Latest news with #Lite-Brite
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Sensory Room offers space to decompress at giant Palisades Center mall
WEST NYACK - The fourth-floor storefront in the Palisades Center offers a sometimes rare commodity in a bright, buzzy place like a behemoth megamall — space to wind down. The Sensory Room, just outside the mall entrance to Target, holds its ribbon-cutting next month. But it's open now for families who need a break during a visit to a big, loud and sometimes busy mall. The space offers 1,000 square feet of sensory solitude in a 2.36 million-square-foot megamall. "If a kid is having a reaction, struggling with regulation because the mall is so overwhelming, they can come here, sort of relax," said Carlos Martinez, executive director of BRIDGES, Rockland County's nonprofit independent living center, which supports individuals with disabilities so they can make key decisions about their lives. For many people — including those with anxiety disorders or developmental disabilities and children on the autism spectrum — noisy places and certain lighting can prompt sensory overload. Sensory rooms are spaces that offer a soothing environment, often with various kinds of equipment and interactive activities to calm a person who may be stressed. Other large venues offer sensory rooms — like the Mall of America in Minnesota, Newark Airport and Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. Martinez said he dived into research and tapped experts to create a space with a variety of ways to unwind, since different people may accomplish that in different ways. That variety is included in the overall design, Martinez said, with nature-focused art and activities up front and a darker space-themed environment toward the back. "There are so many things that I love about this place," Martinez said as he absentmindedly patted a rough-textured square of grass-like plastic, a common sensory-integration tool. Tactile and other tools include a giant pegboard similar to the old Lite-Brite toy; a ball pit, elevated on ropes, which allows a small child to sit inside and spin; and a life-size pin-art board. Water features flow in a soothing pattern; wall displays and floor tiles light up. Weighted blankets are also available. Several seating areas offer chairs that practically enclose a person to block out a lot of stimuli. Rocking chairs are going to be added, Martinez said. A book nook has kids' books provided by Rockland libraries; many address topics like autism spectrum. The Sensory Room is part of BRIDGES' limited liability corporation, Connections. The LLC also operates the Independence Cafes, with locations at BRIDGES' headquarters on the second floor of the Palisades Center, at the county courthouse in New City and in Building A of the county's Yeager Health Complex in Pomona. 'Girl AGain': Westchester, Rockland nonprofits team up to polish job skills for people with disabilities A key goal of Connections is to offer people employment, Martinez said. "We will support our clients in any way, shape or form." Monies used from sensory room admission ($15 per 30-minute visit once the room officially opens) is used to support BRIDGES programming. The BRIDGES Sensory Room Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening celebration takes place at 10 a.m. Friday, April 4 at the Palisades Center, on the fourth floor adjacent to Target's mall entrance. Dignitaries and the public are invited. Hours: BRIDGES Sensory Room is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Admission: The room is free until its April 4 grand opening, then it's $15 per half-hour for a child-caregiver unit. Who can use it: The sensory room is open to children under 18; every child must be accompanied by a caregiver. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Palisades Center: Kids with autism anxiety can get sensory room break
Buzz Feed
09-03-2025
- Health
- Buzz Feed
Just 31 Affordable Walmart Products That'll Help Parents Save A Little Money
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Kids aren't cheap, but here are some fantastic parenting aids that are, from playtime to snacktime and any time in between. 1. A magnetic dry-erase whiteboard because "parent brain" is a real thing, and you're going to be forgetting more than you remember (like what of the million things you need for the kids you're currently running out of). Walmart Promising review:"The eraser is a mini bulletin board. The dot is a pin they provided. The marker has an eraser on it and had good ink. The board didn't smear when erased, and it came with stickers to put it on a wall and magnets to put it on a fridge. Very nice for the price. About the size of a piece of paper." — Gabrielle 2. An easy-to-read ear and forehead thermometer that takes the temps (of very squirmy little creatures) with one-button operation. The display can be used at night without the need for a light and keep tabs on the last 20 readings. Walmart Promising review:"I have owned this for a couple of weeks now. Given its flu season and I work in a school, it has been a very handy item to have on me to help keep the children and myself as safe as possible. limiting