Tot TV Watch

The Imagination Movers, an upbeat children’s musical group, can now be seen on Playhouse Disney and on Playhouse Disney Online.  Five new Movers music videos began airing in April, and a Playhouse Disney TV show is currently in development.  The Movers - Rich Collins, Scott Durbin, Dave Poche, and Scott “Smitty” Smith - describe their music as Alt Rock for kids and hope to teach kids about the importance of exercising both the body and the brain. They use creative problem-solving skills to address challenges that kids face in everyday life.

I’m thinking the Imagination Movers could give The Wiggles and The Doodlebops a run for their money. Check out the video below and let me know what you think.

Imagination Movers, Playhouse Disney, Wiggles, Doodlebops

Get ready Fantastic Four fans, because Cartoon Network is bringing you a new action-packed series featuring the foursome beginning June 9, 2007. Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes, will air as a weekly series during Cartoon Network’s Toonami block.

The new series will combine 2D and 3D animation and will be based on classic storylines. It will follow Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch, and The Thing, as they battle their rival Dr. Doom and various other villains.

Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes, Cartoon Network, Toonami, Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch, The Thing, Dr. Doom

TV Squad reports that the Polish government recently launched a probe to find out whether the kids’ TV show Teletubbies promotes a homosexual agenda.  Ewa Sowinska, a government-appointed children rights watchdog claims to be concerned about the effect that Teletubbies will have on children. 

Apparently her concern started when she noticed that Tinky Winky, a character she believes to be a boy, was carrying a woman’s purse.  I guess that if you are male and you are seen carrying a purse, you must automatically be gay, huh?  Using that rationalization, most of the boys and men in America would be gay.  I don’t think I’ve ever known a little boy that didn’t pick up his mom’s purse and carry it around or play with it at some point in time.

I hate to be standing up for the Teletubbies, because I honestly couldn’t care any less about that show but this is just ridiculous.  I’m thinking all of the time and money being put into this investigation could be better spent elsewhere.

teletubbies, gay, tinky winky, homosexual, polish government

I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day today. Many of us will be celebrating with our family and friends, but don’t forget to take a few moments out to remember those that are fighting for your country and those who have in the past.

For many of us Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer. The weather is getting warmer. The kids are finishing up the school year. Parents are trying to figure out what they are going to do with bored kids all summer. Raising4boys.com has an excellent entertainment solution for some of those long summer days.  Head over there and check out the list of theaters offering free or low cost kids’ movies available this summer.

summer, movies, kids, raising4boys.com, memorial day

• Animated Penguin Causes Controversy in South Florida
  A woman in South Florida is stirred up about the PBS Sprout Penguin
• “Chill Out, Scooby-Doo!”
  ToonZone reports on a new direct to video Scooby Doo movie
• Cartoon Network Reaches Out
  Cartoon Network’s new anti-obesity campaign encourages kids to get active and adopt healthy habits
• Nickelodeon TV Movie Shredderman Rules! To Premiere Saturday, June 9
  Devon Werkheiser (Ned’s Declassified) branches out to star in the new Nick TV movie
• Nickelodeon TV Movie Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide to Field Trips, Permission Slips, Signs and Weasels Premieres Friday, June 8, 8-9 p.m.
  Comedy, romance, what more could you want? I might have to sit down and watch this one!
• TV Land Rules the Road With Memorial Day Roadtrips
  If you don’t have other plans for Memorial Day, sit down and catch up on some of these classics.
• Kid Nation: The Revolution Will Be Televised
  Amy Davis discusses Kid Nation. It sure sounds like an interesting concept.

I want to apologize for the irregular posting this week.  I have been dealing with a sick and whiny toddler all week and my computer time has been slightly limited.  Since I am so late posting today, I’m going to leave you with a couple of video clips.  These happen to be (in my opinion) two of the most annoying kids shows currently on TV.  I know they mesmerize some kids, but they just scare me and I can’t subject my child to that. Take a look at the clips below and then answer the following question in the comments for me.  What shows annoy you so much that you don’t let your kids watch them?

Don’t forget to comment!

kids TV, Boohbah, Teletubbies, annoying shows

The end of the school year is quickly approaching and that pretty much guarantees two things - families will be traveling and kids will be bored. It just goes with the territory. If you are going to be traveling and have the luxury of a personal DVD player to keep the kids busy during a long car or plane ride, you might want to check out a few of these new releases:

    May 1

• Strawberry Shortcake - Berry Blossom Festival
• Caillou - Caillou the Creative
• Thomas & Friends: Thomas’ Trusty Friends
• Jay Jay the Jet Plane - Jay Jay’s Big Mystery

    May 15

• Arthur and the Invisibles (technically a movie and not TV, but worth checking out anyway)
• Curious George -Rocket Ride and Other Adventures
• A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Vol. 6

    May 22

• Go Diego Go! - The Iguana Sing Along
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Season 1, Part 1
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Chipmunks Go To The Movies
• Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure
• Dragon Ball Z - Season Two (Namek and Captain Ginyu Sagas)
• Avatar The Last Airbender - Book 2 Earth, Vol. 3

    May 29

• The Backyardigans - Movers & Shakers

dvd, tv on dvd, new releases

I’m pretty sure I’ve never met a little girl who didn’t love fairy tales. What’s not to like about beautiful princesses and magical stories? I even know a few boys who have been known to sit down and read a fairy tale or watch one on TV (just don’t tell them I let the secret out). This week on Nick Jr. your little Prince or Princess can get their fill of special fairy tale episodes of their favorite shows. On Monday, May 21st, and Friday, May 25th, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. you can watch fairy tale specials of Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues, and Max and Ruby.

