b2c Archives - Page 7 of 31

10 Easy Flowers to Grow in Your Garden

Posted on May 6, 2020 by shopkick

After talking about easy indoor plants to care for inside your home on Monday, we thought we would step outside once more to explore flowers for your garden. Growing a garden is a summertime ritual many of us at Shopkick greatly look forward to each year. It’s a chance to embrace spending time outside, exploring a hobby for a complete season, and adding plenty of color to decks, porches, and balconies. But, where to start if you’ve never planted flowers before may give you pause. So, today we thought we would share 10 of the easiest flowers to plant in your garden or simply in a few pots outside. Take a look!

10 Easy Flowers to Grow in Your Garden:

1. Begonias:

Begonias are a classic flower to grow during the late spring and throughout the summer. We often spot them in red, which is sure to brighten up your outdoor space. If you have a spot that offers some shade, begonias will do well there. An important thing to note: Begonias thrive most when pruned, which means popping flowers that have died off of the stem in order to encourage the new growth underneath to flourish.

2. Dusty Miller:

Dusty Miller is often included in wedding bouquets because it resembles greenery. For that reason, it’s also popular to add to pots and flower boxes to act as a “filler” of sorts. Think about placing Dusty Miller in between flower groupings to add texture and fullness.

3. Geraniums:

If you’re considering making your own hanging pots, look no further than geraniums! These flowers easily cascade over the side of pots, which looks lovely when hanging. Plus, they are one of the more fragrant summer annuals, but their scent is always fresh rather than overpowering. Geraniums also do well in pots if you don’t have a spot to hang them!

4. Gerbera Daisies:

If your kids will be involved in your garden, consider planting gerbera daisies. The flowers can be found in a variety of colors, and many of them are bright and fun. Like other flowers, gerbera daisies do like both water and sun, so if you have both available, you will be all set!

5. Lantana:

If you’re hoping to attract butterflies to your garden, add lantana! It’s available in several different colors, but one we always enjoy seeing is yellow. It does tend to grow taller than some other flowers, and it looks wonderful when paired with petunias and vincas in the same pot.

6. Marigolds:

Marigolds are one of the easiest flowers to grow on a list that’s already filled with easy options! They do like sun and drained soil, so you will want to make sure they don’t become over watered. Marigolds are also known to keep critters, including bugs and deer, away from gardens, which makes them an excellent choice to add to vegetable patch exteriors.

7. Petunias:

Similar to vincas, which we’ll talk more about below, petunias are relatively easy to care for. They do well in full sun and definitely thrive when watered regularly. In order to encourage new growth, make sure to pop off flowers that have died from the stems. New growth is likely well underway underneath!

8. Salvias:

If you live in an area that experiences high heat, salvias will thrive in your conditions. These red flowers love warm temperatures and water, so if you can combine both you will see great results. Salvia also grows taller, which means it’s a great flower to include if you’re looking to add height to your garden.

9. Vincas:

If we could only choose one flower to suggest for you to grow, it would be vincas. These flowers are hearty and beautiful, and they love being in the sun. They tend to spread to fill pots throughout the summer, and while they do thrive when watered regularly they can also survive well on less. Another perk? Depending on your climate, your vincas may last through early fall.

10. Zinnias:

Similar to gerbera daisies, zinnias are also known for their rich and bright colors! Consider pairing zinnias with vincas or petunias for a vibrant flower box, and make sure to remove flowers that have died. As long as you maintain them, zinnias will keep blooming throughout the summer season and into early fall.

What flowers will you grow in your garden? Chime in on Facebook!

*All photos via The Home Depot.

The Best House Plants for Your Home

Posted on May 4, 2020 by shopkick

While we have been spending more time at home, we have been looking for ways to bring nature inside. It’s felt like a welcome respite to see plants and flowers throughout our homes! In order to source new house plants, we have been looking for online options with great selections. And, we have noticed 1800Flowers.com has plenty to explore! After searching through their inventory, we thought we would share some of the house plants we have discovered that promise to last for years while only requiring you to follow simple care instructions.

Dieffenbachia Plant:

The Dieffenbachia Plant is available in three sizes on 1800Flowers.com – floor, table size, and shelf – which means you can choose the best option for your home. The leaves feature a variety of green and yellow tones, which we’re drawn to. Plus, the plant loves indirect sunlight and evenly moist soil. The care is simple, but it will require a little more effort than other options on our list.

