Jim Henson Archives

Earth Day Sid The Science Kid Going Green DVD Giveaway

April 19, 2011 by Momstart 86 Comments

It’s Earth Week, and yes I missed the boat, it started on Monday, or Sunday, not entirely sure. According to Sid the Science kid and his Earth Day week it started on Monday. "Sid the Science Kid," the half-hour animated series that inspires preschoolers to discover their world, is celebrating Environment & Habitat Week April 18-22! You can enjoy them all on Sid the Science Kid: Going, Going, Green! as well.

His celebration starts off with four episodes commemorating Earth Day, Sid and his friends find the answers to these questions about water, clean air, trash and trees:

What happens to water that goes down the drain?
Why does Sid’s dad wear a mask when he paints?
Where does trash go when you throw it away?
Can an old stump be a home for tiny creatures?

We love watching Sid the Science Kid and watching these episodes was no different. Sid has a great way of putting things we may think of as difficult to explain to children in their terms. They find that if Sid can do it they can do it. We were watching the episode about when the air gets dirty. It started off with Sid’s dad painting and using a mask so he was protected from the fumes. Sid was confused because he couldn’t see the fumes, which is a true statement. How do we know when the air is dirty when we can’t see it. So Miles was pretty interested in learning as he watched Sid learn about air pollution.

Sid the Science kid going green will help you teach your children four different areas on how to keep our beautiful earth clean all year round.

Sid would love for you to celebrate Earth Day with him! Check your local listings for time to watch Environment & Habitat Week April 18-22!

Tuesday, April 19 (Repeats on Earth Day Friday, April 22)

207: “Clean Air!” Sid the roving reporter is investigating something strange in his backyard–his Dad is wearing a mask while painting. Sid discovers that his Dad is protecting his face so he doesn’t breathe in the dirty fumes. At school, Sid and his friends discover that people and animals on Earth need to breathe clean air, and when we pollute the air around us, it affects the air that everyone breathes. The kids also discover that trees have a really important role in keeping our air clean!

Wednesday, April 20

208: “Reused Robot” Sid’s toy robot is broken, so he wants to throw it "away." Sid’s Mom tells him there is no such thing as "away," and when we put something in the trash, we are actually creating waste. Sid and his friends explore the idea that everything we throw away goes somewhere. This leads to an investigation of how to recycle and reuse items so that we make less trash.

Thursday, April 21

209: “Save The Stump” Sid is super excited because his Dad is clearing out space in the yard for a basketball court! While Sid and Dad are surveying the land, Sid notices a big stump teeming with little creatures! During a special field trip to The Science Center, Sid and his friends discover that there are animal habitats all around us, even in old stumps, and if one habitat is destroyed, all of the other habitats and animals are affected.

Also for later use:

Enter to Win:

Sid the Science Kid: Going, Going, Green!

To Enter:

Give me a green tip

Extra Entries:

Please vote for Our Family Picnic (extra entry for every vote, every day)

Tweet or RT this post and include the link to the post

Earth Day Sid The Science Kid Going Green DVD #Giveaway @momstart http://bit.ly/fdvDnw

Subscribe to MomStart
Comment on any non-giveaway post
List this giveaway on any giveaway site, dig, stumble, like or share on Facebook (or use any of the share options listed below)
Blog About this Giveaway (10 extra entries, linking to the giveaway)
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Follow/Like Mom Start on Facebook
Follow me on Google Friend Connect

This giveaway ends May 9th. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

Dinosaur Train Easter Ideas Hatching Cupcakes

April 16, 2011 by Momstart 72 Comments

Dinosaur Train was created by Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!). The show embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains while encouraging basic scientific thinking and skills. It’s the perfect combination if you ask me. Each episode includes animated segments with live-action sequences featuring a paleontologist who brings to life the show’s natural science and natural history curriculum for preschoolers, giving specific facts about dinosaurs and comparing their features to animals of today.

In the spirit of the Easter egg hunt tradition, Dinosaur Train offers a new twist! Kids can watch the characters from Dinosaur Train hatch from their eggs and grow 4x their size with Hatchers! It’s simple, easy fun…Just place the egg in water and wait for it to crack! The Hatchers would make a great addition to an Easter Basket!

