Tot TV Watch

Nickelodeon and Mall of America announced today that they are teaming up to revamp the mall’s current seven acre theme park. The new park will feature new rides and attractions, inspired by Nickelodeon’s popular shows and characters. They are still in the planning phase, but Mall of America has confirmed plans for a free-fall tower and an upside-down rollercoaster based on the series Avatar:The Last Airbender.

Besides the new rides, the park will feature a variety of costumed Nickelodeon characters, live shows, retail, games, live interactive entertainment, and food service establishments. Kids and parents alike will be able to find their favorite characters around the park such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Danny Phantom, Jimmy Neutron, The Backyardigans and many others.

If you prefer shopping to rides and entertainment, Nickelodeon will also be opening a brand new Nick store in the mall that will fill over 4,000 square feet of space. It will offer branded t-shirts, souvenirs, novelties, and more.

The new park is expected to begin construction in 2007 and be ready for the public in Spring 2008. If you are planning a trip to Mall of America this summer, you just might want to wait another year.

*Image provided by PR Newswire Photo Service via Newscom.

Nickelodeon, Mall of America, theme park, live shows, games, rollercoaster, SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go!, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Danny Phantom, Jimmy Neutron, The Backyardigans

Have you always dreamed of getting slimed? If so, your dreams may soon come true. In preparation for the 20th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards, Nickelodeon is kicking off the “Slime Across America” tour on February 26th. An interactive 18-wheel “Slime Mobile” will be traveling across the United States making twenty stops along the way. It will arrive just in time for the Kids’ Choice Awards on March 31st, and then continue on to thirty more markets before completing the tour.

According to the recent press release:

Nickelodeon’s Slime Across America experience and the 18-wheel Slime Mobile will feature various games and attractions including a Nick Live! Slime Edition interactive stage show, a user generated content station where kids can create content to submit to Nickelodeon for possible air on me:tv, the network’s new interactive day part, an audition area, music-themed activities such as Nickelodeon karaoke, Nickelodeon costume character appearances, product giveaways, and of course, the opportunity for kids to get slimed.

For more information, including a list of cities the Slime Mobile will be stopping in, you can go to http://www.nick.com/slime/

Nickelodeon, Kids’ Choice Awards, Slime Across America, tour, Slime Mobile, me:tv

Disney announced plans last Thursday for yet another sequel to the ever popular High School Musical. They had previously annouced production of High School Musical 2, to be released this summer on the Disney Channel. The third movie in the series, to be titled “Haunted High School Musical” will hit the big screen in 2008.

There is no mention of the plot yet, but it has been said that all of the original cast members will return for “Haunted” and it will take up right where the original left off. Fans of Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu and the other High School Musical cast can rejoice. They won’t be seeing the end of these guys for a while.

Haunted High School Musical, High School Musical, Disney, Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu

On Monday, February 19th, Playhouse Disney will debut a brand new season of The Wiggles. If you are looking for newcomer Sam Moran in the new episodes, however, you will have to wait another season. This season was recorded prior to Greg Page announcing his departure and he will appear on all episodes.

Besides the normal singing and dancing that you’ve come to know and love, the new season of The Wiggles will include a new “letter of the day” and will explore different languages and cultures through animated “Mariachi Wiggles” and animated “Mandarin Wiggles”.

The Wiggles, Playhouse Disney, Sam Moran, Greg Page, new season

The American International Toy Fair® is underway in New York and Dora the Explorer is making toy and licensing history. Over the 2006 holiday season, Dora became the year’s top toy license. At this year’s Toy Fair, Nickelodeon is introducing several new Dora the Explorer products as well as new products for other preschooler favorites Go, Diego, Go!, The Backyardigans, and Spongebob Squarepants.

For the Dora fans in your life, Fisher-Price will be releasing the Dora Let’s Get Ready Vanity, Sparkle And Twirl Mermaid Dora, Talking Friendship Adventures Dora, and Dora Friendship Adventure Game. Other new Dora the Explorer toy releases include CDI/Jakks’ Dora the Explorer Fairytale Adventure Dress; Mermaid Adventure Dress; and Dance to the Rescue Dress, Spinmaster’s Dora the Explorer Dance-Along Musical Adventure, and Moose Mountain’s Dora & Diego Bouncing Pony Ride.

If your kids are more into Diego, you can look forward to the Go, Diego, Go! Mobile Rescue Unit, Rescue A Friend Assortment, and Go, Diego, Go! Animal Caller from Fisher-Price. If your little one is into building, they might like the new Go, Diego, Go! Activity Building Sets from Mega Bloks. If that’s not enough, Jakks Pacific will also release the Go, Diego, Go! SharpNoodle, a plug and play learning system.

Backyardigans fans will be happy with Fisher-Price’s new Backyardigans Bobblin’ Big Top Playset or Play-Doh’s Backyardigans Playset featuring Pablo, Tyrone and Uniqua.

