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This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. Subscribe here.Not everything creative needs a prompt. The Web is increasingly flooded with AI-generated images and videos, much of it aimed at kids. Sometimes its nice to break free of that synthetic media. As a dad of 10 and 12-year-old daughters, I appreciate resources for kids and families that celebrate human imagination, curiosity, and hands-on exploration. I had a fruitful recent conversation about resources for kids with a fellow dad, Kevin Maguire, who writes the great newsletter The New Fatherhood. If youre a dad looking for great reads and a sense of community, check out Kevins newsletter. (Also read Recalculating, by Ignacio Pereyra). Kevin wrote the section below about simplifying screens and shared the tip about muted.io. The rest of the apps and resources below are ones Ive enjoyed in recent years with my wife and daughters. From coding with visual blocks to identifying plants on nature walks, these are some of our favorite tools for sparking creativity. Building brains without bots Scratch, developed at the MIT Media Lab, is a superb program for learning to code. Its fun and free for kids and adults. My daughters like assembling Scratchs visual blocks on screen to create interactive stories, games and animations. Its designed for kids 8 to 16. ScratchJr is a great alternative for kids 5 to 7. Free Dash Robot lets kids program it to move, light up, and make sounds. It teaches block coding, like Scratch, and our daughters enjoy making up their own instructions to send Dash on creative adventures. For kids 5 to 14. $180. Seek is one of our favorite family apps. Point the app at any plant, flower, animal, or bug you see on a walk to learn more about it. Its given us insight into much of the greenery (& critters) around us. iOS & Android. Free Sponsored message Guidde | Create how-to guides with AI Tired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your colleagues? Guidde is an AI-powered tool that helps you explain the most complex tasks in seconds with AI-generated documentation. Turn boring documentation into stunning visual guides Save valuable time by creating video documentation 11x faster Share or embed your guide anywhere Just click capture on the browser extension. The app automatically generates step-by-step video guides with visuals, voiceover, and a call to action. The best part? The extension is 100% free. Try it free Words that work wonders Libby lets you access thousands of free ebook or audiobooks with a free library card. It works for more than 90% of public libraries in North America, and Libby can be found in 78 countries worldwide. Free Khan Academy is the most robust online spot for helping kids with learning almost any school subject. Its completely free. No ads. Khan Academy Kids has great learning activities and games for kids 2-8. Its also free and ad-free, and its fun for both math and reading. Free Family screen time that actually works Common Sense Media | Wondering if a show, movie or video game is age appropriate? Get a quick sense of whether its a good fit for your family. Free Kanopy is a terrific free resource for educational videos, documentaries and classic films. Access it with your library card. A unique feature: watch Oscar-winning short films you wont find on other streaming platforms. Kanopy Kids is a curated collection for learning, less commercial than the kids section on Netflix. Free JustWatch | See which platform hosts a particular movie or show. Free Nex | Like a Nintendo Wii made for 2025, this video game systm gets our bodies moving with fun, non-violent, family-friendly games. It was easy to set up, pluging right into an HDMI port on our TV. Its a little bigger than a Rubiks Cube. We love playing with the Nex Playground Four of us can play together. We like the sports, dancing and trivia games. Some titles are just for little kids (e.g. Elmo, Peppa Pig), but most are engaging for older kids and adults. The device costs $249 with five included games. An $89 annual subscription gets you 40+ more games. Read my Fast Company interview [gift link] with Nexs founding CEO about how his game system has spread. Making music Chrome Music Lab Compose little tunes, even if you have no musical experience. Explore digital instruments and sound games. Save your favorite clips to share. Googles MusicFX is a fun alternative for generating music with a prompt. Free Metronaut This sheet music app lets kids play along with an accompaniment from an phone or iPad. It supports 20+ instruments ranging from strings and