Another Easter Gift Idea would be the Dinosaur Train Eggspress application, now for iPhone, iPod and iPad ($2.99). This application challenges your child to find and match dinosaur eggs and then reunite dinosaur families while progressing through three different time periods. Your child will discover real flora and fauna from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous eras. Along the way, there will be learning moments as Buddy and the Conductor reveal mystery dinosaur hatchlings, fun dinosaur facts, and an adorable Dinosaur Baby Book. All aboard! Check out this review from Geek Dad.

In addition to filling Easter baskets this year with chocolate Easter bunnies and yellow chicks from the store, why not get the entire family together to make homemade treats that everyone can enjoy! It’s even more fun when you can decorate them with your favorite Dinosaur Train characters! How about baking a cake in the shape of an Easter egg and decorate it with the Dinosaur Train Cake Decorating set or top yummy cupcakes with Dinosaur Train Cupcake Rings, featuring Buddy and Tiny, from DecoPac. You’ll also want to keep your eyes peeled, if everything goes right, these cute rings and cake decorations make make an appearance on our Tasty Treat Thursday posts!

Watch Dinosaur Train on PBS

Visit The Jim Henson Company to learn more other Jim Henson Productions. You can also keep up with Jim Henson Company on Facebook and follow Jim Henson Company on Twitter The hit television series Dinosaur Train® airs daily on PBS KIDS® (check local listings).

Enter to Win:

A set of Dinosaur Train Cake Decorating set and Dinosaur Train Cupcake Rings from DecoPac

To Enter:

Extra Entries:

Please vote for Our Family Picnic (extra entry for every vote, every day)

Tweet or RT this post and include the link to the post

Dinosaur Train Easter Ideas Hatching Cupcakes #Giveaway http://bit.ly/fDw5LY

This giveaway ends May 2nd. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Sesame Street 20 Years and Still Counting Review

August 28, 2010 by Momstart 2 Comments

Thanks to Lionsgate we received Sesame Street 20 Years and Still Counting. Hosted by Bill Cosby it surely is dated! America’s most groundbreaking educational TV Series comes to DVD and Digital Download for the first time ever to Celebrate the iconic show’s 20th Anniversary! There was also special appearances by Ray Charles, Jim Henson, Placido Domingo, the Muppets and more.

I liked watching it because it had scenes from when I watched it, even though, Sesame Street is so old, it was almost 20 years old when I started watching it, well ok, maybe just over 10 years old, I’m not that old yet, but it was a classic then it it is a classic today.

Sesame Street 20 Years and Still Counting is perfect for my kids to watch. The DVD is geared towards the pre-school audience and watching Bill Cosby brings back all kinds of memories. Man, I miss decent TV that we can all sit down as a family and watch together. There was one scene in there that Bill Cosby looks back on and people say, is that really you, and he replies, no that’s my son. No, Bill Cosby really was that young once upon a time. But weren’t we all? We love Sesame Street and recommend 20 Years and Still Counting for those that love it now and then!

Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

April 21, 2010 by Momstart 6 Comments

Here is a great round up of ways to celebrate earth day tomorrow. From making your community better to things you can do with your kids everyone is making Earth Day big this year. This is just a small listing of things that I have found here and there that might make your Earth Day Special.

Better Your Community

Be Big! The Clifford BE BIG in Your Community project with Scholastic began quite a while back. For Earth Day on April 22 and next week is also National Volunteer Week, you can enter a contest to win a piece of the $75,000 in community grants that will be given out this fall. Enter at http://www.scholastic.com/cliffordbebig/contest/.

Neosporin is reinforcing the importance of recycling, whether it’s a can, a bottle, a used drink box or an empty tube of Neosporin. This is also an opportunity to remind families during their spring cleaning ritual to check the expiration date of items in their medicine cabinets, such as Neosporin. Join a TerraCycle brigade as a commitment to helping collect expired or empty Neosporin tubes in your community. Sign up at http://www.terracycle.net/brigades/43-NEOSPORIN-Tube-Brigade (Note: Once registered, your account is activated and a Brigade Profile page is created for your own brigade on the web site. On that page, you can find everything needed to participate in the program – from postage-paid shipping labels to informational letters and posters you can print and distribute to ensure their brigade’s success.)

