Tot TV Watch

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a fun Playhouse Disney show with improved animation featuring classic Disney characters including Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy. This is an interactive show that encourages preschool viewers to help accomplish the tasks necessary to complete the episodes goal. Along the way different preschool aged concepts are taught including shapes and numbers. It is one of those more subtle educational shows and more entertaining for kids because of the surrounding plot, which often also includes funny moments, especially when Goofy is involved.

In the episode Mickey starts by inviting the viewers to his clubhouse, which you help him summon with the magic words “Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse.” Shortly thereafter the episodes activity and/or problem is introduced and Mickey Mouse gets four Mousekatools, which are held by an robot backpack called Toodles. These Mousekatools include 3 known items and a mystery Mousekatool that will prove to be just what is needed in one circumstance later in the episode. Whenever a Mousekatool is needed Mickey encourages viewers to use logic and help choose which tool will help in the given situation.

Overall this is a fun preschool show because of the entertaining plots. Plus, it has the benefit of being at least slightly educational. Oh, and it is such an eye appealing animated show, especially in comparison to the old Mickey Mouse cartoons, which have an old charm that unfortunately most kids these days do not appreciate.

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Tomorrow, June 21, 2008, the new animated short called Can You Teach My Alligator Manners? premieres as part of the Playhouse Disney line up. This new show is about a kid named Mikey and his pet alligator named Al. In this short viewers are encouraged to help Mikey in teaching his alligator how to properly behave, i.e. teach him manners. This first episode is about teaching Al how to play nicely at the playground, which includes the concepts of taking turns and asking nicely to use toys.

Also, starting tomorrow is Playhouse Disney’s Super Duper Summer Saturdays. This is what they are calling the summer Saturday line ups, which will be including new episodes of the Playhouse Disney shows Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Bunnytown, and Charlie and Lola. Tomorrow’s line up includes new outdoor themed episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Bunnytown, and Little Einsteins.

Continue reading for more detailed line up for tomorrow morning on Playhouse Disney.

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I have heard the newest Disney Channel Original Movie, Camp Rock, referred to as the next High School Musical and it really does sound like a similar kind of movie. Camp Rock premieres on the Disney Channel at 8pm Eastern time/7pm Central time.

The movie is about aspiring singer at a music themed summer camp. The cast includes the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato. The movie is mostly about Mitchie Torres (played by Demi Lovato) wanting to make it as a singer. This includes going to a prestigious rock camp, where she has to be cook in order to attend. Her singing is overheard by a teen pop star, who is teaching at the camp. The one that discovers her is Shane Gray played by Joe Jonas. He is at the camp with the other two members of his band (played by Nick and Kevin Jonas) called Connect Three.

It is a Disney movie, so I think it will be at least worth catching once, however, I must say it is getting a little boring with all this music themed movies. It sounds a lot like High School Musical with a new cast and they are even already in pre-production for a sequal. Not to mention another Cheetah Girls Disney Channel Movie is coming in August and High School Musical 3 will hit theaters in October. At least it looks like 2009 it looks like there will be mostly non-music themed Disney Channel Original Movies for the less musically inclined like myself.

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody is one of my favorite Disney Channel shows, so I tried this video game soon after it came out. It turned out to be a big disappointment to the point that I did not even try the next DS game they released called Circle of Spies, although, perhaps they improved the game and fixed the cons at least to some extent.

The game has a few good aspects. For one, it decently recreates the characters and scenes from the show in that it has pretty good realistic graphics as far as a Nintendo DS game goes. Also, it has some good sounds, especially with the realistic character voices.

The cons, however, outweigh the good a lot. The major thing is that the controls are confusing and hard to learn. Also, there tends to be a lack of instruction on how to get through the levels leaving you confused and sometimes meaning you have to start the level over because you get a twin stuck behind. It is a nice challenging game for more experienced gamers, however, I am sure most interested in this game are kids that are not all that experienced with platform DS games. Some kids may be able to figure out the controls and then end up enjoying it, however, it is not worthwhile for most. If your kid is a diehard fan of the show, then rent it first before buying it because I think even most of the diehard fans will not want to put up with the frustrating controls.