our exposure as much as possible. So far, so good and very accurate. It has two buttons, one for ear temps and one for forehead temps. It also comes in a very soft carrying case that protects it from scratches. I would recommend this thermometer if you are looking for one." — Kimberly 3. A Lite-Brite set which comes with more templates and pegs and is bigger and brighter than the classic 1980s version. This gift might be the most affordable time machine money can buy for kids and, in all likelihood, adults. Walmart Promising review:"I got the 'Basic Fun Lite Brite Magic Screen Retro Style Toy' for our son because he is an art lover, and he can never have enough 'artsy' things to do around the house after homework is done. This combines pegs with light, and it's easy and fun at the same time: all you need to do after you are done with the art part is to push the button on the tablet to see the different lights show, and you can choose from: steady, random, pulsing and blinking. The pegs are different colors, and they are easy to push in in order to create your art piece, and my son did it in no time; he was skeptical at the beginning of what this really is but ended up enjoying himself!" — ChiagoExpert 4. A roll of heavy-duty, eco-friendly, machine-washable, reusable bamboo towels because you really have no idea how many paper towels you use cleaning up after the kids, do you? The answer is: too many! Walmart You don't realize how many paper towels you go through in a day until you run out of them (and can't easily restock your supply). Using these bamboo towels (which were recommended by a coworker) changed the way I approached cleaning up household messes. These were great for taking care of the kitchen countertop throughout the day (especially while trying to feed a toddler). I didn't quite make it to the six-month mark on one roll, but that's certainly a goal! Promising review:"These are beyond wonderful. I ordered a roll and have been using the same four sheets for over a month. When they get dirty, I throw them in the washer and dryer. These towels are very absorbent and don't mildew. I just change them daily anyway. I read in the ad that this roll could last a year, and I believe it." — Susan 5. A two-pack of kids' art smocks to save the kids' clothes from all manner of paint and marker stains and, as an added bonus, can also be used for messy little eaters, too. Walmart Promising review:"Easy to put on and get off. Covers the whole arm, so no messy sleeves. Great for toddler finger painting and watercolor! Velcro's in the back to keep securely on." — Teresa 6. A hanging car trash bag can because when you have kids, your car might actually be the one place that's even messier than your home! Walmart Promising review:"This little garbage can for the car is awesome! It attaches to the back of the seat without problems and is so useful, the fact that I have kids who travel with me quite a bit makes this travel can very useful in my vehicle!" — Sarah1689 7. An Upzzle strategic stacking puzzle game that's kind of like 3D Tetris. Players roll the dice and attempt to pile their pieces vertically without hanging off the board. Walmart If they like Kanoodle, they're going to love Uppzle! But see more about Kanoodle below. 8. A Kanoodle 3D brain teaser puzzle game where players start with a design from the included puzzle book that is missing pieces. The object is to figure out which colorful connected beads finish flat patterns or stacked pyramids. Walmart Promising review:"We are homeschoolers, and I am always trying to find toys that are more in the educational brain-teaser genre. This was recommended on many sites for top fun and educational games. This is definitely a game you don't get tired of. I love that you can grab it and go. It can be stored in your purse, jacket pocket, or bookbag. I do wish they made one that was a bigger version that was not as compact because I would buy that one to keep for in-home use." — Shelly 9. A 360-piece pack of pipe cleaners for crafting (and presumably cleaning pipes). Comes in 30 different colors and will keep the kiddos occupied with a mess-free art project. Walmart 10. A six-pack of Munchkin jumbo microwave bottle sterilizer bags so you can thoroughly disinfect bottles or breastfeeding equipment by eliminating 99.9% of the most common bacteria and germs. Just add water and pop it in the microwave for as little as 90 seconds. Walmart Promising review:"I love this sterilizer bag. Before using these I would sterilize all my bottles and pump parts in a pot of boiling water. With this bag, I just toss a bunch of parts in, add a little water, and in a few minutes, I'm done. You can easily dump out the water without opening the bag and avoid burning your hands immediately by handling the bag using the cool tab. I love the check boxes on the front to remind me how many times I've used each bag. These can be used up to 30 times." — sorrycharlie625 11. A 90-count supply of saline Boogie Wipes because when little noses start to run, it's not a jog; it's a Usain Bolt-like sprint to sticky snot getting anywhere and everywhere. These things are like booger magnets! Walmart Promising review:"These were a