Want to share your favorite music with your kids without waiting for them to be old enough for a late-night arena concert? The Rock and Roll Playhouse is bringing family-friendly performances inspired by Taylor Swift, Dave Matthews Band, the Grateful Dead, the Beatles, Olivia Rodrigo and more to New York and New Jersey through the holidays.
These concerts are designed with young listeners in mind, giving families a way to enjoy live music together. Here’s the upcoming NYC-area schedule, including nearby New Jersey and Westchester dates, with links to tickets and event information.
Rock and Roll Playhouse: November–December 2026 concert schedule
Schedules and ticket availability can change. Check the individual event page for start times, pricing, age guidance and venue policies before purchasing.
Which show should your family see?
Swifties have two NYC opportunities: November 15 at Soho Live and December 13 at Brooklyn Bowl. Families who grew up on jam bands can check out Dave Matthews Band on November 15 or Grateful Dead on November 22. Beatles fans have a November 29 Brooklyn Bowl date, while Olivia Rodrigo fans can choose between Red Bank on December 12 and Brooklyn on December 27.
There are also seasonal choices, including Cosmic Charlie Brown Christmas at Brooklyn Bowl on December 6, and New Jersey families can look at the Paramore show in Sayreville or Harry Styles in South Orange.
Before you go
These are live family concerts, not appearances by the original artists. Ticket policies vary by venue. Some shows are better suited to younger children than a typical rock concert, but parents should still consider sound levels and bring hearing protection if appropriate.
3D printing sounds like a pretty amazing holiday gift for a creative kid. But before you wrap up a Toybox printer, there are a few things parents should know—especially about price, color printing, and screen time.
I visited Toybox’s holiday pop-up inside Grand Central Terminal for a hands-on media preview on November 10. I got to try the app that controls the printer, see the machines up close, and check out some of the creations on display. My biggest takeaway? This is a fun way to introduce kids to making their own toys, but it’s not necessarily the right gift for every family.
What the Toybox pop-up is actually like
Despite the idea of a toy-filled holiday pop-up, this is really a shopping and demonstration space. It’s designed to give parents and gift givers a chance to see Toybox printers in action, get a short hands-on introduction, compare the options, and purchase one at special pop-up pricing. I wouldn’t plan a trip expecting a full-fledged kids’ activity or workshop.
You’ll see printers, spools of colorful filament—what Toybox calls “printer food”—and examples of what the machines can produce. The displays included familiar character-inspired figures and a 3D-printed Star Trek Enterprise that caught my eye.
Which Toybox printer makes sense?
The smaller model is significantly less expensive, making it the more approachable entry point for a family curious about 3D printing. It uses one filament color at a time. For younger beginners, that’s not necessarily a drawback: there’s already plenty to explore in choosing a design and watching it become a physical object.
The larger printer is the more exciting option if your kid is ready to do more. Its four-color printing capability adds a level of creative flexibility that the smaller model doesn’t offer. Of course, that comes with a higher price. I wouldn’t automatically steer every family toward the bigger machine; the less expensive model could be a smarter first step.
The catch: this is not a screen-free toy
This is the detail I’d want every parent to know before buying. You need a phone or tablet to use the Toybox interface and operate the printer. I tried the app myself during the demonstration, so this isn’t just something buried in the product description.
If your household limits access to phones and tablets—or you’re looking for a gift that lets kids unplug completely—Toybox probably isn’t the right fit. That doesn’t make it a bad product; it just makes the device requirement an important part of the buying decision.
Some of the 3D-printed creations on display at Grand Central. Photo: DaDa Rocks.
What age would I recommend?
Although the pop-up advertises ages 3 and up, my personal gift recommendation would be around age 8 and older, depending on the child’s interest, patience, and comfort with a connected device. Younger children may love watching a toy print, but owning and using a printer is a different proposition. Parents should expect to be involved, especially at the beginning.
My impressions here come from a hands-on event demonstration, not weeks of testing either printer at home. I can’t yet speak to long-term reliability or how smoothly every print will go after repeated use.
Where to find Toybox at Grand Central
The Toybox holiday pop-up runs November 11–21, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. inside Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Admission is free.
Here’s the useful location detail: look for store MC-66 in the Lexington Avenue Passage, near the shops heading toward Lexington Avenue, in the same area as the Swatch store. It’s inside the station—not an outdoor pop-up—and knowing the store number will save you some wandering.
If you’re shopping for a kid who loves technology, building, and making things, it’s worth stopping by to see the printers before deciding. Just remember: the smaller printer is the budget-friendlier introduction, the larger one offers four-color printing, and both depend on a phone or tablet. Those are the details I’d weigh before putting Toybox under the tree.
DaDa Rocks attended a Toybox media preview. All photographs are original DaDa Rocks images. This is a hands-on preview, not a long-term product review.
The investigation is coming home. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has announced that Lanterns: The Complete First Season will arrive on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on February 9, 2027, bringing DC Studios’ eight-episode superhero mystery to physical media. Preorders are being promoted now. (more…)
Some holiday gifts make noise for a few days. Others might help a child discover a lifelong love of music. Fender and Loog have teamed up on two compact, three-string electric instruments designed to make that first step into playing feel more approachable: Loog’s first-ever Precision Bass and a Butterscotch Blonde Telecaster.