My Pet Plant:

We spotted this Pet Plant, and immediately thought of dog and cat lovers as well as kids. The plant that arrives in the cat or dog planter is a spider plant, which only requires water when the soil is dry. Spider plants don’t love direct sunlight, but any other kind of light will work! If you opt to purchase this house plant, you can also choose to have it arrive with cat or dog treats for your real life animal.

Pilea Peperomioides Plant:

If you have heard about propagating, which means starting a new plant using a leaf and roots from an existing plant, the Pilea Peperomioides Plant might be for you! 1800Flowers.com describes this plant as one that has extra bright and airy green leaves. It requires water when the soil is dry, which means the care is very simple! Plus, it doesn’t grow too large, which means it will always look wonderful on a table, desk, or counter.

Snake Plant:

Snake Plants grow vertically, so they will always feel like 1800Flowers describes – modern and architectural. Similar to the other options on our list, snake plants only require water when the soil is dry, and they do enjoy indirect sunlight the most. A bonus? They purify the air!

Fiddle Leaf Fig Floor Plant:

If you have spent any time reading blogs or exploring Instagram, you have likely seen Fiddle Leaf Fig trees! They are one of the most popular house plants, but be warned – they do require a bit more work in order to truly thrive. According to 1800Flowers.com, Fiddle Leaf Figs do best in inside spaces that offer indirect sunlight, watering when the soil is dry paired with daily misting, and space to grow. Humidity is also a bonus for Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees, so you will definitely benefit if you live in the south!

Do you like to grow house plants at home? What plants would you recommend that are easy to care for? Let us know on Facebook!

3 Easy No Knead Bread Recipes

Posted on May 1, 2020 by shopkick

Have you made bread while quarantined at home? We have been adding new recipes to try to our ever evolving lists, and we have to admit how much fun we have been having in our own kitchens, not to mention watching other people embrace making new recipes in their own spaces. We have tried a few bread recipes over the past few weeks, and we think we’ve narrowed down the three easiest options. Below, we’re sharing all of the details so you can check “bake bread” off of your list (and likely add it right back on once you taste the results).

1. No Knead Focaccia:

In our book, you can never go wrong with a recipe from Bon Appetit. We spotted this No Knead Focaccia recipe on Instagram and set aside a Sunday to bake this bread. It quickly became a family favorite! The bread will rise once inside your fridge and a second time on your counter, so we recommend starting to prep the dough early in the morning. Serve it with pasta for a fun Italian dinner night meal or cut slices in half for delicious sandwiches!

2. Brown Sugar Banana Bread:

If you have never baked bread before, banana bread is a great place to start! You will not need to purchase yeast to make this recipe come to life, and it’s a great way to make sure to use bananas even if they have become a bit too ripe to eat. The ingredient that makes this recipe different is in the name: brown sugar. Serve for breakfast or enjoy a slice (or two!) as a snack in the afternoon. Your family will love this recipe!

3. No Knead Bread:

This No Knead Bread is another tested and loved recipe by the Shopkick team! Oftentimes, bread needs to be kneaded, which makes the process of prepping it feel a little more daunting. This bread makes a classic loaf once baked, and there is no kneading involved. You’ll want to start prepping the dough the day before you want to eat it, so keep that in mind. Also, the author of the recipe walks through the steps of using a Dutch Oven and not, so the post is definitely worth reading.

Happy bread baking, Shopkickers! Share your results on Facebook.

4 Mother’s Day Crafts for Kids

Posted on April 30, 2020 by shopkick

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10, so we are a little more than a week away from celebrating our favorite ladies. With that in mind, first grade teacher Mrs. Lamb was back on Facebook Live today to share four fun and sweet crafts your kids can make for any and all ladies who are impacting their lives. Let’s take a closer look at Mrs. Lamb’s ideas below!

4 Mother’s Day Crafts for Kids:

Interview:

Mrs. Lamb’s first suggestion is one of the easiest! Ask each of your kids a series of questions about each of their favorite ladies. You can either type their responses or ask them to write down their answers. Once the interview is complete, ask them to draw a portrait of the subject of their interview! Make sure to frame the final piece before mailing it or dropping it off on their favorite lady’s front porch.

