Harry Potter: The Exhibition™ Ends Historic Run In NYC With a Bang!

No need for a Time-Turner! Harry Potter: The Exhibition™ has extended its run in New York City for the final time until August 11, 2024 with lots of exciting magical moments in store for fans! 

We got to experience Harry Potter: The Exhibition in October 2023, and we are so happy the Exhibition is here to stay until summer 2024! We had such an amazing time! Check out my Know Before You Go post where it cites lots of helpful tips to help make your experience even more magical. 

A full year has passed, and there have been new additions to Harry Potter: The Experience making its finale run extraordinary. 

Adult Muggles and Wizards Only

Need a night away from the kids? Do you relate to Professor Umbridge and just have a natural dislike for children? Enjoy a quiet evening with the After Hours Night on select nights through July 2024. This special evening is exclusive to guests 18 and over, this offering includes a complimentary beverage, cocktail (with proper 21+ ID), mocktail or soda and snack before they can explore the exhibition at their own pace.  The After Hours Nights are May 16, June 20 and July 18, 2024 from 6 - 9 PM EST, so book your evening of fun and everything Harry Potter now! Check out my videos featuring Harry Potter: The Exhibition to get a sneak peek of what to expect.  

Sensory Inclusive Experience

My nephew has Sensory Processing Disorder, so I have witnessed firsthand what can happen when he gets overly sensitive to stimuli. Even though I found the Harry Potter: The Exhibition to be quite relaxing and emitting just enough light to cure the senses, this experience may affect our SPD friends differently. To manage this, Harry Potter: The Exhibition™ has partnered with KultureCity® which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating sensory-inclusive experiences for individuals. Harry Potter fans with sensory processing disorders can now enjoy the experience without interruption any time. The exhibition also has been certified as KultureCity®’s Sensory Inclusive™ site guaranteeing all visitors the opportunity to enjoy a more sensory-inclusive journey at any time. In addition to sensory-friendly experiences for all, a new accommodation was implemented to the exhibition called "Sensory Sundays" that guarantees an enjoyable experience. If you go on "Sensory Sundays," you can expect to find sound and lighting adjustments,  KultureCity® Sensory Bags, reduced capacity, minimized smells and sounds, and quiet spaces throughout the galleries.  

KultureCity® Sensory Bags will also be readily available, equipped with strobe reduction glasses, noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, and other items aimed at reducing sensory overload and encouraging engagement with the exhibits. 

Sensory Sundays at Harry Potter: The Exhibition will occur every first Sunday of the month from 9-11 AM EST on May 5, June 2, July 14 and August 4, 2024.

Must-See Tourist Attraction! 

New York City is a city that never sleeps, and even though this exhibition is not 24 hours a day, it is available to visit seven days per week. Nestled in the heart of Herald Square, NYC, there are plenty of things to do. 

Here's a sample morning and afternoon for NYC visitors from a real New Yorker!

• Buy a timed ticket online for Harry Potter: The Exhibition (for parties of four - family 4-pack tickets are $20 per ticket + tax = $108.88). Allow yourself about 2-3 hours to experience the galleries and gift shop. Time will fly by! Trust me! I would recommend that you purchase an 11 AM ticket. We walked around the gift shop for an hour alone! There are a lot of exclusive items that you will not be able to get anywhere else!
• If you wake up early, you can walk around the city before the commuters arrive. You'll see some joggers, bikers, and the homeless hanging around, but no one will bother you. Keep looking up - do not look down at your phone. **Have a destination in place before you leave your hotel.** Stay to the right when walking to keep the flow of traffic moving. 
• Get breakfast at a NYC diner -- I recommend Tick Tock Diner for a classic NYC diner (big portions and really good food!), or if you want an elevated dining experience, then check out Friedman's Herald Square)
• Head to Harry Potter: The Exhibition to line up for your timed ticket. There's a 30-minute window, so don't rush!-
• After the experience, check out Macy's windows, and visit the seventh floor to see the new Toys R Us store inside of Macy's! 
• Since you're in the center of it all, you can head to Times Square up 34th Street, stay on Sixth Avenue and walk toward Bryant Park (42nd), and if you walk up further, you will find Rockefeller Center (FAO Schwarz and Nintendo World NYC are there!). You can grab ca quick lunch at the Shops at Rockefeller Center. It's going to be busy, so maybe skip lunch! Then head to 5th Avenue to see iconic Saks Fifth Avenue, and visit the new LEGO store! 
• Depending on where you end up, try and finish your afternoon at Central Park. Take photos à la Kevin McAllister in front of The Plaza, and then take a walk through the park to take magical photos using all of the cool merch that you picked up at Harry Potter: The Exhibition!

