Category: shows

Marvel Universe Live Sneak Peek

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

And speaking of superheroes, we’re getting pumped up for the Marvel Universe Live.  Marvel Universe Live, a live-action area stunt show, kicks off at Barclay’s Center on August 13. Here’s a peek at the behind-the-scenes “white model” video, which gives us a glimpse into this show that promises to be action-packed with excitement through the roof.

I don’t know about you, but they caught my attention with the guy on fire. Yowza!

To find out more information about Marvel Universe and to see if they’re coming to your town, check them out here.

Meeting Cookie Monster and other highlights from the 2014 PBS Annual Meeting

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Once again, I’m attending the PBS Annual Meeting as part of the PBS Kids VIP ambassadorship program.  This time, the meeting is in beautiful San Francisco, where we’re getting a chance to enjoy the local restaurants after sessions, as well as take in a few sights.

 

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The agenda for the PBS Annual Meeting serves as a preview for the upcoming year for the channel’s various shows and specials.  It’s a chance for the executives at stations across the US to engage with PBS execs, show creators and others involved in creating content for PBS’ platforms.  

Lots of great independent programs, Martha Stewart, How We Get To Now with Steven Johnson are among the highlights so far.

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Because so many of us embrace PBS for their stellar programming, it’s safe to say that we can relate to one—or all—of their current and upcoming  shows.  Like many of you, I grew up watching Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and the Electric Company.  In a home where English was my first language, yet my parents spoke a different language, these educational shows served as a supplement to my immersion to American culture, and ultimately, my version of preschool.  

 

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Of course, this was *ahem* 30 something years ago, nevertheless, this sentiment rings true today for many families of different socio-economic backgrounds.

My fellow PBS Kids VIP @urbanmama tweeted this today during an earlier session:

@PBSKids is the leader in school readiness.  For families who don’t have access to preschool education #PBSKids DOES teach #PBSam

 

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After a long day of traveling (ignore my crazy hair and loco face), yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting THE Cookie Monster and his muppeteer, Emmy nominated David Rudman.  Cookie and the man who brings him to life were so lovely in making us laugh.  But really, as if meeting Cookie wasn’t amazing enough, he answered questions for us and did personalized videos too.  I mean, really?

 

Here’s the quick chat I had with the Muppet of the hour, Cookie Monster.

A big push on the PBSKIds pipeline is Oddsquad.  It’s a little bit Men in Black, Airplane and SpyKids.  Like other PBS Kids’ shows, this new live action show embraces math concepts to solve problems.  It looks like they hope to tap into the school age demo, perhaps that 5-10 category.  Including the snappy humor and strong female leads, I personally appreciated the pronounced diversity among the characters. 

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One of the lead boys looks just like my older boy—this is huge for mixed kids who have often wondered why other shows don’t have characters that look like them.  In a few hours, we’ll be meeting Tim McKeon and Adam Peltzman, the witty creators of OddSquad.  I can’t wait for this one!

 

Stay tuned for more PBS Kids updates on here or catch me on Twitter or Instagram for live updates at #PBSam

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The Doozers Debuts on Hulu + Giveaway

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

If you’re a huge fan of furry, cute monsters like I am, then surely, you’re a fan of Fraggle Rock.  From the imagination of Jim Henson, the Fraggles was a hit show from the 80s that followed the world of their name sake.  It was a musical, muppet-centric world that made many, many children happy!

And from the Fraggles, several characters emerged as cult faves.  One of the all-time favorites were certainly the Doozers, who are all set for a modern reboot with a new preschool show on Hulu.  

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If you know anything about the Doozers, they’re all about construction and doing things together with their crew. They’re doers and put ideas into motion. The Doozers focuses on four little Doozers, dubbed the Pod Squad, who are a group of best buds who play together and share a love of inventing.

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 We had a first look, and so far, we’re loving what we’re seeing.  It doesn’t appear as though there’s a curriculum, but the show is fun, fluid and engaging.  I love the vibrant colors, helpful interaction and relatable language. I can’t wait to see what sort of things Spike, Molly, Bolt, Flex, and Daisy Wheel get into on The Doozers. 