woodwinds to piano, guitar, and brass. $27/year on iOS. Metronaut lets you play with digital sheet music and an accompaniment Tomplay is another great sheet music app that works well on Android and iOS and includes a wider range of chamber music. I pay $82/year for it. muted.io has a vibrant collection of interactive tools and visual references to help kids or their parents absorb music theory. Free [by Kevin Maguire] Art adventures & creative experiments Tate Kids An Arty Playground. Play art games, watch cute videos, try out little projects, and stretch your artistic mind with this well-designed resource from one of the UKs great art museums. Free Make an animated drawing. Turn a sketch into a playful moving image. This service from Meta lets you turn coloring into animation. Free Draw A Fish. This simple, low-fidelity game lets you draw a little fish with your computer mouse, then see it swim on screen. Free Googles Arts & Culture Experiments include dozens of playful free apps for learning about the worlds of painting, sculpture, music, and more. Free Spark curiosity How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo is a wonderful guide to fabulous books for kids. It grew out of this free NYTimes guide (gift link). As of this writing, its $9.51 on Amazon. The Week Junior is a terrific print magazine. Its aimed at kids 8 to 14, but my wife and I also enjoy reading it. The 32 colorful pages feature short curated stories about the news of the week. It also includes puzzles, a weekly debate, and photography pages. Cost: 25 issues/year for $49, or $59 for print + digital access. (See the magazine layout design) Simplifying screens, from Kevin Maguire Consider a Light Phone. Experiment with freeing yourself (and your kids) from smartphone addiction with a full-on dumbphone. Reviews for the 3rd edition have been glowing Wired gave it 8/10. $699 for version 3 or $299 for version 2. Try the Dumb Phone app. Simulate a simple device with an app that strips away everything but simple links to the core phone functions: camera, maps, calendar, and photos. Imitate a simple device without dropping $500 on the love child of a Nokia and a Kindle. Free or $10/annual; $30/lifetime. The Dumbest Phone Is Parenting Genius. A landline for kids? If its not too late, consider a tactic from Rheana Murrays Atlantic article: install a landline. Buy that hamburger phone you always dreamed of as a kid; go with a landline as a service company like Tin Can and their gorgeous house phones; or if youre more technically inclined roll your own VoIP line for a fraction of the cost. The bottom line: delay the start of smartphone life.
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E-Commerce
Three different Coca-Cola sodas are being recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a result of the “potential presence of foreign material (metal) in the product.” Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages LLC ordered the voluntary recall for cans of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola, and Sprite on October 3which the FDA subsequently announced earlier this week on October 20. “We can confirm all recalled product has been removed from the market,” a Coca-Cola Company spokesperson told Fast Company in an emailed statement. “[We] voluntarily recalled a very limited quantity of [the] 12oz cans (12-, 24-, and 35-packs) in the state of Texas. This action was taken out of an abundance of caution due to the potential presence of foreign material. The recall was limited to McAllen/Rio Grande Valley market. It was confined to Texas.” This Class II FDA recall comes with a warning that the products “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences,” and “the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” What are the details for the recalled Coca-Cola products? Here are the specific items being recalled, along with their identifying information: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 12oz. can 12-pack 49000042559 / FEB0226MAA Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 12oz. can 35-pack 49000058499 / FEB0226MAA Coca-Cola 12oz. can 24-pack 49000012781 / JUN2926MAA Coca-Cola 12oz. can 35-pack 49000058468 / JUN2926MAA Sprite 12oz. can 35-pack 49000058482 / JUN2926MAA Sprite 12oz. can-12 pack 49000028928 / JUN2926MAA Sprite 12oz. can-12 pack 49000028928 / JUN3026MAB What if I have these Coke products in my kitchen? “Any consumer who purchased the identified product below may return it to the place of purchase for an exchange or refund, or contact Coca-Cola’s Consumer Interaction Center at (800) 438-2653,” Coca-Cola told Fast Company.
