Latest news with #Let'sGoFlyaKite
Buzz Feed
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
39 Outdoor Toys And Activities To Keep Your Kids Busy
Waterproof playing cards so your kids can get a fierce game of Go Fish going without worrying if their already-wet-from-the-pool hair drips onto the cards. Or a waterproof version of the beloved Taco, Cat, Goat Cheese, Pizza game — it's a card game you can play with your family for guaranteed giggles and a way to catch your breath from traipsing around in the ocean. A watermelon pool ball made of PVC material that'll hold up stronger than your willpower when your kiddo makes their eyes super big and very sweetly asks for an ice cream cone. Be warned: this isn't just any beach ball! It can be dribbled underwater (I KNOOOOW!), can be inflated in seconds with a water hose using an included needle-sized disaster, and weighs over 14 lbs when it's full! Crab-shaped mesh bags and sifters tykes can use to gather all the exciting treasures they find while strolling along the beach or, honestly, even in their own backyard! Reusable water balloons made of eco-friendly material — sooooo easy to fill so you'll spend less time prepping and more time indulging in an intense water balloon battle alongside your kiddos. Or a hilarious poop-shaped version your kids won't be able to stop giggling about all summer long. All they'll need to do is fill it with water and let the magnetic seal do the rest. A set of sand castle molds that'll solidify your "cool parent" status when you break 'em out at the beach and help your kiddos craft a structure worthy of a prince or princess. A too-cute set of silicone beach toys in, dare I say, rather aesthetically pleasing colors you'll be proud to hand off to your kids for a day of fun in the sun. And collapsible buckets you'll love because they won't take up precious cargo space in your trunk — which you and I both know is packed to the brim when you bring your kids anywhere, let alone the beach. A massive 160-piece pack of sidewalk chalk they'll be *so* excited over they might just forget to pester you about extra screen time — encourage them to create all kinds of art at the playground or leave funny pictures for passersby. A hook and ring game that'll take up minimal space — if you don't have a huge area to work with you'll still be able to set up some fun for your kids. A sea shell art and crafts kit featuring glow-in-the-dark paint for the tiny Picasso in your home that would love nothing more than to create their own beachy masterpiece. A rainbow kite you and your family can break out and live your best Mary Poppins life (as long as there's enough of a breeze). Alexa, play "Let's Go Fly a Kite." A splurge-worthy balance bike that'll have your restless mini-me boppin' out the front door and speeding down the block the minute you say, "OK, FINE!" It'll teach your kiddo to learn how to ride pedal-free (so impressive). An incredibly useful sandbox with a lid that opens up to double as benches for kiddos to sit on while they play. The lid will ensure you can keep it up and running throughout the fall without leaves and other outdoor debris sneaking in. Or a smaller (but equally fun) Step2 sandbox that won't take up as much space in your backyard but will have more than enough room for your minis to play in all afternoon. It comes with a lid to keep the sand dry when not in use (and prevent little critters from hanging out in it overnight). Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers you can count on to elicit full blown belly laughs — from both kids and adults. How could you not? You're gonna want to have your phone at-the-ready for this one. A geode-breaking activity from National Geographic that'll give you and your kids an excuse to pick up a hammer and smash rocks in half. The best part? The cracked-open rocks will reveal stunning crystal centers you can learn about together. A construction-themed folding play set complete with kinetic sand, a dump truck, a working crane, a wrecking ball, and bucket attachments to keep kiddos entertained for houuuuurs — it even includes a carrying kit to contain