We know what you’re thinking: Your cozy (read: small) backyard is too tight for the kids to play regular lawn games. If that’s the case, try more compact games like checkers, Jenga, and tic-tac-toe with sweet summery painted rocks as game pieces (talk about inexpensive!). Not only are these a blast to play, but the whole family can get in on the DIY game-making action.
If you’re lucky enough to enjoy a sprawling property big enough for a kids playhouse and more, you might go for outdoor games for kids that require wide open spaces, such as a football toss, a giant lawn matching game, or miniature golf with a full course. Set up a collection of games carnival-style (with prizes for the kids!) for a neighborhood get-together or family reunion.
So get your space out back in shape with best backyard ideas that won’t break the bank, and prepare for some good ol’ competition with these fun, kid-friendly DIY outdoor games. Last one inside wins!
Giant Lawn Matching Games
$19.07
Customize these durable squares with any pictures or patterns you like. If you’re into the summer-themed version shown here, this blogger includes downloadable stencils in her tutorial to re-create your own.
Make your own game of corn hole, and paint the board with fun and bright colors to match your style. Make your own bean bags by sewing together some squares of fabric and filling them with dried beans or lentils, or buy them in a colorway that matches your boards.
Sure, it’s about the food! But Thanksgiving also means showing everyone you love just how grateful you are for having them in your life. Maybe someone you know had an especially tough year (and haven’t we all?), and you want to cheer them up. Or maybe it’s time to say thanks to all the unsung heroes in your life, from your kid’s teacher to the mail carrier.
If you’re a guest at someone’s house this time of year, don’t forget to bring along a little something for your host or hostess to show how much you appreciate their hard work to pull together the Thanksgiving menu (C’mon! You know your grandma wouldn’t want you to show up empty-handed!). These gifts, big and small, make lovely acknowledgements of each person’s special place in your world. Add a handwritten card with one of our favorite Thanksgiving quotes or Thanksgiving Bible verses for the perfect finishing touch. Whether it’s something for the amazing home cook, the wine lover, the baker, and more, we have something special to give to anyone you want to say “thank you” to this time of year.
Tired of bringing the same old bottle of wine to every holiday party? Mix it up and consider arriving in style with a case of this organic sparkling water infused with tea and botanicals. The packaging is fun and festive and the company donates a portion of their sales to organizations that fight for better nutrition and food access, so you can feel good about your gift from more than just the bubbles.
The top-rated blenders for every budget (and smoothie!).
Whether you’re whirling up bananas and berries for smoothies or making a pitcher of frozen margaritas, a quality blender should be able to process your ingredients into smooth, creamy perfection. In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab, we’ve tested more than 75 blenders over the years to find these high-performance blenders.
To test these blenders over the years, we ground about 10 pounds of whole coffee beans, blended nearly 30 pounds of frozen strawberries, and pulverized over 2,000 ice cubes. We also made kale smoothies, milkshakes, and frozen drinks. When testing, we rate the helpfulness of the owner’s manual and evaluate how easy each model is to assemble, use, and clean. We also consider how noisy each blender is while operating.
Finally, we check how well blenders resist staining from tomato sauce, and measure the damage after 14 cycles in the dishwasher. These are the best blenders you can buy in 2020, according to a combination of testing and in-home use.
3X Bluicer Pro
$399.95
We love this smart combination appliance for blending or juicing! The juicer attachment works just like Breville’s popular centrifugal juicer that performed very well in our juicer test – it juiced apples, carrots, kale, and celery without any pulp. It aced our separation test in which we store the juice in the fridge for three days to see if and how much the juices separate. The blender is powerful and makes thick smoothies. In our tests, we had to experiment with the blender speed to achieve drinkable smoothies.
This highly popular Cuisinart blender/food processor combo has a low-profile 40-ounce glass jar, which has the benefit of not discoloring, scratching or absorbing food smells like a plastic jar may. This 500-watt blender is not the most high-powered. It features seven blending and processing options that are clearly marked and easy to use. We love that it comes with a compact food processor for chopping, stirring, and even shredding. All parts are dishwasher-safe.
This well-priced and high-powered blender comes with three jars: a 64-ounce pitcher for large batches, and two different personal-sized cups (32 ounces and 24 ounces with a handle.) Both cups have lids that make it easy to take your smoothie to-go. It features an “extract” button that blends smoothies in preprogrammed variable speeds. We blended kale smoothies in all three jars – there were no flecks to be tasted! It also blasted through frozen strawberries effortlessly to make a delicious, evenly processed daiquiri. The base is not much larger than previous NutriBullet bases and it has suction cups on the bottom that reliably prevent it from shifting around. Just remember to unscrew the personal blending cups from the base instead of the cups–it’s easy to accidentally make a mess.
It’s officially summer and you know what that means — it’s time to break out the warm weather essentials. While you’re stocking up on sunscreen and sun hats to protect your skin this summer, there’s also another important area that needs protection: your eyes!
Sunglasses are a fun and easy way to express your style. With so many different colors, sizes and styles out there, there’s no shortage of options to choose from. Why not take eye protection one step further? That’s where polarized sunglasses come in.
