PBS Kids Presents Dr. Seuss Marathon

February 29, 2012 By

PBS kids

I have been a Dr. Seuss fan for as long as I can remember.  My love of Dr. Seuss started with the books my mom used to read to me as a child.  I’m always delighted when one of the books Paige picks of the shelf for me to read to her is The Cat in the Hat.  I mean, how could any child not love the clever rhymes, plot twists and rebellious heroes found in nearly ever Seuss book?   As my daughter has gotten older, we’ve slowly introduced television.  She is just now getting to the point where she actually watches a show.  That being said, I am really excited to see her reaction to the news below.  :lol:

To celebrate the 108th birthday of Dr. Seuss on March 2, 2012 (he died in 1991) PBS KIDS is having a two-hour marathon of  its popular new series The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! including two brand new episodes.   The TV series and online resources are designed to cultivate positive views about science and scientists among the next generation.  I loved this tip sheet found on the PBS website about how to bring out the scientist in your little one.

In addition to the marathon, kids and parents can enjoy clips of all four of the episodes for free online at PBSKids.org/video and also on the PBS Kids Video app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Here is the full press release detailing the celebration in full plus episode blurbs.

As an aside, this will be the first of many PBS specials I’ll be letting you know about because I’ve just started on as a PBS KIDS VIP, a group of parent bloggers who will be ambassadors to PBS through their blogs and other social media outlets. I’ve been invited to the PBS annual meeting where we will be talking about the PBS shows, apps and other special programs.  I can’t wait to share all the exciting information with you!  Also, MARCH 1st at 9pm EST, there is a twitter party with PBS Kids.  Be sure to follow @aMomKnowsBest & @PBSkids #CatintheHat to join in the fun!

GIVEAWAY:  A fun bag of Dr. Seuss/PBS Kids loot!  Leave a comment section below to win.

Below is the press release on the PBS kids marathon.

 

PBS KIDS CELEBRATES DR. SEUSS’ BIRTHDAY ON MARCH 2
WITH THE CAT IN THE HAT-A-THON MULTIMEDIA EVENT

Arlington, VA, February 2, 2012 – On March 2, PBS KIDS will celebrate the 108th birthday of Dr. Seuss on-air, online, and on mobile. PBS stations nationwide will feature THE CAT-IN-THE-HAT-A-THON, a two-hour marathon of THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! (check local listings). Kids will also be able to engage with the Cat and friends through games and video content online and on mobile, and parents will be able to enjoy a new Birthday Party Builder Tool on the PBS KIDS Shop website.

“THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! is designed to help young children learn core science skills to prepare them for success in school – while taking them on Seussian adventures that inspire their curiosity,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “Families, schools and communities around the country pay tribute to Dr. Seuss at this time each year, and we join them in honoring his legacy with content that encourages kids to explore the world around them.”

THE CAT IN THE HAT-A-THON will feature two brand new episodes, “Seasons – Spring and Summer/Fall and Winter,” which takes the Cat, Nick and Sally on a journey through the four seasons, and “When I Grow Up/Doing It Differently,” in which Nick and Sally explore what it means to grow up and learn that trying a different approach can sometimes be the best way to solve a problem. The marathon will also include encore presentations of “Hooray for Hair/Ice Is Nice” and “Chasing Rainbows/Follow the Prints.”

The celebration will continue online and on mobile. Video clips from all four episodes featured in THE CAT IN THE HAT-A-THON will be available for free online at PBSKIDS.org/video and on the PBS KIDS Video App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The PBS KIDS Shop will also launch a Birthday Party Builder Tool – a one-stop-shop for parents’ every party need – on March 1. From tableware and party banners to clothing and gifts, the Party Builder offers customized recommendations based on the number of guests and exclusive, personalized products. It’s a fun and easy way for parents to plan the perfect party featuring their kids’ favorite characters, including the Cat in the Hat.

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! has ranked among the top ten programs for children ages 2 to 5 since it premiered on PBS KIDS in September 2010.* The series is a key part of PBS KIDS’ commitment to helping kids build critical STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – skills through engaging content across platforms.

Images from these episodes are available on PBS PressRoom.

Following is a listing of the episodes airing during the March 2 CAT-IN-THE-HAT-A-THON (check local listings for air dates and times).