the mess to one space (ideally). A saucer swing that'll quickly become your kid's favorite place to hang (literally). It holds up to 700 pounds (WHOA!) so feel free to let multiple tykes pile on for some fun! Or a platform swing that'll help you make the most out of that suuuper old tree in your yard while also giving your child a place to burn off some energy without leaving the confines of your yard. A lawn mower your mini-me will love because it'll release bubbles as they push it and they'll get to pretend they're just like whichever lucky parent cuts the lawn every weekend. A giant bubble kit, so enchanting, even the most angsty of kids won't be able to resist giving them a go. It even comes with two packets of biodegradable bubble solution and a tips and tricks booklet to help you make the best (and biggest!) bubbles ever. And a bubble machine that'll have your toddler scoffing at the old handheld bubble wands they're used to seeing — this one will take playtime to the next level without filling the house with extra noise. A Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster your little one will want to ride again and again (and agaaaaaain! Toddlers, man). The ramp and car also fit into the base for easy storage. A classic Little Tikes slide you may have had when *you* were a kid — it's extremely easy to set up and will provide your mini-me with hours of fun (just wait until they discover they can climb back up the slide all on their own). A kids' bow and arrow with foam-tipped arrows, so your tween who just finished reading The Hunger Games for the first time can embrace their inner-Katniss and indulge in some (safe) target practice. A John Deere Ride On Tractor you won't be able to resist splurging on for your vehicle-loving kiddo — it'll be a great way to keep them entertained this spring while also teaching them how to help out around the yard. Sounds like a parenting win to me. A Doona Liki Trike that'll grow with your tyke — first you can push them along in it as a stroller, then transform it into a push tricycle, and finally turn it into a toddler tricycle. Your kiddo will have so much fun in the sun with this trike. ☀️ A 2-in-1 checkers and tic-tac-toe game with checkers on one side and tic-tac-toe on the other, a must-have for any family who would rather exercise their brain muscles. A ring toss set to help all the neighborhood kiddos work on their hand-eye coordinator and encourage some ~friendly~ competition. Flickin' Chicken — a game that will have your family cackling from the first time you play. Players are encouraged to make up their own rules so you'll have a different experience every time. Boredom? I don't know her. Spikeball, an easy-to-transport game that is kinda like volleyball and will have your kids asking you to bring it to every outdoor adventure. A miniature golf set you can use to create a course right in your backyard — no need to spend a bunch of money taking the entire family out for mini golf. You and your kids can get crafty and set up all kinds of challenging obstacles to make it different each time you play. A bug catching kit for curious kiddos who would love nothing more than to get a closer look at some creepy crawlers then set 'em free. A classic Little Tikes basketball set — you'll finally be able to show off your *~skillz~* to your kids while teaching them how to shoot some baskets. This addition to your yard will surely be a slam dunk. 😉 An adjustable tee ball set so your little slugger can practice their swing whenever the mood *strikes* (hehe) — no need to schlep to a batting cage! An incredible Step2 canopy play patio complete with a faux grill, a sand table, a water table, and a snack station — it'll make your tyke feel like they're vacationing at an all-inclusive resort whenever they step inside. (Not that they even know what that means, but you do!) Or a kid's BBQ set that'll match the one you cook burgers and hot dogs on regularly during the summer — now they can play alongside you instead of asking, "Is dinner ready yet? Is it ready yet?" It has realistic sounds, lights, and lets out steam like an actual grill!
