Motivate Children to Get Moving with 'NFL PLAY 60' Digital Library and App

Getting active for 60 minutes a day is critical as kids who are regularly active have a better chance of a healthy adulthood! Yet according to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, only 1 in 5 children and adolescents partake in an adequate amount of physical activity that's recommended (*1). Thankfully organizations like the NFL, The American Heart Association, and Discovery Education have made it their mission to provide families and schools with physical activities and low-cost resources to get kids moving all year through 'NFL Play 60'.

Girls Who Move, Move the World: The Brooklyn Nets and Nike Team Up to Encourage Teen Girls to Play Sports

Did you know that by age 14, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys? According to a 2018 study from the Women’s Sports Foundation, nearly 40 percent of girls don’t participate in sport, versus 25 percent of boys. As the number of coronavirus cases spike across the U.S and right here in our city of NY, I'm sure the number is significantly higher as participation in sports programs has decreased or ceased completely due to closures.

How are They Really? 100 Resources to Help Kids and Teens Cope with Anxiety Surrounding Daily Stressors and the Coronavirus

Disclosure:  This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, medical treatment, or therapy. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. This was originally posted on April 9th. Resources will be updated weekly. 

In a recent article I read from the Daily News, it's mentioned that there's been a 60% increase in calls to the NYC branch of the National Alliance for Mental Health but sadly children aren't being accounted for.  How are the kids doing really? Listed in this guide you'll find over 100 resources on everything from expert articles with tips for parents and caregivers with kids of all ages, meditation apps, podcasts, teletherapy services, books, and indoor activities.

Sesame Street's Elmo to host a virtual playdate with Tracee Ellis Ross, Lin Manuel Miranda and more to comfort kids during Coronavirus pandemic

Sunny days have been sweeping clouds away for over 50 years on Sesame Street as our favorite furry lil' monsters Elmo, Grover, Abby, Cookie and the gang entertain & educate kids of all ages on the small screen. Now more than ever, families are looking for ways to help their little ones cope with the challenges being faced globally in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.  Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, has announced a simulcast special " Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate" to help kids and families around the world feel connected in this time of uncertainty.

Nickelodeon's #Kidstogether town hall for children discusses coronavirus concerns

By now your kids are probably just as tired of hearing you repeatedly ask "did you wash your hands well?" just as much as you are of saying it but we all understand it's just a small thing to do that will have a big impact on our new normal. Their daily routines have been disrupted so abruptly as we all seemingly try our darndest to get into a groove while working from home and distance learning. In the process, they're missing classmates, playing ball after school and so many won't get to celebrate milestones like birthdays and graduations with their favorite people standing by to love on them. 

All of the frequently updated news surrounding the globally widespread coronavirus (COVID-19) and practicing of social distancing may have them feeling confused, anxious and lonely. As parents, it's not always easy finding the words to ease their minds and while we may feel isolated, I'll admit I find some comfort in knowing that my family isn't going through this challenging time alone and have appreciated the phone calls, google chats and game nights with loved ones more than ever. 

To help families come to terms with everything going on Nickelodeon will present #KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall, an exclusive hour-long special offering a kid’s-eye view of life today amid COVID-19, on Monday, March 30, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT). 

Disney's Raven's Home Episode Highlights Vaping and 3 Ways to Start a Conversation with Your Tweens and Teens

Did you know that (According to CDC figures) 38% of high schoolers and even 13% of middle schoolers have tried vaping at least once — and there’s reason to think these figures are low, given that they’re based on self-reporting. Even though the legal age for buying vape pens is 18  the usage of them has explosively increased over the last 5 years and our kids are being targeted with products that look cool and are flavored like candy to entice them. 

Disney Channel's hit series "Raven's Home" will spotlight the risks associated with vaping among youth in an important episode that's especially relevant to kids age 6-14 and their families,  this Sunday, March 1 (8pm ET/PT) on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW.  A special message from the cast will follow the episode on Disney Channel and Disney Channel YouTube.