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 A few years ago when The Doozers first hit the tv radar, I reported about the news of this upcoming show.  It sounds like that show was a totally different premise, but I’m just glad The Doozers show came into fruition, and I just love that they landed over at Hulu.  I appreciate that The Doozers are a Hulu Plus exclusive; this brings a new dynamic to subscription-based viewing for families, and one that I’m thrilled to see expand.  

The Doozers is a Hulu Original produced by The Jim Henson Company and DHX Media.  The Doozers launched last week with seven episodes on Hulu Plus, followed by a cycle of three more new episodes every third Friday.  

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In honor of the Doozer debut, we’re giving away a 3-month subscription to Hulu.  Just comment to let me know why you’re excited about the Doozers on Hulu.  I’ll pick one winner at random at the end of the week!

 

Watch Doozers on Hulu at http://hulu.tv/i7M

 check out the trailer right here:

 

Welcoming Spring with Julius Jr.

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The snow has finally thawed and Spring is starting—just barely—to sprout.  We’re anxiously waiting for warmer weather so we can enjoy the playground again, but until then, we’re keeping busy with crafts and games.

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For March, Saban sent us a fun outdoor-themed packaged with Julius Jr. in mind.  In order to get ready for spring, they sent us some fun activity sheets, which were created  in partnership with the Center for Childhood Creativity.  The activities highlight the CCC’s overall goal with Julius Jr.’s themes of adventure active play, imagination and imagination. Parents, caregivers and teachers can access these materials on the Center for Childhood Creativity’s website or pick them up when visiting San Francisco’s Bay Area Discovery Museum.

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Sadly, it’s either been way too cold for us to all of these activities, but we’ve tried a few when we had a reprieve in the weather.  The Nature Hunt, which is something that both the toddler and six year can participate in, is a prefect way to rediscover nature after our brutal winter.  The best part, though, is watching the toddler collect items or discover items he’s not familiar with!

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And of course, to go along with the fun activity sheets, the boys got their own tumblers to help us stay hydrated outside.  Crossing fingers for more sunshine and warmth and playground. 

Julius Jr. can be seen on Nick Jr. on weekdays at 5 and Sundays at 10am.

Full disclosure: as a Saban brand ambassador, I received products to provide content for this post.

Frozen’s “Love is an Open Door” Clip Released; Blu-Ray Combo Set to Release 3/18

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With Frozen winning an Academy Award for best animated feature, among a few other accolades, the insta-classic Disney tale of two sisters is still all the buzz.  

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Idina Menzel (or Adele Dazeem, depending on whom you ask) was just on Fallon last night belting out the movie’s signature song, accompanied by the Roots who played children’s’ toys.  It was epic to say the least.

 

 And since Frozen is still flying high this winter, the movie’s other star, Kristen Bell sings quite a few of our favorites.  Her duet with Santino Fontana (Hans) in Love is an Open Door was recently released exclusively by Disney Movies Anywhere. In case you weren’t aware, Disney Movies Anywhere is Disney’s all-new, cloud-based digital movie service. Frozen is now available digitally to own.

Santino Fontana was the prince in Broadway’s Cinderella so my older son and I are totally smitten with this clip.  To watch a Broadway star on stage and then to have him voice a Disney character is pretty cool for a young kid to appreciate.

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Photo credit: Theatermania

Frozen Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack to be Released on March 18

With all this talk about Frozen, even though it’s already availably digitally, I’m excited about for when the Blu-Ray/DVD drops on March 18th.  Like many Blu-Ray and DVDs, Frozen will have quite a few exclusive features. 

Here are a few of the exclusive features that will be available on the Frozen Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital combo pack.