Budapest Times
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Budapest Times
Tragedies, triumphs of a life off and on stage and screen
It's a bit of a relief to read in British actor David Tomlinson's autobiography his recognition that he was known for 'my dimwitted upper-class twit performances' – a relief because if you had asked us here at The Budapest Times to describe Tomlinson, we would have been tempted to say, 'You know, that bloke who often used to play dimwitted upper-class twits in films', but we certainly would have hesitated to do so, for risk of 1) causing offence to the family, and 2) failing to recognise a career wider than that. So, if Tomlinson was self-aware enough, good for him, and us, and if we think back to British films of his peak period in the 1940s-1970s we can do so without guilt, because you'd have to agree that he and Ian Carmichael had basically cornered the market when it came to topping casting directors' lists of candidates to fill the parts of dimwitted upper-class twits. Tomlinson made 50 films and we haven't seen a whole lot of them, partly because he seems to be primarily remembered for three roles in Walt Disney films, and this is the sort of soppy family fare that we tend to avoid. He made a big name for himself in Disney's huge hit 'Mary Poppins' (1964), appearing as Glynis Johns' husband and singing 'Let's Go Fly a Kite'. His other two successes in the Disney trio were 'The Love Bug' in 1968 and 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' in 1971. But rather we prefer to think of him in 'The Wooden Horse' (1950) tunnelling out of Stalag Luft III, a German POW camp for officers. Also, he was one of the 'Three Men in a Boat' (1956), based on Jerome K. Jerome's 1889 novel (a book we love) containing non-stop twittishness not just from Tomlinson, as Jerome, but from all three bods. Another was 'The Chiltern Hundreds' (1949), in which Tomlinson was again a trademark genial high-born ass, playing Tony, Viscout Pym, the son of a lord who becomes a Labour candidate for Member of Parliament, and we've also seen him in two of the four old-fashioned but enjoyable Huggetts films, 'Here Come the Huggetts' in 1948 and 'Vote for Huggett' in 1949. Jack Warner, later of 'Dixon of Dock Green' TV fame, and Kathleen Harrison starred in these family-friendly British efforts, with a young Petula Clark. Such films give a fair idea of the Tomlinson niche. However, as he points out he did play a wide range of characters, from heroes and amiable silly asses to dignified old gentlemen. For good measure, he was even a wicked villain, dying with a bullet in his chest in the back of a plane, the only time, as far as he could recall, when he wasn't basically a 'nice guy'. And he had a solid stage craeer too, often filming during the day and working in the theatre at night. With a growing family of four sons he was rather keen on money, and one of the boys was autistic, presenting considerable problems. Here, good people helped cope. Actors usually lead very fascinating lives, engrossing to we in the common herd, and Tomlinson's memories are entertaining for sure. Here are encounters to satisfy any cinephile, with Anthony Asquith, Ralph Richardson, Robert Morley, Errol Flynn, Peter Sellers, Walt Disney, Vanessa Redgrave, Noël Coward and other luminaries. Also King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and later the Princess Royal, plus adventures on foreign lands with good times in Hollywood and bad times witnessing the appalling apartheid of South Africa. Whether its people were black or white, they were good to Tomlinson. David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson was born on May 7, 1917 in Henley-on-Thames and died aged 83 on June 24, 2000 in King Edward VII's Hospital, London, after a stroke. It was a joke of his that he wanted the words 'David Tomlinson, an actor of genius, irresistible to women' on his headstone. (He was buried in the grounds of his home in Buckinghamshire, wording unknown.) The autobiography was published in 1990 and is now available again in a new edition from Dean Street Press, a publisher 'devoted to uncovering and revitalizing good books'. Tomlinson's is well worthy of such attention. From his earliest remembered family days to the world of films it is a winner, with unusual tales nicely told. Some would make good plots. These don't come much odder than that of Tomlinson's father Clarence, an outwardly respectable solicitor but given to rages at home. He horrified even himself when once he burned David's hand with a domestic iron, to teach the boy, aged about 8, a lesson after he had turned it on. But most incredibly he somehow managed to successfully juggle two entirely separate families for decades. He told his wife Florence and four children in Folkestone that for work purposes he needed to stay at his London club on weekdays, while actually living with his mistress and their seven – seven! – illegitimate children. The subterfuge was eventually uncovered when David's brother Peter was on his way to Heathrow on a double-decker airport bus that stopped unexpectedly in Chiswick, whereupon Peter found himself gazing through a top-deck window at his father sitting up in bed in a strange house drinking tea. In fact his wife had known of her husband's double life for 60 years because during the First World War in France he was writing to both women but once put the letters in the wrong envelopes. She never mentioned it until, 86 years old, she was on her death bed. 