Posts Tagged ‘entertainment’
Laura on November 5th, 2009
The Leapfrog Zippity is yet another genius toy from this forward thinking company. The Zippity gets your child moving, jumping, and thinking all at the same time. The Zippity comes with 8 pre-loaded Disney-themed games, including Mickey Mouse and Little Einsteins.
The Zippity is a large pad with a big, easy to use joystick attached. The games usually begin by jumping to “start” your rocket, scooter, etc. The game will then get your child thinking by asking them to find specific things, or move to a specific color on the pad. All the games are very simple, and increase in skill as your child becomes more adept at using the Zippity.
Noel loves using the Zippity and was able to use it out of the box. The instructions are simple and walk your child through the process easily. With some initial parent set-up (again, very easy), you’ll be Zippity-ing in minutes. The Zippity will keep your children active during the long winter when it’s too cold, rainy, or snowy to go out and run around for any length of time.
If you’d like one of your own, we’ve got one to give away!
WIN IT!
Win one Zippety for your child to enjoy. The Zippity is age appropriate for children about 3-5. Go HERE and enter (use “Zippity” as the contest name)! It’s that simple! We’ll pick one winner on November 20th, 2009 at 10 PM CST. Good luck!
Naomi on October 7th, 2009
Jasper and Roo highly encourage you to visit J4Nε the Pink Robot. The site features short animations that play when you hit any letter on your keyboard: D= Dance the Robot Boogie, F= Robots can Fly, etc. It sends both of my kids into hysterics while familiarizing them (I hope) with the letters of the alphabet. And robots, of course. I highly encourage J4Nε’s creator, Bradford Singley, to make an iPhone App version… seriously, it would make enrich my life in ways you cannot possibly imagine. As it is, I am having to dedicate a laptop to her 24/7. The giggles are infectious, by the way…
Laura on August 15th, 2009
As someone who grew up with Sesame Street & Mr. Rodgers, I’m a big supporter of public television and the great children’s shows that they offer. One of the top new shows for kids to premiere this past year is “Sid the Science Kid”, the hit, Emmy-nominated PBS series that is produced by The Jim Henson Company and KCET-LA. These two DVDs released nationwide on August 4. Each DVD contains four episodes from the TV show. For more information on this great program, watch the slideshow, which will explain everything “Sid”.
In September, FIVE all-new episodes of “Sid the Science Kid” will debut on PBS stations nationwide! Sid is well-loved by Noel, and helps him to learn scientific principals using every day things that kids encounter, like eating cereal, cars, even an example of digestion using lemon juice!
Another great new PBS series is Dive Olly Dive, which follows the adventures of Olly, a young submarine-in-training, and Beth, his best friend and fellow sub-in-training. Stationed at the Special Underwater Research Facility (S.U.R.F.) under the guidance of Diver Doug, the young subs explore their spectacular underwater world.
Joining Olly and Beth are Skid, Doug’s sleek transport vehicle; Brandt, a cantankerous hermit crab who imagines himself as a pirate; UMA, an eight-appendaged Underwater Maintenance Assistant; Ranger, a tiny cowboy seahorse who wrangles his herd of squid; Shankley, the Scottish sea crane who spins tales of the deep seas; Suzy, the awesome aerobatic seas plane; and Luseal, the fun-loving, athletic seal.
Whether carrying out a research assignment for Diver Doug, playing in spectacular Lava Rock Park, or evading the dangers found in Dark Trench, there’s never a dull moment in Olly’s world.
WIN IT!!!
Mums wants to offer one lucky reader a chance to win 3 DVDS: “Sid the Science Kid: Change Happens,” “Sid the Science Kid: The Bug Club” and “Dive Olly Dive: Ship Shape Sub”. Enter HERE and tell us your favorite television show from childhood! GOOD LUCK!
Laura on July 18th, 2009
The short answer is YES, and I don’t mean just take picnics to the park. While those are GREAT, and always fun, it’s not practical for us Texans to journey out to the park with our kids in Summer. Why? Well, if you’ve ever been here, you know the heat is almost unbearable in the summer. Of course, though, with children, if you stay inside, you are bound to be driven out of your tree, right?
My advice? If you live in a city, then you probably have museums, galleries, zoos, botanical gardens & arboretums all at your fingertips. Most every one of these facilities will offer a yearly membership-BUY THEM. We live about 10 minutes from our local zoo. When we first went, I had sticker shock (I guess when you’re voted the top zoo in the nation, you can charge whatever you want…). When I saw the 1 year membership prices, I thought it would be a great investment, and it has been! The cost of the membership has been paid back in spades. This is also true of our membership to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens (which is free, except for the uber-rad Japanese Garden), and The Modern.
