Tot TV Watch

The Saddle Club is originally an Australian show, but is now shown in other countries including on the Discovery Kids Channel in the United States. The show is based on a series of books and to date has aired two series of shows. The show first aired in 2001 and last ended new episodes in 2004. It seemed like a dead show with only repeats playing, however, a third series is in production and set to start airing sometime in 2008. Not sure if the new series will start airing at that time on Discovery Kids or if they will wait a little before bringing it to the United States market, but considering The Saddle Club is supposedly the most popular repeated show on Discovery Kids and 60% of the website’s traffic comes for the U.S. I imagine it will happen around the same time as it starts airing in Australia.

This may not exactly be an educational show, but it is an enjoyable show for kids (probably mostly appeals to girls) around ages 8 to 12. The show is about kids that spend a lot of their time at the Pine Hollow Stables. The three main characters formed The Saddle Club based on their common love for horses and horse riding. The three main characters and many of the other regular characters are girls, thus the reason why this seems to be a more appealing show for kids. The show is not entirely devoid of boys, though, as there are later episodes with a boy (I think his name is Phil), but he does not seem to be considered a real main character, but more of a recurring character.

Overall this is an interesting show that shows the girls going through different adolescence issues as they come to form in relation to hanging out at the stables and competing in riding competitions. The show is mostly about their friendships and the highs and lows of life.

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Discovery Kids has some of the best reality shows and best of all they feature kids. Their shows include Endurance, which is similar to Survivor, and Serious, which features kids going on extreme expeditions such as climbing in the Andes. One of the most recent of their reality shows is Adventure Camp, which is about kids from the United States and the United Kingdom coming together for an unique summer camp experience at Sea World and Busch Gardens in Florida. This show is currently airing new episodes on Saturdays at 8pm Eastern Time on Discovery Kids.

The show features 4 kids (Adriana, Cori, Brian, and Chris) from the United States and 4 kids (Warren, Ally, Alex, and Claire) from the United Kingdom. The show’s website has some short bios on the campers here. It is an interesting show about them learning about each other and working together, as well as learning about animals as they help care for animals. Beyond being zookeepers they go on other animal adventures such as a canoe trip on the Hillsborough River where they encounter alligators. In the show they have competitions and collect necklaces that allow them to have even more special experiences. The season has a total of 15 episodes and a list of the episodes and short descriptions can be found on the Discovery Kids Channel site here. Overall the show is an enjoyable one for kids who like animals and/or reality shows. It is also a good show that the whole family can enjoy together and learn more about different animals along with the campers.

Time Warp Trio is an animated show based on a series of books of the same name written by Jon Scieszka. This is a kid’s television show shown almost daily as repeats on the Discovery Kid’s Channel. It currently is not making new episodes, but supposedly only on hiatus. In the show the kids use a magic book to transport back in time. In the early episodes they do not really understand the power of the book and are often losing the book. As the series progresses they learn more how to control the book, although they usually still have to find it to get back to their own time. The do, however, learn that its magic goes beyond time travel. The episode usually takes them back to historical settings and thus is historical fiction that teaches a little bit about historical events, however it is very fictional and bends the history a lot to make the adventures work. It is still an entertaining adventure series, though, and hopefully will inspire kid’s to want to go learn more about the historical events and figures shown in the episodes. Some encouragement to research the history aspects presented in the mostly fictional shows can make this part of a fun way of learning history.

Continue reading for a list of the episodes and a short description of the time and place they travel to in them.

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Personally I strongly dislike Hip Hop Music and certainly did not even imagine that was what Hip Hop Harry was about. I only tuned into it because I noticed it was a kids show on television and I had never heard of it. Plus, it was on Discovery Kids, which tends to have some of my favorite choices of kids shows, especially in its Ready, Set, Learn block of shows that this belongs to. This show annoyed me right away, but I stuck to watching it because I wanted to figure out what the educational aspect of it was. At least in the end it does have a learning aspect, however, I certainly would only recommend showing it to kids if you like Hip Hop music because otherwise the show is pretty intolerable to watch.

The main character of the show is Hip Hop Harry, who is a giant bear kind of like costumed characters you see at theme parks. The show is geared towards preschoolers, however, the kid characters in the show look like they are at least 8. This kind of makes it hard for preschoolers to really relate to the show, but if they like Hip Hop then they will get into the show and enjoy learning with the Hip Hop music. The show curriculum goals include social/emotional skills, cognitive/educational skills, physical/health skills, and artistic/creative skills. In the particular episode I saw the show taught about not challenging yourself and you can do whatever you want to do, such as the one kid’s desire to become a profession hip hop artist. Overall, I may not like this show, but I can see that it is a well-thought out program made to appeal the growing interest in hip hop and it does encourage kids to actively dance as they watch parts of the saw.