'The marriage was important to her,' Tomlinson writes. The only time her husband was truly kind to her was whenever she was ill, so she made a point of being frequently ill and had, the son believes, two or even three unnecessary operations. Tomlinson says his childhood was plagued by the tensions and friction when his father was home. He and his three brothers were used to his arrival in Folkestone on Friday night and departure on Monday morning. 'If truth be told, we were quite pleased to see him go,' Tomlinson tells. The family was frightened of this unpredictable man. The boy enjoyed the pleasures of Folkestone. There were horses, gas lights, Punch and Judy, cinema and a rollerskating rink. He was 10 when he decided to be an actor after visiting the Pleasure Gardens Theatre. Do they really get paid for doing that, he wondered? He couldn't believe anything could be quite so wonderful. 'I decided then and there that it must be better than working and I have never altered my view.' The young man had a a stammer but was determined to overcome it and his father's opposition. He scoured London for theatrical jobs then joined the Grenadier Guards, which was a big mistake so he bought himself out after 16 months. A period as dogsbody in repertory helped equip him for his first professional, but non-speaking, appearance in 1936. The film director Anthony Asquith saw him in a play and signed him, rescuing him from dispiriting provincial tours with often drunken colleagues and cold and uncomfortable theatrical boarding-houses, and an unsuccessful spell selling vacuum cleaners. In the Second World War he was a Royal Air Force flying instructor, surviving a crash after blacking out in a Tiger Moth. There was the appalling tragedy of a first marriage in 1943 to a beautiful American widow who threw herself out of a 15th-floor window in New York, together with her two little boys. He was in England with the RAF. In 1953 Tomlinson married Audrey Freeman and theirs was a long and happy union, remaining together for nearly 50 years and raising the four boys. At first he had a stammer but overame it with tenacity and determination. Courage was the vital factor to succeed in acting, he says. Succeed he did and the memories of a full career are here to enjoy.
NZ Herald
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
9 things to do in Auckland this weekend: Prins, Bluey, Iliza Shlesinger and more
Price: Tickets $22-$94 + booking fees from 2) Prins If you haven't yet had a chance to check out the artist touted as New Zealand's 'next global pop star', this weekend is the perfect time to see her in the intimate surroundings of the Tuning Fork for her Heaven or Hell tour. You could have the opportunity to become one of those annoying people who say, 'I saw her before she was famous'. 'Famous' is a relative term, of course, especially when applied to someone who last year toured and played many of the world's great cities, including Los Angeles, Stockholm and London. Her music has already accumulated millions of streams, and she's logged collaborations with some of the biggest names in music. Saturday's show might just be the last time you can get same-day tickets to a Prins gig. When: Saturday, April 26, 7pm. 3) Bluey If you don't have children, don't know any children and don't watch TV, we might forgive you for not yet having booked tickets to the stage show version of the pop cultural phenomenon that is Bluey. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go. This Australian animated television delight is perfect, with its hilarious characters and storylines, distinctly non-saccharine messaging and all-round creative genius. The stage show is a guaranteed good time for young and old alike, based on a new story written by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and contains music by Bluey composer Joff Bush. Since its debut in Bluey 's hometown of Brisbane, the show has played to more than one million people across the world, including performances at iconic venues including Madison Square Garden in New York and the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. When: April 26 and 27, 10am, 1pm and 4pm. Price: Tickets $34-$142 from 4) Mary Poppins Most parents are probably wishing that Mary Poppins floated in on her umbrella two weeks ago to manage the children for the holidays, but instead, she's arriving on Saturday at the Harlequin Musical Theatre, not your place. It's a magical story with some beloved earworms like Spoonful of Sugar, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Let's Go Fly a Kite that you and your little people will be humming all the way home and potentially for weeks to come. The Disney classic is having a two-week season with a relaxed performance on Sunday, May 4, for people for whom a live theatre experience might be more challenging, including those with sensory needs, on the autism spectrum, or young children. When: April 26-May 10. 