Among the most anticipated releases is Hasbro’s Operation SpongeBob SquarePants. If board games aren’t your style then you might want to check out Lego’s SpongeBob SquarePants Chum Bucket and Mrs. Puff’s Boating School which expands on the recent SpongeBob/Lego best-selling product or Fisher-Price’s new SpongeBob’s Ocean Adventure Game.

Nickelodeon, toys, Toy Fair, Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go!, Backyardigans, SpongeBob SquarePants, Fisher-Price, CDI/Jakks, Spinmaster, Mega Bloks, Jakks Pacific, Play-Doh, Hasbro, Lego

February is Black History Month and Nickelodeon is celebrating with a line-up of short clips featuring African American traditions and history. Throughout February Nickelodeon will air vignettes of kids from across the country, including Nickelodeon’s own Lil’ J.J., sharing their personal stories about family, friends and traditions.

Nick Jr. and Noggin will air three new 30-second videos featuring hand-clap rhymes by kids and illustrations that profile great figures in African American history. Featured are Dr. George Washington Carver, August Wilson, and Mae C. Johnson.

To go along with the TV shorts, NickJr.com is offering printable trading cards featuring notable African Americans, as well as Black History Month themed coloring pages, a suggested reading list, and tips to help parents teach diversity.

Black History Month, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Noggin, diversity, George Washington Carver, August Wilson, Mae C. Johnson, African American

By the time your child hits preschool age, they no doubt will be able to name some (if not all) of the Sesame Street characters. In fact, statistics from Nielsen Media Research say that 99% of American preschoolers recognize the series’ characters. Even if you don’t watch the show in your home, you can’t go to a grocery or retail store without seeing the faces of Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Oscar, or Bert and Ernie adorning the various products on the shelves. My son asks for snacks according to the character that is on the box. We currently have Cookie Monster applesauce and juice boxes with either Big Bird or Bert and Ernie on them in our refrigerator.

Produced by the non-profit organization Sesame Workshop, Sesame Street is without a doubt the most highly regarded children’s educational television program. Since its beginning in 1969, it has been the winner of 109 Emmy Awards and has been televised in 120 countries. In 1999, Sesame Street surpassed Captain Kangaroo for the longest running American children’s program.

Recent budget cuts proposed by the Bush Administration may put the future of Sesame Street in danger. If the cuts are passed, federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be decreased by almost 25 percent. This would limit their ability to support popular shows such as Sesame Street. Children’s Media Consultant explores in more detail what this might mean for the future of Sesame Street.

If you don’t want to see these cuts take place, stand up and let your voice be heard. Contact your local Congressional Representatives and let them know what you think.

Sesame Street, Sesame Workshop, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Captain Kangaroo, budget, Bush Administration, PBS, Congress

Advertising during children’s television programming has always been up for debate. As a parent, I tend to avoid commercials all together when possible, choosing to either fast forward through them or watch networks like Noggin that don’t show commercials during kids’ shows. Regardless of how much I try to avoid those advertisements, I’m still very aware of the power characters like Elmo or Dora have when they are placed on a product.

In recent years, advertisers have started displaying web site addresses during commercials but recent restrictions from the FCC may stop some of that from happening, at least during children’s programming. Effective January 2nd, 2007, the FCC passed new federal rules stating that during shows geared toward children age 12 and under, cable and broadcast operators may not display addresses for Web sites that contain any links to commercial content.

Advertising during children’s television programming was previously limited by the Children’s Television Act. It limits every hour of children’s programming to 10.5 minutes of advertising during weekends and 12 minutes on weekdays.

While there is much resistance from the advertising community, there seems to be compliance so far. However, there have already been several loopholes pointed out and several child advocacy groups are already pushing for even more restrictions.

What do you think about these new restrictions? Have you noticed the lack of web addresses?

Source: Kids’ TV faces new Net restrictions

web, net restrictions, kids’ tv, television, children, Children’s Television Act, FCC, advertising

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards are coming up and they have announced that Justin Timberlake will be this year’s host. Timberlake has been the recipient of three Kid’s Choice Awards himself, one as part of the musical group ‘N Sync in 1999 and two more in 2003 and 2006 for best burp.

The annual awards show features the year’s best in film, TV, music, sports, video games and books. The winners are determined by online votes from Nickelodeon viewers. Besides the regular awards for favorite movie, television show, video game, etc., viewers are also treated to a burp-a-thon and lots of slime. The most distinguished, and perhaps the most sought after, award of the night is the “Wannabe” award that is awarded to the person who the voters most look up to and “want to be like”.

Kids can start voting for their favorites online on March 5th. The 20th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards show will be held on March 31 at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Kids’ Choice Awards, Justin Timberlake, Nickelodeon, movies, TV, sports, video games, books

LeVar Burton, Executive Producer and Host of the PBS show Reading Rainbow, is calling it quits. Among the reasons for his departure was the sale of the “Reading Rainbow” brand to an educational company last year. At the time of the sale, co-Executive Producer Twila Liggett gave up her position leaving behind a trail of questions as to what was in store for the future of Reading Rainbow. According to Burton, the new leadership does not align with his work.

