talk about feelings too
“Much of the emotional work at home is done by mothers, and research shows that kids assume that if they go to their mom with a problem, she’ll talk with them about how they feel but if they go to their dad, he’ll talk to them about how to fix it,” says Dr. Damour. Unfortunately, if a mom tries to have a heart-to-heart with her son, that can make him even more likely to clam up because it may only support his belief that discussing feelings seems girly.
“Dads and other men in boys’ lives need to initiate and model conversations about both negative and positive emotions,” says Dr. Damour. One way to do that is to build it into your everyday routine. At dinner, make a habit of going around the table and having everyone describe the best and worst part of their day.
2. Ask indirect questions
With younger kids, it can be very helpful to articulate for them how they’re likely feeling (“I can see you’re very frustrated”), but teenagers—who are defined by their wish for self-determination—don’t want their parents to tell them how they’re feeling, Dr. Damour says.
To honor teen’s natural drive for autonomy while keeping a conversation going about emotions, Dr. Damour suggests trying an effective technique that therapists often use: Instead of putting teens on the spot, engage in a more general way. At home, this can take the form of asking, “What are people saying about what happened at the party?” or “What’s the temperature right now about finals? I remember this was a tough time for your brother last year,” or saying, “Anyone in your shoes would be upset.”
Especially when a topic is sensitive, it’s best to come at it sideways. “If you say, ‘I bet that a lot of people are feeling disappointed in that teacher,’ you won’t be cornering your kid and making him claim the emotion. He may respond or just leave it, but he’ll still feel relieved that the words have been put out there. If your kid just shrugs and walks away, at least you’re talking about feelings.”
3. Normalize intense emotions
Even when you feel like you haven’t made much headway, initiating conversations like these will reassure your kid. “When they’re weathering their first heartbreak or feeling the sting of getting cut from a team, teenagers can secretly worry that there’s something wrong with them for having such powerful emotions,” says Dr. Damour. This may be particularly true for young teens. “When adolescence hits, emotions become supercharged.
A 14-year-old may be melting down about not being able to find the pants he wants and also be aware that he wasn’t having meltdowns like this when he was eleven,” says Dr. Damour. Anytime you can validate an emotion your son is having, it’s a double gift: You’re putting the feeling into words and you’re saying it makes sense that he’s having that feeling and he doesn’t need to worry that there’s something strange about the intensity of his emotion.”
4. Appreciate alternatives to talking
Parents often assume that if their son is in emotional pain, the best—or only—solution is for him to talk about how he’s feeling. “You may be worried that he’s going to do something drastic—that all his emotions are bottled up and they’re going to come out in a destructive way,” says Dr. Damour. However, having a discussion can sometimes make a kid feel worse by causing him to ruminate about the problem. Instead, Dr. Damour suggests offering comforts—such as bringing the dog with you in the car if you think he may have bombed a test or offering to make his favorite foods—as a highly effective way to help teens handle painful feelings.
Parents should also recognize and appreciate when teens find harmless ways to comfort themselves. For some adolescents, listening to music—even blasting it—can be a useful strategy for managing painful feelings.
5. Embrace Texting
Questions that pop up on your kid’s phone may seem less annoying, and his responses will probably come out of his fingertips with less second-guessing about what he’s saying. “Texting is a very powerful way to have conversations with boys, and there’s no shame in that,” says Dr Damour. “As long as kids are talking about their feelings, it doesn’t matter to me how it’s happening,” Dr. Damour says.
A key advantage is that texting is asynchronous: You can ask a question or raise a topic and your kid can see it and sit on it for two hours before responding. He can really think through what if anything he wants to say. Texting can be a casual way to say, “Hey, you seemed sort of grumpy this morning. I’m thinking of you. Happy to talk.” Your son isn’t on the spot and doesn’t have to respond immediately. To keep kids out of the hot seat when talking in person, it’s wise to leave conversations open-ended. You can tell him, “Whenever you want to talk, I’m here.”
6. Don’t take bad moods personally
Whether your son says, “That’s pathetic, Mom” or gives you the silent treatment, it’s easy to go down that rabbit hole and decide he hates you. “When everything you do seems to rub your kid the wrong way, it can feel very personal. But it’s almost never as personal as it feels,” says Dr. Damour.
It’s important not to hold a grudge because teenagers can be salty or snippy and then snap out of it five minutes later. And if you’re still mad about what they did five minutes ago, you’ll be missing out. “Try not to be very reactive and continue to be kind and make room for the possibility that he was in a mood that has nothing to do with you,” says Dr. Damour. “If you don’t make a big deal about it, there’s a good chance that he’ll be in a different mood soon and, perhaps, in the mood to connect.”
Last year, right around the holidays, Saturday Night Live debuted a sketch that went viral and made my blood boil. In the bit, a family wakes on Christmas morning and begins to sing about their cornucopia of presents jubilantly. A father, daughter, and son are in yuletide ecstasies as they exclaim over a drone! rollerblades! a phone! And Kristen Wiig, portraying the mom, gets a robe.
The characters unwrap a comical number of gifts, but Mom only has the robe. The family turns to their stockings laden with candy, games, and toys. But Kristen Wiig’s stocking is still empty, hanging off the mantle, sad and flat.
I remember this sketch well, not because it was so funny (it was, Kristen Wiig, is a genius in our time) but because of the public response to it. Countless women in my social media feeds shared the video in the coming days with pithy captions like “The truth!”, “It’s me!” and “That’s how Christmas really is…”
And reader, that made me very sad and very mad.
Mother as the family martyr is a familiar trope
There is truth in almost anything funny. This SNL parody of a Christmas morning, in which a mother — playing the traditional role of caregiver, gift giver, and family martyr — is wholly dismissed by her loved ones, resonated so deeply with its audience because for untold women across the country and probably the world, it felt…normal.
I was both shocked and also not. I know that across spectrums of race, religion, and socioeconomic circumstances, mothers in America still do a disproportionate amount of the domestic work in their households. Mothers are still mostly managing the ticker table of endless invisible tasks (parent-teacher conferences, dental cleanings, birthday presents, permission slips, vet appointments, dry cleaning, pick-up times, oil changes, doctor visits, and managing social calendars and social relationships). And Christmas is the absolute crescendo of this kind of thankless work.
I always wondered why my mother was not more joyful during the holidays
I remember being a child and wondering why my own mother always seemed to get so stressed at Christmastime. Couldn’t she feel the magic? Where was her joy?
It took me until my adulthood to understand that her joy was buried somewhere at the bottom of the shopping bags of presents she was buying for everyone in our family. Maybe it had gotten tossed away with the eggshells she cracked while baking a dozen platters of ten different kinds of cookies to be artfully presented on trays and then dropped at the homes of family and friends.
Maybe her enjoyment of the season was muddled up in the obligations to host and attend multiple gatherings or singed while ironing a pretty new velvet dress for me, along with the tablecloths and napkins for her Martha Stewart-Esque tablescape.
It took becoming a mother to understand what was going on
When I became a mother, I understood better the part I was expected to play in the merriest season — to be the unflagging, selfless architect of Christmas joy for my children.
To pick the fluffiest tree, trim it to magazine-worthy glory, and not scream when the baby carelessly tosses an heirloom ornament.
To arrange the perfect photograph for the yearly holiday card and then ensure it gets addressed, stamped, and sent promptly.
To provide thoughtful and affordable gift ideas to all relatives who want to know what to buy the children. To bake something both charmingly homemade and impressive enough for gifting to extended family and friends.
To remember the teachers, the mailman, the grandparents, the nieces, and the nephews.
To get something incredible for my spouse.
And to buy the exact, unique, deeply longed-for gifts for my kids, all in a breathless effort to achieve that perfect Christmas morning moment. That moment of replete, cinematic joy will stay with them forever.
What does playing a role cost mothers?
But at what cost? What if the memory that stays with them, instead of all that Christmas perfection, is the image of their exhausted, depleted, harried mom who has lost her spirit in an attempt to accomplish all of the above?
I decided long ago, when my first son was only a baby, to refuse to play that particular role.
Here’s the thing: we all deserve to have a beautiful holiday. We all have a right to joy. But no one is going to hand it to you. You’re not the kid for whom the whole pageant is performed anymore. Nor must you be the handmaid, toiling in secret stress, obligated to make merry for everyone around you at the expense of your sanity.
If you want a great Christmas, you must remember that the holidays are for you too.
This will look different in every family, depending on many factors too significant to name. It comes down to setting reasonable expectations for what you can do for others while making room for the things that bring you happiness.
What can moms do differently to reclaim their joy?
Maybe you forgo the expense and labor of holiday cards and cookie exchanges and decline the invitations that fill you with dread, saving energy for the gatherings you enjoy.
Perhaps you keep the gift-giving to a Secret Santa-type exchange instead of shopping for dozens of relatives. I expect many of us would enjoy the season a lot more if we shirked off the pressure to travel and opted instead for a Christmas morning in our own homes, where the dress code is more “pajamas all day” than tights and your itchiest sweater.
And as for the whole “Kristen Wiig/empty stocking/Mom just gets a robe” of it all? It would be a cold day in hell before I let the people I love and who love me get away with some nonsense like that.
Don’t model invisibility for your family
As we all know, gift-giving is more about the meaning behind the gesture than any present itself. And when a mom who does so much for her family gets nothing in return, that means something — and none of it is good. None of it aligns with the values of care, thoughtfulness, and kindness I teach my sons. I don’t want to model invisibility for my children, lest they grow up thinking their partners don’t have needs or desires of their own.
Please, for your love of yourself, ask for the things you want. Maybe it is a robe. It could cost nothing — like a Saturday to yourself or a family walk in the winter woods with hot cocoas in hand. But if you have a Christmas wish, say it out loud to your family.