I Wished for You Fingerprint Art:

This art project looks like a dandelion blowing in the wind, and kids will love adding their fingerprints. Mrs. Lamb said she and her kids dipped their thumbs in watercolor paint to create the piece they made, but any water based paint will do the trick. This is another craft you can easily frame and ship to a happy recipient.

Simile Poem:

A simile poem is a great idea for older kids! Talk about similes. Then ask them to make comparisons. Your kids can also create patterns when coloring in the border, and they can also draw a portrait of their recipient. This is another piece you can frame and keep or drop into the mail.

Heart Photo:

Mrs. Lamb’s final Mother’s Day craft suggestion is her favorite, and we love it too! Start by cutting hearts out of construction paper. Mrs. Lamb’s kids used red, but any color or a collection of colors will look wonderful. Once you have a group of hearts in various sizes, tape them onto your wall. You will want to place them slightly higher than your kids, and you will want them to start at a point and float either out or up. Finally, capture a photo of your kids “blowing” the hearts out of their hands. The result is a photo that looks like they’re making a loving wish for their favorite ladies. This is a great project to text or email to friends and family, or you can print the photo and send hard copies in the mail.

What will your kids make for their most-loved ladies in honor of Mother’s Day? Let us know! Make sure to watch the full Facebook Live, and tune in next week for more fun learning tips from Mrs. Lamb.

5 Books Turned into Shows to Watch on Hulu

Posted on April 29, 2020 by shopkick

Since the debut of streaming services, like Hulu, there has felt like there is a complete plethora of new movies and series. That’s definitely beneficial now while many of us are practicing physical distancing at home! We’re always most curious to watch shows that originated as books because we’re eager to see how the production and creative teams have changed the storylines (if at all). So, today we’re highlighting five books turned into TV shows that you can start streaming now on Hulu!

1. Little Fires Everywhere

Celeste Ng’s “Little Fires Everywhere” debuted in March as a new series on Hulu, and Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s production company, is one of the teams behind the series. Reese also stars in the show as Elena, one of the main characters, along with Kerry Washington, who plays Mia – an artist who moves to town with her daughter Pearl. Through twists and turns, the series follows both women and their families as their lives intertwine in the ‘90s in Shaker Heights, Ohio. You will be guessing about who started the little fires you see in the first scene until the very end of episode eight when the season comes to a close. We’re already hoping there will be a season two!

2. Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies” is one of the author’s most well received novels. It weaves together the story about Madeline, Celeste, and Jane, and the book opens with a murder. The book felt made for TV, so when Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley debuted on the screen as the famed characters, the series was immediately a cult favorite. The first season featured seven episodes, and fans were quickly requesting a second season. The creative team happily obliged, so there are currently two seasons available on Hulu!

3. Pretty Little Liars

If you enjoy YA novels with a mysterious twist, you will likely be a fan of “Pretty Little Liars”. The book series is set outside of Philadelphia, and it centers around the lives of five high school best friends. The problem is one of their friends, Alison, is found dead in her yard, and the four remaining friends keep receiving messages from “A”. Who is “A”? You’ll have to watch the series, which is available on Hulu, to find out! There are seven seasons available.

4. Pride & Prejudice

In 1995, Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” debuted on the BBC starring Colin Firth. Now, the famed novel and series are both available for you to stream on Hulu. There is only one season available, but it does tell the complete story of the Bennett sisters and their love interests, including Mr. Darcy.

5. Younger

Can Liza successfully find a new job in publishing after raising her daughter? Will her peers believe she’s half her age? “Younger” originated as a book by the same name by Pamela Redmond Satran, and the series, which is set in New York City, follows the same arc (with new twists, of course). Starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff, the series is reminiscent of “Gilmore Girls” if Lorelai and Rory were living in the city. There are currently six seasons of “Younger” available on Hulu, and the next season will hopefully debut later this year on TV Land.

Will you read the book before watching the series? And, which series piques your interest the most? Let us know on Facebook!