“Seasons – Spring and Summer/Fall and Winter” *NEW*

“Seasons – Spring and Summer” – For Show and Tell at school, Nick and Sally must bring something from their favorite season. But how can they choose which is their favorite? The Cat in the Hat takes them to the magical Garden of Seasons, where they can visit any season they like, any time they like! They meet three young animals and journey with them as they begin to grow up. Sally decides that she has two favorite seasons, and with the pictures taken from the Snaparama camera, she now has a scrapbook of pictures to show why!

“Seasons – Fall and Winter” – It’s Nick’s turn to choose a favorite season. Back to the Garden of Seasons to visit Fall and Winter! In Fall, they meet up with their friends from Spring and Summer to have a going away party for Candy the goose who’s about to fly south. In Winter, they have a great time playing with Sam the hare while all his other friends hibernate. Nick can’t decide on just one season, so he makes a picture of all the fun they had in both seasons!

“When I Grow Up/Doing Things Differently” *NEW*

“When I Grow Up” – Sally and Nick are trying to guess what they’ll be when they grow up when the Cat drops in for a visit. Cat is sure Nick and Sally will never guess what his friend Puggle will be when she grows up. When they see her, they start guessing right away! A frog? A duck? No, a beaver! They discover that, while Puggle may have some similarities to other creatures, she will grow up to be a duck billed platypus.

“Doing It Differently” – Nick and Sally can’t seem to find Harvey the guinea pig. They find the Cat in the Hat instead! Cat suggests that Sally and Nick might find Harvey by meeting three friends who always do things differently – like a bird that runs instead of flies, or a cat that swims, or a fish that walks on the mud! Nick and Sally are sure to find Harvey now – by doing it differently!

“Hooray for Hair/Ice Is Nice”

“Hooray for Hair” – Sally and Nick are getting their hair cut today; maybe they should try new hairstyles! A trip to meet three of Cat’s friends (and some styling help from the Wig-o-lator) will help them decide! Should they have Yak hair? No, too hot! How about hair like a fur seal? Not quite, too short. A porcupine? No way! How will they ever get a hug from their moms with hair that spiky? They decide that the hair they have is what’s perfect for them!

“Ice Is Nice” – Nick and Sally want some nice cold lemonade, but there are no more ice cubes in Sally’s fridge! A trip to Freeze-your-knees Snowland will fix that! They meet Cat’s friend Polly the polar bear who introduces Sally and Nick to all the different kinds of ice that make up her home. After trying many types of ice, they find the kind that will be perfect for their lemonade!

“Chasing Rainbows/Follow the Prints”

“Chasing Rainbows” – The kids are painting a picture of a rainbow but can’t remember all the colors to use. Luckily for them, Cat takes them to Color-ga-lore to meet King Kaleidoscope, an expert on rainbows! A musical number teaches them the proper color order, and a silly spray of water leads them to discover how to make their very own rainbow!

“Follow the Prints” – Nick and Sally are enjoying a backyard picnic when they discover their last strawberry has gone missing! Who could have taken it? Cat’s friend Cluey Looey can help them! They are off to Muddyfeet Waterhole where they learn about how the differently shaped feet, paws, or hooves of various animals make differently shaped footprints. Back home, they follow the prints and discover their strawberry was taken by a squirrel! Luckily, the Cat has some more!

About THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! was created in response to recent findings that children graduating from kindergarten are less prepared to learn about science than about other subjects. The series supports young children’s science learning by introducing scientific inquiry skills, teaching core science concepts and vocabulary, and preparing preschoolers for kindergarten and first grade science curriculum — all in whimsical style.

A team of science and early childhood experts developed the curriculum for the first season’s 40 episodes, each of which begins with a question posed by Sally or Nick. Although the Cat knows a lot of things, his insatiable curiosity to learn more about the world leads to adventures with Sally and Nick in his one-of-a-kind Thinga-ma-jigger, a marvelously Seuss-ian contraption that sprouts wings, pontoons, booster rockets, skis, and just about anything else needed to find the answer. The inquisitive gang travels to the bottom of the sea to observe giant sea worms, zips to the rain forest to visit animals living in Kapok trees, and shrinks to bee-size to visit a hive and learn how honey is made. Guided by the Cat, the kids figure things out by observing, collecting and managing clues, making connections, constructing and evaluating theories, and having discussions – all in a preschool-appropriate manner. Produced by Portfolio Entertainment Inc. and Collingwood O’Hare Productions, in association with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Random House Children’s Entertainment, Treehouse, and PBS KIDS, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! is based on Random House’s best selling Beginner Book collection, “The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library.”