huge blessing when my kids got sick!! My little one had a chafed, bloody nose from wiping his nose with tissues. As soon as I pulled these out, it changed everything! His nose cleared up within a day, and there were no more tears!" — JANELLE 12. A huge, double-sided giant tortilla blanket for those times when you want to snuggle up with the kids and turn them into warm and toasty burritos. Walmart Promising review:"This throw blanket is perfect. Nice and soft, not too light, material is good quality. And who doesn't like a giant tortilla!" — Benjamin 13. A Paint by Sticker Dinosaurs book, which sounds exactly like what it is: fun craft time that's a little sticky but not nearly as messy as breaking out the paints or magic markers. Plus, you can easily hang up the pictures when completed. Walmart Promising review:"When the book arrived, I thought that the stickers and numbers were too small for my 4-year-old granddaughter. It was a little bit of a struggle at first, but now she's just loving them. The book makes number recognition and shape placement artful and fun. You also have to be mindful of the number of pieces you pull." — aka 14. An eight-pack of Sproutlings natural soy and beeswax crayons to draw the day away or color 'til the (purple, maybe?) cows come home. Also available in a "first grasp" size that's 30% bigger than average crayons. John Mihaly / BuzzFeed, Walmart We love these crayons! They're nice and chonky for little hands, and they write/draw/color quite smoothly. Also, they're much more affordable than other natural crayons on the market, so you're kind of getting a deal here. 15. Or a Crayola HD coloring kit with 30 colored pencils and 20 black and white pages that are shaded, which means kids can take their coloring to the next level and look totally profesh! Walmart 16. An 80-piece Johnson & Johnson first aid kit for any boo-boos that might happen (and they will). This pack has it all and should probably live in your car and/or your medicine cabinet. Walmart Contains 30 adhesive bandages in assorted sizes, 21 sheer adhesive bandages, hand-cleansing wipes, 10 gauze all-purpose dressings, and one full-sized Neosporin antibiotic ointment. Promising review:"I have three girls, and let's be honest, accidents happen. I think it's important to try to be prepared for them if you can. I got this kit and luckily haven't had to use it, but having it on hand makes me feel prepared." — Yvonne 17. A spray bottle of water-based Folex instant carpet spot remover because if you've got kids and a carpet (that you care about), you best believe it's gonna get stained. Take a look right now; there's probably a new stain waiting for you! Walmart Promising review:"This is what magic is made of! It has removed every stain I can find on any cloth surface! It has restored the carpet to new condition after coffee stains settled in for three weeks! It works wonders. Coffee stains are so simple for this product to remove. I'm so glad I have it!" — Zahra 18. A Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game (a personal favorite of mine) where players take turns calling out the words taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza (in that order) until the word matches the card. But watch out for those gorilla, groundhog, and narwhal cards! Walmart Promising review:"My kids and I really like Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza! You go around the circle, and each person says an item. If the card matches what you say, everyone tries to slap the deck. The last person to slap the deck must take all the cards. There are also action cards in the deck. This game keeps you on your toes, and there will be laughing!" — Lisa 19. A quick-drying, waterproof, sand-proof beach blanket/picnic mat for sitting comfortably with the kids just about anywhere outdoors. Includes four stakes and a travel bag. Just toss in the car and go! Walmart Promising review:"I went to the beach for a week on vacation, and my daughter took her naps on this mat while on the beach for a few days! It works very well! Easy to clean, store, and open. I think it will work very well at an outside event like watching fireworks or at an outdoor concert!" — Alex 20. A bottle of Aveeno Kids' hydrating detangling spray with oat extract that makes combing even the curliest of children's hair as easy as scooping ice cream that's been sitting out more than five minutes. Walmart If I didn't have this, I don't know how I'd ever get my daughter to school on time unless we both woke up hours earlier every day. This is truly a time saver, and her hair ends up looking (and smelling) great! Promising review: "My daughter has dry hair with big curls, and the bed head is REAL. It gets to the point that I have to brush her hair out in the bath with conditioner, but to my surprise, I sprayed her hair this morning and brushed right through it! I will purchase this again and again and again!" — EH 21. A 10-pack of Gerber three-ply cloth diapers that aren't so much meant to be used as diapers but as super absorbent workhorses to deal with puke, leaky breast milk, sweat, or any other spillage that babies, toddlers, and kids can bring. Walmart Promising review:"I use these