For those who can stand Hip Hop Harry it plays on both Discovery Kids and TLC. You can check upcoming episode times in your area here.

Tonight I had the pleasure of previewing two episodes of the new show Bindi: The Jungle Girl that is premiering this weekend.  Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, is the host of the show.  From high atop a jungle treehouse, she upholds her father’s legacy by educating kids and adults alike about animals and conservation.  From leeches, to elephants, to the snake that sleeps in her bed, Bindi shows her love for all wildlife.

Throughout the show, there are clips of Bindi and her father experiencing wildlife across the globe.  Bindi’s mother, Terri, shows up now and then and her little brother even makes a quick appearance.  It is obvious that this show is very much a family effort. 

Each episode features a regular segment called “Bindi’s Blog” where she logs in to answer questions from kids around the world.  The Crocmen, Bindi’s four-man singing and dancing crew perform original songs and present “Croc Facts” during each show as well.

I was a little surprised at how fast-paced the show moved at first.  Bindi seemed a little over excited at first, almost gasping for a breath in some scenes.  But as the show went on, the pace did slow down a little and even managed to keep the attention of my almost two-year-old for a while.  He was very interested in all of the strange looking animals.

Bindi: The Jungle Girl premieres Saturday, June 9th, at 5:00 p.m. ET on Discovery Kids.  You can also catch Bindi hosting My Daddy The Croc Hunter, where she will share clips from her father’s career, including his latest croc research adventure in August of 2006.  It will air Friday, June 8th, at 9:00 p.m. ET on Animal Planet.  Animal Planet will also be premiering Planet’s Best With Terri and Bindi on Sunday, June 10th, during which the Irwins will introduce viewers to 1001 different animals while hosting the best wildlife programming Animal Planet has to offer every Sunday night.

Bindi Irwin, Bindi: The Jungle Girl, Steve Irwin, Terri Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, Crocmen, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, My Daddy The Croc Hunter, Planet’s Best With Terri and Bindi, animals, conservation, jungle

Even in infancy, it was obvious that my son loved music. I started playing music for him early on and when he was old enough, started searching for TV shows that featured kids music I could actually stand. That is around the time that I discovered Jack’s Big Music Show. From that point on, our TV seemed to be stuck on Noggin. If you are a regular reader of this site, then you know that I tend to write a lot about shows that air on Noggin and my toddler is the main reason. He loves it and I love that they don’t show a million commercials.

Recently I’ve been “shopping around” for some new shows because I pretty much have all of the Noggin shows memorized. My biggest criteria for a show is that is has music that isn’t completely annoying to listen to over and over again (educational value is a big plus as well). It is easy to find kids shows with music, but not so easy to find kids shows with music that adults can stand to listen to as well. That’s why I’ve put together this list of my “Top 5 Shows to Get Your Preschooler Singing and Dancing”. In all of the following shows, the music is bearable and the dance moves you might see from your toddlers and preschoolers while they are watching are priceless.

Here is the list (in no particular order):

1. Jack’s Big Music Show - Shocking, eh? I just absolutely love this show. The music is great. The characters are entertaining, and it always captivates my son.
2. The Backyardigans - The music in this show is so catchy I tend to go around singing it for hours (or sometimes days) after I watch an episode. I just love the song about the “scurvy pirate”.
3. Hi 5 - I’ve seen both bad and good reviews on this show, but I don’t think it is so bad. The music encourages kids to get up and be active while still including educational aspects.
4. Sesame Steet - This one pretty much goes without saying. I don’t think I’ve ever known a kid who didn’t like Sesame Street. Some of the music that I watched as a kid still sticks with me today. Anyone for a “Ladybug Picnic?”
5. The Little Einsteins - The great thing about this show is that it introduces Classical music in a fun way to preschoolers. The songs are catchy enough to get my toddler moving, but are teaching him about some of the fundamentals of music at the same time.

Obviously there are tons more that I haven’t included here, some intentionally, some not. What shows get your preschooler groovin’?

music, dance, singing, top 5, Jack’s Big Music Show, Backyardigans, Hi 5, Sesame Street, Little Einsteins

April 16-20 is Spring Premiere week on Discovery Kids’ “Ready, Set, Learn!” block of preschool programming. Besides the premiere of the new animated series, Wilbur, you can catch all new episodes of Peep and the Big Wide World, Hip Hop Harry, Toddworld, and Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks.