Are you going to visit Harry Potter: The Exhibition in New York before it closes August 11, 2024? When you go, you'll join two million guests across seven cities who also got to play Quidditch, activate a portkey, see Mad-Eye Moody's eyeball in Umbridge's office door, get sorted by the Sorting Hat, see real movie props and clothing, and so much more! 

The interactive, record-breaking exhibition created and developed by Imagine Exhibitions, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, and EMC Presents, is conveniently located in the heart of Herald Square in Midtown on the corner of 34th and 6th Ave and is easily accessible via Penn Station, Port Authority, or subway. 

Buy your timed tickets or flex tickets now before this show is gone from New York City forever! Let me know in the comments if you have visited Harry Potter: The Exhibition.

 

Toy Reveal! New Bluey Toys Summer 2023 with Shopping Links {Amazon Affiliate Links}

Bluey toys update fellow Bluey fans! Moose Toys has bestowed upon us more Bluey toys for growing collection of our favorite pups from Brisbane. Get ready for the feels, because these new Bluey toys are pulled right from the screen to your toy box.

In addition to the Hammerbarn play set (see my previous Bluey blog) coming out this summer 2023, we have new beach play sets slated to release this fall (or this spring for our Aussie friends). Have a look below, and leave a comment with your favorite set. Keep this page bookmarked and follow me on social media for more updates to this page, and for more Bluey-related news!

**This post contains affiliate links.**

The new Bluey toys slated to be released this year give us a glimpse in the long-awaited season three of Bluey! New episodes of Bluey will be released on Disney+ and other channels on July 12, 2023. 

Bluey and the Heeler crew are on the move in your living room! New vehicle sets will make playscapes larger giving kids even more room for imaginative play!

Bingo’s Helicopter is new vehicle being added to the fleet of Bluey toys. This imaginative set includes Bingo and accessories to bring the episode, Escape, to life! Available now on Amazon for $14.99.

Beach Quad with a surfboard, Bandit wearing sunglasses, and a cool quad. Another new vehicle in the Bluey line, I’m not quite sure which episode this play set celebrates, so let me know in the comments below! Hopefully, we’ll find out soon. Available on Amazon now for $14.99.

There will be a release of two new figure 4-packs celebrating various episodes and new poses and facial expressions. 

Pass the Parcel set includes Lucky’s Dad (Pat), Lila, Bluey, and Bingo bringing to life the heartwarming and nostalgic episode Pass the Parcel. Poor Pat was just doing the right thing in teaching kids how to accept disappointment. My son, Rocco, isn’t a fan of this episode because he’s still little. I think each time he watches it though, he learns the power of acceptance a little more. It’s tough being a kid! Available now on Amazon for $15.99.

Family Beach Day figure set includes Bandit, Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo all dressed in beachwear. Order on Amazon now! $14.99

Bluey & Family figure set is still available if you're looking for just the Heeler family. You can find this set on Amazon now for $14.99. 

Hammerbarn play set is a multi-story toy based off of the store of the Bluey episode of the same name, Hammerbarn. You can buy this amazing playset now on Amazon for $89.99.

Bluey’s Beach Cabin is a fun play set that includes different rooms for pretend play. It includes 10 accessories plus a Bluey figure! Plus you get a pool-like area where you can fill with real water just like the original Pool play set. Available now on Amazon for $34.99.

As reported back in March, there will also be a new game to be released this summer celebrating the episode Keepy Uppy. This endearing game will keep preschoolers and Bluey fans totally engaged!

Bluey Keepy Uppy game takes the one of the first Bluey episodes and puts it on the gaming table! Try to keep the motorized balloon up to win! Available in July or August 2023. Shopping link coming soon!

What do you think of the new sets? Will you be watching new episodes of Bluey this July? Let me know in the comments! As always, stay in tune without wandering and reporting about toys and other family joys! 