These aren’t pretend guitars. They’re scaled-down instruments with real strings, pickups and a standard quarter-inch output jack for an amplifier, paired with learning tools intended for beginners. Both have a suggested retail price of $229.99.
Fender x Loog Precision Bass: A first bass for smaller hands
The new Precision Bass marks Loog’s first entry into bass guitars. Inspired by Fender’s 1951 classic, it uses three strings, a short scale and a single pickup. The simplified format reduces the number of strings a new player has to navigate while retaining the basic experience of an electric bass. Finishes include White Blonde, Candy Apple Red and Sea Foam Green, plus a limited-edition Hello Kitty Black version.
Fender x Loog Telecaster: A classic look in a beginner-friendly size
Fender x Loog Telecaster in Butterscotch Blonde. Photo courtesy of Fender x Loog.
The Butterscotch Blonde Telecaster brings the familiar black-pickguard Fender design to Loog’s compact, three-string format. It’s aimed at children who want to begin learning chords and songs without starting on a full-size six-string guitar.
What makes these more than novelty gifts?
Each instrument comes with access to the Loog Guitar app, including video lessons and game-like practice exercises, plus a Fender-inspired activity book with games, trivia and creative challenges. That mix of hands-on playing, guided practice and screen-free activities could appeal to families hoping to make music part of their routine.
For parents, the important distinction is that these are real beginner instruments—not electronic toys that only play preset sounds. That also means some practical planning: an amplifier is needed for the full electric sound, and younger children will likely benefit from help tuning, practicing and building a regular playing habit.
Which one makes sense as a holiday gift?
Choose the Precision Bass for a child drawn to rhythm and the low-end foundation of songs; consider the Telecaster for someone excited to learn guitar chords and melodies. Neither is automatically the right fit for every child, and families should weigh the player’s age, hand size, interest level and willingness to practice.
We haven’t tested either instrument, so this is a new-product and holiday gift spotlight, not a hands-on review. Playability, durability and lesson effectiveness still need real-world evaluation.
Price and availability
Fender and Loog announced both models on November 4, 2026, with a U.S. MSRP of $229.99 each. The brands say they’re available through Loog, Fender and select retailers. Some finishes may have different shipping dates or limited availability, so check the current listing before ordering.
Product information and specifications provided by Fender and Loog. DaDa Rocks has not received or tested these instruments.
Think you know every move from KPop Demon Hunters? Netflix is giving fans a chance to dance along with HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys, releasing the complete official choreography for some of the movie’s biggest songs.
Watch HUNTR/X Rehearse “How It’s Done”
Rumi, Mira and Zoey are back in a newly released animated dance rehearsal for “How It’s Done.” The song appeared in the movie, but this video gives fans a clearer look at the full routine and the formations that weren’t shown during the action-packed film sequence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4oHfZmRth8
Watch the official HUNTR/X “How It’s Done” dance rehearsal from Netflix.
Learn the Moves from the Original Choreographers
Netflix is also sharing a full-length, live-action version of the “How It’s Done” choreography, performed by choreographer Leejung Lee alongside dancers Bambi (Park Ji-eun) and Nara (Lee Nara).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uYK78T3r1A
Watch the official “How It’s Done” choreography performed by the dancers.
More official routines are coming for “Golden,” “Takedown,” “Soda Pop,” and “Your Idol,” with original choreographers Nain, Leejung Lee and K-Tigers demonstrating the moves. Netflix says special episodes breaking down signature poses and formations arrive November 2.
A Dance Party for the Whole Family
Whether your kids have been practicing HUNTR/X moves in the living room or you’re just looking for a fun activity to try together, these videos make it easier to follow along. Start with “How It’s Done,” then check back as the other songs roll out this week.
Camp Half-Blood is getting ready for another adventure. Percy Jackson and the Olympians returns to Disney+ on November 20, 2026, and New York Comic Con is giving fans a closer look at what’s next for Percy and his friends.
Series star Walker Scobell is part of the New York Comic Con programming highlighting Season 3. The new episodes adapt The Titan’s Curse, the third novel in Rick Riordan’s popular fantasy series.
What is Season 3 about?
When Annabeth disappears, Percy faces a new quest against a backdrop of dangerous prophecies and rising stakes for Olympus. Fans of the books will recognize the story’s mix of Greek mythology, friendship, and difficult choices.
The series features Walker Scobell as Percy, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. For families reading the novels together, the adaptation creates a chance to compare what changes on screen and what stays true to Riordan’s story.
When can you watch?
Season 3 premieres November 20 on Disney+. Disney has confirmed the premiere date; families should check the streaming service for the final episode-release schedule.
Why families may want to revisit the books
With the third novel moving to television, this is a good moment for young fantasy readers to revisit The Titan’s Curse or catch up on earlier adventures. Parents can review the show’s rating and themes to decide whether it fits their household.
