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3 Tips for Creating a Summer of Unplugged Fun

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(Family Features) Between school, work and entertainment, there are times when screens can seem like a pervasive part of modern life. For all the positive aspects of technology, there can also be a desire for children to have stretches of unplugged learning and participate in educational activities that do not require a screen.

Why Unplugged Learning Matters
“Unplugged learning is important to balance the screen time children may experience with other forms of learning; to promote physical activities, social interaction and creativity; and develop the essential skills that bolster them throughout their exploration and growth as individuals,” said Rurik Nackerud from KinderCare’s education team.

Summer can be an ideal time to focus on unplugged learning as it often brings a break from the traditional academic year and activities.

“We want summer to be a time when children can put down technology and connect with one another face-to-face, build important creativity skills and learn how to be social with one another without the buffer of screens,” said Khy Sline from KinderCare’s education team. “They can play, run, be immature and laugh with their friends, giggle at the silly things and find joys in those in-person interactions with one another.”

Tips for Creating Unplugged Fun as a Family

  1. Get Outdoors. Make time as a family to get outside and explore, even if it’s simply a walk around the block after dinner. Help children notice the little things like a bug on the sidewalk or the way the sun filters through tree leaves to make patterns on the ground. Ask them about the things they see and give your children the space to ask questions and work together to find the answers. This helps teach children collaborative learning skills: asking questions, sharing ideas and working together to reach an answer.
     
  2. Read Together. This could mean going to the library to check out new books or exploring your family’s bookshelves for old favorites. Snuggle up together for family story time. If children are old enough to read on their own, invite them to read to you or their younger siblings. Talk about the story or even act out favorite parts to help your children actively participate in story time, which may help them better understand the story’s concepts.
     
  3. Encourage Creative Thinking. Help children expand their ability to think creatively by working together to make a craft or project. For example, the next time a delivery box arrives at your home, encourage your children to turn it into something new using craft supplies on hand. A blanket could turn a box into a table for a pretend restaurant while some tape or glue could transform it into a rocket ship or train. When everyone’s done creating and playing, the box can be broken down for recycling. This activity can help children literally think outside of the box and apply their own unique ideas and creativity to create something new.

For more tips to encourage unplugged learning this summer, visit kindercare.com.

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    Rebecca Jo is a mother of four and is a creative soul from Phoenix, Arizona, who also enjoys new adventures. Rebecca Jo has a passion for the outdoors and indulges in activities like camping, fishing, hunting and riding roller coasters. She is married to Rod Washington View all posts


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Rebecca Jo is a mother of four and is a creative soul from Phoenix, Arizona, who also enjoys new adventures. Rebecca Jo has a passion for the outdoors and indulges in activities like camping, fishing, hunting and riding roller coasters. She is married to Rod Washington

Entertainment

Is Six Flags Selling Some of Their Theme Parks Post-Merger?

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Six Flags

Recently, there have been significant developments in the amusement park industry, particularly concerning the newly formed Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Following the merger of Six Flags and Cedar Fair, which was completed on July 1, 2024, the newly integrated company has announced an initiative known as Project Accelerate. This initiative aims to enhance operational efficiency and guest satisfaction, but it also raises an important question: Is Six Flags considering selling some of its theme parks?

According to a post on Attractions Magazine, Six Flags is prioritizing “portfolio optimization” as one of its key objectives. This objective entails conducting a “comprehensive review” of its parks to evaluate the potential divestiture of non-core assets. In simpler terms, Six Flags is looking at its current roster of parks and may consider selling some to reduce debt and streamline operations. This strategy could lead to a reduced number of parks under the Six Flags banner as they focus on their core offerings.

Six Flags currently operates 27 amusement parks and 15 water parks across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, including renowned locations like Cedar Point in Ohio and Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. The merger has created a larger entity with greater resources, but it also necessitates a strategic approach to ensure long-term success.

In their quarterly earnings call on November 6, 2024, Six Flags outlined several key objectives under Project Accelerate:

  1. Enhanced Guest Experience: Investing in improving the overall guest experience to increase demand.
  2. Margin Expansion: Identifying efficiencies to drive profit margins.
  3. Disciplined Capital Allocation: Focusing on smart investments to maximize each park’s potential.
  4. IT System Integration: Harmonizing technology across the company to enhance the guest experience.
  5. Portfolio Optimization: Reviewing parks to identify which may be sold or divested.

In addition to these objectives, Six Flags presented an eight-point playbook aimed at driving long-term success. This playbook highlights the importance of guest satisfaction, strategic capital investment, and maintaining a “comfortably crowded” atmosphere in parks to boost revenue.