10 Pantry Essentials to Always Have on Hand

Posted on April 27, 2020 by shopkick

Today, we’re excited to team up with Joy of Mom as they reveal the 10 pantry items they suggest we always have on hand. The timing for this post feels perfect because we’re all spending more time at home, and our kitchens feel like they’ve never been used more as we continue to whip up new recipes for our families. Below, Joy of Mom shares their top staples as well as why they are important and how you can use them to make your own recipes. We hope you will feel newly inspired in your kitchen!

1. Flour

We always have all purpose flour on hand, and I try to keep 00 flour and gluten free flour on hand. We use these to make homemade pastas, bread, flour tortillas, and anything that has a roux base like a lasagna or mac n cheese.

2. Olive Oil

We try to buy organic when we can. We use extra virgin olive oil for salad dressing, marinating, sautéing vegetables, prepping anything that is going to go on the grill, as well as browning meats.

3. Kosher Salt

We try to purchase a really good brand of salt, I use it for cooking, marinades, salad dressings and table side to add extra seasoning to anything we are eating.

4. Rice

I try to keep a couple of different varieties of rice on hand. We always have Jasmine rice on hand because I think it is the most versatile. I love Forbidden rice cooked in coconut milk. It’s an amazing rice to make risotto and as a side or base for a lot of recipes.

5. Diced Tomatoes

I use this to make homemade spaghetti sauce and shakshuka, in any kind of soup that has a tomato base, as well as to thicken up things like stews.

6. Coconut Milk

I try to buy organic when I can. It is great to cook your rice in this! Anytime I am doing an asian dish, I cook the rice with ½ coconut milk and ½ water, and it adds great flavor. It is a great base for currys – we make a lot of fish and chicken curry. It is also a great staple for baking.

7. Quinoa

My favorite is the Tri-Color Quinoa. We cook this in broth to add flavor and like to add a tiny bit of diced onions, spinach, and parmesan while it is cooking. It is a great side for salmon and chicken, and you can use it as a base for chili as well as some soup recipes.

8. Beans

I always have garbanzo (chickpeas) on hand. We use this for homemade hummus or toast them up and put them with sautéed mushrooms and kale with pasta or throw them on a salad. Any kind of butter beans, Italian beans, or kidney beans can be used in soups or chili or can make a great side if you add a little bit of spice.

9. Olives

I usually try to keep two types on hand – Castelvetrano and Greek olives. I usually buy the pitted kind because they are easier to work with. I use them for cocktails- but you can also slice them up and add them to your pastas, put them on top of avocado toast, or on a cheese board.

10. Tahini

Tahini, which is just crushed up sesame seeds, is a staple for us. It is a base ingredient for hummus which we make often. You can use it as a base to make a bunch of salad dressings if you mix it with a little bit of sriracha, miso paste, or lemon juice. We also love to spread it on toast with a little bit of honey!

Make sure to visit the app to view Joy of Mom’s video about pantry staples, and check out our Facebook community for more inspiration.

How to Keep Your House Clean

Posted on April 24, 2020 by shopkick

Anyone else feel like they are constantly cleaning? Through researching and talking with friends and family to ask for opinions, we’ve landed on five tips that we’re already putting to the test.

Put Things Away:

It’s tempting to allow dishes to sit in your dishwasher, laundry to remain unfolded, and toys to stay where kids were last playing with them, but try to put things away instead. Run your dishwasher overnight and put your dishes away while you’re waiting for coffee to brew in the morning. Fold your laundry in your laundry room so you only need to put it away. Ask your kids to put away their toys at the end of the day so they can start playing again in an organized space the next day. By putting things away as you go, you won’t have to spend more than a few moments tidying up at any one time.

Clean Room-by-Room:

We like to clean each room completely – whether we’re cleaning it quickly or doing a deeper clean – rather than jumping from room to room. By doing this, we’ve found it’s easy to stick to a schedule. Another idea is to do a task a day (i.e.: vacuum, dust, mop, etc.).

Let Small Tasks Add Up:

When we think of small tasks, many of the chores we’ve mentioned, like running and emptying the dishwasher and putting things away, come to mind. We can also add sticking to a laundry schedule, sorting through mail, making sure keys are kept in a central location, and shoes aren’t scattered to the list. If you have kids, they can easily help to ensure these small tasks add up throughout the week – it’s their space too!