These can be hard boundaries to hold and tough traditions to break. But good things in life often lie on the other side of hard. I promise you there is joy in the slowed-down simplicity of a Christmas that allows you to relax in the glow of your beautiful (but not perfect) tree in a season where you are remembered too.
Is it time for a steaming cup of hot chocolate? Spartanburg, SC is full of places where you can find a delicious cup of cocoa. We asked our readers for their favorite cocoa spots and they did not disappoint. So load up the kids and find your perfect cup of hot chocolate in Spartanburg, SC.
If all things pumpkin spice usher in fall time, then hot chocolate signals in winter. But not just any cup of Swiss Miss. We are looking for places to get a hot creamy cup of chocolate goodness, and there’s no shortage of them in Spartanburg.
Grab a cup of hot cocoa, and sink into a comfy sofa among the plants at Botanical Brew. You will most likely leave with a cup of cocoa and a new leafy green baby to tend to.
Outdoor seating makes grabbing hot cocoa with kids easy at this Coffee Shop in downtown Inman. They can get their wiggles out, and you can enjoy your custom hot cocoa creation from their menu!
There are several locations in the Little River Roasting company to choose from, and they serve up a creamy cup of hot cocoa!
Peppermint bark hot chocolate (mix of dark and white chocolate) is so rich and perfect, and the only hot chocolate I drink year round. Made with dairy or preferred milk alternative- no watery cocoa here.
Served with a heaping helping of whipped cream, the hot chocolate from Eggs Up is a fantastic beverage to enjoy with breakfast! In addition, they have a hot mocha chocolate that is out of this world!
Bella Latte’s is yummy AND they will only lighty steam to make it warm if you tell them it’s for your kid so you don’t have to wait for it to cool down or have them burn their mouth.
Not only can you grab a fantastic ice cream sandwich at Rocky Moo, but you can also enjoy Hot Chocolate, and Hot Chocolate floats from this Upstate favorite!
Hot Chocolate Worth the Drive in Asheville, NC
There appear to be quite a few specialty chocolate shops in Asheville, just waiting to satisfy your winter drink craving.
Folks, as of publication time, I have no idea what “liquid truffle sipping chocolate” is, but I fully intend on finding out ASAP. Whatever it is, it sounds glorious, and it’s on the menu here.
If you are up for a trip The Chocolate Lounge in Asheville is every bit of amazing. But I would go with Little River Roasting
It’s a crisp day in mid-October. The fall chill has made it necessary to pull out the warmer jackets. The long weekend brings a visit from my college-aged daughters and a much-anticipated shopping trip to the local department store.
The Halloween section has just about been cleared of all its remnants, with nary a costume left in sight. Hints of Christmas and holiday décor were beginning to appear. It was a delightful reminder that my favorite time of year is just around the corner.
Christmas magic is very much alive but just different with older kids.
My daughter said that Christmas isn’t magical anymore
“You’ll have to get working on your Christmas list!” I nearly shout as my daughter quickly shoots me the side eye. The car trip home is almost silent. She seems troubled, pensive. Suddenly she says, “Christmas is just not magical anymore. You know, like when we were little.”
And there it was. Like a dagger through my heart, it was the elephant in the room. Someone finally said it. It was my fault. Years of creating the magic of Santa, introducing elves, endless hours spent decorating, Nutcracker performances, trips to nearby New York City to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, and the annual Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. And the presents, the magic of little ones excitedly ripping open gifts with twinkling eyes while a completely exhausted pajama-clad mom and dad looked on, all captured with hours of video footage to remember forever.
Where are my little kids who once so enjoyed the holiday?
That revelation stayed with me that weekend, spiraling into a much-needed cry. Where were the three tiny children who loved this time of year, who excitedly looked for their elf’s new location each morning as they turned the Christmas countdown calendar to its new page?
I poured over their past Christmas photos, all reminders of the hours spent painstakingly choosing coordinating outfits for that year’s big photo opportunity and Christmas card that we would send to upward of 100 of our closest friends and family members.
I ransacked the large rubber bins that housed home-made Christmas decorations and the ones handcrafted in preschool, with tiny handprints and photos of their much littler selves forcibly shoved by four-year-old hands into clear globes that would forever hang on our tree and immediately trigger memories of the songs they sang at their holiday show that year. These memories were just that, memories, so many happy ones that will forever be etched in my mind long after my children go on to have families and holiday traditions of their own.
I can see that the magic of Christmas is still in my grown kids
But the magic, the true spirit of Christmas, was not lost on me. It was different, but it was still there, plain to see. Those same toddlers, in all their velvety plaid holiday splendor, grew up to be young adults who were taught the importance of volunteering their time throughout the holidays and the joy of giving.
They are the same three kids who excitedly hunt for those unique gifts for their sibling, college roommate, or favorite teacher. They ask what new game we will be buying to play over the holidays this year, looking forward to the family time we will spend together.
They send recipes of cookies they want to try to make this year when they return home after final exams, and they send links to the matching Christmas pajamas we need to purchase on sale before they sell out hurriedly.
They help decorate the Christmas tree over their too-short Thanksgiving break, reminiscing about the significance of each ornament, vacations taken, sports played, childhood princesses and characters once cherished, and the ornaments their tiny hands made at school.
When my kids come home, the Christmas magic will still be there
They help put lights up outside and talk about how they look forward to driving around with hot cocoa and looking at the neighborhood holiday light displays. And most importantly, they ask what gifts we should get this year for those in our community.
When these young adults return to their rooms in just a few short weeks, exhausted from the stress of hours of late-night studying for final exams, excited to have the best ten-hour night’s sleep they have had in a very long time, the magic of the holiday season will indeed be here waiting for them, right where they left it.
Bio-Tara Ficarra is a former Elementary Educator and adjunct Instructor of Education. Originally from New York City, Tara lives in New Jersey with her husband, dog, and three children, ages 21, 18, and 15. Tara enjoys spending time at the beach, playing tennis, writing, and reading a good memoir.
Double Stamp Brewery in Holland Park in Greenville, SC is a fun place to relax and have fun together while enjoying local craft beer and soda and playing Nintendo.
While I enjoy a good craft beer, I enjoy playing Nintendo even more, so when we got an invitation to check out the old-school Nintendo games at Double Stamp Brewery, it was an easy “yes!”. But to my surprise, not only was the Nintendo playing a ton of fun but the beer, which is made on-site with local ingredients, was top-notch.
Double Stamp Brewery is part of Holland Park in Greenville, which includes Flying Rabbit Adventures, Home Team BBQ, and Greektown Express. It’s pretty new, only having opened in 2021, but they are already making a name for themselves with a Sunday Market from Noon-4 pm and rave reviews.
Double Stamp is 90s-themed, which makes my heart happy. There are Vanilla Ice cards under the glass at the bar and posters of VHS tapes, which my kids were totally confused about.
The brewery doesn’t sell any food but you can take your beer and walk over to Greektown or Home Team BBQ and eat there, or bring food from either place into the brewery.
Double Stamp makes all their beer in-house and from local ingredients as they can. They have quite the operation in the back and it’s a sight to behold. I tried the Laces Out, a delicious and light wheat beer, and a heavier Cinnamon Roast Crunch, an imperial breakfast stout. It was so delicious and the general manager, Julie, added a bit of another beer in it to make it even more amazing. I don’t know what she was doing but it was awesome. Ask for her when you go.
I’m not a soda drinker whatsoever but when I saw Julie and the brewmaster straining blood orange juice from freshly zested and peeling blood oranges, I think my mind changed. They were also in the process of making cherry soda, which is just cherries, sugar, and carbonated water.
Then I got to try their Vanilla Cupcake soda, which is on tap, and what a moment of awakening. It was so, so good, flavorful, and light, and not at all like any commercially sold soda. This is a great option for non-drinkers and kids or if you just want to try something new and delicious.
Nintendo
Let’s get to the Nintendo games! Double Stamp has two spots to play Nintendo – one at the bar with wireless controllers and the other at a big television with comfy couches and chairs.
We sat at the bar and had such a blast. I immediately started playing Super Mario Bros 3, which readers may know is one of my favorite old-school games, and man, I wish they had three players so I didn’t have to give up a controller to one of my kids. I love experiences where you can play games with your kids and this one was just so much fun because of the great environment and laid-back vibe of the brewery.
This would also be a great date night idea – get drinks while playing Nintendo and enjoy dinner at Home Team or Greektown. You can even eat outside on the upstairs open-air deck of Double Stamp. Or, go to Flying Rabbit Adventures, which we highly recommend, and then enjoy games and locally-made brews. Lots of options!
They have Trivia Nights and the brewery is pet-friendly.
Visiting Double Stamp Brewery
The brewery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4-10 pm, Friday and Saturday from Noon-11 pm, and Sunday from Noon-9 pm. They are closed Mondays.
Looking to give that beauty-lover something special in their stocking? From face and skincare to the ultimate in hair and nail TLC, these are some of the season’s merriest gifts for all the beauty-lovers in your life.
BKIND nail polish is amazing. They are long-lasting and available in a wide range of beautiful, saturated colours. BKIND offers all-natural, plant-based, vegan, eco-friendly beauty and skin care products that are made in Quebec. Each product is carefully developed, from their ingredients to its packaging.
The Garnier limited-edition box contains seven of their best-selling, ultra-hydrating sheet masks. Each mask is infused with approximately one bottle of serum, are vegan and cruelty-free, and 100% biodegradable. The box includes the Moisture Bomb Brightening Sheet Mask with Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin C, Moisture Bomb Replumping Sheet Mask with Hyaluronic Acid + Pomegranate, Moisture Bomb Rebalancing Sheet Mask with Hyaluronic Acid + Green Tea, and more. Give the gift that keeps on hydrating!