Changes at Six Flags

As Six Flags navigates this new chapter, it will be interesting to see how the company balances its commitment to enhancing guest experiences with the potential sale of some of its attractions. For fans and visitors of Six Flags, this could mean changes in their favorite parks, but it also presents an opportunity for the company to focus on its core strengths and improve the overall quality of its offerings.

In conclusion, while the future of specific parks remains uncertain, the emphasis on portfolio optimization suggests that Six Flags is serious about evaluating its assets. Whether this leads to the sale of some parks will depend on various factors, including market conditions and operational efficiencies.

Links for More Information:

Stay tuned for more updates as Six Flags continues to evolve in this competitive industry landscape!

Looking for an entertainment experience that transcends the ordinary? Look no further than STM Daily News Blog’s vibrant Entertainment section. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of indie films, streaming and podcasts, movie reviews, music, expos, venues, and theme and amusement parks. Discover hidden cinematic gems, binge-worthy series and addictive podcasts, gain insights into the latest releases with our movie reviews, explore the latest trends in music, dive into the vibrant atmosphere of expos, and embark on thrilling adventures in breathtaking venues and theme parks. Join us at STM Entertainment and let your entertainment journey begin! https://stmdailynews.com/category/entertainment/

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Entertainment

Altitude Trampoline Park Announces Exclusive Partnership With Intelliplay

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Altitude Trampoline Park

Premier Family-Friendly Entertainment Launches State-of-the-Art Technology Feature, Intellibands, in Two Parks With Additional Roll-Outs Coming Soon

DALLAS /PRNewswire/ — Altitude Trampoline Park, the leading family-friendly entertainment franchise, announced today its exclusive partnership with Intelliplay, Inc., a brand that is revolutionizing the indoor family entertainment industry with a patented smart wristband and gamification platform. This partnership will introduce Intellibands to Altitude Trampoline Park locations, offering cutting-edge technology designed to elevate the park experience for guests and improve overall park management for operators.

The Intelliplay system, featuring the Intelliband, aims to increase satisfaction for both guests and franchisees. Intellibands are advanced rubber wristbands equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Key benefits of this technology include immediate identification of guests with expired jump time, gathering precise location and tracking data, increasing guest engagement through leaderboards and other gamified elements, and providing a convenient method to make purchases that grow overall revenue.

Replacing standard paper wristbands, Altitude staff will now perform check-ins through Intelliplay, scanning the Intelliband to link it to each guest’s ticket. This process ensures guests’ Intelliband lights up appropriately, allowing for seamless entry into the park. Staff can also monitor guest locations in real-time through a park map view.

Guests can look forward to several exciting features, including leaderboards. These allow kids to compete and earn points, making each visit to Altitude more engaging. Additionally, parents receive text notifications when their child’s time is about to expire, with a simple process to extend the time via phone. Intellibands also alert staff and parents if a child attempts to leave the facility, further ensuring safety and security in the park.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Intellibands to our parks. Altitude has been a trailblazer in the family entertainment industry, but this partnership with Intelliplay allows us to enhance our system by creating a new cornerstone for innovative technology, indoor activity, and fun that makes visits to our parks even more appealing and convenient,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Altitude Trampoline Park. “We are committed to continually improving the guest experience and look forward to seeing the positive impact Intellibands will have at our parks.”

The first Altitude Trampoline Park to officially roll-out this technology will be in Mason, Ohio, followed by Richardson, Texas. Prior to the official launch in Mason, Altitude tested this technology among customers and received great initial feedback. Customers found the wristband to be very secure and comfortable to wear, and overall felt the wristbands made for a better experience.

Altitude Trampoline Park is owned by Indoor Active Brands, a platform company that focuses on indoor entertainment concepts. This year, Indoor Active Brands launched its latest brand, The Pickle Pad, an indoor pickleball playground featuring a chef-inspired restaurant and bar – Crave Social Eatery, as well as yard and social games for all ages. Established by NRD Capital, Indoor Active Brands utilizes industry experience in the family entertainment and restaurant industries to support and assist its franchisees.

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The brand is actively seeking qualified candidates to help grow its footprint throughout the U.S. in Kansas City, MO, Raleigh-Durham, NC, Denver, CO, among others. To learn more about franchise opportunities and upcoming store openings, contact Mike Stout at [email protected] or visit www.altitudefranchise.com.

About Altitude Trampoline Park

Altitude Trampoline Park is a premier indoor adventure park offering cutting edge trampolines, games, programs, and celebrations for all ages. Altitude is the home for active family fun! The brands successful $10 Endless Jumps pass, is where members get the max. Guests can, infact, Jump Happy! with unlimited use of trampolines, soft play, basketball, dodgeball, interactive games and more providing a great way for families to stay together and play together all year long. Nearing 100 locations worldwide, Altitude parks are centrally located and easily accessible, making it the convenient, budget friendly choice for families in 2024. More information can be found at altitudetrampolinepark.com.