Meeting WWE Superstar Roman Reigns Who Announces Partnership to Bring Awareness to Pediatric Cancer

Despite the screaming fans and blinged-out championship belts, I try to remind my boys that their favorite WWE superstars are really just everyday people who face up and down moments juts like the rest of us. When you think of the high-energy talent that battles it out, night after night, it's hard to believe that our fave wrestlers could be faced with a life-threatening illness while still trying to entertain thousands of fans. This week Roman Reigns opens up about his battle with Leukemia and his partnership with Leukemia Lymphoma Society as part of his commitment and determination to keep fighting for patients and families. 

2-for-1 Tickets to see "In Transit" on Broadway in Support of the Children's Health Fund #ad

Did you know that 3.3 million children in the United States have no health insurance? I kid you not, over the last two months alone we have had way more visits to the pediatrician for both of our lil' monsters than I recall in a very long time. It got to the point where all our pediatrician would say was "back again?". As soon as one kid stopped sneezing rockets of cooties, the other would start coughing up everything inside of him and as I type this our youngest is battling high fevers & binge watching Netflix as he let's the ibuprofen work it's magic. Tristan has earned himself an extended midwinter break as most NYC kids headed back to the classroom today, as a former teacher I'd never be that parent to send my sick child back to school masked by pain medicine.

Our pediatrician had prescribed medication that wasn't covered by our insurance and was a whopping $60 or so, which isn't a lot of money per say but for "cough medicine" I can't imagine needing to have those orders filled so frequently. Just consider the anxiety families with no health insurance must deal with when faced with the symptoms of everyday colds, the flu, chronic illnesses and more. Thankfully for the last 25 years the Children's Health Fund has been battling barriers to health care for homeless and other low-income children.

Disclosure: We have partnered with the Children's Health fund and opinions expressed are 100% our own.

Put Down the Gadgets and Get Outdoors for Nickelodeon's WorldWide Day of Play

Our apartment walls are paper thin, so I know my neighbors must think I'm some crazed maniac as I scream at the boys for running from room to room as if we lived in a space the size of a football field opposed to the over-stuffed, over-rated NYC rental we live in. Over the summer we were very laid back about our day to day plans, with so many family passing's and life altering changes we tried not to over extend ourselves too much and wanted the kids to just enjoy relaxing - which if left to them to decide meant the involvement of some sort of gadget or gizmo or them imitating their favorite wrestling moves on our furniture. Every year right before we bid summer farewell we look forward to shutting off the television and the tablets to head outdoors for one awesome day of fun & fitness.  

On Saturday, Sept. 17, Nickelodeon celebrated its 13th annual Worldwide Day of Play in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. The slime-filled event featured Nickelodeon-themed games and fitness-themed activities hosted by Nick’s long-standing local partners, including the Art of Stepping, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, Canine Companions for Independence, Major League Baseball’s PLAY BALL and World Baseball Classic, NBA Fit, New York Road Runners (NYRR), NFL PLAY 60, Playworks, Special Olympics, Street Soccer USA and USA BMX.

THE V FOUNDATION AND WWE® LAUNCH NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP TO FIGHT PEDIATRIC CANCER #aCAUSEforJUBILATION

Children are just so resilient, even in the face of adversity in situations where most adults would crumble and it just breaks my heart to know so many have to fight to persevere against Cancer. Having been diagnosed with a chronic auto-immune disease in my late teens I could never imagine a child of any age having to endure some of the awful symptoms of battling a terminal illness like Cancer and the toll it takes on them not only physically but mentally. If you're a fan of the WWE then you are all too familiar with the story of the vibrant, humorous, cancer-fighter Connor Michalek, an 8 year old who inspired everyone who was in presence or watched him from a television screen across the WWE Universe. His passing in 2014 of pediatric brain cancer was just heart wrenching to watch as a mom, and Connor "The Crushers" story of hope and resilience will never be forgotten! 