Do a Quick Clean:

Sometimes when we think about cleaning a room, we think we need to completely scrub down every corner of the space. In most cases, that doesn’t have to be true! You can quickly clean a space by dusting or wiping down surfaces, vacuuming, and generally tidying up within 20-30 minutes. By completing a quick clean of high traffic spaces, like bedrooms and bathrooms, frequently, you will feel confident cutting back on the amount of times you choose to deep clean the same rooms.

Create a Playlist:

Cleaning does not have to be something you dread! One of the best ways we’ve found to enjoy the time we spend tidying is by creating a playlist. Look to songs that put you in a great mood and want to move with purpose or cue up a podcast or two to listen to while you clean. Either promises to take your mind off of what you’re actually doing (cleaning!) while making you feel encouraged to complete the task even faster.

What are your top tips for cleaning? We’re ready to hear what you do! Leave your comments for us on Facebook.

3 Ways to Engage Young Readers

Posted on April 23, 2020 by shopkick

Happy Thursday, Shopkickers! First grade teacher Mrs. Lamb filmed another segment today on Facebook Live. Because we want to make sure we’re answering the questions you have, Mrs. Lamb answered one of your questions today. She shared three great tips about how to keep young readers engaged, and we have the recap below.

Lego Sight Words

Mrs. Lamb touched on the importance of sight words for young readers, and she revealed a fun new way to help students to learn them – Legos! Simply write one letter on one (or both) sides of a Lego brick. Keep going until you have a collection. Then ask your student to create sight words with the lettered bricks.

By participating in this learning activity, they’re learning about:

Fine Motor Skills – The act of making mini groupings of Legos helps with this.
Letter Identification – Your student must know which letter is on the Lego in order to use it.
Spelling – Your student is learning how to spell their sight words while they’re building.
Sentences – Once your student has built a few words, ask him or her to create sentences using the groupings.

Roll + Read

Similar to creating words with Legos, Roll + Read allows kids to be interactive while reviewing sight words. The idea is simple: create a mini board with the numbers 1-6 written vertically down the side. Next to each number add three sight words across the board horizontally. It helps to use a whiteboard if possible!

In order to learn, your student will roll a dice and choose a word from the row associated with the dice’s number from the board. They will read it out loud, and as long as it’s correct, erase it from the board. This is a great activity for kids to do independently, and you could also turn it into a game to see how fast the board can be completed. Then, decide on a fun reading reward!

How to make a whiteboard:

DVD Case:
- Remove the front and back covers from a white DVD case. Leave the plastic on.
- Use a permanent or whiteboard marker to write on the board.
- Use an old sock to erase.
One Gallon Bag:
- Place white computer paper inside a zipped one gallon bag. If you use a mini stack, it will be easier to write on the board.
- A permanent marker, whiteboard marker, and an old sock work here too.

Roll + Retell

Mrs. Lamb’s final tip to engage young readers is called Roll + Retell. This PDF from Fun in First is a great tool because it offers prompts for readers to answer about the key components of a story, like characters, setting, and more. Each component of a story is associated with a number from a dice, so you or your student will want to roll the dice in order to see which story question they should answer. Roll + Retell is interactive and fun, plus it’s also ensuring your student is learning and absorbing while enjoying listening or reading books.

If you’re looking for great story resources, visit YouTube! Plenty of authors, illustrators, and celebrities have been taking to the internet to read to young students. Your kids will be busy for a while!

How do you encourage your young reader to read? Let us know and make sure to tune into Mrs. Lamb’s next Facebook Live segment on Tuesday!

Four Kids Crafts for Earth Day

Posted on April 21, 2020 by shopkick

It’s Tuesday, which means we welcomed first grade teacher, Mrs. Lamb, back to Facebook Live! Mrs. Lamb shared one of her favorite holidays is tomorrow – Earth Day. And, she’s still planning to celebrate at home with her kids and over Zoom with her students. Below, we’re detailing the four simple crafts and experiments you can do from home with materials you likely already have on hand.

Bug Hotel:

The bug hotel is exactly like it sounds – a fun spot where bugs will want to inhabit (outside, of course!). Here’s how to make one:

Cut off the top and bottom of a plastic bottle. A soda or water bottle is perfect!
Go on a nature walk and pick up items like sticks, flowers, leaves, and moss.
Thread your items into your bottle until it’s full.
Poke two holes in your bottle, thread twine through the holes, and hang your habitat outside on a tree.