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E-Commerce
Its time to crown the champion of Americas pastimeeven if a Canadian team earned its way into the battle. The first pitch of the 2025 World Series will be thrown out tonight: Friday, October 24. The Toronto Blue Jays will try to stop the Los Angeles Dodgers from becoming the first team since the 2000 Yankees to win consecutive championships. The Blue Jays will also try to prevent Shohei Ohtani from making any baseball history. Both feats are a tall order. Before we get into how to watch the World Series, lets take a look back at how the two teams got here and speculate on Ohtanis potential firsts. The road to the World Series Ironically, the Blue Jays represent the American League in the Series, having earned 94 wins and 68 losses this season. They faced off against the Seattle Mariners to get here. George Springers game-winning home run in the final playoff matchup cemented their spot, as CNN reported. Toronto has not competed in a World Series game since 1993, which was the year the organization won its second consecutive championship. On the other side of the coin, the National Leagues Dodgers have a regular-season record of 93-69, just one win less than the Blue Jays. The boys in blue swept the Milwaukee Brewers, who had the best regular-season record, in the playoffs. This is the franchises fifth appearance in the World Series in the last nine years. Ohtani already made history in Game 4 against the Brewers with what some are calling the greatest playoff performance in Major League Baseball history. He hit three home runs and pitched six scoreless innings, only allowing two hits. He struck out 10 batters. With this kind of momentum, it’s easy to get excited about the possibilities for the World Series. What historic feats could Ohtani accomplish? Ohtani has many opportunities to make history in the Series, as reported by MLB.com. The easiest way to do so would be by breaking any number of offensive performance records, such as most hits or home runs by a pitcher. The record for most hits by a pitcher in a postseason game is three, and the one for most home runs is one. And the record for most RBIs by a pitcher is four, and the one for total bases is seven. These all seem easily attainable for the talented player. Insteador additionallyOhtani could make hitting history. He has more competition here, though, as all players can accomplish this, no matter their position. No one has ever hit four home runs in a postseason game. In this years regular season, this happened three times, which was a firstso the stage is set. Batters just have to do it during the World Series. No pressure. The least likely outcome could happen from the mound. Ohtani has the chance to become the first pitcher to throw a World Series no-hitter or perfect game since Don Larsen in Game 5 of the 1956 championship. At that point, anything at the plate would just be gravy. This accomplishment would take some cooperation from the coaching staff, as Ohtani has only pitched one full game in his career. (It is important to note this one-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers occurred when Ohtani was still playing for the L.A. Angels in 2023.) Since recovering from Tommy John surgery on his elbow, he tends to pitch an average of six innings. How can I watch or stream the 2025 World Series? Only time will tell what Ohtani accomplishes. The best-of-seven fall classic begins on Friday, October 24, at 8 p.m. ET. The entire series will be broadcast on Fox, which means traditional cable subscribers and those with an over-the-air antenna and reception are all set. Additionally, if you have a pay-TV provider, you can stream it on FoxSports.com, the Fox Sports app, and Fox One. For those who cut the cord, try a live-TV streaming service, such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or Fubo. Just be sure to check regional differences before committing to a new monthly charge. Heres the full World Series Schedule. Game 1: Friday, October 24, at 8 p.m. ET (Fox) Game 2: Saturday, October 25, at 8 p.m. ET (Fox) Game 3: Monday, October 27, at 8 p.m. ET (Fox) Game 4: Tuesday, October 28, at 8 p.m. ET (Fox) Game 5: Wednesday, October 29, at 8 p.m. ET (Fox), if needed Game 6: Friday, October 31, at 8 p.m. ET (Fox), if needed Game 7: Saturday, November 1, at 8 p.m. ET (Fox), if needed
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E-Commerce
The Trump administration is deliberately pulling up the welcome mat for people seeking legal status in the United States. This Monday, the federal government rolled out a new civics test for green card holders applying for U.S. citizenshipan exam that critics have said is needlessly more complex than its predecessor. Applicants who filed for naturalization prior to October 20 will continue to take the 2008 version of exam. However, those submitting applications after that date will be subject to the 2025 civics test, with special provisions extended to applicants 65 or older who have been permanent residents for at least 20 years. Matthew Tragesser, spokesperson for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), endorsed the changes in a statement. The updated test, he said, ensures only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements, including the ability to read, write, and speak English and understand U.S. government and civics, are able to naturalize,” and that “the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to Americas greatness. How the new test differs from the old version The old test required 6 correct answers out of 10. While the new version asks for 12 correct out of 20. Meanwhile, the question pool has expanded from 100 to 128, with many questions now being more demanding. According to the immigration law firm Vega and Associates, roughly 75% of the 2025 test draws on prior material, and additional questions cover U.S. history and government in greater depth. Geography and holiday questionssuch as What ocean is on the West Coast?are replaced by more challenging ones, as NPR reported. Examples include, Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War? (Answer: To force the Iraqi military from Kuwait.) and Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War? (Answer: To stop the spread of communism.) The exam is also administered differently: Officers stop asking questions once an applicant either passes or fails. Nine incorrect answers and the assessment ends. Vega and Associates advises test takers to focus on understanding concepts rather than memorizing exact answers, as questions may be phrased differently during the exam. Civics knowledge isnt the only new requirement Applicants must now demonstrate good moral character. Previously, a clean record sufficed, but applicants may now need to provide evidence of positive contributions to American society, with officers potentially interviewing coworkers, neighbors, or family members. According to The Washington Post, these changes are part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to make citizenship more difficult and to increase scrutiny of immigrants and visa holders. Immigration advocates worry that the updates could pose additional barriers, particularly for applicants with limited literacy or access to preparation courses. Its hard to imagine these changes dont reduce the number of people who can complete the naturalization process, Julie Mitchell, legal director at the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles, told NPR. And this may only be the beginning. Officials are reportedly considering additional measures, such as essays demonstrating attachment to the U.S. Constitution. They are opening the door for more biased decision-making based on arbitrary factors like race, Eric Welsh, partner at Reeves Immigration Law Group, told Axios. Its extremely dangerous and a slippery slope.