Nickjr.com is also offering several fairy tale print-and-play activities. With a little help from Mom or Dad, kids can make their very own Dora Fairy Princess Crown and Star Wand or print out a special fairy tale fiesta activity pack.

Fairy tale, princess, magic, prince, Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues, Max and Ruby, fairy princess crown, star wand

(PRNewsFoto/Feld Entertainment)

Disney recently announced a new live tour that will feature characters from the Playhouse Disney block of preschool programming. The 70-city tour will launch this September and will feature characters from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, and My Friends Tigger & Pooh. Tickets for the tour went on sale Tuesday, May 15th.

In the new live performance, the characters of each show will combine their different musical styles for an unforgettable musical party at Mickey’s Clubhouse. Kids will enjoy seeing all their favorite characters come to life in an original storyline that combines new music as well as familiar songs they see every day on TV.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, parents can go to www.playhousedisneylive.com.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070507/NEM025 )

Playhouse Disney Live!, Disney, Playhouse Disney, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, My Friends Tigger & Pooh

My son hasn’t been sleeping very well the last couple of days due to teething and keeps ending up in bed with me at some point during the night. When that happens he generally wakes up early because he hears our alarms go off. To keep him busy long enough that I can jump in the shower, I usually turn Noggin on to keep him company.

One of the things that I both love and hate about Noggin is that they rotate the show schedule seasonally. Since we TiVo most shows anyway, the only time that the schedule change really affects us is in the mornings when he wants to lay in my bed and watch TV.

The 7:30 a.m. (central) time slot is the most important for us as that is the time I need to keep him occupied. For a long time Oobi was on during that time slot and it didn’t exactly work. That’s why I was thrilled this week when I turned Noggin on to find out that Jack’s Big Music Show was running at 7:30. That gives me a good 20 minutes to do the things I need to do while he is entertained by Jack, Mary, and Mel. I’m hoping this schedule will stay for a while.

According to the schedule on Noggin.com, Dora the Explorer is supposed to be in that slot, so either this week is a fluke or they just haven’t updated the schedule online. Either way, it is better than Oobi.

Noggin, schedule, Oobi, Dora the Explorer, Jack’s Big Music Show

The second installment of Nickelodeon’s Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge, airs on Sunday, May 27th, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.  St. Louis Rams Running Back Steven Jackson will make a special appearance during the “Workout Like a Pro” segment, and teach kids how to strengthen their bodies doing basic exercises like push-ups.  Kenderick and April, this year’s challengers, have already made progress by making small changes in their everyday lives.  The second episode will follow Kenderick as he trains for the Arkansas Invitational Kids Triathlon and April as she begins training for volleyball tryouts.

The first installment of the challenge had more than 1 million viewers and was the number two video on TurboNick, with 1.8 million streams.  The previous “Workout Like a Pro” segment was downloaded on iTunes 6,400 times.  With over 250,000 kids signing up for the challenge in the last year, the program appears to be a success.   I’m thinking I should tune in and get a few tips myself.

Nickelodeon, Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge, Workout Like a Pro, Steven Jackson, Kenderick, April, TurboNick

PBS Kids Sprout announced last week that they will be adding a new afternoon block, The Let’s Go Show, to their preschool line-up.  The new interactive show will debut on Monday, June 25th, and will encourage kids to ask questions, be curious about the world around them, and participate in a daily musical adventure.

(Image: http://www.fishwithfeet.com)

The Let’s Go Show, airing weekedays from 3:00-6:00 EDT, will be hosted by Miles (Milton Barnes) and his puppy friend Banjo.  Each day, the two of them will embark on a new musical journey where they will make many new discoveries, play, and learn.  After each show, kids can go to SproutOnline.com to find out more about the questions posed on the show.

Here are some of the things you can expect to see on The Let’s Go Show:

– Learn a song and have a “boogie woogie break” at Music Hill;
— Enjoy a special healthy snack prepared for them by Brussel Sprout at the Sprout Diner Field;
— Create age-appropriate science experiments at Wonder Why Valley;
— Encourage viewers to become “Sprout Scouts” by helping Miles and Banjo find their way to each location by asking questions;
— Inspire kids to be creative and discover all the great things they can make and do at home with their parents and caregivers.