For extra learning, ask your student to journal about the experience, make a hypothesis about the varieties of bugs that will like the hotel you’re creating, and take photos of your hotel in progress.

Earth Day Headband:

Mrs. Lamb and her students love creating Earth Day headbands to wear throughout the day! It’s a fun way to kick off the day with a craft and plenty of meaningful conversation about reducing, reusing, and recycling. Here’s how to make one:

Download the PDF from Smitten with First.
Color your earth, glue all necessary pieces, and complete the prompt about how you reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Glue all pieces to a headband and wear it throughout the day!

For extra learning, talk with your student about the areas of the earth they’re coloring and why they’re choosing specific colors. See if you can think of new ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Chat with friends about Earth Day!

Crayon Planter:

If you have old crayons hiding in drawers, this project is a great way for you to reuse and recycle your materials. Plus, you will have a unique and fun planter once it’s complete. Here’s how to make one:

Gather old crayons and remove all of the paper on the outside.
Rinse out a can.
With a hairdryer on high heat, hold a crayon on the outside of the can and watch as the wax melts onto the can. Repeat until the can is covered.
Add soil and seeds – your planter is complete!

For extra learning, explore why crayons melt when a hairdryer is used and talk about what you might grow in your planter. Mrs. Lamb shared she’s growing strawberries!

Ecosystem:

Mrs. Lamb’s final Earth Day project is one of her favorites – an ecosystem! This project is simple, but the results can be seen for days and weeks on end as your seeds continue to grow. Here’s how to make your own ecosystem:

Collect two soda bottles (you may want to have three ready just in case)
Cut off the top of one bottle and the bottom of another
Flip one bottle upside down and nest it inside the other (the top of the bottle where the cap would normally be should now be inside of the other bottle)
Fill the top bottle with a layer of rocks followed by layers of soil. Mrs. Lamb’s kids added moss in between their rocks and soil.
Plant seeds in the soil.
Water your seeds and watch as any additional water trickles through the top bottle and lands in the bottom bottle. Your ecosystem is ready to thrive!

For extra learning, continue to water your ecosystem and track its progress. You will notice the seeds beginning to sprout, and overtime the roots will poke through the bottle’s opening and flow into the bottom bottle where the water is collecting. You will find you will need to water your ecosystem less and less because the roots will be able to collect their own water.

Make sure to catch Mrs. Lamb’s Earth Day Facebook Live, and have fun celebrating the 50th anniversary of this great holiday. We’ll see you back on Facebook for Mrs. Lamb’s next session on Thursday!

5 Trendy Workouts to Try at Home

Posted on April 20, 2020 by shopkick

Aside from staying home during the current pandemic, one of the best things we can do for our mental and physical wellbeing is to stay active. Spending 10, 30, 45, or 60 minutes a day invested in a workout has the potential to make you feel strong and accomplished because you’re sweating and moving your body. Thanks to the known benefits and in an effort to encourage us to continue (or start!) our workout routines, many gyms and fitness studios are now posting their classes online. So, if you have been wanting to try out a trendy workout, like Peloton, Barre3, or Orangetheory, keep reading because we’re sharing five trendy workouts you can try for home!

1. Peloton App

You’ve likely heard of Peloton and their bikes, but did you know they also have an app filled with plenty of other workouts? Try out yoga, strength training, walking, running, cycling (of course), and more via the app with any of their trained instructors. Classes range from quick 10 minute sessions to hour long classes you can participate in live or at your leisure (everything is saved). At the time we’re publishing this post, Peloton is currently offering a 90-day free trial.

2. Obe Fitness

Obe Fitness is known for their 28 minute workouts, and they recommend alternating between cardio (SWEAT), strength (STRENGTH), and yoga (FLOW) classes throughout the week. Because the sessions are short and known for their high energy feeling, we won’t be surprised if you achieve their recommended goal of 5 classes/week. Try a free trial to see what you think before joining and paying for a monthly membership.

3. Shopkick

Have you worked out with us yet? We have been launching new workout videos on Mondays and Wednesday in the app and also on Facebook Live! Mondays is devoted to mindfulness, so join us to practice yoga and stretch with Cat. On Wednesday, join us as we try a different workout each week. We’ve done Zumba, stretching, and core work so far with Nikki!