  • The Making Of Frozen (Blu-ray, Digital)
  •  D’frosted: Disney’s Journey From Hans Christian Anderson to Frozen (Blu-ray, Digital)
  • Breaking The Ice – The Real Making Of Frozen (Blu-ray, Digital)
  • 4 Deleted Scenes with introduction by Directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
  • Original Theatrical Short – “Get A Horse” (Blu-ray, Digital & DVD)
  • “Let It Go” Music Videos by Demi Lovato, Martina Stoessel & Marsha Milan Londoh (Blu-ray, Digital & DVD)
  • Frozen Teaser Trailer (Blu-ray, Digital & DVD)

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 If you’re anything like us, when we find a favorite movie, we watch it non-stop, sometimes til the disk breaks. We can’t wait for this release!

Nuclear Cowboyz is an Electric Night of Action and High Flying Stunts

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

We just got home from a family night out at the IZOD Center where we saw the incredible Nuclear Cowboyz.  The Nuclear Cowboyz was an exhilarating freestyle motocross show that followed an action-packed storyline.  It was your typical good vs. evil, with high flying stunts, laser light shows, pyrotechnics, warrior fighters and fast motocross bikes.  When multiple riders flew across the ramps, there was a collective “WHOA!” or “NO WAY!”  The energy level at the IZOD Center throughout the almost-2 hour show was practically palpable!

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My husband and six year old got a kick out of the kung fu warriors and evil tyrant’s storyline.  The voice-over and emcee/narrator added a kung fu movie parallel and a few chuckles at the same time.  Overall, though, it was the Nuclear Cowboyz themselves, who made the show so electric.

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Well over 200 flips and high flying stunts on over 10 different ramps, the riders thrilled the audience from start to finish.  My six year old absolutely loved that the Nuclear Cowboyz was like an X Games show mashed up with a Kung Fu show.  Combined with the mix of heavy metal, dub step and alternative hip hop, the show was truly unique, and something that families with older kids would enjoy.

As with anything there’s always a downside or two.  Since we have a toddler who enjoys fast paced shows and vehicles of any kind, we assumed that he’d be a great fan.  Because the show started at 7:30 and was generally dark for most of the show, he melted down about half way into the show.  

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Because the show is loud, includes a storyline and has bright pyrotechnics, I would not recommend this show for kids who can’t sit still for several hours at a time.  I definitely wouldn’t recommend the show for those who are sensitive to these factors either, as it could easily make sensitive kids feel overwhelmed.  There was a major presence of little boys four and up; with many young boys hanging out with just their dads, possibly for a boys’ night out.

All in all, this high energy show is a great night out for action-loving motocross enthusiasts.  For motocross and Kung Fu enthusiasts, I’d highly recommend checking out the Fallout Zone, which is the VIP pre-show that gives the audience a front and center experience.

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Full disclosure:  we received comp tickets to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Nuclear Cowboyz Returns to IZOD Center + Giveaway

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Another exciting show is headed to the IZOD Center this weekend. Nuclear Cowboyz, a freestyle motocross show is returning to IZOD Center on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2. The show’s storyline follows an allied tribe, the Nuclear Cowboyz, who must defeat an indestructible evil tyrant and her army in this action-infused freestyle performance of pure danger and raw combat.  

 

According to the show producers, the new storyline is conveyed through more than 1,000 gravity-defying freestyle stunts by the globe’s most dominant freestyle athletes, including performing over 200 flips on 10 ramps. The action-packed show is complete with mind-bending performances by world-famous Shaolin Kung Fu Warriors, laser effects, an indoor pyrotechnics show and a soundtrack comprised of heavy metal, electronic dubstep and alternative hip hop.

  Nuclear Cowboyz features the world’s top freestyle motocross athletes, including four-time X Games medalist and New Jersey Native, Ronnie Faisst. 

After the exciting time we had at Monster Jam, our family is super pumped to check out another action-packed show, this time featuring motocross. Since we’re not too familiar with motocross, I’m sure my boys will be thrilled to experience everything in person. The thrill, the action, music, stunts—all of it.

 

Check out some of the daring tricks from the Nuclear Cowboyz show:

Giveaway

I’m excited to offer a family four pack of tickets for the Saturday Nuclear Cowboyz at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ. Just tell me what you’re most excited about for the show and comment below. This is a flash giveaway, so I will pick a winner tomorrow afternoon.