In an effort to help find cures for pediatric cancer, WWE (NYSE: WWE) and The V Foundation for Cancer Research announced a multi-year partnership to support cancer research nationally through funds raised by Connor’s Cure. The announcement was made at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where Connor’s Cure was originally established, with representatives from the hospital, WWE and The V Foundation. In 2014, Connor’s Cure was created by WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and WWE Executive Vice President Talent, Live Events & Creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque as a fund within Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation to support pediatric brain and spinal cord cancer research.

Help Little Ones Sleep Easier with the New Vicks Sweet Dreams Humidifier #GIVEAWAY

Oh the irony in me writing this post is that my 5 year old is tossing and turning beside me & our ten year old just went back to bed, all because their noses are red, stuffy and they are both in the middle of battling relentless colds. I guess I shouldn't be surprised with the abnormal and inconsistent weather we've been having, one minutes the temperatures are in the mid 60's and then there are mornings when it's 45 degrees when they walk out the door. I never know how to dress them without them complaining that they have on too many layers or that it's too windy and cold and wanted a hat. So it was only a  matter of time before we'd have to whip out the humidifiers and signal the troops {thermometers, tissues, cold medicines and more} to tackle cold and flu season.

Fortunately for me, I had attended a press preview last month for the New Vicks Sweet Dreams Cool Mist  Humidifier and their line of products that help prep for those extra germy days we wish we could avoid. If you have little ones they'll love being able to rest under this adorable humidifier's projections of zoo animals, sea creatures and constellations that will distract them from the uncomfortable symptoms of being sick & take them quietly into dreamland. My 5 year loves to turn on nightlights at bedtime so this is perfect because it kills two birds with one stone.

In addition to the dream inspired projections, the filter-free humidifier quietly releases cool mist into the air which provides much needed comfort and relief when the kiddies are suffering from nasal and chest congestion. And when needed you can place two Vicks scent pads for long lasting and soothing menthol vapors, which I personally love love the smell of. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using s cool mist humidifier throughout the winter months to help relieve congestion and coughs for children.

KEY FEATURES:

• Filter free and ultra quiet operation.
• Humidity control
• Up to 24 hour operation using a 1 gallon tank.
• Independently controlled projector with choice of 3 themes.
• Auto shut off when empty
• Best used in medium sized rooms

For $59.99 you can purchase this humidifier in Blue or Pink at Babies R 'Us, Amazon, Meijer and Drugstore.com

A fun moment during the event was that we had the chance to meet and interact with some really cool animals from chameleons and chinchillas to frogs that reminded us of the animal friends projected on the ceiling. I'm obsessed with frogs and couldn't stop cheeseball smiling while holding a pair of cute and slimy ones who seemed to be exploring me as they climbed up on my arm and leaped up onto my shoulder.

An absolute must during this time of year is to have a reliable and accurate thermometer at home to determine the severity of a change in temperature. The new Vicks Smart Temp Thermometer will blow your mind and help make life so much easier. I for one know i've had instances where i'd be at work and the hubby or my parents had to stay home with our boys and we'd have inaccurate accounts for temperatures when it was time to bring the kids into the pediatrician. This new thermometer uses Bluetooth technology and a free companion app to not only take temperatures but stores a record of temperatures for every family member. No more going to the doctor and being unprepared!

Parents can set up individualized profiles for each family member and store their history on their iOS or Android device. You can even export the readings from the app via email to share the information easily with doctors, school nurses and other caregivers. Another great feature is that you can set reminders for when to retake temperatures or to give medicine.