Tomorrow (May 24, 2008) the Disney Channel is having a marathon called If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Your Brother. It is a marathon of Phineas & Ferb and Suite Life of Zach and Cody episodes. Often marathons or themed things lead up to something. This one leads up to a premiere of a new episode of Phineas & Ferb.

Continue reading for the full line up for this marathon. (more…)

Bear in the Big Blue House: A Bear for All Seasons is a fun DVD for preschoolers that like Bear in the Big Blue House. Also, since the show is no longer on TV it is a good way to introduce kids to this show who have never seen it before and it is definitely one of those old shows worth showing new generations of preschoolers. The show teaches about different things with its fun plots with fun songs and a lovable big Bear character. The only issue with this particular DVD of Bear in the Big Blue House is that the title implies it covers all four seasons, but it really only ends up covering summer and fall.

The first episode is about summer and is called “Summer Cooler.” The second episode is about fall and is called “Falling for Fall.” The third and final episode is called “All-Weather Bear.” This episode deals with different weather including sunshine and rain, but it in the end seems like another summer episode with them going swimming. It could arguably be classified as a spring episode. One thing is for certain winter is not covered at all on this DVD. Thus while I still think this is a great show and DVD of the show, I think it is important to not be expecting to see all seasons represented as if you then you will be very disappointed as I was.

This DVD also has a nice special feature of Sing Alongs for four of the songs featured in the episodes on this DVD. The songs are “In the Middle of the Summer” from the “Summer Cooler” episode, “Falling for Fall” from the episode of the same name, and “Good Morning” and “Weather” from the “All-Weather Bear” episode.

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Tomorrow night (May 16, 2008) the Disney Channel has a special line up ending with a special presentation of High School Musical 2. This includes special shorts about the making of the new Cheetah Girls movie that will premiere on the Disney Channel this summer. These shorts are called Road to The Cheetah Girls One World. As part of the showing of High School Musical 2 there will be music videos of the High School Musical 2 songs being performed in India. Lastly, the new Disney series of shorts called Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream.

The line up does not seem all that special (i.e. related to the special aspects of this event as described above) besides the episode of Hannah Montana in which the Jonas Brothers guest star and the episode of The Suite Life of Zach & Cody in which London plays Sharpay in the school’s production of High School Musical. I guess several of the episodes try to relate to the event by being somewhat related to music. The line up of shows is listed below.

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Tomorrow (May 16, 2008) a new series of short episodes (abbreviated to shorts or more technically called interstitial) starts on the Disney Channel. It seems most of the Disney Channel shorts are part of the Playhouse Disney line up, although, there are several that play at other times of the day, but usually unpredictably (i.e. they at least are not added to the tv guide information). One example is Disney 411 and the old Mike’s Super Short Show.

The newest series of shorts on the Disney Channel is called Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream. The first episode will air at 7:55pm Eastern time on Disney Channel after Suite Life of Zach & Cody and before another showing of High School Musical 2.

This is a reality series of shorts lasting about five minutes. The series follows the life of the Jonas Brothers and the rest of their family as they go on their “Look Me in the Eyes” tour. The shorts will feature not only clips of them on stage performing, but also behind the scenes clips of some of the things they do off stage.

Not sure how interesting these shorts will be, but they will likely be a hit among those that like the Jonas Brothers, which seems to be a lot of tweens. It does at least sound a little more interesting than the As the Bell Rings shorts the Disney Channel ran last summer. Sorry, but I just found those totally stupid and worthless. I guess some junior and high school kids may have related and enjoyed them, but I would have rather watched commercials than those segments. As for the Jonas Brothers shorts it cannot be worse than their breakfast to go commercials, which kind of seem like a preview to this new series of shorts.

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This upcoming week (May 12 through May 16, 2008) is My Friends Tigger & Pooh Mystery Week in the Playhouse Disney segment of the Disney Channel. I really do not see how it is much of a specially themed week, as the episodes are always mysteries. It is however a celebratory way to lead up to the new episode airing this Friday. Below is a list of this week’s line up as part of the special week. All episodes are at 9:30am Eastern time.

Monday, May 12th’s episode is called “Chasing Pooh’s Rainbow/Lumpy Mixes a Mystery.” In the first part Pooh searches for honey at the end of a rainbow. The second part is about Roo and Lumpy figuring out how to mix the right colors in painting a birdhouse for his uncle (if I remember correctly they are trying to create purple).