5) Iliza Shlesinger The NZ International Comedy Festival proper doesn't officially start until Friday, May 2, but on Saturday, you can catch one of the biggest international performers of the festival at Bruce Mason Centre. Iliza Shlesinger is a pretty big deal. She's starred in numerous movies, hosted television shows, released six Netflix specials, and has just released a new special on Amazon Prime. She's made a name for herself making people laugh with what she calls 'digestible feminism' and has a popular podcast called AIA (Ask Iliza Anything) where she offers listeners her unique and often blunt advice. It's a head-scratcher that her show The Get Ready Tour isn't already sold out, but that means you still have a chance to have a hilariously entertaining Saturday night. When: April 26, 7pm. 6) Overload A group of dedicated anime enthusiasts spend all year organising Overload, a two-day convention celebrating anime and manga artists at The Cloud. Even if you're not deep in the fandom, there's so much to admire and enjoy about this festival. There's a large artists' market where you can meet some of the artists and purchase their work, an arts and craft area, a daily cosplay parade, an Overload anime art competition, anime exhibitions, anime trivia, Q&As with notable anime artists, and more. The Maid Cafe, where you get served by 'cat-inspired' maids, is particularly intriguing, as is the Itasha zone full of creatively painted vehicles. The event started in 2006 with just 30 artists and 150 visitors, and has been steadily growing to the massive two-day festival it is now. When: April 26, 10am-6pm and April 27, 10am-5pm. Where: Shed 10 and The Cloud, 89 Quay St, Auckland Central. Price: Tickets start at $17.50 if you buy them online or from $20 on the door. Visit for the full programme and tickets. 7) Plan ahead: Public Record at Silo 6 In the lead-up to Aotearoa Art Fair next week, there are several adjunct exhibitions opening up around the city, including this standout by contemporary art gallery Public Record. Opening on Wednesday, Public Record at Silo 6 showcases the work of nine local and international artists installed in the specific and unique setting of Silo 6 in Wynyard Quarter. Among the artists are two Japanese ceramicists, Namika Nakai and Hitoshi Marimoto, local textile artist Rachel Long, and flax weaver Kiriana O'Connell. On Friday evening, there will be a live performance or 'immersive experience' combining sound, fashion, and dance, directed by the gallery's own Eve and Yuka O'Shannessy. The exhibition is free to attend, but you'll need to book a ticket for Hau, the live performance, as space is limited. When: Public Record at Silo 6: April 30-May 4. Hau, May 2, 7pm. Where: Silo 6, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Central. Price: Tickets $34.50 from 8) Plan ahead: Opera in the Strand Auckland Council is kicking off its New Zealand Music Month slate of events with Opera in the Strand on Thursday. If you work in the city, it's an absolute no-brainer to stick around after work and head to the Strand Arcade to listen to some of Aotearoa's most exciting young opera singers selected by the New Zealand Opera School. There's a lot of development happening in Midtown, especially with the building of the new Waihoritiu Station, but the Strand Arcade remains an important and beloved piece of Auckland's history and an ideal setting for a public opera performance. The inaugural Opera in the Strand was an enormous success last year, and hopefully, this year will cement the event in Auckland's New Zealand Music Month calendar. You'll need to bus, train to downtown, Uber, or drive this year, but next year you'll be able to hop on the City Rail Link and be delivered to the doorstep of Midtown. When: May 1, 6pm. Where: The Strand Arcade, Queen St, Auckland Central. Price: Free. 9) Plan ahead: Emma Bass, Floratopia It's unlikely the first adjective that comes to mind when you think of Britomart is 'floratopia,' but next week Emma Bass is changing that. She's holding a pop-up exhibition that opens on Tuesday on Tyler St, with her signature floral still life works. If you haven't seen Bass's stunning images before, they're a blooming delight. Floratopia features a selection of prints along with a printed wool/silk scarf that she's selling to raise money for Breast Cancer Cure. If you've got the kind of mother who fancies floral, then this could be the perfect pre-Mother's Day stop. When: April 29-May 4, 10am-5pm.