PBS Kids, Sprout, Preschool, The Let’s Go Show, Miles, Milton Barns, Banjo

I thought I would try something new today on the blog. Since I don’t have the time to write about every little tidbit of Tot TV news I find (and since other people have already written it better than I could anyway), I have decided to do a weekly links roundup. My goal is to make this a regular Friday feature. I would love some feedback on this, so after you are done checking out the links below please leave a comment and let me know if you like it or not and why.

• The Muppet Newsflash: Full “Muppet Show: Season Two” Details!
  The Muppet Newsflash tells all about the Muppet Show Season Two DVD
• Rockstar Mommy: Insanity By Way Of Linnie Tuck & Ming-Ming
  Warning: Explicit Language! An entertaining look at the struggle between Moms and those really annoying shows our kids love.
• Toon Zone - “Peter Pan” Platinum Edition: We’re Off to Never, Never Land!
  Toon Zone discusses the new Peter Pan Platinum Edition DVD
• The Muppet Newsflash: Sesame Place Opens for 2007 Season
  Sesame Place opens for 2007 with new activities and attractions.
• Animation Insider - New ‘Avatar’ & ‘El Tigre’ Games from Nick & THQ, Inc.
  If your kids are into playing video games, they’ll definitely want to check these out.
• The Disney Blog: Little Ones Travel Time
  If you are planning a family vacation this year, you might want to check this out first!
• Toon Zone - “Ben 10″ Video Game Coming This Fall
  I know some kids that will be very excited about this game!

Before I had a child of my own, the only kids songs I knew were the ones taught in church and school when I was a kid myself. Well, that and the annoying “I love you, you love me” song from Barney. I have my oldest nephew to thank for that one. When I was pregnant with my own child, I was determined to find a better alternative.

As I searched for the newest thing in children’s music, I quickly learned that it had come a long way since I was a kid. Asking other parents for suggestions led me in all kinds of different directions, but eventually I turned to the TV for my answers. I explored shows like The Wiggles and Barney and was sorely disappointed.

I couldn’t find anything that suited me until I discovered Noggin. After one listen to The Laurie Berkner Band’s “Monster Boogie” I couldn’t get the song out of my head. The video aired in between shows one morning and I was instantly hooked. By lunch time that day I was searching the internet for the lyrics and an idea of when I might be able to see the video again. From there, I discovered Jack’s Big Music Show and a whole new world of kids’ music. Bands like Milkshake, Music for Aardvarks, The Dirty Sock Funtime Band, Hot Peas ‘n’ Butter, and Dan Zanes make kid’s music very enjoyable. (For more information on Dan Zanes, check out the great interview he did with Erinn over at Parenting Our Children.)

The children’s music artists of today have a little more to offer than those that I knew as a kid. Instead of sugary sweet songs bound to drive parents crazy after a few listens, today’s kids’ music is filled with rock beats and entertaining lyrics. The songs are fun and tend to get kids and parents alike singing and dancing along.

music, kids, Laurie Berkner Band, Milkshake, Music for Aardvarks, The Dirty Sock Funtime Band, Dan Zanes, Jack’s Big Music Show, Barney, The Wiggles, Noggin, Parenting Our Children

May 13th is quickly approaching and mothers everywhere will be celebrating one of their most important roles in life. If you are still searching for a gift, you can check out the great lists here, here, or here. However, sometimes the best gift for Mom is letting her have some quiet time to relax. I suggest bringing her breakfast in bed (along with hand-made cards from the kids), then whisking the kids away for a while so that Mom can have some quiet time to read a book, peruse her favorite blogs, or just take a nice hot bath without any interruptions. If you need a way to entertain the tots while Mom is relaxing, you can always keep them busy with some of these Mother’s Day specials, new episodes, and activities:

• Dora the Explorer’s Mother’s Day Marathon will be airing on Nick Jr. Friday, May 11th, from 12:00-2:00p.m ET/PT, but you can always record it to a VCR, DVR, or TiVo and save it for the big day.
• Noggin will be celebrating by airing an all-day Mother’s Day marathon on Sunday, featuring an all new episode of Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch Friends. The marathon will run from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.
• Playhouse Disney will be airing new episodes of My Friends Tigger and Pooh at 10:00/9:00c and Handy Manny at 10:30/9:30c on May 13th. The Handy Manny episode will feature special guest Marion Ross as Mr. Lopart’s mother. Kids can also find some great Mother’s Day craft ideas on the Playhouse Disney web site.
• The PBSParents web site also has some great craft ideas and activities, as well as Mother’s Day breakfast recipes that are definitely worth checking out.

If those don’t interest your kids (but I’m sure they will) you can always watch their regularly scheduled favorite shows. Of course, you could just take the kids out to the park for a couple of hours. I’m sure when you return, Mom will be ready for some snuggly family time.

If you have any other great Mother’s Day tips you want to share, please leave them in the comments section below.

Mother’s Day, Mother’s Day Tips, gift ideas, Dora the Explorer, Mother’s Day Marathon, Nick Jr., Handy Manny, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Playhouse Disney, PBS Parents, crafts, recipes