The Jumbo Eye Vault from NYX Cosmetics is a limited-edition collection of eye shades. The recipient can prime, line, and shadow with the magic all-in-one sticks that come in eight fiercely festive shades.
Valmont’s V-Firm eye cream combats droopy eyelids, under-eye creasing and sunken eyes with targeted hydration and cell strengthening actions to firm the delicate eye contour. The results are a healthier, more youthful complexion. The melting gel formula absorbs quickly and easily too.
The Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick from L’Oreal is one of the only matte lipsticks that is not flat. This next-generation matte formula that has high concentration of pigments, hyaluronic acid boost, and argan oil to mattify, plump, and care for lips.
No matter how old our teens get, they’ll always be young at heart when opening presents. Cue the magic of subscription boxes and the “unwrapping thrill” they deliver to your doorstep. These monthly boxes are often affordable, customizable, and highly giftable. Think of them as the birthday and Christmas gifts that keep giving throughout the year.
Whatever your teens and young adults are into, we have info on box options they will love. Plus, we love these as terrific last-minute options!
Note: We are a reader-supported site and we receive affiliate commissions from purchases made through some of the links in this post.
Best teen subscription boxes
Snack attack packs
Whether you want to be sure your teens have healthy snacks or fun treats, there’s a subscription box for nearly every kind of craving.
If you’re looking for the perfect monthly pick-me-up gift for a college student, CampusCube is the way to go. They offer several care package plans and themes, including a regular monthly snack box with a gluten and nut-free, vegan option. Plus, there are wellness and birthday boxes. To seal the deal, their quality and customer service are terrific.
If you can’t decide between a treat pack or healthy snacks, get both with a KIND Bar subscription and save 10% on this popular and high-quality go-to. Receive a free sample with recurring order.
For your sweetie with a sweet tooth, check out Candy Club. Not your basic vending machine snacks, Candy Club partners with small artisans and well-known candy companies to curate each subscriber box with high-quality products.
LOKAI bracelets help everyone find balance between life’s highs and lows. That’s a tall order, so there is no such thing as wearing too many. Your best bet is to join their membership program, which includes 10% off anything and everything on Lokai.com, access to exclusive designs, monthly themes, and limited edition products. Plus, early access to new collections.
This is a monthly subscription box with two exclusive bracelets. Sign up for 1, 6, or even 12 months for a fantastic monthly boost from this VERY popular jewelry and accessories line.
Boxes for book lovers
When it comes to book boxes, many come with something extra.
Older or more sophisticated teen or college-age readers might enjoy a monthly or quarterly box from My Coffee and Book box. Order two new hardcover books in your favorite categories + 12 oz of whole or ground coffee. Who needs sleep, anyway?
after a stressful day at school and/or work; your teen or young adult might love this subscription. Each box includes a novel, a sweet snack and beverage, an introvert-themed candle, bath salts, and soap.
Self-care, delivered. Each box includes 1 research-inspired therapeutic activity to wire your brain for more joy + 7 full-size treats to pamper your mind, body, and soul. Reduce stress, enhance your life and unbox joy.
Best of 2022!
Birchbox
Birchbox offers monthly goodie bags or glam bags containing makeup and skincare products and even offers a subscription service that features grooming products for men.
Sign up your son for a subscription service through Harry’s for his manly grooming needs. Harry’s donates 1% of sales to charitable organizations that provide quality mental health care to men. We love that!
When you sign up for a FabFitFun membership, you (umm, we mean your teen) will get a seasonal box filled with 8-10 full-sized pampering products valued at over $200.
Finds for fashion lovers
Buying clothes for teens is often tricky. Subscription boxes are a fun and easy way to get picks from a fashion expert. Most offer easy returns and a choice of price ranges.
At Foot Cardigan it’s possible to gift a fun sock subscription. With the frequency option of 6 and 12-month plans, you can send one or two new pairs every few weeks.
Outside the box boxes
Finally, here are a few subscription boxes for the most hard-to-buy-for teens on your list.
Scentbird
subscription provides your son or daughter with a new fragrance of their choosing each month. Glamour calls it “scent-sational.”
For your artsy and crafty teen, check out Sketchbox which provides the supplies, instructions and inspiration for creating craft projects that produce outstanding works of art.
Bark Box is a monthly shipment of toys, treats, and chews for our four-legged besties.
With so many types of subscription boxes to choose from, you’ll likely find at least one that would be perfect for each member of your family. And maybe even one for yourself too!
More boxes to love
Here is where you can find all of Cratejoy’s crates, including special deals for Christmas.
This month the World Health Organization released a global report that showed people with disabilities die up to 20 years earlier than those without due to poor health care that is avoidable and unjust.
I waited to see some mainstream media coverage, but it’s been radio silence. Can you imagine hearing that any other marginalized group was dying 20 years younger than the general population because of systemic discrimination, and it not being a news story?
The report notes that people with disabilities face a higher risk of dying prematurely, and up to double the risk of developing chronic conditions, but that many of the differences in their health can’t be explained by their disability or health condition.
Instead, in a news release, WHO says the inequities stem from: “negative attitudes of healthcare providers; health information in formats that cannot be understood; or difficulties accessing a health centre due to the physical environment, lack of transport or financial barriers.”
In its report, the authors note the impact of ableism, both inside and outside health care. “Ableism is a social prejudice that defines persons with disabilities by their disabilities and characterizes them as being inferior to those who do not have disabilities,” they write. They reference a survey we reported on last year that found that only 41 per cent of American physicians reported that they were “very confident” about their ability to provide the same quality of care to people with disabilities as those without. Further, “a significant issue is that persons with disabilities are not an active part of the health and care workforce.”
The WHO report shows the number of people with significant disabilities worldwide has grown to 1.3 billion, or one in six people.
They recommend 40 actions countries can take to advancer health equity for disabled people. They include taking a human-rights approach to health; including people with disabilities in the health workforce; and strengthening models of care for children with disabilities.
This is a very detailed report that is worth a read.
Like this story? Sign up for our monthly BLOOM e-letter. You’ll get family stories and expert advice on parenting children with disabilities; interviews with activists, clinicians and researchers; and disability news.
On Friday the World Health Organization released a global report that showed people with disabilities die up to 20 years earlier than those without due to health inequities, which they described as “avoidable, unfair and unjust factors.”
I waited to see some mainstream media coverage, but it’s been radio silence. Can you imagine hearing that any other marginalized group was dying 20 years younger than the general population because of systemic discrimination, and it not being a news story?
The report notes that people with disabilities face a higher risk of dying prematurely, and up to double the risk of developing chronic conditions, but that many of the differences in their health can’t be explained by their disability or health condition.
Instead, in a news release, WHO says the inequities stem from: “negative attitudes of healthcare providers; health information in formats that cannot be understood; or difficulties accessing a health centre due to the physical environment, lack of transport or financial barriers.”
In its report, the authors note the impact of ableism, both inside and outside health care. “Ableism is a social prejudice that defines persons with disabilities by their disabilities and characterizes them as being inferior to those who do not have disabilities,” they write. They reference a survey we reported on last year that found that only 41 per cent of American physicians reported that they were “very confident” about their ability to provide the same quality of care to people with disabilities as those without. Further, “a significant issue is that persons with disabilities are not an active part of the health and care workforce.”
The WHO report shows the number of people with significant disabilities worldwide has grown to 1.3 billion, or one in six people.
They recommend 40 actions countries can take to advancer health equity for disabled people. They include taking a human-rights approach to health; including people with disabilities in the health workforce; and strengthening models of care for children with disabilities.
This is a very detailed report that is worth a read.
Like this story? Sign up for our monthly BLOOM e-letter. You’ll get family stories and expert advice on parenting children with disabilities; interviews with activists, clinicians and researchers; and disability news.
Did you know that Greenville & Spartanburg’s fire departments have an honorary team member who lives in the North Pole? It’s true, and Santa is visiting neighborhoods around the Upstate by firetruck while he checks his naughty list one last time.
He’s really busy this time of year, so the most efficient way to get a last peek at all of the good boys and girls of the Upstate is to hitch a ride with first responders and zip through neighborhoods. Reindeer magic only works at night, in case you were wondering, so this is the best way!
Local first responders are giving Santa a tour of the Upstate! See if he’s coming to your neck of the woods.
Santa Visiting Greenville Neighborhoods
Clear Springs Fire Department Santa
The Clear Springs Fire Department has a long list of neighborhoods – 74 to be exact – they are going to this year with their Santa truck. They aren’t going to every street in each neighborhood though or they’d be out there all of December. A couple things to note:
The truck will leave the night of the Santa run between 6-6:30 pm unless there is an emergency.
Please don’t call the fire station to ask about the Santa truck. It ties up the line and could hinder emergency responses.
The fire truck goes to the neighborhoods that pay taxes to support that specific fire station so if your neighborhood isn’t on the list, it doesn’t mean the fire station doesn’t love you. It just means that is how government works.