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What Am I Going To Be When I Grow Up?!

February 16, 2012 By

 

 

Photo by Bob Packert

Photo by Bob Packert

I’m just now catching on that as a mother your identity shifts every few years.  You are not just a mother, you are a mother of a newborn, or a mother of toddlers, a mother of school kids, a mother of teenagers…and so on and so on!  I can see that as they grow, I’ll need to evolve with the kids various stages, and maybe I’ll be prepared by the time I hit the High school, college and empty nest stages……(o.k, bringing that up puts me in a full fledged panic, but I digress).    That said, I have been eagerly anticipating my current stage of motherhood, finally getting all my kids in school for a full day.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my children from the depths of my heart, but come on ladies, if you have small kids at home, you are flat out lying if you tell me you haven’t fantasized about this moment too.  So now I have time to ponder the yawning question of    “What do I want to be when I grow up!?!”   I know, as a married mother of four in her mid-forties, I kind of am grown up.  I also know that I am not the only one out there with an inner 21 year old, who looks around baffled some days thinking  ”and who thought it was a good idea to give all of this responsibility to me exactly?!”.  Despite that delusional youthful inner being, I do seem to find myself with all evidence pointing to truly, and actually being an adult!  I suppose the lines that have taken up permanent residence on my face are Nature’s gentle reminder of such.  So here I am, a mature woman, almost thirteen years out of the work force, with finally some time to start thinking about what I’d like to be (along with wife and mother).   I allowed myself the savor the first half of the year, to see what it really felt like to have time to myself again.  I found the need to re-learn time management in the paradigm of my new schedule, so that I could efficiently balance that new found freedom with accomplishing the day’s practical tasks.

Entering the second half of the school year, I now feel it is time to start figuring out what to do for a job.  There are a few parameters.   Namely the aforementioned kids who need shuttling around in the afternoons, and said husband with primary career of varied schedule. Whatever it is I do, has to take place between the hours of 8:30am and 2:00pm.

Some of the author's "passions"

That pretty much rules out my previous work in Film Production and renders my Masters degree in Ethnographic filmmaking as obsolete. (a documentary on the anthropology of childrearing in the suburbs, I’m sure would fascinate the masses) So of course I’ve been reading a lot of Oprah and More magazine lately, and taking those quizzes to “find my passion”.    (Off the bat, I’d just say, my husband, eating and drinking, travel, reading, skiing, movies…..)But I don’t think that’s what they mean.  These magazines are full of women who turn their passion into fulfilling moneymaking careers!  They are so inspirational, and yet that whatever it is going to be for me thing seems just beyond my cognitive grasp.

Photo by Bob Packert

Photo by Bob Packert

Some of the tips the articles I’ve read advise things like; Figure out what you love to do.  Think of something you loved to do as a kid.  Look around your house and write down the things that point to a certain passion, such as books, art,travel, or antique collection. Once you figure out what you would love to be doing, research ways to make money on it.  My Google search for “how to make money shopping” turned up at least seven legitimate ideas for how to do so.  Other tactics include writing lists of the things you are good at, the things you would do if you were sure not to fail, and all the things that make you happy.   Now cross reference your lists to formulate a plan.

Documama's logo

The things I tore out of magazines (this is a great method for formulating your decorating style as well) were all articles on socialpreneurs such as Lauren Lauren and her FEED bags, Tom’s shoes, and Alex & Ani Charity by design bracelets.  My role models were real life moms who have found careers where they are making a difference globally, such as Navyn Salem and her Edesia factory that produces global nutritional solutions.  I realized whatever it is I end up doing; I would like it to have a positive impact, not just a financial reward.  I get things moving, I created a blog www.documama.org to be able to explore my passions for travel, food, family, and global issues in one place.  Figuring out what I am going to be when I grow up is clearly a process, and a work in progress, and as a Mom, I have a feeling that just when I get this part all figured out….it will be just in time for another Maternal identity shift!