Wowsun Polarized Sunglasses
$ 15.99
Don’t be afraid to try sunglasses with bold colors and prints like these yellow leopard print frames with purple lenses from Wowsun! There are 14 different color and pattern combinations for single pairs and 18 options for packs of two.
These semi-rimless frames are an Amazon bestseller and it’s easy to see why. They have UV400 protection to keep your eyes safe and come in plenty of styles and colors.
If you’re going for a more retro look, try these sunglasses with a rounded frame. They are made with TR90, a durable and lightweight thermoplastic material that comfortably conforms to your face. You can choose from over a dozen available options.
These toys and books are targeted for the skills 1-year-olds are currently developing.
It can be tough to find the best gifts for children, but finding the best gift for a 1-year-old might be easier than you think: It’s that age when the box really can be more exciting than the toy inside.
That’s because favorite activities at age 1 include pushing and pulling, putting things together and taking them apart, and — yes — moving things in and out of boxes.
1-year-olds moving on from baby toys are also practicing speaking and recognizing rhymes, so they’re primed for books that teach words or engage them with lifting flaps. In toys, look for a variety of textures they can explore with their hands, said Marie Conti, the head of The Wetherill School in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and a board member of the American Montessori Society.
Great for kids as young as 6 months who are teething. But 1-year-olds can also learn animals, shapes, fruit, patterns and more with these soft, durable, chewable, stackable blocks.
Attending a wedding soon? These sweet dresses are perfect for every type of ceremony.
Whether your upcoming event takes place at noon in a garden or just before an evening reception, we’ve rounded up some of the best dresses for wedding guests to wear to any special occasion this spring.
There’s nothing more beautiful than a spring wedding, and as beautiful as the bride is bound to look, there’s no shame in wanting to look your best, too.
Whether your upcoming event takes place at noon in a garden or just before an evening reception, we’ve rounded up some of the best dresses for wedding guests to wear to any special occasion this spring.
From plus sized to petite, from silky cocktail dress to flowing maxis, we’ve got all springtime wedding guests covered with this guide to looking event-ready.
CHECK THESE OUT
Mango Floral Print Dresses
$39.99
This short-sleeved floral dress is romantic enough for any kind of wedding. Its shorter length makes it a great dress to pair with some vibrant heels.
Toddlers and plane rides aren’t exactly the perfect combination.
In fact, it’s more of a perfect storm—enclosed space, tons of strangers in close proximity, pressure changes, etc. You get the picture and have also likely experienced traveling with your toddler first hand, so you know it can be quite a daunting experience.
There are tons of articles dedicated to traveling with toddlers, including packing lists, advice and tips. Of course, you’re going to want to bring tons of snacks and perhaps a tablet, but there are also lots of fun, engaging plane toys that are easy to pack.
We’ve rounded up 12 of the best plane toys for toddlers that are not only super entertaining but will also spark their imagination, help them develop fine motor skills and even help them learn a thing or two about STEM.
Toddlers can learn to button, snap, zip and tie with this awesome plush toy by Playskool. This toy is great for practicing fine motor skills and also makes a fun travel buddy.
Musical toys are great for keeping kids entertained, but not so great for the adults who have to listen to them play over and over again. This Mozart Magic Cube is actually soothing and encourages toddlers to put together sounds and music to create their own masterpiece. There is even a low volume setting perfect for plane rides.
This cloth activity book has built-in handles and includes fun first activities like buttoning, buckling, peek-a-boo, counting, matching and telling time. The soft material makes it easy to pack in a carry on or toddler backpack.
The “Without Me” singer reportedly gave birth to her first child, Ender Ridley Aydin, on July 14. Today, she posted heartwarming black-and-white photos of her holding Ender in her arms as her screenwriter boyfriend Alev Aydin looks on, along with a breastfeeding photo.
“Gratitude. For the most ‘rare’ and euphoric birth. Powered by love,” Halsey captioned.
When accessorizing a home office, library or a stylish coffee table, nothing says sophistication quite like a home chess set.
A basic chess set is easy to come by, but what about something a bit more special, something that is as unique as you and your home? This collection of unique chess boards and glamorous pieces offers up some great conversation starters-and some real bank-breakers!
This Wobble chess set offers up a novel and animated approach to the classically reserved game. Each square of the board is curved to contain the jiggling pieces.
Gender reveal parties can make that moment even more special by getting friends and family in on the surprise in a festive setting.
There are no rules when it comes to gender reveals, so you can feel free to play around with different ways to announce the news, as well as different party games and themes. If you’re a sports fan, you can dunk, kick, or throw a ball filled with pink or blue powder to declare your baby’s sex. If you’re a Potterhead, let the infamous Sorting Hat make the big reveal. Or, if you’re not into the whole pink and blue color motif, consider a black and yellow “What Will It Bee?” theme. Even if you’re not up for throwing a party, you can still share the big news with friends and family in a fun, creative way by planning a gender reveal photoshoot.
Make your gender reveal party a little sweeter with a delicious, candy-filled cake! When you cut into the cake, blue or pink M&Ms will spill out to artfully reveal whether you’re having a boy or a girl.
Will it be a little Jon Snow or little Daenerys Targaryen? This color-changing dragon egg would fit right in at a Game of Thrones-themed gender reveal party.