Here’s the list of the Santa fire truck route:
December 12, 2022
Chatham Woods
Waverly Hall
Stonehaven
Avondale Heights
River Walk
Squires Creek
Twin Creeks
Windsor Creek
Kilgore Point
Savannah
Briar Oaks
Whitehall Plantation
December 13, 2022
Ansley Crossing
Gilder Chase
The Trails at Windsor Forest
Waters Run
Adam’s Creek
Matterson Brook
Connors Creek
Adam’s Run
Magnolia Place
Creekwood
Jonesville Landing
Davis Estates
Fieldmont: Kentmont Ln
Oakwind Estates
December 14, 2022
Townes at Five Forks
Chestnut Pond
Gresham Woods
Sparrow’s Point
Larkspur Pointe
The Overlook at Bells Creek
Bells Creek
Upland Farms
Bruce Farm
Highland Creek
Woodland Chase
December 15, 2022
Nelson’s Creek
Revis Falls
Gilder Creek
Gresham Park
Maple Creek
Shellbrook Plantation
Walnut Ridge
Kelsey Glen
Rebecca Acres
Copper Creek
December 16, 2022
Bennett’s Grove
Carson’s Pond
Laurel Grove
Laurel Lakes
Knob Hill Plantation
Ellington Park
Ledgestone
Woods Forest
Stonewood Manor
Carolee Way
Parker’s Landing
Edgewater
Fieldmont: Fieldmont Circle
Lockland Park
The Landing and The Cove at Savannah Pointe
December 17, 2022
Kilgore Farms
Raven Wood
Lori Drive
Chastain Glen
Five Forks Plantation
Coachman Plantation
Coachwood Forest
Kingswood Circle
Hawthorne Ridge
Renwood
Savannah Pointe
Enoree Point
Santa Visiting Spartanburg Neighborhoods
Christmas Eve from 5:45 – 9 PM | The Duncan Fire Department The Town of Duncan will be visited by Santa on Christmas Eve. If you don’t see your street on the map below, you can drive out and usually catch Santa around Main Street as the route starts at Summer Tree apartments down to Post-oak Road and back to Stribling’s funeral home. This is happening in 2022 but we don’t have the route yet. View the Duncan Fire Dept. Santa Route
Photo Credit: Tyger River FD, Lyman SC
Santa Visiting Greenville Neighborhoods
City of Greenville The Santa Trolley is not confirmed for 2022.
Track Santa on Christmas Eve
Don’t worry if you weren’t able to catch a glimpse this year of Santa before his big day! We have two other ways for you to track him on his journey this week.
NORAD Tracks Santa
Since 1955, when a young man accidentally called the Continental Air Defense Command asking if they had seen Santa flying through the sky. The child had meant to call a Santa Hotline, however the person who answered the phone that Christmas Eve just happened to be the Commander in Chief, Colonel Harry Shoup. The Colonel instructed his team to keep looking for Santa on the radar screens and at that moment a holiday tradition was born.
To track Santa on Christmas eve night, join the team at NORAD, and you will be able to watch them track “Big Red 1” in real-time as he makes his way across the world.
I Heart Radio’s North Pole Radio
The I Heart Radio streaming service has a station dedicated to all things Christmas that not only includes 24/7 Christmas music, but Santa will be checking in with listeners on Christmas Eve with Updates!
Looking for ways to volunteer with your kids in Greenville? It such a wonderful opportunity to teach children kindness, compassion, generosity and so much more. To help you out KAG Contributor Kristina Hernandez created this list of ways to volunteer with your family. You’ll find ideas from food preparation to toy donations and meal deliveries. Thank you for serving your community!
Need more ideas? If you have young children, teens, or are looking for other small ways to serve, see our other great volunteer and service oriented content:
Volunteering at the Soup Kitchen
I was barely a teenager when my mom brought my brothers and myself to a local soup kitchen to volunteer. I helped with prep work, set up and clean up and ultimately looked into the faces of the people who came and learned compassion, gratefulness and humility. I really could not have asked for a better lesson and it is one I hope to give my own children when they get a little older. My mom took us to volunteer during summer and holiday vacations – like this time of year for many kids.
Volunteering is a wonderful thing to do to fill the time with children when they are on a break from school. There are many soup kitchens in the area that would truly appreciate volunteers, donations and other help during this time of year.
What age do kids need to be to volunteer at the soup kitchen?
Having talked to a handful of soup kitchens, the general consensus is that middle school-age kids are about the right age to volunteer in the actual soup kitchens themselves.
Martha O’Neal, the Operations Coordinator at the Greer Soup Kitchen, said that 10 years old is a good age because they are able to grasp what they are seeing – the dirty clothes, bad teeth, and other things that they may not normally see but are able to understand.
But even if your kids aren’t in middle school yet, there are other opportunities for them to help.
At Project Host in Greenville, which has a variety of programs to help feed those who are hungry, they have a garden and smaller children are able to come and help, preferably in the warmer weather.
A pretty cool thing for families with younger children to do is a “food rescue” run. Who doesn’t want to rescue food, right? Here’s how it works, according to Bill Shell at Loaves & Fishes in Greenville:
We have about 150 or so volunteers who do rescue routes each and every day except Christmas. Last year, they picked up about 600,000 pounds of food that would have been wasted and delivered it to one of our 90+ partner agencies that serve the homeless, the folks barely getting by through emergency food pantries, emergency shelters, disadvantaged seniors and children’s programs and lots more.
The volunteers are sent weekly emails with descriptions and locations of “routes” that are open for assignment. They select a route and communicate their choice back to us and then go and collect the donation which is primarily non-perishable foods from grocery retailers and restaurants. Next, they simply drop off the donation to the agency assigned on the route. Most routes take under 2 hours and involve 40 to 500 pounds.
Different Schedules and Types of Tasks
Some of the volunteer opportunities don’t take too long, like the food rescue run, especially since it’s done on your time, but others are more scheduled. The volunteers at Project Host usually come in around 9 am to start food prep then serve the people, clean up and leave around 1 pm. Other places have shifts you can sign up for like at Harvest Hope Food Bank, which schedules volunteers in three-hour blocks.
There are many ways these soup kitchens utilize their volunteers and make the most of the talents that people have. The Harvest Hope Food Bank is a distribution center so they have people who sort through donations, pack food, or distribute it. Harvest Hope also does events off-site which younger children, ages 6-10, are able to help by doing things like coloring pictures, making cards and putting together packets. Check the website or contact them for events like these.
Others, like at Loaves & Fishes, need people for food rescue missions but also need volunteers to sort and box food. The Greer Soup Kitchen needs volunteers on specific dates to help prep and serve. You can see their needs at their site.
Why Volunteering is Important for Kids
Often we have no idea how good we have it until we see others in distress. Even if our kids are too little to actually volunteer at a soup kitchen, they can be taught these important lessons.
Martha O’Neal at the Greer Soup Kitchen gave me some tips on how to teach this to children: “Sometimes I tell the parents to take the children through the grocery stores and teach them the value of a dollar and show them how much it costs to live or make one meal for the family. We feed over 180 people a day here. This helps the parents understand how much it takes to feed them here and the children catch on quickly that they don’t need the snacks or the chips or that extra toy. They in turn want to help by buying products at the store for others, instead of themselves.”
Places to Donate in Greenville
Contact any of these organizations for details on volunteering and what each group specifically needs. Most of the soup kitchens have opportunities for bigger groups to come and help as well. All of them accept donations, either food itself or monetary. Check out our Food Pantry Wish Listfor most needed items!
Project Host 525 S Academy St, Greenville, SC 29601 864.235.3403
Loaves & Fishes 25 Woods Lake Road, Suite 810 Greenville, SC 29607 864.232.3595
Greer Soup Kitchen 521 East Poinsett Street Greer, SC 29651 864.968.0323
Other Ways to Volunteer with Children in Greenville
There are so many different ways to get the family involved in volunteering and making good use of the school breaks. Here are some of the suggestions that Kidding Around Greenville readers made on Facebook.
Y on the Fly Food Program
Y on the Fly: Kids ages 8-12 can volunteer at Y on the Fly Food Program stuffing food into bags which will be distributed to local families in needs. Kids 13+ can volunteer without a parent. Volunteers just show up on Thursdays mornings at 9:30 am at St. Matthews UMC (701 Cleveland Street, Greenville) in Greenville and usually stay until around 11 am.
Greer Community Ministriesis the hub of Greer Meals on Wheels and a food pantry, clothing closet, and Senior Dining program. Children are welcome to participate in Meals on Wheels routes with their parents, organize food collections, and help in various ways. 738 S. Line Street Extension, Greer
Greer Relief, which helps people who are experiencing sudden and unexpected problems obtaining life’s basic necessities, has many holiday volunteer opportunities on their website and one of our readers mentioned they need help wrapping gifts.
Sponsor a child through the South Carolina Youth Advocate program. Many of the kids have never experienced a ‘real’ Christmas and come into the foster program with very few belongings. There is a wish list for each child, and you can either buy gifts or send a monetary donation.
Take food to people in need through Meals on Wheels in Greenville. People always love seeing the little ones at their doors! 15 Oregon Street, Greenville, SC 29605 864.233.6565
Miracle Hill Ministries has volunteer opportunities for special events during the holidays and gives more information about bringing younger kids on their volunteer page.
Happy Wheels, a program that donates gifts to children suffering in hospitals, needs toys. Their website lists their most needed items.
Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville accepts donations in various forms. Their website has more info. One of our readers said that they are always in need of preteen/teen-appropriate toys because they give each child a gift before surgery, and many times there isn’t anything for the older children. 950 West Faris Road Greenville, SC 29605
Thousands of children are assisted by the Salvation Army in Greenville, Pickens, and Oconee Counties. The organization has angel tree giving opportunities as well as other things to volunteer for this holiday season.
Adopt a Waterfall with Waterfall Keepers of NC and volunteer to help keep our beautiful waterfalls and trails clean and free of trash.
Need more ideas? If you have young children, teens, or are looking for other small ways to serve, see our other great volunteer and service oriented content:
What ways do you like to volunteer in the community?
Are nicknames for Michael for your sweetheart a priority for you right now? Is it hard to think of a clever moniker for Michael? Don’t worry; we’ve got more than a few humorous and endearing nicknames for Michael from which to pick the best one for your beloved Michael.