So what is in store for Reading Rainbow in the future? Only time will tell. Previous reports were that the new producers would like to reformat the show “to address changes in literacy education and technology as well as to make the program more engaging for children.�? Personally, I can’t imagine watching Reading Rainbow without LeVar Burton’s sunny face smiling back at me.

More information can be found at Children’s Media Consultant.

LeVar Burton, Reading Rainbow, PBS, Twila Liggett

A recent New York Post article speculates whether David Collins and Shane Dundas will return with a second Season of The Upside Down Show. Based on the quotes in the article it sounds like the show may be done, but I certainly hope not. I have a feeling there will be more than a few angry toddlers around if there is not second season.

It sounds like David and Shane are trying to figure out where their careers are headed and whether they want to focus on kids or adults. Dundas is quoted in the article saying, “We’re really not kid’s entertainers and the last thing I want is to be boxed into any particular area. There are enough Wiggles out there.”

Nickelodeon executives state that a final decision will be made in February regarding the show.

The Upside Down Show, Noggin, Nickelodeon, Shane Dundas, David Collins

Beginning in February 2007, Nickelodeon will be touring a new live show featuring Diego from the television series Go, Diego, Go! “The Great Jaguar Rescue” will feature Diego, his sister Alicia, and his cousin Dora. In usual Diego fashion, the crew will help to rescue Baby Jaguar’s growl from the Bobo Brothers while teaching lessons about wildlife and encouraging audience participation.

The tour will begin in Louisville, Kentucky on February 1st. To see if the show is coming to a city near you, check out the schedule on nickjr.com.

Go Diego Go, Dora the Explorer, Nick Jr., live-action

As I’ve mentioned before, Jack’s Big Music Show is about to start their second season on January 6th (which cannot get here soon enough in my opinion). There is a great line-up of new music videos and clubhouse visitors slated for this season.

During Noggin’s Warm and Fuzzy Holiday Party, they showed a few sneak peeks of the new season. During one of those sneak peeks, I had the pleasure of viewing the new Steve Burns (formerly of Blue’s Clues fame) and Steven Drozd (The Flaming Lips) video that will air on the series. I have to admit it was a bit of a shock at first to see Steve with a bald head and in such a different atmosphere, but once I got over that I figured out the song was pretty good. I prefer my kid’s music to be rockin’ and this certainly was. I’m actually anxious to see it again.

Other artists that will appear this season are Lisa Loeb, AudraRox, Nuttin’ But Stringz, Angelique Kidjo, Justin Roberts, Music for Aardvarks, Anne Harris, Rebekah Jordan, The Quiet Two, Dirty Sock Funtime Band, Comic Book Heroes, Leon Thomas, The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, J. Walter Hawkes, The Mighty Weaklings, Andrew Bird, Tyler Bunch and Libyah Pugh. There will also be clubhouse visits from Jon Stewart and Cheryl Hines.

Jack’s Big Music Show, Noggin, Steve Burns, Steven Drozd

From a December 12th press release:

* Thomas & Friends(TM): — In an agreement with HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality preschool entertainment, Six Flags will build special Thomas & Friends playlands in several Six Flags parks in 2007. The themed areas will include attractions and rides featuring Thomas the Tank Engine and other friends from the Island of Sodor. In addition, Sir Topham Hatt, Controller of the Railway, will be available daily for meet & greets and photo opportunities. This deal marks the first of its kind for Thomas & Friends with a US amusement park.

* The Wiggles. In an agreement with world-leading children’s entertainers The Wiggles, Six Flags will build unique “Wiggles World”-themed areas in its US branded parks over the next five years. Six Flags parks will be the exclusive North American destinations to find “Wiggles Worlds,” three of which will debut at Six Flags for the 2007 season, including one at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. These areas will include Wiggles-themed rides; a stage show performed by Dorothy and Friends with multiple daily performances; play areas; monitors for showing Wiggles video clips and songs; a Yummy Yummy Cafe; and kiosks to sell Wiggles merchandise. The Wiggles will also market Six Flags during their annual North American tour.

I’m a little late to catch the drama surrounding the departure of yellow Wiggle Greg Page from the beloved super group but I thought I would still pass on this tidbit. It seems that all is well in the land of The Wiggles again. Their website reports that fans welcomed new yellow Wiggle Sam Moran with open arms at the Entertainment Centre in Adelaide on December 4th.

Personally I’m not a big fan of the Wiggles, but I hope that the many toddlers out there that are fans will recover quickly. My guess is that many of them won’t even see the difference. As for me, I’m still trying to get over the whole Steve/Joe thing.