This post contains affiliate links. 

Family-Friendly Spring Break 2022 at the Strong Museum in Rochester, New York

The Strong National Museum of Play is home to wonderful exhibits and is the ultimate destination for children of all ages! Starting April 15, 2022, The Strong Museum partnered up with The Spirograph brand to help them celebrate 57 years of creative play! Set aside some creative time for a visit during Spring break and explore the wonderful world of play at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York!

How to Make a Homemade Fidget Pop-It Craft

Perusing Pinterest there are these satisfying videos of DIY POP ITs that are always on my feed. Their videos are so much fun to watch, but they rarely include where to find the tools to make these DIY Pop-It fidgets. I dug through my craft bin (okay, it’s like a series of giants tote bins) to find the tools to test out! 

During our snow day, I showed my kids how crafty and cool I am using this heated foam technique. It’s really easy, you just need the right tools. The supplies are things that I already have in my craft box and the kids’ toy box, so it didn’t cost me anything extra. I have the supply list below, along with alternatives, and some tips! There are also affiliate links there too, so feel to click through at no cost to you. 

Overall, I would say this craft was a success. My sons were pretty impressed, so that for me alone, makes me happy. 

How to make them!

Pick your Pop-It shape. Both of my boys love animals, so it was a no brainer they each chose an elephant and pig. The elephant we made looks a little bit like a koala, but we decided it is a hybrid.

Cut your shapes out first. 

You’re going to need two main pieces (like the face of the pig, for example). You need this because the pop-it needs support, plus you want to cover up the mess in the back. You will need to also create holes for the pop-its on all of the shapes because the pop-it has to push through all the way. I mapped out the first one and cut it to create a template. If you watch my short video, you can see the process. 

Then create the pop it using the foam. 

Cut a piece of foam, I would suggest cutting a larger piece make the pop-it. Heat the foam first. Then quickly place the ball or marble on one side of the foam, and then place the cap of the glue stick on the other side to push through. The beauty of this foam is that you can flatten it again if you’re not happy with your first pop-it. Trust me, there was a lot of trial and error. 

Put it all together!

Take your shapes and start cutting out the holes for where you’re placing the pop-its. We chose the eyes and snout for the pig. For the elephant, I decided to add a sensory tube to it to help its overall look. My son Rocco loved it, and Marcello was very impressed! Our kaola-phant was definitely taking shape!

Have that glue gun ready to start gluing it all together. You can add eyelashes to the eyes, or if you want to use white foam for the eyes you can draw pupils on with a sharpie. Have fun with it! 

Test it out. You definitely don’t get the satisfying pop-it sound. I was satisfied though, because crafting and having fun with my kiddos makes me happy! I think you will be too!

See my blog for full instructions, or just shop this video here! 

DIY POP IT Supplies

You can find a lot of these supplies in your home already, at the Dollar Tree, and Michael’s. I made notes on each below.

• Heat sealer https://amzn.to/3rVl51C you could try and use a hot iron for this, but protect the iron’s surface and don’t set it too hot. I did not try this idea, so let me know in the comments if it works for you. 
• Foam sheets https://amzn.to/3rd1MSe (you can also find this at the Dollar Tree)
• Card stock  https://amzn.to/3raQQo1 (check Dollar Tree or Michael’s too)
• Scissors https://amzn.to/3geteIQ (just in case you don’t have scissors!)
• Hot glue gun https://amzn.to/3s2we0D (Dollar Tree sometimes has Hot Glue Guns)
• Extra hot glue sticks https://amzn.to/34jQHWu (Always buy at the Dollar Tree)
• Marble or any small ball like an 1/2 in diameter 
• Glue stick https://amzn.to/34hhNgX (they sell this every where, you will definitely need the lid to help shape your Pop-It Pops)
• Different shapes to trace out your paper like a tin can, jar lid, shaped puzzle pieces, whatever you can find at home. Animals are easiest to create with different shapes!
• Optional: use a fidget sensory tube to add a nose to an elephant! https://amzn.to/3o9N9xe

New Toy Reveal Big G Creative Gets Spooky With New Twist On Murder Mystery Board Game GHOSTED!