The new “Ready, Set, Learn!” schedule beginning Monday, April 16th, is as follows:

• 9:00 - Peep and the Big Wide World
• 9:30 - Hi-5
• 10:00 - Hip Hop Harry
• 10:30 - Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks
• 11:00 - Wilbur
• 11:30 - Toddworld
• 12:00 - Peep and the Big Wide World (Repeat)
• 12:30 - Hi-5 (repeat)
• 1:00 - Hip Hop Harry (repeat)
• 1:30 - Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks (repeat)

Discovery Kids, Ready Set Learn!, Wilbur, Peep and the Big Wide World, Hi-5, Hip Hop Harry, Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks, Toddworld, premieres, new schedule

Originally created by three innovative moms, Wilbur aims to encourage young kids to become more enthusiastic about books and reading. Wilbur, the main character of the show, is a young calf who uses books to find ideas and solve problems. Knowing that books have all the answers, Wilbur guides his friends Dasha the duck, Ray the rooster, and Libby the lamb through various stories to help them find the answers they are searching for. As they read the book, the pictures in the story come to life as they might in your child’s imagination. In one episode, Wilbur’s friend Dasha wants to make a pizza but doesn’t know how. Wilbur finds a storybook about a hungry troll who needs a recipe to make his favorite “Slug Slime Sandwich”. After reading the story, Dasha realizes that she needs a recipe to figure out how to make the perfect pizza.

Unlike other children’s shows focused on literacy, Wilbur demonstrates concepts such as how to read from left to right, turn pages right to left, and how you start at the top of the page and read down. Wilbur also points to the words with his hoof as he reads the story demonstrating the function of print.

The series creates a unique look with a combination of live action, puppetry and “Shadowmation” - a combination of animatronics and CG effects that allow puppets to move around in a 3-dimensional world. Each episode includes two original storybooks and music conveying the message that reading is fun.

So far I’m very impressed with what I have seen of this show. The bright colors, simple stories, and music are sure to keep any toddler’s attention while teaching them some basic concepts that they will carry with them throughout their lives.

Wilbur premieres April 16th at 11:00 a.m. during Discovery Kids “Ready, Set, Learn!” block. It will also begin airing on TLC April 23rd at 7:30 a.m.

Wilbur, Discovery Kids, Ready Set Learn!, TLC, puppets, shadowmation, animatronics, reading, preschool

Bindi Irwin, the 8-year-old daughter of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, plans to take up just where her father left off. Before his death, he and Bindi had begun filming a weekly series to teach people to become more involved in wildlife conservation.

Bindi: The Jungle Girl will feature clips previously recorded with Steve Irwin, archived footage, and new content. Bindi will interact with a variety of animals while explaining the need for all of them to be given respect and protection.

The show will premiere June 9th, on the Discovery Kids channel.

Bindi will also be hosting My Daddy the Croc Hunter, a one-hour special airing June 8th on Animal Planet. It will include clips from Bindi’s early childhood.

Bindi Irwin, Steve Irwin, Crocodile hunter, Bindi: The Jungle Girl, animals, wildlife, conservation, My Daddy the Croc Hunter

Sometimes I am amazed at just how oblivious I can be. In our house we tend to get stuck on watching certain shows and forget that there is such a wide variety out there. I guess when you have 500 plus channels to flip through it just becomes easier to stick with the ones you know you like. That’s why I was so surprised when a friend mentioned that her son loves to watch TLC in the mornings. I had no idea that they had children’s programming in the mornings. I have to say I’m a little embarrassed about that since I write a blog all about kids’ TV shows.

This morning I decided to flip over to TLC and see what was on. I was pleasantly surprised to catch an episode of Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks. A show about Monster trucks wouldn’t normally be my thing, but I was really impressed with it. The CGI-style animation is bright and colorful and the characters are all unique and very loveable.

Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks is basically a show about friendship and how to treat others. It revolves around Meteor and his group of young, big-wheeled friends who are striving to become monster truck heroes like those before them. In each episode, the young trucks learn about what it takes to be a monster truck and compete to see who can accomplish each obstacle the fastest. Each truck has different strengths and weaknesses and nobody wins all the time. Along the way, the friends teach viewers important lessons about sportsmanship, friendships, and feelings.

In this morning’s episode, “Sue the Rooter Truck,” a stinky, bossy, new Rooter truck named Sue joined Meteor and the group. While the other trucks played together, Sue kept to herself in the corner. Eventually the other trucks reached out to her and found out that she wasn’t really so different. She just didn’t think anybody would like her because of her smell. Once they assured her that they actually liked the smell that made her different, they all got along quite well.

If you haven’t seen Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks, I suggest you give it a try. While it doesn’t teach a foreign language or even ABC’s, it does teach some very important lessons about how to get along with others.

The newest set of Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks episodes is set to premiere April 16-20 on Discovery Kids and TLC.

Bigfoot, Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks, Discovery Kids, TLC, monster trucks, relationships, sportsmanship, Sue the Rooter Truck