With a membership, I don’t feel obliged to spend enough time at the establishment to “make it worth it”. When we go to the zoo, particularly in the summer, my kids make it about 2-3 hours max. With a membership, I don’t feel obliged to stay from 10-5 to get our money’s worth. Instead of being frustrated when the kids only want to play in the giant sandbox (so cool) and then go home, I’m ok with it because I didn’t just spend $30 for my kids to play in a sandbox for an hour.
Memberships generally come with other benefits too, like discounts on food, in the gift shop, classes, camps and discounted or free entrances into similar establishments. So, when you’re traveling, you will continue to save money…and couldn’t we all use a little extra cash in our pockets these days???
Naomi on March 25th, 2009
I grew up with Sesame Street but I didn’t know just how far-reaching its influence was! Today, almost eight million viewers across the globe watch the show each week and more than 77 million consider themselves Sesame Street “graduates.” They’ve received more Emmy awards than any other television program– 109 in all. And this year, Sesame Street is actually celebrating the big 4-0! (I’m slightly relieved they’re hitting it before me…)
If your kids can’t get enough of Sesame Street, you’re in luck. There are two great new DVD releases featuring all their favorite characters ( Elmo, y’all!) in all-new stories the whole family can enjoy together.
Elmo and Friends: Tales of Adventure is action-packed with three incredible stories overflowing with mysterious clues, heroic monsters, and lots of dramatic music! Join Telly as he searches for the Golden Triangle of Destiny; cheer on Elmo as he races against the clock in Elmo’s Amazing Alphabet Race; and help an ant-sized Big Bird alert his friends about his dilemma in The Adventures of Little Big Bird. Elmo and Friends: Tales of Adventure is sure to delight Elmo fans who are looking for a little more excitement than they usually find in the old neighborhood at Sesame Street!
In Being Green, all your favorite Sesame Street friends team up to host their first Earth-a-Thon! The Being Green DVD is available just in time for any Earth Day Celebrations you might be planning. Paul Rudd (sigh) plays Mr. Earth, who teaches Elmo and Abby Cadabby how to be environmentally conscious by recycling, re-using, and conserving water and energy. In her desire to help Elmo to be more “green,” Abby accidentally turns Elmo the color GREEN and can’t remember how to change him back! Being Green also contains 16 pages of downloadable activities and story sheets to extend the learning at home. Teaching budding conservationists the importance of preserving nature’s wonders, Being Green is part of Sesame Workshop’s green-friendly initiatives. In an effort to teach children to love and respect the Earth and its inhabitants, Sesame Street is increasing its environmental messages and materials for kids. In addition, Being Green is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper or cardstock and is printed with soy-based ink. It also uses an Earth friendlier reduced-plastic compared to other DVD cases and even features a cool die-cut recycling logo inside! And did I mention how cute Paul Rudd is, even when wearing a gigantic globe? Yes, indeed. Mommy likes a guy who’s not afraid to dork out with a bunch of Muppets…
Win it! To enter and win both new DVDs–Elmo and Friends: Tales of Adventure AND Being Green, please CLICK HERE to enter. Two winners will be randomly selected and notified via email. (Three more winners will be chosen from comments over at Superdumb Supervillain, so go enter there to double your chances!)
Entries will be accepted through April 8th. US readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.
Naomi on October 4th, 2008
Scholastic’s Storybook Treasures is a collection of DVDs that will make you feel slightly less guilty about using the TV for a babysitter. All kidding aside, these DVDs are the closest thing you’ll find to reading aloud. The narration is slow and steady and purposeful, which is very useful to try and coax kids into reading along if you happen to have the book that it is based upon. Luckily, the titles available in Scholastic’s Storybook Treasures series are all tried and true classics. In fact, the laid-back pacing of these adaptations reminds me of the old classroom filmstrips from my youth, the ones that required you to hang on every word until the beep told you to advance the frame. Such a difference from the frenetic style of today’s action-packed cartoons!
We recently received Make Way for Ducklings…and more delightful duck stories. Robert McCloskey’s sweet story of nesting ducks always makes me smile. And Jasper especially likes this DVD since “duck” is one of the words he can say understandably. Lucky for my little duck lover, this extra-long (76 minutes!) disc also features The Story of Ping, The Ugly Duckling, and Angus and the Ducks, as well as two stories that have non-duck birds in central roles.
If you have a dog lover, Harry the Dirty Dog…and more playful puppy stories may be more your style. There are six canine-centric tales on this 73 minute DVD. Roo loves the one about Harry trying to lose his new sweater from grandma.
The Storybook Treasures DVD I enjoyed most was Where the Wild Things Are…and 5 more stories. I have long been a Maurice Sendak fan and the title story is one of my all-time favorite childrens books. There is also an adaptation of In the Night Kitchen, and I am pleased to report that Mickey’s nethers are unretouched here. (I can’t believe that some libraries censor or remove this book for full frontal nudity… geez, it’s called a penis and half the world has ‘em, right?) The other fantastic thing about this collection is the inclusion of the Nutshell Library. I love reading these to Roo and Jasper, but I must admit that the Carole King versions pretty much blow me away. Duh. I vaguely remember these songs from my youth; they were part of the Really Rosie LP. I wish I still had that!