I can attest that coming up with new nicknames is a delightful pastime. This is the subject of the explanation provided here.
In this article, we’ll go over a wide range of great short forms for Michael’s name. You’ll be able to choose a meaningful moniker for your loved one with the help of the provided descriptions.
First, a brief history of the name Michael’s origins and significance. A child’s best moniker might be a crazy one, or it might be an accurate one, or it might be funny or bizarre.
Michael’s nicknames are as diverse as his friends and classmates, and they all deserve praise. Nicknames like Mike, Mikey, and Mike are all good options for Michael because they are familiar, friendly, and adaptable.
History Of The Name Michael
Michael is an Aramaic form of the Hebrew name Micha-el, which means “Who is like-El.” Michael is a popular male-given name. The English, German, Dutch, and Jewish versions of this theophoric name all mean “there is none like El.”
What does the name Michael mean? Michael is a question name that means “who could be as great as God?” alternatively, “no one is more well-known or powerful than God.” According to Islamic belief, Archangel Michael (Mika’el) is responsible for delivering rain to Earth whenever Allah commands it.
In Hebrew mythology, Michael served as an archangel, and he is the only such figure mentioned in the Bible. In the Old Testament’s Book of Daniel, St. Michael serves as a guardian for Israel; in the New Testament, he’s the commander of the angelic forces that fought Satan, the patron saint of evil. Since the 12th century, this name has been popular in Western Europe and England thanks to the births of several rulers in Russia, Romania, Poland, and Portugal.
The Popularity of the Name Michael
Is Michael a rare name? Data from the Social Security Administration shows that Michael has consistently ranked among the top ten names given to baby boys over the past century. Michael has been a top-hundred name for boys since the 1940s, when it first entered the list, and it has remained there ever since, with the exception of the last few years.
Michael’s popularity in the United States was unparalleled from 1954 to 2008, and he regularly ranked first or second. Since 2000, it has consistently ranked in the top 20, most recently at number 12 through 2017.
Michael dropped out of the top ten for boys’ names for the first time in 2018, but it is expected to reclaim its previous position as the 12th most popular name in 2020.
Before proceeding with the name list of Michael let us have a bit more information for this name:
Encyclopedia for Name Michael
What are other names for Michael?
Michel (French)
Mikhail (Greek, Russian)
Mihály (Hungarian)
Mícheál (Gaelic)
Michele (Italian)
Michal (Polish)
Miguel (Portuguese, Spanish)
Mihail (Rumanian)
What can Michael be shortened to?
Mike, or Mikey, or Micky, or Mick
What names are close to Michael?
Some names that are close to Michael are as follows:
Matthew.
David.
Joseph.
Christopher.
Daniel.
John.
Nicholas.
Andrew.
Is Mikey a nickname for Michael?
Mickey is a diminutive of the name Michael.
What is the girl version of Michael?
What is the Russian nickname for Michael?
Misha
Is Michael a unisex name?
This name is common mostly for the boys so it is a boy name generally.
The French female form of the name Michael is Michèle.
What is French for Michael?
Michel
What’s Michael in Chinese?
Is Misha short for Michael?
Misha is a short form for the Russian male name Mikhail (Michael).
Which is correct Micheal or Michael?
Michael is the English spelling of the name.
What does Michael mean in Scottish?
Who is like God?
100+ List Of Nicknames For Michael
Funny Nicknames For Michael
Wireless Mike
Makey
Captain Mike
Handsfree Mike
Macro
Mac and Cheese
Mickahoo
Tyson
Kale
Michold
Yikes
Mikester
Lil M
Michadow
Mikehold
Big Mike
Bike
Iron Mike
Micro
Mici
Milkshake
Mighty Mike
Mikeill
Creative Nicknames For Michael
MJ
Psych
Micky LeeLims
Jordan
Kayle
Miks
Lyke
Mikki
Mils
Milkha
Khal
Miks
Mikeall
Iron Mike
Michaelangelo
Mal
Lemi
Micky mick
Cham
Limi
Matty
Khail
Mil
Like
Mikha
Mack
Mol
Mikko
Cute Nicknames For Michael
Mikel
Mitch
Mi
Miko
Mike
Mickey
Mikes
Michi
Mitt
Mikle
Maycol
Mikey
Mac
Mick
Micael
Micky
Adorable Nicknames For Michael
Milky
Mika
Lici
Mikhi
Mickey Mouse
Micha
MikaMika
Mico
Myke
O-Mickey
Michael Mouse
Angel’s face
Miku
Macko
Misky
Michaelove
Meek
Micka
Celebrities with the Name “Michael”
If you’re looking for a list of nicknames for a name, a good place to start is with the famous people who share that name. Check out these well-known people who go by the name Michael or Mike:
American pop music had its king in Michael Jackson.
The basketball great Michael Jordan is a legend.
Olympic swimmer and medalist Michael Phelps
Michael A member of the British band “The Rolling Stones,” Philip Jagger is better known by his stage name, “Mick Jagger.”
Michael Former U.S. Vice President Richard Pence is better known by his nickname, “Mike Pence.”
One of the members of the American band The Monkees, George Michael Dolenz is better known by his stage name, “Micky Dolenz.”
U.S. actor Michael Douglas.
Christian singer and musician Michael W. Smith.
Canadian musician and singer Michael Buble.
Michael James Way, or “Mikey,” was the bassist for the American rock band My Chemical Romance from 2001 until 2013.
Final Thoughts On nicknames for Michael
These were nicknames for michael. It’s cool to be given the name of a biblical figure, and it’ll be just as cool to be given the nickname “MJ” after the famous singer.
Even though Michael Jackson is the name of an archangel, he is also widely recognized as a talented American pop singer, songwriter, and dancer.
Where did you come across such an incredible compilation of nicknames for Michael?
Leave your thoughts in the comments and feel free to suggest other names that would work as suitable nicknames for Michael.
How did you feel when you first heard people calling nicknames for Michael? If you have something to say, write it down in the comments.
If you want to be able to play golf but heard that it was pricey, here are some things you can consider to lower the cost.
Golf can be an expensive hobby. There is a lot of equipment to buy, and if you fancy joining a high-end golf club, expect to shell out a lot of cash. Luckily there are ways to cut the cost of enjoying golf as a hobby. In this article, we have some useful tips if you enjoy playing golf but would prefer not to blow a small fortune on your hobby. Read on to learn more.
Buy Used Equipment
Buying new golf equipment is expensive. Gold clubs can cost hundreds of dollars, with an adjustable driver coming in at more than $500 if you want a popular brand. Unfortunately, with the cost of materials rising and a shortage of supply, prices will only continue rising.
The best way to avoid paying a lot of money for gold equipment is to pick up pieces second-hand. Look for used clubs online, as there are always bargains to be found from people clearing out their garages after giving up the game. In many cases, nearly new equipment is available online at a fraction of the cost if it would have been new.
Once you get more into the game, you can also sell your older equipment to make savings on newer equipment, as well as save on golf cart accessories and clothing.
Shop Out of Season
If you want to buy some new golf apparel, shop out of season, during the winter when golf clothing is often discounted. It won’t work if you want the latest trends, but if being fashionable on the course isn’t your main priority, it will save you a few bucks.
Take Advantage of Online Golf Tuition
Are your golf skills lacking? Have you had problems finding a hole for your balls? Fear not, there is help out there, and it doesn’t require spending a shed load of money on a golf instructor.
Golf lessons are expensive. Most decent golf coaches charge a lot of money for their services, and although nothing beats personal one-on-one tuition, especially if you need to up your game quickly, there are plenty of great resources online.
Look for free golf instruction articles to teach you the basics in the early stages. Watch YouTube videos to learn more about the hand-elbow relationship and swinging. You’ll even find golf tuition lessons uploaded online from some of the world’s best players. And if you need a more personal touch, sign up for some online golf tuition; it will still be cheaper than in-person lessons.
Walk Instead of Riding in a Golf Cart
Hiring a golf cart when you hit the links will bump up the cost of a day’s golfing. Sure, it’s nice and relaxing motoring around a larger golf course but exercising your legs will not only save you money – it’ll also give your fitness a boost at the same time. Just make sure the course you play at doesn’t automatically add cart fees onto the overall cost, or you will still end up paying whether you walk or not.
Play on Public Golf Courses
Private golf courses are always going to be more expensive than public courses for residents and members of the general public. It won’t be as pretty or as challenging, and the facilities might be questionable, but in the early days, it makes sense to cut costs this way.
Play Locally
Finally, traveling to a world-renowned golf course like Cyprus Point in California might be a fantastic experience, but it won’t be cheap if you don’t live locally. Stick to courses within driving distance to save money.
Golf needn’t be expensive if you follow our tips. Happy golfing!
Looking for service hours for teens? So you have a child in high school and it’s time to start thinking about volunteer hours. While most public schools do not require volunteer hours, most private and charter schools do have a quarterly requirement. Whether your child attends public school, private school, or is homeschooled, volunteering looks very good on college and job applications, demonstrating a well-rounded and outward-looking individual. Ultimately though, we volunteer because there are people who need us, and it’s a wonderful way to give back when we have been given so much.
Be sure your teen keeps a notebook dedicated just about volunteering. Make sure to document hours and even have supervisors sign off on their hours. I have looked into local opportunities and have put these ideas together for you. If you have anything to add, please let us know and we’ll incorporate it into our list!
For volunteering events and opportunities,The United Way offers a wonderful search engine that showcases local volunteer opportunities and non-profits. Their site lists everything from calling BINGO at a nursing home to being a foster family for animals through a local animal rescue.
Ask others for advice.