Hanes has partnered with The Arbor Day Foundation to encourage the planting of trees. For every qualifying purchase of three Hanes products with mail-in redemption and proof of purchase from April 1 through May 15, Hanes will send out a free Hanes Earth Day T-shirt and will donate a dollar to The Arbor Day Foundation. Also, for every virtual tree you send, up to 3 per facebook user, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a real tree, up to 50,000, on Hanes behalf. Become a fan of Hanes on Facebook and go send a virtual tree.

On Earth Day, youth around the country will be doing their part to save the planet by watching and spreading green tips shared in an hour-long webinar hosted by GreenMyParents (GMP), a national campaign that fosters peer-to-peer leadership and collaboration to enact environmental change.

Broadcast live on Thursday, April 22 at 10am PST, the free presentation and chat session will inspire kids and people of all ages to actively become green leaders in their own homes and communities by doing simple tasks that yield big results. Twelve-year-old green guru and published author Adora Svitak will show kids and teens how to adopt a green lifestyle and save money through the GreenMyParents platform, which will focus on three important areas: energy efficiency, water conservation and planting a garden.

I want to let you know about an online program at Walmart.com that rewards you for recycling your old electronics. Walmart’s Electronics Trade-in Program allows customers to trade in unwanted electronics and earn Walmart prepaid Visa cards that can be used at Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com. Don’t let an old digital camera or cell phone end up in the landfill–recycle those products responsibly and earn a Walmart prepaid Visa card in return! The electronics trade-in program, powered by Gazelle, accepts thousands of used consumer electronics, and new categories are added regularly. More information is available at http://walmart.gazelle.com.

To celebrate thredUP’s first Earth Day, we are rewarding green behavior! Members can earn a $5 credit by simply listing a box of kids clothing on thredUP. The $5 credit can be used towards cost of shipping for your next swap or a PRO membership. Note: Promo is not valid prior to Earth Day and expires on the 23rd. Why is thredUP Green? At our core thredUP is green because we let you swap out the old for the new, cutting down on waste and consumption.

To build awareness around Earth Day, iVillage and CafePress have partnered to offer consumers a trendy and fashionable way to support the environment. Deemed the “Picture Your World” photo contest, participants can log on at http://ivillage.cafepress.com/earthday/ to answer the question “Why on earth are you saving the planet?” and submit a photo of their choice.

Shepard Fairey, the designer made famous by President Obama’s “HOPE” posters (and Haiti relief bags) has jumped in, designing a limited edition reusable tote bag, a great, eco-friendly bag for moms on-the-go.

TV and DVD’s

Lionsgate Home Entertainment DVD released Jim Henson’s The Song of the Cloud Forest and Other Earth Stories for Earth Day. The DVD contains four stories featuring some of Jim Henson’s most beloved characters that take viewers of all ages on explorations of our extraordinary world and its most fascinating wildlife. Jim Henson’s The Song of the Cloud Forest and Other Earth Stories

In celebration of Earth Day’s 40th anniversary, the beloved and award-winning BBC Earth series Planet Earth is now available on iTunes with a special, one-time free episode download (“Pole to Pole”) from April 12 – 26, 2010.

For every “Wubbzy Goes Green” DVD sold, Anchor Bay will donate $1 to ACT to help support the planting of trees in playgrounds and schoolyards across the country! I’ve attached the newsletter below – chock-full of tips, facts and details on “Wubbzy Goes Green” and ACT. Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!: Wubbzy Goes Green

AVATAR will be available on Blu-ray Disc and DVD everywhere in the United States and Canada on Earth Day, April 22.

Avatar (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray]

Playhouse Disney will encore green-themed episodes of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," "Handy Manny," "Special Agent Oso," "Imagination Movers" and "Jungle Junction" (8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., ET/PT).

Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato star in two new Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green spots stressing the importance of protecting the planet’s oceans and waterways (6:25 p.m. and 6:55 p.m., ET/PT). Throughout the evening Disney Channel will encore Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green anthem "Make A Wave," performed by Jonas and Lovato, which will also be featured in the upcoming Disneynature film "OCEANS," opening in theaters Earth Day 2010.

Disney Channel continues its Earth Day celebration with encore presentations of environmentally-themed episodes of hit series "Phineas and Ferb," Hannah Montana," "The Suite Life On Deck" and "Wizards of Waverly Place," followed by an encore presentation of Disney Channel Original Movie "Minutemen" (6:00-10:00 p.m., ET/PT).

Scholastic’s WordGirl! An eco-themed episode, “Earth Day Girl,” will air on Thursday, April 22 (check local listings on PBS KIDS GO). Check out the language-loving superhero as she saves the planet. Preview it:

Activities with the Kids:

The following list was provided by Toys R Us:

Jump! Whether you call it skipping rope or jump roping, it’s a great activity to improve strength and fitness and can be performed on grass or pavement.

Retreat to the Beach. Instead of driving to the beach, recreate a piece of the coast’s serene atmosphere with a sandbox in the yard. Sandboxes provide a peaceful place where creativity and play come to life.

Be Farm and Garden Fresh. Get to know your local farmer and enlist the kids to join you at the local farmers’ markets. Better yet, plant your own garden that everyone can care for and enjoy all season long.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite! Show the kids how to soar into a colorful sky with only the force of nature to power your kite. A centuries-old activity, kite flying can be enjoyed at any age—with a little wind, of course!

Give Back. Gather the family for a volunteer day dedicated to beautifying the earth. Many communities have organizations that champion environmental protection and regularly organize events like stream and trail clean-ups.

Be Bubbly! Invite the neighbors to create bubble wands out of objects found around the house like straws, pipe cleaners, strawberry baskets and coat hangers. Take the kids outside and have your own bubble party!

Take a Hike. Locate a nature trail near you and take the kids on a woodsy adventure. Hiking is a group activity that provides great exercise and hands-on experiences with the natural world.

Start a Kickball Game. All it takes is a rubber playground ball, make-shift bases and some friends to start a kickball game. Create a neighborhood tournament and coach the kids though innings of bouncing fun.

Catch and Release. Butterflies are some of nature’s most beautiful creatures, although they aren’t easy to observe when they flutter in the sky. Using an insect or butterfly net, capture them and show the kids how to appreciate their beauty up close. Then let them loose.

As families strive to make lifestyle changes that incorporate outdoor and eco-friendly activities, “R”Us stores nationwide continue to offer differentiated environmentally friendly items and a vast selection of toys and playthings suited for outdoor activity—all at affordable prices.

To learn more about the Jane Goodall Institute and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, please visit www.janegoodall.org and www.rootsandshoots.org.

Local Earth Day Events:

Seattle has a lot planned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Associated Content has a listing of 5 events for Earth Day in Seattle you’ll want to consider. Ranging from The Pacific Science Center to Children’s PlayGarden Earth Day event.

Terra Roots is proud to be partnering with the Earth Day Network to produce Seattle’s 40th Anniversary Earth Day Celebration Event as part of a Billion Acts of Green. We’ll have a green village (info and sign-ups), family activities and a full schedule of music and speakers

City of Woodinville will be hosting a tree planting ceremony on Saturday April 24th in honor of Earth Day. It will be at the Sammamish River Trail.

This is a list of things I have compiled from various e-mails that have been sent to me. I was not compensated in any way, it was my choice to post what I did. I thank all the companies that work with me and provided me with a great Earth Day Post.