KEY FEATURES: 

• Wireless temperature readings to the free companion app anywhere using Bluetooth technology
• Track full temperature history stored by individual profiles for each family member.
• Flexible tip for comfortable oral, rectal or underarm use.
• Fever InSight changes the phone screen color based on the temperature range.
• Export temperature readings and symptoms via email
• Set temperature and medicine 

Cracked open the new #SmartTemp thermometer from Vicks because Cj had been complaining about a sore throat and not feeling well the last 2 days. With kids back in school and changes in seasons, it was only a matter of time. Parents you are going to love this wireless smartphone thermometer! All you have to do is download the FREE app and with Bluetooth technology you can create profiles for each family member and track temperatures and symptoms to show your pediatrician. Review on the blog soon, in the meantime send my baby some well wishes. (Fluctuating temp most likely from him drinking cold water) #vickssweetdreams

A video posted by Danielle (@dellahsjubilation) on Sep 23, 2015 at 6:06pm PDT

For $24.99 you can purchase this iOS and Android compatible thermometer at Babies R Us, Rite Aid, CVS Baby Aisle, Meijer, H-E-B, Amazon and Drugstore.com 

                                                       *  GIVEAWAY *

We've teamed up with two of our fave mom bloggers Denise of Boyzruleourworld.com and Tiffani of Mymommyvents.com to offer one lucky a reader a Cold & Flu Prize Prep prize pack to help keep the winter coughs and sniffles away.

In our house we always have vicks vaporub and nyquil on hand to help the kids sleep better as they battle colds. Both my husband and I grew up with these products in our medicine cabinets and remember the days of being slathered down in Vaporub after a warm bath almost instantly when our parents discovered we were sick. We typically give NYquil to relieve cold symptoms like soar throats and a runny nose and put tissues near our boys beds while we wait for symptoms to subside.

Answer this Question in the comments below: Which of the three themed projections would be your little ones favorite?

Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win & good luck! Giveaway closes on December 4th 2015. Entrants mus be 18+ and has 24 hours to reply. Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery of prize and hosts are not responsible for delivery.

 For more info on Vicks humidifiers stop by here. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Halloween is On the Way! Treat your Kids Teeth to Hello Toothpaste & DenTek Fun Flossers #Scoutbox

 

Disclosure: As a product scout for Savvy Sassy Moms I am occasionally sent products to review. Opinions expressed are 100% my own and no other compensation was received.

With Halloween right around the corner, my boys and I'm sure lil' monsters everywhere can't help but get excited for trick or treating door to door and scoring buckets full of yummy treats. My youngest Tristan who's 5th birthday is three days before Halloween most definitely has a major sweet tooth and unfortunately two cavities as a result of it. He can't resist wanting sugary candy and pastries once it's caught his eye. In the past he had been the child begging at checkout for the bag of skittles or M&M's (and I'd cave in) or caught climbing up on a stool to reach for the candy jar (and I'd cave in). Now we've eliminated all candy in the house except for occasional fruit snacks and he understands it's because he has to let us help him take better care of his smile!

Pediatric tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood illness. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 67 percent of children experience tooth decay by age 19. This trend begins early in life – 23 percent of 2- to 5-year-olds already have cavities.

On a recent visit with our dentist we discussed our healthy oral hygiene habits we try to implement at home to prevent any more cavities from developing and have tried to make the process way more fun for the boys. We recently tried out the new delicious flavored Hello Toothpastes that came in our scoutbox and fruity flavored Dentek Flossers which we picked up at Target and both are a big hit in our house.

DenTek Flossers come in a wild fruit flavor that my monsters thought tasted really really good! So good, that all they wanted to do was suck the juicy flavor right out of them {which I'm sure is probably not recommended}. With a smaller head and easy to grip handle these colorful flossers are a really fun way for kids to develop good oral care habits early on.

Goodbye boring mint flavored toothpaste and hello awesome kid-friendly flavors that are sure to make brushing teeth way more tasty. Hello fluoride toothpastes not only help prevent cavities and polishes teeth, but they come in 3 flavors - Bubble gum, Blue raspberry and Green apple & taste great too! Trust me, you won't need to convince your kids to keep brushing, you'll more likely have to tell them to save some for later.

How are your kids doing with flossing and brushing their teeth? Which flavor Hello toothpaste do you think they'd love best?

