Because trouble comes in all sizes.
Vincent Daly 
The holiday season is back in full effect which means Toy buying stress for Moms and Dads is on the rise. Yet lucky for you, help has arrived just in the nick of time. Especially if you’re buying for kids ages 12 months to 4 years old.
There was a time in my childhood when board games were a fixture. Electronic gizmos didn’t come into the forefront for years to come and quite frankly, it didn’t matter. Whether playing a board game with my family or my friends, it was always an engaging social experience. The emotions expressed during gameplay ran the gamut ranging from focused intensity to side splitting belly laughs. Flash forward to the present, my life has come full circle as a parent. Despite the pervasiveness of the digital era, it’s still board games that bring families together. The latest example, ThinkFun’s Zingo! Sight Words.
The animated feature “Hotel Transylvania” from Sony Pictures Animation and director Genndy Tartakovsky, injects the classic horror monsters world with a fresh comedic take on the creatures of the night. Audiences have responded favorably to the movie resulting in a top position for weeks at the box office. Based on anticipated enthusiasm for the movie, Titan Books released “The Art and Making of Hotel Transylvania” by Tracey Miller-Zarneke. An inside look featuring concept art, character sketches, storyboards, digital art, interviews and more.
A child’s mind has a wonderful capacity for vivid flights of imagination. A shadow’s not simply a shadow but a giant robot from Planet X or maybe a mischievous bunny rabbit from the enchanted forest. Location as well as the time of day work in concert to prompt the types of imagery a kid will experience. Such is the case in children’s book “Ruby’s Sleepover” written by Kathryn White and illustrated by Miriam Latimer.
The 2012 New York Comic Con has beckoned the popular culture masses and they responded in droves. In my second year of coverage of the convention, my initial impression of the event was simply “whoa!” It was like an overwhelming palpable wave of energy had swept through the cavernous halls of the venerable Jacob Javits Convention Center. Music was blaring, cosplayers were out in force with intricately detailed costumes. as well as the endless hordes of vendors and exhibitors all working in concert to impart the attendees with an unforgettable experience.
The month of October is a perennial favorite for us at CuteMonster. Who could not love the allure of Autumn with its changing of the leaves and cool crispness in the air? Yet the big attraction for kids of all ages is Halloween. And after all the Trick or Treating’s done, there’s nothing better than a spine tingling film to top off the evening. We’ve compiled a great list of spooktacular Halloween movies sure to frighten and delight.
Rainy days can put a real damper on outdoor fun for kids of all ages. It’s true that puddle jumping can provide entertainment outdoors for kids during a light rain fall. Yet thunder storms as well as torrential rain storms with high winds are simply too hazardous. As a parent of young children the challenge lies in how to keep your active kids entertained indoors when the weather becomes too extreme outside. They’re bound to get cranky due to boredom unless you engage them with compelling activities. Therefore, the CuteMonster™ team has come up with a list of ideas to diminish the possibility of kids plunging into cabin fever meltdown.
For me, the word revolution has always conjured up images of violent epic battles fought for a noble cause. Revolutionaries would sacrifice nearly everything to ensure a better future for themselves and generations to follow. As for fatherhood, the revolution really begins from within. The battle waged is fought in the mind between one’s independent self and the father to be. Stress laden thoughts, sleepless nights, irrational fears and more can all be attributed to the enormous change an expectant father must attempt to grasp in a small window of time. Yet similar to every revolution, one moment in history can be traced to the life changing catalyst that sparked the call to action. For most Dads I would guess the revolution began not with a bang but rather the soft spoken words, “Honey, I’m pregnant.” [ Insert expectant Dad’s primal scream here]
Summer is a time for youth. As much as I hate to admit it, many years have passed since I stepped foot on a college campus. The Fall will be here before we know it. Soon students will be flocking back to school embracing exciting new discoveries, an abundance of social mingling and maybe even hitting the books. Unlike my college years, these students will also have to face a hidden danger, identity theft.