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December 24th, 2009

Let Someone Else Read to Your Kids

Vintage recordings encourage imagination, while you save your voice

Do you have fond memories of sitting next to your orange Fisher-Price record player, listening to story albums like “The Rescuers” or “The Story of Star Wars” over and over? Now kids can relive the experience, thanks to a few children’s storybook collectors Read more

December 15th, 2009

Attack of the Japanese Paper Robots

These crafty creatures will delight both kids and parents

How many times have you bought something for one of your kids because, secretly, it was you that really wanted it? Well, get ready to do it again.

While vinyl collectible toys (from the likes of Kid Robot) have been popular for a while, PIPEROIDs are the only Japanese robots made Read more

December 10th, 2009

Why is Santa’s Nose So Red?

Awesomely strange photos show shopping mall Santas of another era

Nowadays, when taking the kids to see Santa, there’s a level of quality you’ve come to expect. The Santas all have real white beards, sport fresh-pressed red velvet outfits, and sit in front of perfectly decorated trees that put Martha Stewart to shame. Sit the kids on the jolly man’s lap? Of course! Santa has surely been Read more

December 8th, 2009

Make Your Own Muppet

Whatnot Workshop lets you channel your inner Jim Henson

Sure, everybody knows about Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and the rest of The Muppet Show’s big-name stars, but let’s salute the unsung heroes of the show: the Whatnots. These hard-working Muppets were the wacky-looking extras that appeared in the Read more

December 3rd, 2009

Meals For Nothing (and Your Chips For Free)

New apps make dining long on conversation, short on price

Does this sound familiar? You’re trying to save money, but suddenly it’s 6pm, the kids are getting hungry, and no one’s even thought about what’s for dinner. So, the options are either braving Day Three of those reheated pasta leftovers, or trying to find a good, quick place to eat where they won’t roll their eyes at your, um, enthusiastic brood. Read more

December 1st, 2009

Lose All Your Baggage

A simple way to help you become the Dad you want to be

For new and about-to-be Dads, there’s a whole crop of books that offer monumental statements (“It’ll be the greatest adventure of your life!”) mixed in with a few funny Hey-I’m-doing-the-best-I-can stories. While the overall quality of Read more