Lionsgate presents Fraggle Rock A Merry Fraggle Holiday, and The complete final season

November 7, 2009 by Momstart 5 Comments

Fraggle Rock: A Merry Fraggle Holiday

With so many old school goodies going to DVD it’s hard to keep yourself from purchasing all of them. Last year for Christmas we purchased Fraggle Rock Season 1, 2 and 3. This year thanks to my blog Loinsgate sent us the Complete final season to review. They also sent us Fraggle Rock: A Merry Fraggle Holiday. My husband said that Fraggle Rock: A Merry Fraggle Holiday did not have anything extra on it taht wasn’t on any of the other DVD’s so we are adding it to the donation pile. The Toy Drive with MOMS Club of Woodinville and the Maltby Food Bank

Fraggle Rock: The Complete Final Season.

I loved watching Fraggle Rock. I grew up with Sesame Street, the Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock, I was a tv junkie and I still am. I even let my kids watch too much tv. I’m not worried about it anymore because believe me they have shown no lack of intelligence. They sing the songs and dance to the tunes. It’s been great.

“Oh Look Ma,” “I caught a fraggle”.

Who doesn’t love Sprocket? He is the biggest most fluffiest of dogs. He’s super smart and knows about the Fraggle world. If only humans were so in tuned. We watched the first disc, I haven’t watched all of it yet but it’s been added to our Fraggle library.

Episode List

1. Sidebottom Blues
2. Uncle Matt’s Discovery
3. Junior Faces the Music
4. A Tune for Two
5. The Perfect Blue Rollie
6. A Brush with Jealousy
7. Wembley’s Flight
8. Red’s Blue Dragon
9. Wonder Mountain
10. Space Frog Follies
11. Boober Gorg
12. Mirror, Mirror
13. The Riddle of Rhyming Rock
14. The Voice Inside
15. The Trial of Cotterpin Doozer
16. The River of Life
17. Beyond the Pond
18. Gone But Not Forgotten
19. Mokey, Then and Now
20. Ring Around the Rock
21. Inspector Red
22. The Gorg Who Would Be King
23. The Honk of Honks
24. Change of Address

How can anyone ruin the Muppet experience

June 10, 2009 by MomStart 5 Comments

Now as I’m sitting here writing this my husband said I have no right to write this. But I’m going to anyways because I’m not the only mom who felt this way. (he said that the article he read clearly stated that it was not about the Muppets.)

Today our MOMS Club activity was to go visit the EMP – Experience Music Project and see the Muppets. Well, that’s what we thought it was. It was more of a tribute to Jim Henson and his work, but it was advertised with all the cute Muppets and with all of us moms we just got Muppet crazy. We packed up our kids and headed to Seattle.

No strollers allowed and no bags over 16 inches, so this was my first clue that it’s not meant for kids. However, the red flags were not big enough for me to back out. I mean there were five moms and seven kids in tow and we promised them the Muppets. Next thing I’m noticing is that the Muppet exhibit is down a flight of steep stairs, now why would you put a children’s exhibit down a flight of stairs. Ok, I carry both of my children down the stairs and finally we see Kermit the frog sitting underneath a glass display.

I was very proud of my daughter for being able to say Kermit the Frog, and for the fact she noticed Fragile Rock. We have the entire Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection on DVD. She loves to watch it and dance to it. If I had no children with me I would have read all of the information about each display. But nope, I had a two year old that wanted to go do something more interesting than look at a total of five Muppet displays under glass.

The only thing that was child friendly was a puppet theater where you could go behind the stage and be the puppets playing in a band and your friends could watch.

EMP|SFM will supplement the exhibition with a hands-on puppet theater starring Seattle’s newest band, Mudgarden Experience. The theater will allow visitors to experience what it’s like to perform puppets for an audience and view themselves on monitors—much like how it might have been for Jim Henson while he was filming “Sesame Street” or “The Muppet Show." The audience will be able to watch the puppet show from an area reminiscent of the famous stoop on “Sesame Street.”

Taken from www.empsfm.org.

It was quite a day, everyone was exhausted after carting children up and down the steps. I’m sure this is perfect for older children. I would say middle school and up. We did look at the rest of the EMP and the science fiction hall of fame is my favorite part. I love science fiction, but my daughter was afraid because the floor vibrated like we were actually on a space ship. So if you are reading this post…..More Muppets PLEASE.