4. Orangetheory

If you have not yet tried Orangetheory, you likely have a friend who is a big fan. Typically, Orangetheory workouts are an hour long, and they’re designed to work on “endurance, strength, and power”. Currently, the team behind Orangetheory is launching daily workouts for you to do at home with most lasting for 30 minutes. Everything is free through the Orangetheory At Home program!

5. Barre3

Barre3 combines strength training together with ballet, and the full-body workouts are known to be challenging. Choose your level and stream workouts online during a time that suits your schedule. Currently, you can enjoy a 15-day free trail and some items you may wish to purchase to use during your workouts are discounted.

Join us on Facebook as we stay active together!

At Home Science Experiment: Egg Drop

Posted on April 17, 2020 by shopkick

First grade teacher Mrs. Lamb was live again yesterday on Facebook, and we’re back to recap her session! This time, she dove into science after receiving requests to explore this fun subject. And, after chatting with a friend, she decided to explore the egg drop. Many of us remember the day when we had to create a structure that would protect an egg from a fall, and Mrs. Lamb introduced her kids to the experiment first and now you’re invited to take part too.

The steps to try this experiment at home are simple!

How to Do an Egg Drop Experiment at Home:

Explain the concept of dropping an egg to your student. Older kids may have learned about force in their science classes, which is the ultimate lesson. However, there is plenty of creativity to be had for younger students too.
Ask your student to create a structure they think can withstand a drop from a second or third story window or even from a lower down ladder. Encourage them to get creative and think about what might protect their egg during a fall. The key thing Mrs. Lamb noted was she encouraged her kids to use anything that could be recycled, which is a great idea in general and also in celebration of Earth Day.
Encourage your student to decorate their egg! Mrs. Lamb’s kids got creative and drew on their eggs, which we thought was such a fun touch. They also named them for even more personalization.
Prepare the egg for the drop! Place it inside the structure, make sure it’s secure, then head to the spot where you will drop it.
Mrs. Lamb’s kids waited in the yard outside where they took videos of their eggs dropping in slow motion. The videos are fantastic!
Open the structures to see if your egg survived the fall. The goal is for it to be intact.

After taking a peek at their eggs post-fall and reviewing why certain structures worked while others didn’t, Mrs. Lamb’s kids asked to try again. One experiment turned into a complete activity for Mrs. Lamb and her family, and we think you and your family will have fun too!

Will you take part in the egg drop experiment? If you do, make sure to share it with us on Facebook. Stay tuned for next week because Mrs. Lamb will be back on Tuesday to share even more ideas live!

How to Support Your Community During COVID-19

Posted on April 16, 2020 by shopkick

We all have favorite small businesses we enjoy supporting whether they’re located in our hometowns or online. Many of the businesses we are thrilled to support during other times throughout the year are the same businesses that are being hit the hardest now during the coronavirus quarantine. Though we may be inside and at home, there are still plenty of simple and easy things we can do to support our communities. Here are five of our ideas:

1. Contribute to Charity Campaigns

Online campaigns are launching to support small business employees who cannot work during COVID-19, and we have been happy to support them during this time. When many of us donate $5 or $10 to these campaigns, those amounts add up to much more and fast!

2. Order Takeout

We may not be able to eat in person at our favorite local restaurants, but many are still offering takeout. So, order online and turn to Uber Eats to bring you your delivery. P.S: Make sure to use Shopkick if you order with Uber Eats because you’ll earn kicks!

3. Purchase a Gift Card

A gift card can go a long way for a small business in your community. Your purchase provides cash flow for the business now, and it offers a promise that you’re going to return once they can open their doors again.

4. Post on Social Media

Posting about your favorite shops, boutiques, and restaurants on social media is a quick, easy, and free way to show your support! Consider sharing menu items you enjoy from local restaurants or items you have purchased from local shops. Everyone enjoys visuals!

5. Shop Small

If you do need to purchase something online, try supporting a smaller shop or boutique! Many have online stores so their items are always available, and now shopping online is the best way to pick up new items while still keeping your social distance.

How are you supporting your community? Chime in on Facebook!