Tuesday, May 13th’s episode is called “Pooh’s Double Trouble/Eeyore Sleeps On It.” In the first part the Super Sleuths learn about mirrors in reflections. The second part is about them trying to keep Eeyore from sleepwalking.

Wednesday, May 14th’s episode is called “Darby’s Tooth and Nothin’ But the Tooth/Snow Problem, Roo.” The first about is about Pooh and Tigger trying to find Darby’s lost tooth. In the second part Roo learns about why her snowman is shrinking.

Thursday, May 15th’s episode is called “No Rumbly in Pooh’s Tumbly/Pooh Sticks Get Stuck.” In the first part the Super Sleuths try to figure out why Pooh’s tummy is not rumbling. In the second part they try to figure out why the river has dried up.

Friday, May 16th’s episode is the new episode called “Peck Peck Peckin’ on Rabbit’s Door/Flowers from Roo.” The first part is about a mysterious sound keeping rabbit awake. The second part is about butterflies appearing in the area.

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With a special Little Einsteins week coming up next week on Playhouse Disney I thought it would be good to to an extra DVD review this week on one of the Little Einsteins DVDs. I do not know if this is the best Little Einsteins DVDs, but it is the first one I personally watched and I was impressed by the bonus feature it has.

Little Einsteins: The Legend of the Golden Pyramid contains three episodes of the Little Einsteins show. The first episode is the same as the name of the DVD. “The Legend of the Golden Pyramid” episode is about the Little Einsteins going on a mission in Ancient Egypt to find the golden pyramid and unlock it to release the music inside. The featured tune for this episode is by Johannes Brahms.

The second episode on this DVD is called “Dragon Kite.” In this episode the Little Einsteins end up in China helping to find Dragon Kites and return them to the kite festival at the Great Wall of China. The tune featured in this episode is by Edvard Greig.

The third episode is called “Annie and the Little Toy Plane.” This episode is set in San Francisco. In the episode the Little Einsteins help a toy plane rescue a helicopter that is stuck in a giant redwood tree. The tune for this episode is by Wolfgang Amadeau Mozart.

If you have not noticed from my other TV on DVD reviews, bonus features are something I think is important to be included on DVDs. Really if there is not a good bonus feature, then why would I want to buy a DVD of a show I could just record on Tivo or my DVR. This DVD does not disappoint in regards to its bonus feature. The bonus feature is a great interactive storybook game called Little Einsteins Storybook Mission: Where’s Froggy’s Family?

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Welcome to this week’s edition of Beyond Watching the Show, where I give some ideas of activities for kids that enjoy a particular show that go beyond just watching the show. If you have more ideas of activities for this show please comment and share your ideas. Also, please comment here if you have a request of a show to feature in an upcoming edition of Beyond Watching the Show.

Hannah Montana Birthday Party Ideas: This site has some great ideas for throwing a Hannah Montana themed birthday party. It includes ideas for invitations, decorations, activities, and even party favors.

Hannah Montana Coloring Pages: It is certainly harder to find coloring pages relate to a live action show compared to the animated kid’s shows, but I did find one good site that has some Hannah Montana ones. There are more here and there are even party invites here and Hannah Montana jigsaw puzzles on this site here.

Hannah Montana Games: The Disney Channel website for the show has some online games here. This includes Oliver’s Treasure Hunt, Hannah Montana’s Rockstar Quiz, and Jackson’s Beach Treat Delivery. There are also Hannah Montana video games that you can buy for various video game systems including Hannah Montana for the Nintendo DS, Hannah Montana: Music Jam for the Nintendo DS, and Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour for Nintendo Wii (PS2 version expected to be released in August 2008). There is also a Hannah Montana 3 for Nintendo DS expected to be released in August 2008.

The newest My Friends Tigger and Pooh DVD is called Friendly Tales and contains 3 episodes of two mini-episodes each. It is an enjoyable collection of mysteries and problems being solved by the Super Sleuths.

The first episode called “Darby’s Solo Sleuth/Doggone Buster” is an all new episode that has not been shown on television. The first part is about Darby having to find lemons on her own to help Kanga make a soup to cure Pooh and Tigger’s cold. The second part of the episode is about trying to find Buster when Darby does not know where he went.