Staying Fit and Having Fun at Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play in Prospect Park #WWDoP #LilMonstersinNYC

We love our family time at home, especially when we get to chill out on our couch with a bowl of buttery popcorn after an extremely busy week.  We really get to enjoy each other's company while watching & cracking up laughing at our favorite Nickelodeon shows like Instant Mom, The Thundermans, The Haunted Hathaways and LabRats. Just as equally important to us is that we get away from the hours of screen time that can consume us watching television, checking emails and when gaming, so that we can get outdoors we try to explore new places and get in some physical activity like tossing around a football, riding scooters and rock climbing.

This fall, Nickelodeon empowered kids to get up and get active as their TV channels, websites and app went off air and offline for its 11th Annual  Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play #WWDop. Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nick.com, NickJr.com, Nicktoons.com, TeenNick.com and the Emmy Award-winning  Nick App all participated and the network's national pro social partners ~ United States Tennis Association, NFL PLAY 60, the Boys and Girls Club of America and many others - hosted several thousand local events across the country to help celebrate kids' love of play.

Almost 4,000 events were hosted to encourage kids and their families everywhere to be more physically active & thanks to local blogger Rebecca of The Mommy Sauce, my two  monsters and hubby had the chance to join in on the fun at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. The boys had such a blast and enjoyed playing awesome Nickelodeon-themed games, meeting costumed characters they love to laugh at like SpongeBob and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and live-action stars they are huge fans of such as Sydney Park and Tylen Jacob Williams (Instant Mom), Jack Griffo and Kira Kosarin (The Thundermans) and NBA player J.R. Smith (New York Knicks) and former NBA/WNBA players Larry Johnson (New York Knick), Kym Hampton (New York a Liberty) and Felipe Lopez.

CJ was in awe of meeting Jack Griffo and asked him "What it was like to be on TV ?" and the actor told him that it was really, pretty awesome. Receiving basketball pointers and practicing dribbling and lay ups on the court with Kym Hampton were great fitness activities and the DJ got the crowd excited as they participated in drills with NBA Cares, cheered, danced and burned off lots of energy.

Watch the kids and actors participate in a high energy drill.

What kid wouldn't want to get virtually slimed, right? I remember watching the Nickelodeon commercials as a kid and always wishing I could get covered in the gooey, green stuff just for laughs.

Tristan is a really active 4 year old and is fearless when it comes to trying out sports, he idolizes his daddy and big brother and always wants to play and toss around the ball when they are at the park. So I wasn't surprised at all when he excitedly told me he had lots of fun trying out the NFL RUSH PLAY60 fitness drills with Instant Mom actor Tylen and never wanted to leave his side, check out this video of them during the course.

                                        

During the Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play event my two monsters probably had the most fun hanging in the demo area of the Yvolution Fliker Lift Track with the other kids, actors and of course the super cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Street Soccer USA was on site and the kids really got into the game, and now my boys are asking to join a team this year, which we are all for because it's a great team player sport. My hubby wasn't allowed to play on teams as a kid because he was raised as a Jehovah's witness and I only ran track and field, so we really love that our boys express an interest in sports and are always willing to try one out.

If we had a bigger apartment I would run out and buy myself a personal trampoline like the ones JumpLife were exercising on because it's such a simple and fun way to stay fit, especially if you are bouncing to some cool beats and the Art of Stepping performance on the mini stage had the actors and crowd moving their feet. 

During the event visitors also enjoyed interactive play structures for preschoolers, Hula Hooping, learned dance routines from the Broadway show Matilda, played slap shot with the New York Islanders, BMX biking activities, dry land Rowing and information on Tennis from the USTA.

Without a doubt this annual event is a fantastic way to show kids and their families how much fun they can have when they step away from the TV and get outdoors. So, make sure you stay tuned for when Nickelodeon celebrates their "Road to Worldwide Day of Play" next year to promote their health and wellness message through active play and sports programs for youth.

This years event at Prospect Park wasn't open to the public but check out the amazing time New Yorkers had at the 10th annual Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play.