for burp cloths instead of as diapers. They're incredibly soft and absorbent. Easy to clean (just throw in the washer with other clothes). My daughter also likes to hug and hold them." — Katie 23. A Frida Baby silicone Booty Brush because applying diaper cream with one's fingers (while totally fine for parents) often results in stains on fabrics and lots of handwashing. This butt-spackler gets that unenviable job done in the quickest and cleanest way possible. Walmart Promising review:"I used to make fun of this idea and was like, just use your fingers until my baby was on antibiotics and developed a horrible rash that had to have cream applied every two hours. He would scream and fight me, and it was a mess; I decided to try this, which helped so much. The cream is easier to apply and doesn't stick to the spatula as it does on your skin. 100% recommend this to anyone." — RegettiSpaghetti 24. A 107-piece pack of rainbow scratch paper to scratch that creative itch (and occupy the kids' time) while keeping the refrigerator (at least the front of) well stocked with kiddo's latest artistic endeavor. Walmart Promising review:"There are so many sheets and drawing tools. Some cutouts come with ribbons to make hanging ornaments, and cute stencils that you will need to use with toothpicks because they are very small. There are a lot of materials, and it's well worth the purchase. Just be sure and do the scratch art on a table with a durable covering, not because of damage but because of all the black flecks and shavings. They don't sweep up well and stick to hands and pretty much everything. Aside from this, anything made with these sheets looks extra cute and colorful." — Mariface 25. A two-pack of Munchkin faucet extenders for making already difficult (and messy) tasks like handwashing and teeth brushing easier for the little ones and cleaning up easier for you. Walmart Fits standard and gooseneck faucets; no tools are required Promising review:"These faucet extenders are amazing. First of all, you get two for what I would have paid for one! The silicone stretches easily to fit over a multitude of different faucets. I have one on a gooseneck faucet downstairs and the other on a more traditional sink upstairs. You can pivot the bottom portion around to move the water stream wherever your little one needs it. My toddler feels like a big kid being able to reach the water himself and I feel better knowing he doesn't have to stand on his tiptoes anymore. I received this product in exchange for my honest feedback." — Deena 27. An eight-count pack of grape-flavored Dramamine Motion Sickness chewables for kids so you can get through any car trip without stopping, scrambling for a plastic bag, and eventually having to clean up some puke. Amazon Promising review:"My family truly enjoys this product. My kids get motion sickness when driving in the car for long periods. As long as they have Dramamine before our trip, they always do great. They love the flavor of these chewables! The little container they come in is great for travel. Highly recommend!" — Kady Price: $4.57 28. A three-pack of kids' sunglasses so little eyes stay protected, and little hands can't break them with any twisting or bending. Plus, every baby looks cool wearing these! Walmart Promising review:"Wow. These glasses are better than I expected. The material is soft and flexible; it won't hurt your kid's skin. They are very well-made and polarized!! I have to say it's the best deal ever !! My kids love them." — Lan Price: $8.99 (originally $10) 29. A two-pack of spill-proof, dishwasher-safe Munchkin snack catchers for transporting anything minuscule and munchable while keeping crumbs (somewhat) to a minimum. Walmart Promising review:"These are great for toddlers entering the, 'I wanna do it myself' stage. They allow their hands to get right in there, and most foods stay in well. The lid comes off easily (when wanted) to be washed but stays snug when in little hands. Also, keeps pets out of kids bowls!" — BoyMom4911 Price: $7.72 30. A classic Bop It! game where the objective is to, well, bop it, but also twist it or pull it, depending on what the game commands (at three different volume settings). Walmart Promising review:"Different design than the original but same exact concept. My kids literally have picked up the Bop It! every day during their idle time away from their devices/video games. It's so fun watching them trying to beat the high score." — Lauren Price: $16.99 31. A 144-sheet Origami paper kit for nimble little fingers to learn the fine art of paper folding. Just be prepared for the migration of cranes (and other animals) that will soon be landing all over your home. Walmart Promising review:"Hello, parents! Wanna surprise your kids with paper art? This is the perfect thing to engage your children when you want them out of screen time. My kids love this product. So try it, they might love it too." — Marisa Price: $10.99 Need ingredients for all your new recipes? Shop each recipe directly through the app, or check out Walmart's grocery selection to get veggies, meat, seafood, and more delivered right to your door. BuzzFeed Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