WIN IT!
Where the Wild Things Are…and 5 more stories (four winners!)
Click HERE to enter and tell us which childhood literary classic you would like to see turned into a Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVD. Contest ends Saturday, October 18th at 10 PM CST. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. Good Luck!!
Naomi on September 23rd, 2008
We’ve been Noggin addicts since Roo was about Jasper’s age and we know most of its programming by heart. We were really excited when Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! came on the air. Its simple storylines and drawing style are charming and the episodes wrap up with a catchy song that showcases the moral of the story. When we received a package of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! items to review, I assumed Roo would be the one to go ga-ga over it.
She did immediately latch on to the new DVD (A Tale of Tails) but Jasper claimed the stuffed Wubbzy and electronic board book for himself. I am slightly embarrassed to report that his first recognizable utterance is very clearly “Wow! Wow!”
Roo suggested “maybe Jasper and I can share Wubbzy!” Uh, yeah, you try to wrench the little yellow guy from your baby brother. Let me know how that works for you… I think we might be better off just getting a second Wubbzy doll! Laura informs me that Noel is crazy about Wubbzy and his friends, too! You can enter to win a giant Wubbzy prize pack on YouTube in the Wubbzy Dance Contest. Just film your child’s stylin’ dance moves and upload it for your chance to win a Disco Dancing Wubbzy Doll, Wubbzy, Walden and Widget plush dolls, a collection of 6 Wubbzy books and A Tale of Tails DVD!
Feeling camera shy? Scroll down to win a Wubbzy gift pack, including DVD, books, Kooky Kollectible toy and plush Wubbzy doll!
WIN IT!
Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Prize Pack
Click HERE to enter and tell us which Wubbzy! character is your favorite. Contest ends Friday, October 3rd at 10 PM CST. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. Good Luck!!
This review is also posted at superdumb supervillain! Enter over there for a separate chance to win!
Laura on September 7th, 2008
This review has been brought to you by our resident Stay At Home Dad & Father of the Year, Elliott…Read more by Elliott at Father of the Year Award, on Tumblr, and see what he’s got going on at his eBay store, Umbrella Shoppe Collectibles. He also Twitter’s here.
I was immediately interested in the Bill Harley: Yes to Running DVD, the day it arrived in our mailbox. (A side note: our mailbox is usually very hot, as it is perpetually 300 degrees in Texas.) Bill Harley, when he’s not being a regular commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered,writing books or winning Grammy awards, tours the country telling funny stores and singing funny songs to kids and their parents. He has a natural wit that is the backbone of his songs and stories. He also has that gift for being instantly appealing to children and their parents. This is not The Wiggles.
Yes To Running! is Harley’s first live DVD. This should not be his last, if there is any justice in the world. It appeals on different levels. My son, who is 2, loved the guitar playing and the music. He didn’t have a clue when it came to the stories, but older kids will get the stories and jokes. Parents will enjoy the pop culture references and nostalgia about music from their era. They will also appreciate the fact that Harley does not dumb down his language for the kids. He gives them the benefit of the doubt, and it just comes off with warmth and sincerity.
The set includes:
I Like to Sing
Grownups are Strange
Mom and the Radio
The Great Sled Race
Mrs. Ammons and the Boys’ Room
Is Not Is Too
The Ballad of Dirty Joe
The Teachers’ Lounge
You’re in Trouble
Echo
WIN IT!
We have TWO of these DVDs to give away to TWO LUCKY WINNERS!
Email us to enter: mumsthewurd[at]gmail[dot]com with the subject line: Bill Harley & tell us your favorite children’s singer/storyteller. Contest ends Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 10 PM CST. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. Good Luck!!
Laura on July 29th, 2008
If you didn’t hear our interview with Matt Pryor, you missed out…but, don’t be sad. You can hear it all here!
We wanted to let you all know that the sophomore Terrible Twos album, Jerzy the Giant, came out today! Be sure to pick it up for your kids AND you! It’s the sort of music the whole fam can jam to! We’ll have a give away going on soon…stay tuned!!
A few places you can purchase the Twos CDs: itunes & Amazon.
Enjoy!
Laura on July 24th, 2008
One of our favorite shows, The Banana Splits, is coming back with new shorts on Cartoon Network! We can’t wait! We’ll tell you more about it soon, but in the meantime, check out their fun, interactive website! It’s one of the best I’ve seen. The Splits have videos featuring Bingo, Fleegle, Drooper, and Snorky, and much more . It’s a kicky blast!
