My 8-year-old’s school has reduced its recess from two periods to one–and believe me when I say how much this bums her–and me–out. After sitting in class through math, reading, science and all those other learning-intensive subjects, she is more than ready for a break. Too bad it’s so short; she tells me that sometimes it feels like they have just bundled up and headed outdoors…only to be told to “line up” again and head back into the classroom. I’m sure that’s why SteveSongs can relate to this childhood woe in “Recess Rocks,” the first track off his new CD, Orangutan Van. No stranger to the kids’ music scene (this marks his 8th CD of the guy who’s alter ego Mr. Steve is a mainstay
PBS Kids Archive
From the looks of things around Walnut Land, we need a little Christmas…right this very minute. Yup, you heard me right–I’m rushing the season, only because the last few weeks of dealing with the residual effects of Hurricane Sandy have put the little Walnuts in a rather bah-hug mood. Lucky for us, just in time to banish those blues comes a new holiday special that we’re sure to set our DVR for. PBS Kids’ “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas” will have preschoolers on the edge of their seats as the infamous feline, along with Nick, Sally and the rest of the gang, set out to help a little lost reindeer find his way home in time for Christmas. Along the
If you think you’re the only one in your family psyched for the new fall TV line-up, you’re dead wrong. My 4-year-old has been watching and waiting for this Monday’s premiere of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” ever since she saw the promo earlier this summer. If the title alone conjures up memories from your childhood TV watching days, then you’re in good company. Turns out the PBS Kids’ animated series was indeed inspired by “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.” But this time, it’s a tame feline who’s leading the pack–and donning a fetching cardigan as an endearing nod to his predecessor. As Daniel begins each episode by tying his sneakers and inviting viewers to join him on his journey with his animal friends, we can’t help but think
Happy (almost) Birthday, Dr. Seuss! Whose childhood hasn’t been enriched by the whimsical menagerie of characters that Theodor Geisel created over the years? From The Cat in the Hat, to Yertle the Turtle, we’ve been able to experience the charming stories of these unique individuals who we grew up and then, share them with our own families. Had the beloved author still been alive, he would have celebrated his 108th birthday on March 2, 2012. In honor of Dr. Seuss, PBS Kids will be broadcasting a 2-hour marathon of “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That” this Friday. The on-air festivities will feature two never-seen-before episodes entitled “Seasons–Spring and Summer/Fall and Winter” and “When I Grow Up/Doing It Differently.” The cat’s zany
Christmas movies have become my favorite quotables these days, and “It’s a Wonderful Life” happens to be at the top of that list. I can’t decide what I like best–the scene where a young George offers to get Mary the moon (“Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down”…”I’ll take it. Then what?”) or when a more mature George begs for his old life back (“Get me back, I don’t care what happens to me. Get me back to my wife and kids!”). The intense emotion and powerful drama of these moments is easy to get swept up away in. It not only makes for good television watching, but it puts the season in perspective. Maybe we just
Never too soon to start celebrating the holidays, you say? My 7-year-old has been working on her wish list since the summer but, according to her, “it’s still not ready!” Lucky for her, Christmas came a little early this year when she joined me yesterday at NYC’s Monkey Bar for a special luncheon, hosted by PBS Kids, to kick off the Curious George Holiday Spectacular. Everyone’s favorite little monkey was on hand to help announce the November 23rd television airing of three Curious George specials: the Curious George movie, Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey and Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. (Encore presentations will air throughout Thanksgiving weekend, so check your local listings.) After a fun-filled photo session, the kiddies were treated to lunch,
My 7-year-old is zipping through a bunch of books this summer with a mission in mind: She’s trying to earn enough minutes so she can take advantage of our local library’s summer reading club contest. If she logs enough time, she’ll score tickets to a juggling show. To this 7-year-old, there’s nothing as thrilling as live entertainment…unless, of course, it’s a new Wii game. My hope is that once the show has come and gone, she’ll still be just as excited to keep reading, especially when we head out on vacation. To help keep kids on the go psyched about books, PBS Kids and JetBlue are running a Soar With Reading program that provides traveling families with plenty of incentives for hitting the books. Just
Show me a child who hasn’t heard of The Cat in the Hat or the Grinch, and I’ll sit that kid down with our family’s tattered copy of Dr. Seuss’ greatest works. Ever the childhood bookshelf mainstay, Theodor Seuss Geisel is the powerhouse of kid lit that makes words sing and come to life right off the page. His books are always best read aloud and only require a captive audience and a youthful spirit. (Even the greatest curmudgeon on the planet can’t resist smiling when hearing the words, “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like that Sam-I-Am.”) If you happened to have newly minted fan-in-residence of the “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!” TV series,
A lucky mom indeed, I was able to spend a day at Toy Fair in NYC and boy, did I get the scoop on all things fun for 2011. All week long, we’ll be talking about what’s hot for playtime as we look at some of the more entertaining playthings that caught our eye. First off, we’re especially excited that PBS Kids is launching its first-ever line of toys for toddlers and preschoolers. Don’t expect to see The Cat in the Hat or Curious George-themed items, though. Instead, the signature Dot and Dash characters that make up the PBS Kids logo are the main characters appearing among the more than 20 wooden toys. They include the Sounds of World Rhythm Set of musical instruments, Exploration
Sometimes, I’m amazed at just how perceptive my cat is. The minute the last child is put to bed for the night and the doors are closed, she appears by my side for some undivided attention. Pretty savvy. And she’s not the only feline who’s as sharp as her claws. Everyone’s favorite Dr. Seuss character is coming to PBS Kids with a brand new series that premieres this Labor Day, September 6. Set your DVR to watch “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!,” an animated TV show (with Martin Short as the voice of The Cat) that is bound to intrigue preschoolers about all things science. From explaining why owls sleep at night, to how bees make honey, this program will