GHOSTED! This new board game is more than someone ignoring your DMs! 

GHOSTED is a fun new game by Big G Creative featuring a whole new way to solve a classic WHODUNNIT style game—the twist is that you’re dead and you have to solve your own murder! 

GHOSTED is perfect for a family game night or a game just for adults! Either way, you play you’re going to have a lot of laughs. The suspects are truly suspect and are ripped from the streets of modern-day society! From toilet paper hoarders to gaming influencers to busybodies—this game has a lot of character in the characters themselves.

The packaging is vibrant and has a spooky vibe to go along with the murderous storyline! The motives for murder are hilarious; I didn't know that being an excellent karaoke singer is a motive for murder. You can also be murdered with wacky weapons like a pickleball paddle! I love that game! The package is really nicely designed, so it is going to look great on display on your bookshelf or when stored with games. 

You can buy GHOSTED in-store and online at Target for $19.99. 

Full unboxing and how to play the game is up on my YouTube channel now! 

Storypod An Adventure in Storytelling! Interactive Storytelling STEM Toy COUPON CODE!

Imagination! Adventure! Stories!! On the go! Toddler-proof and parent-approved, Storypod is the ultimate parenting hack of 2021! Storypod is already a winner of a Mom's Choice Award Honoring Excellence. The creators of Storypod really want your children to experience this amazing way to tell stories so there are so many ways to save on this set! 

 

Storypod is an innovative device that takes the magic of storytelling to a whole new level. Each Storypod comes complete with USB charging cable, book, and plushies, so stories can be told right out of the box!

My three year old son LOVES Storypod! 

Storypod is a great gift, especially for siblings!

For a limited time, readers of mine will get 10% of their Storypod purchase using coupon code: PLAYLIVEREPEAT There is also a referral program to give $25 and get $25 toward your Storypod. You can also save $10 on your first order by signing up with your email address. Purchase your Storypod directly to take advantage of these money saving perks, or purchase from Amazon where you will also get an additional $10 off making the Storypod Starter Kit only $89.99!

Storypod is the perfect gift for a child of any age as it encourages their imagination to really explore what's outside of a digitized world. With Storypod playtime becomes a stimulating and creative experience, and at bedtime, your kids will love bringing Storypod to bed! 

What's included with the Storypod Starter Kit?

The Storypod starter kit comes with everything that you need to get started including a USB charger, two Craftie plush, a storybook, and the Storypod! The battery is rechargeable and has a handy lanyard for easy transport—ahem—even toddler transport. Charge the Storypod, download the app, connect to your WiFi, and the adventure can begin!

iCraftie Owl

The two crafties included is one is iCraftie Owl and a Craftie Fox. Each Craftie plush has magnets at the bottom so they don’t fall off of the Storypod while in motion. Even if the plushies get removed, the story doesn’t stop, so kids can interact with their Storypod even while it’s telling the story. At the end of the story session, you can also activate a question session to see if they were able to comprehend the story. Storypod is very interactive and would make a great gift that can be used for pretty much anything like bedtime, storytime, or even a long car ride! Think your kids weren’t listening? 

Want a more personalized storytime experience?! No problem! 

iCraftie Owl is capable of storing 100 minutes of your own voice via the Storypod app! That’s like 10 stories that you can prerecord and play for your child. Since Storypod connects to its free app, you can give family and friends access to record their own voice on the app, so your child can hear a story personalized from friends and family near or far!

Use Storypod to help engage children in listening and absorbing information! I’m using this as a great tool to incorporate circle time as my three-year-old son has yet to experience any type of in-person schooling yet.

One of many colors to choose from! 

Need more accessories? No problem!

Enhance your Storypod experience with a collection of more adorable Craftie plush dolls that can sing songs, tell nursery rhymes, and more. Each Storypod kit comes with a blue sleeve, but there are more colors to purchase.  

If you don’t have time to sit with your kiddos during Storypod play, no worries— there are 90-100 minutes of solid screenless storytime! My children figured out how to record their voice and they spent about two hours playing with the Storypod just doing that. 

Pudgy Pig Craftie is adorable and has a vast playlist of nursery rhymes and sonngs!

For a limited time, readers of mine will get 10% of their Storypod purchase using coupon code: PLAYLIVEREPEAT.