Find out where other families and teens volunteer and ask why they like it. You or your child may be limited by the age requirements of some opportunities. The best way I’ve found to provide opportunities for younger children to volunteer is to volunteer as a family. Younger children are often welcomed as long as there is a parent there to supervise. You can also check our list of Volunteer Opportunities for Young Children for ideas.
My family’s favorite local places to volunteer
Several of these places provide perfect opportunities for homeschoolers or for families during the school breaks.
Meals on Wheels We have loved delivering food for Meals on Wheels as a family. Chatting with the clients is a favorite for my children. The great thing about this opportunity is that as long as there is an adult to drive the car, there is no age requirement for the people the driver takes along.
Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity also provides opportunities to help and it doesn’t have to just be building houses. Our family served lunch at a work site once. It only took us a total of about 3 hours and it was a fun short term way to help out.
Y on the Fly Kids ages 8-12 can volunteer at Y on the Fly Food Program stuffing food into bags which will be distributed to local families in needs. Kids 13+ can volunteer without a parent. Volunteers just show up on Thursdays mornings at 9:30 am at St. Matthews UMC (701 Cleveland Street, Greenville) in Greenville and usually stay until around 11 am.
The Ronald McDonald House The Ronald Mcdonald House is close to my heart because they helped out my family when my sister’s babies were born at 26 weeks. They provide beds, meals and so much more to families of children at the hospital. If this opportunity appeals to you, check out their website and you can find ways to donate items and help serve. One great way to help out is to be their chef for the night. They serve a hot meal to their clients every evening and this is done by volunteers.
Harvest Food Bank Another place we’ve enjoyed helping out in the past is Harvest Hope Food Bank. Here they have several different options to help out from sorting food in the warehouse to manning fundraisers at events. The age requirement here is at least 11.
Even more ways for teens to help our community
Other ideas for service hours
Don’t forget to look for opportunities in everyday life. If your children are part of an organization like Boy Scouts, Civil Air Patrol, Girls Scouts, American Heritage Girls, Beta Club, these organizations often schedule regular volunteer dates. Anywhere you give a service and are not paid, consider that “service hours”.
Here are some examples of service hours you may already be doing.
Church work day
Theater productions (handing out programs, ushering, stage crew)
Visiting nursing homes and singing or talking with the residents
Church nursery
Mowing lawns for a family that cannot
Visiting homebound neighbors and helping with household duties
The greatest toys whisk your children away into a world of make-believe where, ideally, they stay for long stretches of time. Occasionally, toys even inspire grownups to get on the floor with the kids and join the fun. But not all toys are created equal. Some toys contain thousands of parts that end up scattered throughout your home after 20 minutes and other toys fall into the single-use category, never to be played with again.
On top of that, many of us are trying to be intentional about our purchases and cut down on unnecessary stuff. So, to help you curate your toy selections, we conducted our annual toy testing to bring you 25 toys—six of which Parents’ EIC, Grace Bastidas, highlighted on NBC’s Today show— that are kid-approved and worthy of the Parents Best Toys 2022 seal of approval.
How We Chose The Winners
Just in time for the holidays, Parents editors put out a call to action for toy companies to submit their entries of the best toys on the market for 2022. After receiving 200 submissions, Parents editors narrowed down the list to about 60 toys, for which the editors did real-world testing with their kids at home. From there, only 25 received the Parents Best Toys 2022 award.
What did we notice from all those submissions? A nod to simplicity. Sure, we included a few toys with some extra bells and whistles, but the list we landed on made way for toys that would last a little longer through stages, give a break from screens, and also spark some nostalgia from our own childhoods.
Tested by Real Kids. Our editors are tough judges, so we asked them and their kids to get their hands on the latest and greatest toys. Testing with our own children allowed us to determine whether the toy was unique, durable, and could lead to independent play. Most importantly, only the toys that kept our kids’ interest made the list.
We Kept Caretakers In Mind. We chose toys that are easy to store and require minimal cleanup. Toys that appealed to multiple generations also made the list, since we want grandparents and other caregivers to join in the play, too.
Going the Extra Mile Paid Off. That meant extra points went to screen-free toys. Also to those that steered toward gender-neutral whenever possible, were made with eco-friendly materials or celebrated diversity.
It’s All About Staying Power. “When you purchase a toy that lasts through various stages, you feel better about spending the money,” says Rachel Duda, VP of Learning at Childcare and Early Learning Center, Vivvi, who also advises caregivers to “look for toys that don’t have one specific use. The more open-ended the toy, the longer lifespan they’ll have.”
Price Mattered. Inflation has us all watching what we spend even more than usual, so while we did test some impressive toys with high price tags, when narrowing down our list, we thought best to keep budgets in mind; we left off anything over $125.
We’re Not Above Shiny. We editors all recognized the same giant dollhouse and tiny cars that end up on other best-of lists—and while many of them were still no-brainers to include, toys that were unique or made our kids ooh and aah moved quicker up the list. These are toys, after all!
Each one of these toys will surprise and delight your kids, and the results are divided by age group for your quick reference. We’re excited to give your family a portal to playtime and make gift-giving as easy as possible this holiday season and beyond.
Meet Our winners of the Parents Best Toys Awards 2022.
Best Toys Awards 2022: Baby
Infantino Busy Lil’ Sensory Ball
Infantino
Why It’s a Winner: At around 3-4 months, babies become adorably curious about everything. Not so conveniently, this is also the time when babies start teething. The Infantino Busy Lil’ Sensory Ball is the ideal toy for this stage because it’s safe, easy to hold, and sturdy. And rest assured that the BPA-free teether provides a soothing biting surface for comfort and relief. Every side of this ball has something to open, pull, and discover. Babies will be fascinated by the mirror, rings, crinkle sound and, of course, the squeaker. It will also make a clever addition to any stroller, for playing (and chewing) on the go.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: One of our editors says their 6-month-old loves “exploring the different parts of this ball, especially the mirror and those that make noises!”
Melissa & Doug Market Basket Fill & Spill
Melissa & Doug
Why It’s a Winner: You can always count on masters of play Melissa & Doug to deliver joy. Recommended for babies 6+ months, the Market Bag Fill & Spill is meant to be filled and spilled. Perfectly suited for a baby’s hands, this toy encourages sensory, fine motor, and problem-solving skills. Babies will sort, squeeze, and drool (quite literally) over the smiling plush vegetables. And the handy mesh bag keeps all the toys together, doubling as a built-in cleanup system, which will be a joy for parents.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Editor Amelia Edelman says it’s a great toy for grabbing on the go. And the material is high-quality: “My 6-month-old loves squeezing them and playing with them—and of course putting the veggies in his mouth,” she adds.
Fisher Price, DJ Bouncin’ Beats
Fisher Price
Why It’s a Winner: There’s a reason why the folks at Fisher-Price have been in the game so long: they know how to make children laugh. While the DJ Bouncin’ Beats Baby Learning Toy with Music Lights and Bouncing Action might seem a little too flashy for some families, 10 out of 10 babies will likely agree that this toy rocks their world. Load up the batteries and watch as your baby giggles and jumps along with the multitude of lights and sounds. An active baby is a happy baby—and makes an even happier parent.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Editor Emily Rose admits, “I’m not a big fan of plastic, noisy toys, but this high-energy option has kept my 1-year-old engaged, and she’s having fun smacking it to hear it play music and bounce along—plus, it doesn’t take up that much room. With three different stages and lots of features, songs, and cute phrases, I have a feeling we’ll be hearing ‘That was such a bop!’ for the foreseeable future.”
Lalo The Play Gym
Lalo
Why It’s a Winner: Parents can welcome their newborn home from the hospital with the Play Gym, a safe mat to place babies on as they grow. From tummy time to story time, this activity space checks all the boxes for developing cognitive and motor skills. Plus, it’s made out of sustainable materials and available in a variety of attractive colors, so it’ll be one of the toys you won’t mind leaving out in the middle of your living room. Adjustable accessories allow the mat to grow with your baby. It can also be converted to a play tent for the toddler years (which always seem to come much sooner than we expect).
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our editor says her 6-month-old spends surprisingly long stretches of time lying under, it, swatting at the different toys, grabbing the rubber chains to chew on, and gazing at himself in the little mirror. She’s even added to it with some hanging toys from her travels.
Miles & Stones by Monti Kids (Subscription)
Monti Kids
Why It’s a Winner: The first 3 years of a baby’s life are full of exciting milestones. And parents want to catch every single one. Miles & Stones by Monti Kids is a subscription series of education-based resources to help parents learn about their baby’s growth. Subscribers gain access to the Parent Learning Center—with exclusive videos and articles—and receive a monthly tool kit delivered at just the right time in your baby’s life. Packages feature toys, books, and activities for tracking milestone progress, so you and your baby are always on the same page.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Edelman appreciates that these toys are beautiful, educational, and eco-friendly. “My 6-month-old loves the combinations of wood and rubber, the high-contrast nature cards, the funny sort of wooden movie theater frame that keeps him entertained during tummy time—it was all a hit,” she says.
Best Toys Awards 2022: Toddler
LeapFrog® Wooden AlphaPup™
Leap Frog
Why It’s a Winner: From a child’s perspective, the dreamiest toys are the ones that are playing with them. An updated version of the classic pull toy, the LeapFrog AlphaPup, now made of wood, has all the bells and whistles to become an interactive pal for kids. But, at its core, the AlphaPup simply helps kids learn letters and words while walking. Take this li’l doggy for a stroll and watch it wobble and light up with engaging phonics and music. With velvet-soft floppy ears, even the dog’s tail wags as it’s pulled along! This pup is educational, finely detailed, and super-cute, making it a go-to toy for bouncy toddlers.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Editor Melissa Bykofsky has seen an improvement in the AlphaPup from previous versions: “This latest version is so much more chic and eco-friendly (for parents who prefer wooden toys)—and the tail wags, which was definitely lacking on the original version.”
