Rainbow Connection
Helping Our Children Foster a Positive Body Image in Their Dance Career
Dance Moms: How to Set the Barre High
A Mer-magical Birthday Party
by Rachel Minnie
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Canât get to the beach right now? Why not throw your guppy a magical mermaid birthday party instead? There are so many vibrant colors to use for this popular theme - purples, blues, aquas, pinks - that finding coordinating party items will be a sea breeze.
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One headache-saver is this leotard mermaid costume from The Leotard Boutique. Use this and any color dance skirt, and your mergirl will feel like Ariel. This is one of those items that is so multi-purpose: dress up, Halloween, or a birthday party.
In fact, why not have all the guests dress up? One of the best kids parties Iâve ever attended against my will was a dress-up party. It was nowhere near October, but kids wore old Halloween costumes or whatever costume pieces they had around. The kids loved it, and the parents loved reusing costumes that otherwise would have stayed in the closet.
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Top off the birthday girlâs mermaid costume with a spectacular crown. This Etsy find can be customized with any age or no age. Iâd go with no age so that it can be more easily reused for dress up or Halloween.
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This kit is definitely on a higher level than regular party balloons. It comes with all the supplies for a show-stopping mermaid tail. Bonus: these donât need helium to look spectacular.
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These paper lanterns are an easy, high-impact decorating choice that will make your guests feel like they are under the sea. Add some fishing nets and seashells for an even better sea vibe.
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Another bang for your decorating buck is this kit with purples, pinks, and aquas. Personally, I canât get enough of those tissue pom poms. Hang them from the ceiling, or just attach them to the wall with painterâs tape. That way, you only have to floof one side. Time saver!
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We love the iridescence on these scalloped shell plates. Pair them with this set of iridescent plastic cutlery to complete the magical look.
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I may or may not be overdoing it, but I love matching the wrapping paper to a kiddoâs birthday theme. The presents themselves become part of the decorations.
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These are another one of those multipurpose items. Not only can these mermaid tail cones be stuffed with treats and used as party favors, they can be hung on string to make them part of the decorations. Youâll have to buy extra ribbon to hang each up, as the ribbons included are only enough for tying the bags closed.
Ready-to-Make Ballet Crafts
It's a Spooky, Socially Distanced Halloween
 by Rachel Minnie
Things are pretty scary right now, and not in a good way. Although no one is sure what trick-or-treating will look like this year, we still want to celebrate one of Americaâs favorite holidays. Here are our suggestions for a responsibly social-distanced Halloween celebration.
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Donât Skip the Costumes
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Even if kids arenât going trick-or-treating or attending their usual parties this year, do not skip the costumes. Dressing up as a kid on Halloween is one of those treasured childhood activities that should be maintained, even if you arenât going anywhere. (Take a look at our wholesomely spooky girlsâ and toddlersâ costume leotards in our Halloween shop!)
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Share the (Candy) Love
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This one takes a little planning ahead, but think about sending Halloween goodie bags to your childâs closest friends and relatives. Include a handmade card from your child along with a few pieces of candy, a pencil or two, and mail them a few days ahead of time. Your child will have fun getting into the spirit by sending the packages, and your childâs friends will love receiving them.
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Modified Trick-or-Treating
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This is one trick I used when my family first moved to New Hampshire only a couple days before Halloween. We knew not one soul, had no neighbors, and didnât even know yet where people did their candy peddling in that tiny rural town. So we had my four-year-old dress up in his costume, and while he and his daddy played outside in the early evening, I âhidâ candy all around the house. He went through the house, collecting the candy (all his favorites - no duds). He loved it! Even at 11 years old, he still talks about that Halloween. Happy childhood memory - nailed it.
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Decorate!
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Even if youâre not feeling totally in the Halloween spirit, donât skip the decorations. In fact, thatâs even more reason to go a little more elaborate with indoor and outdoor decorations this year. (If youâre already one of those people who goes all out on their outdoor decor, you deserve a ghoulishly heartfelt thank you from the rest of us.) Not only will it delight your kiddos, but it will inspire the neighbors as well. Instead of driving around to look at holiday lights, drive around to look at all the Halloween decorations.
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Keep It Spooky, Witches
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Going along with decorating, if you have the space - and, more importantly, the time and energy - make your own outdoor haunted attraction. Who said a haunted house has to be the inside of the house? Backyards can be just as chilling. Set one up and let local families know via social media. On Halloween night, allow one family at a time to go through and provide hand sanitizer and disposable masks. With all of todayâs new-fangled animatronic contraptions, you can set up a seriously spooky space with no live jump scares. Add a fog machine, scary recordings, and youâve got yourself a Halloween horror treat not just for your family, but for your friends and neighbors as well. And if you set it up but donât get many bodies, consider it a dry run for next yearâs Halloween, which we hope will be more lively. Get it? Iâll see myself out.
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Photo by @adayinthelifeofcecilia