The other two episodes on this DVD have been shown on television before, but are anyways something that makes this DVD worth purchasing as it really would not be worth it if it only had the new regular length episode described above. The second episode is “Darby’s Tail/Tigger’s Delivery Service” about Darby wanting to have a tail and Tigger getting overwhelmed with his delivery service. The last episode is “Pooh-rates Of the Hundred Acre Wood/Tigger’s Hiccup Pickup” about playing Pirates (Pooh-rates) and following a map to find a treasure and helping Tigger get rid of his hiccups.

This DVD is very slim on special features, but the one it does have is a decent one. It is a fun game called Darby’s Super Sleuth Challenge. In this game you go through three different challenges to become a Super Sleuth. For example, you must figure out what the item is based on the clues given. The game is not extremely exciting, but it is easy for preschoolers to play on their own and pretty good for a DVD game.

This Saturday Whiffle and Fuzz premieres on Playhouse Disney. It is a new short that appears between shows, like the Lou and Lou shorts I blogged about pretty recently. The time slot for Whiffle and Fuzz is 6:55am Eastern Time or 5:55am Central Time. Personally this seems like a really early time to air a new short and hopefully it will shift around in the times it shows like the Playhouse Disney shows seem to do from week to week.

The characters of this short are obviously called Whiffle and Fuzz. Whiffle is a red fuzzy sphere creature with stick figure like arms and legs. Fuzz is similar, except he is blue and shaped like a cube. From the previews I have seen it looks like this is a show about guessing what the animals are behind a screen that has a few holes that are revealed as they find clues related to the animal.

You can watch some Whiffle and Fuzz videos on the Playhouse Disney website for this show here.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Beyond Watching the Show, where I give some ideas of activities for kids that enjoy a particular show that go beyond just watching the show. If you have more ideas of activities for this show please comment and share your ideas. Also, please comment here if you have a request of a show to feature in an upcoming edition of Beyond Watching the Show.

This week’s show is My Friends Tigger and Pooh, which recently came out with a new DVD of the show and next week it is Playhouse Disney’s Piglet Party! with a new episode airing on March 21st.

Activities About Latest Show DVD: This site for the latest My Friend’s Tigger and Pooh DVD called Friendly Tales has an online game called Pooh’s Honey Pot Puzzles. It also has a PDF coloring page and a PDF activity page related to the movie.

Official Show Website: The official Disney website for the show has three games including Tigger’s Shadow Hunt, activities to print out including cool Super Sleuth note paper and Super Sleuth I.D. badges as part of the Super Sleuth Print Pack, music including a music video of the theme song, and Piglet’s Small Predicament Storybook. Basically it is full of fun stuff and is a safe and easy site for kids to navigate through on their own.

Disney My Friends Tigger & Pooh Edition of The Memory Game: Milton Bradley made a special edition of The Memory Game that is themed with things related to the My Friends Tigger and Pooh show.

The Legend of Tarzan is an animated show that currently airs on the Toon Disney Channel at 9:30am ET and 4:30pm ET on weekdays (note there is just one episode shown a day, just shown at two different times). It also plays at 3pm ET and 3:30pm ET on Saturdays and Sundays (in this case it is two different episodes shown each day). The show was originally shown on the regular Disney Channel from 2001 to 2003 and now all the episodes are just repeats, but for kids fans of the movie who have not discovered this show it can be enjoyable to watch and it at least seems new to them.

The show is based on the same characters seen in Disney’s Tarzan movies. The main characters are Tarzan, Jane, Jane’s Dad (Professor Porter), Terk (a gorilla), and Tantor (an elephant). Terk and Tantor are like Tarzan’s best friends and are also friends with each other. The different story plots in the episodes tend not to be interconnected, which makes it easy to watch the episodes out of order and not be confused. In the episodes Tarzan is often saving his gorilla family, Jane, or just the jungle in general from internal threats and outside threats of humans trying to exploit the jungle. Overall the show is an entertaining adventure cartoon for kids, but it does show some mild violence and guns in some of the episodes, so some parents may want to see the show for themselves first to decide if it is appropriate for their child.