Moonlite Gift Pack
Moonlite
Why It’s a Winner: The greatest stories stand the test of time—but also move with the times. Moonlite turns your smartphone into a storybook projector, giving you a tech-savvy way to bring classic children’s books to life. Projecting magical storybook images onto the ceiling or wall is a lovely and genius way to change up story time. Kids will love the added music and sounds, and grownups will love the simple setup and easy-to-use app. The Moonlite starter packs make storytime even more special.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our editor let us know that this toy needs 100% parental assistance, but the smartphone setup is simple. “It was like magic for my 2-year-old!” she says. “This really brought his favorites (Hungry Caterpillar & Brown Bear) to life. He was so surprised that they were on the wall and ceiling. He kept saying, ‘That was so fun, read it again!’”
Hugimals World
Hugimals
Why It’s a Winner: Plenty of kids will tell you there’s no such thing as too many stuffed animals. Of course, some stuffies rise through the ranks to favorite status faster than others. Any selection from Hugimals is sure to become an instant fave after one night’s sleep. These lovable, weighted stuffed animals are designed to “hug you back,” lowering stress and creating a calm atmosphere. Each machine-washable animal has a removable weight pack and has been lauded by parents and teachers alike for regulating big emotions and helping with sleep. And parents will concur that a toy that helps kids sleep more soundly is worth its weight in gold.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our 4-year-old tester has Charlie, the weighted Hugimals puppy, and it quickly became his favorite stuffie. The extra-cuddly toy is the perfect fix for his BIG feelings and in times when his anxiety is peaking.
Baby Einstein Together in Tune Instrument Set
Baby Einstein
Why It’s a Winner: Children love to make sounds, and it takes them zero effort when left to their own devices: hands, feet and, of course, their voices. So, when you give them actual instruments to use, they’ll be over the moon. The Baby Einstein instruments are very on brand as being interactive, educational, and irresistibly fun. Equipped with a wireless, wooden piano and guitar, the set works like a walkie talkie via radio signals, perfect for collaborative playing. Babies will find it very easy to use and love making their own tunes. Even older siblings will want to join in the fun, making this a great toy for families with kids of varying ages. And the music isn’t too loud or obnoxious, we promise! Giving this set will definitely earn you a standing ovation.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our tester says that Baby Einstein’s music magically seems less annoying than other musical toys. She also noticed that the touch technology makes it easy for her 15-month-old to grasp the instruments, and the design is super easy to store and clean.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart
Melissa & Doug
Why It’s a Winner: Kids who are into pretend play—which is to say, 99% of the kid population—will love the Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart. From the moment it comes out of the box, this cart is ready to go. It’s easy to assemble and comes with food pieces, shape-sorting games, and puzzle activities. The standout hit, though, will be the plastic coffee cup, which is every toddler’s dream. With so many options, it allows independent play, encourages creativity, and gets toddlers moving. You’ll want to add this cart to your cart as soon as possible.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: “I always love a wooden toy,” our tester says, “and there are few things cuter than the play coffee cup to look just like the grown-ups when they shop. At this high of a price point, I also appreciate that this is a toy that can grow with the child with multiple components. For example, my 15-month-old loves to push it and toss the small blocks in and out of the cart, but I know as she grows, the puzzles and shape and color sorting will also become intriguing!”
Lovevery The Block Set
Lovevery
Why It’s a Winner: There’s a reason why this toy is called The Block Set: It’s the only set of blocks your toddler will need. The Block Set by Lovevery encourages open play by offering endless possibilities of shapes, colors, and activities. The set also features a shape sorter, a family of peg people, a bead threader, and a block box that converts into a pull car. And, because the creators thought of everything, there are no small parts with choking hazards. So you can feel comfortable letting your toddler pass blocks to your baby (these blocks are built to last, so they’ll be playing with them together soon enough). Festive colors and beautiful packaging make it the perfect gift.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Levi, one of our 2-year-old testers, says: “Momma build these with me! Me play with these blocks now!”
Best Toys Awards: Preschooler
Crayola Clay Sculpting
Crayola
Why It’s a Winner: One thing kids are missing out on while on screens is using the natural dexterity in their hands. The Crayola Clay Sculpting Station is a great way to not only distract kids from their tablets but also get them working with their fingers. It comes with a pottery wheel—how cool is that?—and loads of tools and supplies that’ll allow kids’ imaginations to run wild. The clay is air-dry, which means you don’t have to bother with an oven, and the storage case doubles as a work space for relatively easy cleanup. Maybe you’ll even get lucky and they’ll make some gifts for you to cross off your list.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Parents editor Grace Bastidas likes that the clay is nontoxic, self-contained and dries on its own. And her kids loved that they can use their imaginations to bring their own ideas to life or use the handy booklet for inspiration.
Connetix Magnetic Tiles Mini Pack
Connetix
Why It’s a Winner: Sometimes, the fewer the rules, the better. Connetix Magnetic Tiles Mini Pack introduce kids to STEAM learning by giving them a taste for open-ended construction. Made for ages 3+, this is definitely the kind of toy your family will have for years and years. Bonus: These tiles are also irresistible for parents and grandparents, who will most likely end up on the floor building castles and towers alongside the kids. Solid and high-quality, these magnets are stronger than any other magnetic tile sets. We love that the new mini pack offers a lower price entry point for people unsure about whether magnetic tiles are right for their kid—and a perfect option for families to add to an existing set. When it comes to building, we all want our kids to know the sky’s the limit.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: One tester admitted, “One night I waited for my child to go to sleep just so that I can play with this toy by myself.”
Modi Toys Durga Devi Plush Toy
Modi toys
Why It’s a Winner: Modi Toys was founded by Hindu siblings who wanted to pass down their faith to their first-generation American kids. Their lovable line of plush toys comes with books to help share Hinduism through the stories of its deities. As the Hindu goddess of power and protection, Durga Devi is the feisty divine female energy we all need. Kids press her belly to awaken the lioness as she sings five mantras. Durga Devi also comes with her trusty super-soft lion. And there’s a Velcro strap, which can easily be attached to a bag or car seat so toddlers will never lose their lioness spirit.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our tester loved the company’s message and adds that “these dolls are cute, well-made (especially love the dresses), and unlike many other noisy music toys for toddlers, play beautiful mantras that actually make me feel calmer amidst the chaos.”
Play Maysie Portable Dollhouse
Play Masie
Why It’s a Winner: Created by an Ohio mom with other parents in mind, the Play Maysie Portable Dollhouse is an absolutely adorable crossroad of fashion and function. Each dollhouse looks like a lunchbox from the outside and is decked out with its own scene and set of accessories on the inside. Minimal pieces allow for open-ended play that’ll never result in a massive mess left out for weeks at a time. And Maysie dolls are diverse and made out of soft canvas. This toy is designed with brilliance and imagination, as only a parent could.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: “It’s fun because it’s a suitcase and you can carry it anywhere and also it’s really fun to play with,” says Silas, one of our kid testers. “I like that it has a door or cabinets that really open or close. I like the dolls because they actually stand up on buttons!”
Lakeshore Learning Play & Explore Rover
Lakeshore Learning
Why It’s a Winner: If your children are just getting started in the moving-vehicle phase of toys, settle in, because it’s a long one. Giving them trucks with characters helps them grow beyond just spinning wheels to imaginative play. Lakeshore’s Learning Play & Explore Rover comes with two astronauts and a robot, giving kids the chance to create their own narratives for hours of play. The rover unfolds to reveal an entire cockpit full of tools, a command center, and a robot charging station. But the pieces aren’t so small that they’ll get lost in space. Overall, this toy is out of this world.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Editor Sugey Palomares loved everything about this toy. “There was no assembly required!” she raves. “It doesn’t make noise (yay), and my toddler really enjoys playing with
Nakira’s World Decoder Puzzle
Nakira’s World
Why It’s a Winner: Nakira’s World puzzles are not your average puzzle. Kids follow Nakira and her friends on a journey to explore STEM all around us. Each Decoder Puzzle comes with a companion story and two sets of 3D glasses. Kids will be extra motivated to complete the puzzle so they can put on the glasses and uncover the hidden mystery items in each illustrated scene. The Nature Hike Decoder Puzzle shows kids the creatures, plants, and tools the characters interact with, bringing STEM out of the laboratory and into play.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our editor’s loved that this was a Black-owned company that believes in the power of representation. Our kid-tester was already a fan of puzzles and loved the bonus of using the 3D glasses to find extra images after completing the puzzle.
Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe Eco
Micro Kickboard
Why It’s a Winner: A good scooter is often a much-beloved part of a child’s toy collection. The Mini Deluxe ECO scooter does one better: made from recycled fishing nets and plastic, it also allows you to take part in keeping plastics out of the oceans. Durable and sturdy, the Mini Deluxe Eco is easy to ride, giving kids the chance to focus on balancing and scooting without worrying about falling over. Designed for ages 2–5, it’s meant to last a long time, much like our planet.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Editor, Celeste Little, asked her 2-year-old: “Why do you like your scooter?” 2-year-old: “Because I want to ride it. Because I love it.”