SOURCE Altitude Trampoline Park

Looking for an entertainment experience that transcends the ordinary? Look no further than STM Daily News Blog’s vibrant Entertainment section. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of indie films, streaming and podcasts, movie reviews, music, expos, venues, and theme and amusement parks. Discover hidden cinematic gems, binge-worthy series and addictive podcasts, gain insights into the latest releases with our movie reviews, explore the latest trends in music, dive into the vibrant atmosphere of expos, and embark on thrilling adventures in breathtaking venues and theme parks. Join us at STM Entertainment and let your entertainment journey begin! https://stmdailynews.com/category/entertainment/

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3, 2, 1… GO! The LEGO Group Unveils First-Ever LEGO Super Mario: Mario Kart Sets at gamescom

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Mario Kart
LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ Image Credit: Nintendo

At gamescom 2024 in Cologne, Germany, The LEGO Group dropped some exciting news: the highly anticipated LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ sets are racing into the spotlight! For the first time ever, Nintendo’s iconic Mario Kart universe is coming to life in the form of LEGO bricks. Fans of both LEGO and Mario Kart can gear up for this all-new immersive experience launching on January 1, 2025.

LEGO Mario Kart

These six brand-new LEGO Mario Kart sets were first teased during the MAR10 Day celebration in March, but today’s unveiling offered a full, tantalizing look at the new collection. The sets bring beloved Mario Kart characters like Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Toad, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and Baby Peach into play, allowing fans to build, customize, and race their favorite karts on creative, brick-built tracks.

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Image Credit: Nintendo

What makes these sets even more thrilling is the seamless integration of digital play. By adding a LEGO® Mario™, LEGO® Luigi™, or LEGO® Peach™ (sold separately) to the mix, players can enjoy interactive features like Mario Kart sound effects, scanning Item Boxes for extra coins, and even boosting their race score! The digital and physical elements collide to create a truly dynamic experience.

A Closer Look at the Sets:

  1. LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ – Yoshi Bike (72031): For fans of the ever-popular Yoshi, this 133-piece set includes a Light-Blue Yoshi figure and a brick-built bike. Perfect for drifting through creative obstacles and launching shell items.
  2.  LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ – Standard Kart (72032): The classic Standard Kart set (174 pieces) features Toad in his red pit crew uniform and a detachable Super Glider, along with a buildable model of the Mario Kart vehicle.
  3.  LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ – Donkey Kong & DK Jumbo (72033): Featuring Donkey Kong’s signature DK Jumbo kart, this 387-piece set is packed with launchable items like bananas and shells to slow down your competitors.
  4.  LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ – Baby Mario vs. Baby Luigi (72034): Get ready for a Balloon Battle! This 321-piece set features Baby Mario in his Biddybuggy and Baby Luigi in his Tri-Speeder, plus six buildable balloons.
  5. LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ – Toad’s Garage (72035): Customize and tune up your karts with two Blue Toads in this 390-piece set, featuring the B Dasher kart and a functional garage.
  6. LEGO® Super Mario™: Mario Kart™ – Baby Peach & Grand Prix Set (72036): The largest set (823 pieces) features Baby Peach, Lemmy, and Toad on their respective karts, ready to race through an obstacle-packed course.

Simon Kent, Design Director at The LEGO Group, expressed his excitement: “We are beyond excited to turbo-charge our LEGO Super Mario universe with these Mario Kart sets. We can’t wait for fans to bring Mario Kart races to brick-built reality with their friends and family.”

More Fun with LEGO Animal Crossing!

In addition to the Mario Kart news, The LEGO Group also announced three new sets from the LEGO® Animal Crossing™ universe:

  1.  Stargazing with Celeste (77053)
  2.  Leif’s Caravan & Garden Shop (77054)
  3.  Able Sisters Clothing Shop (77055)

These charming sets invite fans to continue building their own Animal Crossing villages, expanding the fun of Nintendo’s cozy life simulation game into the LEGO world.

The LEGO Super Mario: Mario Kart™ and LEGO Animal Crossing sets will be available globally starting January 1, 2025, giving fans of all ages plenty to look forward to as they get ready to build, race, and explore!

Stay tuned for more highly classified, top-secret intel on two of the most pressing matters of our time: the thrilling Mario Kart escapades at www.lego.com/themes/super-mario/mario-kart/about and the cute yet undeniably crucial happenings in Animal Crossing at www.lego.com/themes/animal-crossing/about.

Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.

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