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This month, Southwest Airlines unveiled a new cabin design thats already rolling out in new planes across its fleet. It includes slimmer seats, updated amenities, and lots and lots of blue. The new cabin was revealed on October 14, and there are currently six aircrafts in operation with the revamped design. For Southwest, this design is part of what it calls a larger transformational plan. So far, that plan has included nixing some of its most iconic brand featureslike its bags fly free policy and flat cost open seating arrangementin order to compete in an airline industry thats increasingly reliant on charging ancillary, premium fees to drive up profits. [Photo: Southwest] Starting in January 2026, Southwest will offer a new, pricier seating option that comes with extended leg room (ELR). These ELR seats are expected to take up one-third of each aircrafts total seatingand in order to implement the new tiered assigned seating process, the airline is replacing seating across its fleet. In the coming months, every new aircraft that Southwest receives from Boeing will be fitted with the fully updated cabin, while older planes will be retrofitted with new seats. According to Julia Melle, Southwests director of brand and content, the new cabin design is intended to offer new experiences for a broadening affluent consumer base, while still keeping core customers in mind. After the pandemic, we took a look at the data, and there is a more affluent audience that is growing across the category, Melle says. We wanted to be able to make sure we offered our core customers and an affluent customer more choices than ever before, and that includes an elevated experience within our cabin. [Photo: Southwest] A very blue cabin design The main change that guests might notice when they enter an updated Southwest cabin is a whole lot of blue. Throughout the customer research process, Melle says, her team found that passengers are primarily looking for a calming, relaxing, and friendly environment. To achieve that, the design team filled the cabin with an array of complimentary blue tones, from sky blue on the headrests to navy blue on the seats and a swirling, atmospheric blue on the carpet. Even the lighting scheme has been adjusted to all-blue tones. We had a red that would appear at a certain portion of the flight along with the blues, and now it’s a completely a blue color scheme, Melle says. She adds that the new lighting system also has fewer options available, simplifying the process for flight crew when theyre selecting a light setting for takeoff, cruising, and landing. [Photo: Southwest] A slimmer seat Southwests new seats are a model designed by Recaro Aircraft Seating, which faced some backlash earlier this year when internet critics nicknamed them the Ozempic seat for their skinny profiles. Melle says the seats are engineered for maximum comfort through customer feedback and product testing, from the way they maximize seat width to the specific upholstery material. Each seat comes with a personal electronic device holder on the back and a headrest that can be adjusted up and down or folded in toward the face. The new ELR seats will offer up to five inches of additional pitch for passengers to stretch out, while the seating redesign will maintain a standard seat pitch for those in economy, according to a Southwest spokesperson. To make this work in older planes, Southwest is removing six seats from its Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Boeing MAX 8 and 737-800 planes will keep the same number of seats. [Photo: Southwest] In addition to these aesthetic changes, the new cabins also include larger overhead bins, an added cupholder on tray tables, and USB-A and USB-C port on each seatback. And, for passengers sitting in the ELR tier, Southwest will now serve an exclusive new snack of either honey roasted or salted pistachios (luxurious!). Overall, the updated cabin isnt exactly reinventing the wheel. Still, for Southwest, customer reactions to the design will serve as a crucial data point for the reception of the airlines broader brand transformation.
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E-Commerce