 

 

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My 5 Favorite iPhone Apps

February 8, 2012 By

 

Cardstar:   This allows you to clean the clutter out of your wallet, add all of the bar codes of your plastic membership cards, and just open the app to scan for discounts and benefits at CVS, Stop &Shop, Barnes & Noble …wherever!!

 

Shazam: I am the absolute worst when it comes to remembering song names and artists, Shazam helps, but even better, when you hear a song that you love and have never heard it before, Shazam will tell you what it is and let you buy it on the spot.

 

Tunein radio: When traveling it is so annoying to drive out of range of your favorite radio station, in the middle of your favorite song! Tune in radio allows you to keep your station on no matter how far out of range you go.

 

Project 365: I can’t remember what I did yesterday, never mind last month! Project 365 lets you capture a moment a day onto a yearly calendar. A very cool way to look back at your year in pictures.

 

 

Instagram: I know you’ve seen those ultra hip looking photos all the cool people are posting on Facebook these days, it’s not just their artsy eye, so much as Insagram. It  makes every photo it takes look  cool.

 

What are your favorite Apps?

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Wear Red Today!

February 3, 2012 By

Why you ask? Because it is National Wear Red Day for the American Heart Association!   In an effort to educate women on  heart health, and the risks of Heart Disease in women, they are encouraging us to wear red, spread the word and in doing so potentially help save lives. Not to mention we look fabulous in Red!!  More women die of heart disease than the next three causes of death combined, including all forms of Cancer.  Throw on something red to remind the women that you love to take care of their health. I’m wearing mine!

 

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Good Reads!

February 2, 2012 By

Reading is one of my great life passions.   It is a thrill to become totally immersed in a good book.  As a member of two monthly book clubs, I enjoy most things I read, but each year come away with only a few books that I can say I truly loved.  Below are the six I read in 2011 that I could not put down, and a couple that I’ve picked up in 2012 that are already on my favorite books list.

Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese; Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution.  Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, Cutting for Stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles–and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.

 

 The Forgotten Garden  by Kate Morton; A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book—a beautiful volume of fairy tales. She is taken in by the dockmaster and his wife and raised as their own. On her twenty-first birthday, they tell her the truth, and with her sense of self shattered and very little to go on, “Nell” sets out to trace her real identity. Her quest leads her to Blackhurst Manor on the Cornish coast and the secrets of the doomed Mountrachet family. But it is not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell’s death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled.

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay; Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten-year-old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door to door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard—their secret hiding place—and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released.

 

 

Room by Emma Donoghue; To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. It’s where he was born, it’s where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it’s the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack’s curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

 

 Little Bee by Chris Cleave;  This novel explains the intertwined fates of a 16-year-old Nigerian orphan (who calls herself Little Bee) and a well-off British couple–journalists trying to repair their strained marriage with a free holiday–who should have stayed behind their resort’s walls. What happens on a Nigerian beach brings her into their world and forever alters the course of their lives.

 

 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand; The story is that of Louie Zamperini – a track and field star of the 1930′s, who participated in the Berlin olympics, was part of the US air force in WWII, was shot down over the ocean, was adrift in the Pacific for over a month, was held as a POW by the Japanese forces and finally made it back to his life and has had the courage to live it to its fullest.

 

 

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford; Great to read after the above book, Unbroken, because it gives an entirely different perspective during the same time period in history. Chronicling the relationship between two 12 yr. olds, a Chinese boy, and Japanese girl in San Francisco in the early 1940′s. It provides a brief glimpse into what each culture had to face as American Immigrants in a bitter-sweet tale.

 

 

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, The Man Who Would Cure The World  by Tracy Kidder; Compelling and inspiring, Paul Farmer sets out on his mission to cure infectious diseases, and to bring the lifesaving tools of modern medicine to those who need them most. From Harvard to Haiti, Peru, Cuba, and Russia, Farmer changes minds and practices through his dedication to the philosophy that “the only real nation is humanity.” At the heart of this book is the example of a life based on hope and on an understanding of the truth of the Haitian proverb “Beyond mountains there are mountains”–as you solve one problem, another problem presents itself, and so you go on and try to solve that one too.

 

I cannot wait to delve into the next books that are lining up for 2012, and anticipate finding new favorites among them.  The Tiger’s Wife, The Paris Wife, and Freedom are a few on my list. What is on your list? Please share your recent favorites.  Did you find any that you loved?

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