Yoto Player
YOTO
Why It’s a Winner: Turns out, parents can have it all. The Yoto Player is a super cool cube-shaped speaker that uses physical cards to play audiobooks and music. In case that weren’t enough, it also includes a sleep trainer, clock, and nightlight. But the biggest draw here is that there’s no camera, microphone, or ads. And it’s so easy to use, even a 3-year-old can figure it out. The cards come in an extensive catalog of music, literature, and poetry, and the pixel display is a stylish touch. Your household will soon come to rely on it for a variety of reasons, making the Yoto Player the toy you didn’t know you needed.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our 5-year-old tester was immediately excited by the Yoto and loved how easy it was to play the Beatles all by himself. Our parent tester appreciated that nobody had to reach for a screen device to make the Yoto Player work.
Best Toys Awards 2022: Big Kid
Skillmatics Guess in 10: Marvel
Skillmatics
Why It’s a Winner: The best toys draw families in to play together. Guess in 10 is a wildly popular trivia game that invites interaction among players. In the special Marvel edition, players ask up to 10 questions to guess the Marvel character on the game card. Even casual Marvel fans will find it easy to participate, and those who do know the characters intimately will love the attention to detail. The box size is portable and travel-friendly, making it a nice addition to any road trip or situation where families are spending a lot of time together.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Parents gave kudos to the series of Skillmatics Guess in 10 games for its ability to get their kids to think while having fun. The latest Marvel version got immediate “woaaahhs” from the kid-testers, and they had a great time putting their Marvel knowledge to the test round after round. A must for any Marvel lover in your home.
Spin Master PixoBitz Studio
Pixobitz Studio
Why It’s a Winner: Many parents want to provide a home for their kids where crafts are always welcome. But even the most craft-aspirational among us don’t always welcome the messy aftermath. PixoBitz Studio is a creative, mess-free 3D crafting tool that requires minimal grownup assistance. Bitz are cube-shaped water beads that stick together to create shapes, animals, and characters. A handy carrying case makes for easy storage, and refills are available for hours of tinkering. This craft will be appreciated for the creative—yet tidy—freedom it provides for young minds.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Parents loved that this toy isn’t messy, since the aqua beads stick together with just water—this also helps kids feel like they’re creating something special. Also, because the drying time is long, it’s a nice exercise in patience for kids. Stella, age 7, says, “I like the carrying case of the Pixobitz, and all the fun characters I made to play with.”
Crayola Tie Dye Color Chemistry Lab Set
Crayola
Why It’s a Winner: Crayola’s Tie Dye version of its Color Chemistry Set that is sure to pack a wow factor with kids ages 7 and up. This kit is such a nifty cross section of science and art. And it comes with enough supplies and materials to do 50 experiments, which means you won’t be running around gathering all the random components yourself. Winning experiments include the volcano, slime, glow worms, and snow globe. Or kids are free to do their own thing, making this an awesome toy to give them a sense of accomplishment while having fun.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Editor Grace Bastidas said that while the activity does require a grownup’s help, it also offers hours of fun. And her daughter, age 9, said, “I like that this toy teaches you science and other stuff I didn’t already know. The slime I made was bubbly and transparent.”
Lego Classic 90 Years of Play
Lego
Why It’s a Winner: You simply cannot beat the simplicity of LEGOs. Quite possibly the greatest toy ever invented, LEGOs are the perfect gift for kids of all ages. The Classic 90 Years of Play box has everything budding LEGO masters need to make 15 iconic builds, plus tons of extra bricks for free play. Leave this set out in the living room and kids, parents, and other caretakers are bound to wander over at some point to dabble in the joy of LEGO.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Editor Amelia Edelman was relieved to have this LEGO set when she was working from home while her 7-year-old was out of school. “To say that it ‘saved the day’ would be an understatement—it saved multiple days!” she explains. “My son had so much fun creating, destroying, and recreating dozens of LEGO sculptures and settings.”
Jurassic World Dominion: Uncaged Ultimate Pyroraptor
Mattel
Why It’s a Winner: Lots of kids dream of having a pet dino, so now’s your chance to make that a reality. The Jurassic World Dominion Uncaged Ultimate Fire Dino is equal parts endearing and terrifying. The robot is robust and well-made, with three different modes: wild, play, and tame. The eyes change color depending on the mode, and each function requires a human interaction. For instance, when it’s in play mode, you rapidly tap its nose and it starts dancing. Kids will be rewarded for reading the instructions, or they can figure out the various training techniques as they go along. Dreams really do come true.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Writer Toby Lowenfels says her kids had never seen a toy like this—it was fun for all three of them (ages 4,7, 9). She was worried it’d be too scary, but her kids were too excited by the robot’s tricks to be scared.
Healthy Roots Dolls Curl Friends
Healthy roots
Why It’s a Winner: We’ve come a long way from Cabbage Patch dolls with their boring old yarn hair. Healthy Roots Dolls have gorgeously textured hair and stylish clothes to boot. The Black-owned business was started to provide representation and diversity, as well as to teach kids how to style and care for beautiful curly hair. The impeccably designed dolls have washable hair and can be ordered with a styling set that includes curlers, a spray bottle, brush, beads and hair clips. Gaina and Marisol are the latest addition to the party and will be an instant hit in any doll lover’s home.
What Our Parents and Kids Had to Say: Our kid tester was so excited: “I love it!” they said. “It’s brown just like me! And it has Black hair, just like me. That’s why I love it.”
Looking for a professional Christmas Light display you can drive through? KAG Contributors Lindy Wilson & Kristina Hernandez visited The Upstate Holiday Light Show and have all the information you need, from pricing to the extras you’ll find and what to expect.
Our contributors were provided with tickets in order to facilitate this review.
It’s pretty easy finding the speedway (since it’s on a race track, did I mention that? Car fans will love it!). We ended up backtracking from the west but if you take the 385 into downtown, just turn right on N. Academy which becomes the 123/ Calhoun Memorial Highway and the track is on your right, go past it for the main entrance. If you hit Hot Spot, you’ve gone too far. (See the route on Google maps)
You’ll want to tune your radio to the correct FM station for the accompanying holiday music because the show is synchronized. The lights dance to an ongoing playlist of classic and new Christmas carols. Don’t let the race car setting fool you- the lights are on par with some of the best I’ve seen. There are two stations – one is traditional Christmas music and the other is a more kid-friendly station (think more Frosty the Snowman). The kid’s station is 92.1FM and the traditional station is 104.3FM.
Admission is based on vehicle type/capacity, not the number of passengers. So going on your own is the same as a minivan full of kids. Large passenger vans and buses are extra. Carpooling is encouraged to save on costs per person. You can buy tickets in advance.
From most the attractions’ parking areas, you can sit to watch the lights if you want to linger. Otherwise, you can drive around the track as many times as you like. How often do you get to take the family on a ride around a race car track? The bleachers are completely covered with jumping lines of lights. Huge trees of holiday lights swirl and bounce in the center of the track. If you’ve only seen a glimpse from the road driving by, don’t count it out.
There are several light tunnels you get to drive through during the show, which is pretty fun.
One of the many light tunnels
This show is great but momentarily dims or explodes in brightness depending on the dramatics of the music. The sheer variety of colors and movement was astonishing. Resist thinking it’s not impressive if you just saw a few low lights in passing. The full brilliance of this display is only seen if watched for at least one or two songs, if not the whole playlist, which lasts about 30 minutes. You’ll want to squeeze it into your holiday plans. It was a great way for my family to kick off the season.
Other Things to Do at the Light Show
Upstate Holiday Lights Show also has small carnival rides and a petting zoo, with animals like kangaroos and donkeys, you can walk or drive through, so watch for that when you’re driving after the light show.
Petting zoo pre-COVID
Admission Fees to Upstate Holiday Light Show 2022
Cars, Minivans, Trucks, & SUVs – $35 Vans (up to 20 people) – $75 Buses (20+ people) – $100 FastPass – starts at $120, but varies depending on your FastPass time (Early Bird, Prime Time, or Night Owl) and vehicle type (only available Friday – Sunday). See the website site for detailed pricing.
Plan your own trip to see the show
800 Calhoun Memorial Highway Easley, SC 29642 864.295.5764 www.greenvillepickens.com Opens on Thanksgiving through December 31. Hours are Sunday – Thursday 6- 10 pm and Friday – Saturday 6 – 11 pm.
Has your family ever seen the Upstate Holiday Light Show?
I heard about bouneschlupp, a green bean soup hailing from Luxembourg, from my friend Juli. (She inspires me a lot in the kitchen, can you tell?) The first thing that came to mind when I heard the name is that it sounds like bone slurp, so I assumed it was a bone broth type thing, but nope.
It is a name meaning bean soup in Luxembourgish, which I didn’t know was its own language until I was doing research for this post. It’s kind of weird in my opinion that one of the smallest countries in the world (with only 2500 square kilometers) with only 600,000 residents has its own language. Luxembourgish is a Germanic language, but bean soup in German would be called bohnensuppe, and in Dutch, which is the closest language to Luxembourgish, bonen soep, so this bouneschlupp name is something unique to this tiny area of Europe. But I digress, kinda. I like nerding out on languages.
Though I based this soup off of various versions of bouneschlupp that I saw, it is in no way authentic, for two main reasons. Number one is that bouneschlupp pretty much always has bacon or sausage or both in it. That is basically the main reason that this is not bouneschlupp, it is vegetarian. The second reason is that the spice that very often gives bouneschlupp its flavor is summer savory, which I don’t have, so I didn’t use it. I used smoked paprika to give it the smokey bacon flavor, and I used consomme soup mix
This, therefore, is just inspired by bouneschlupp and it tastes great and is worth sharing, even if it isn’t authentic. Feel free to play around with it to make adjustments to suit what is in your house or what your family likes to make it yours.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/parents-best-toys-2022-2000x666-826430181b2b4ced874a79cb8c7cef29.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Kindred-Play-Group-GettyImages-1161635092-f4f56d8377954351b1dc58ead5534ff6.jpg)