Saban Brand-Bassador Program with Digimon Fusion

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s never a dull moment around here with sicknesses and other real life craziness happening all day, every day.  That said, I’m excited for 2014 and all the newness it brings with it.  Of the great things upon the horizon, I have a few new partnerships lined up.  One of the coolest ones, though, is this one right here:

 

 

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This year, I was invited to be a Saban Brand-Bassador.  What does that mean exactly?  Essentially, as a brand advocate, I will share the latest and greatest about Saban Brands, which includes awesome properties like Power Rangers, Julius Jr., Paul Frank, Vortexx and one that I’m particularly excited about: the Popples.  Popples, people!  I can’t wait to find what’s in the pipeline for these great brands.

 

This month, we received our first mailing.  It was a Digimon Fusion themed package that gave us a fun primer on this new property that debuted on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons last fall.  Here’s our unboxing:

 

 

 

 

In its sixth season, Digimon Fusion can now be seen on the Vortexx on the CW, airing every Saturday at 10:30 am. From what we’ve seen, this is an exciting and action-packed cartoon geared to older kids and one that I hope to add to our post karate show line up.

 

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In our fun Digimon Fusion box, we had a chance to preview the fun new toys from Bandai. We received Greymon, which is a ferocious dinosaur-looking character.  The figures give kids a chance to replicated the DigiFusions that Mikey creates in the series.  The DigiFusion Figures features a ball and socket construction system, where kids can create their own combinations and even fuse multiple figures together.  The DigiFusion character reminds me so much of those old school toddler pop shapes, but for bigger kids.  Though the figures are geared to bigger kids, I loved that the 2 year old could play along and help create a character.  My older boy is in the action figure stage, so the DigiFusion Figure is a perfect fit.  

 

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A neat feature about the DigiFusion Figure is that it comes with a touch through technology card which will be placed on the Fusion Loader app and a sequence of numbers on the card in and an order that will activate the loader to call out the Digimon character on the card. These new toys will be available at major retailers starting in mid-February.

 

I’m super excited to be a part of the Saban Brand-Bassador program and can’t wait to divulge more information as we get it.  For now, be sure to check out Digimon Fusion on the Vortexx on Saturdays.  New episodes will return to Nicktoons on February 17.  Even better, there’s going to be an all day marathon with two new episodes at 9pm that day.

 

 

 

Full disclosure: I was not compensated though received promotional material to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

PBS Kids 2013 Holiday Programming

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Like many others in our area, we enjoyed a fun snow day yesterday!  Though we didn’t park ourselves in front of the tv all day, we did, however, catch some of our favorite holiday episodes from a few of our fave PBS Shows.  In fact, because it’s Holiday Week on PBS, they will be featuring encore presentations of holiday favorites, including CURIOUS GEORGE: A Very Monkey Christmas, ARTHUR’S PERFECT CHRISTMAS, and holiday-themed episodes from PBS KIDS series, such as WILD KRATTS, SUPER WHY!, THOMAS & FRIENDS, and more.

ARTHUR’S PERFECT CHRISTMAS

Arthur gives kids a new spin on seasonal traditions in his first one-hour prime time special, showing children many ways to celebrate “the holidays.”

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT CHRISTMAS!

Gather the family for a holiday adventure with the Cat in the Hat, Nick and Sally as they help a lost reindeer find his way home.

CURIOUS GEORGE: A VERY MONKEY CHRISTMAS

In A VERY MONKEY CHRISTMAS, Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat can’t figure out what to give each other for Christmas.

DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD

This holiday season, DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD premieres two winter-themed episodes: “Snowflake Day!” and “A Snowy Day”.

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During holiday week, THOMAS & FRIENDS will debut two episode premieres from : “Snow Stops Play” and “Tinsel & Trains.”

ELMO’S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

There’s a miracle on Sesame Street in this special holiday tale, which premiered on November 27 and repeats December 11 and 25.

Be sure to check your local listings for exact dates and times.

Full disclosure:  I am a PBS Kids VIP and am sharing this information to benefit you, my readers!  I was not compensated, however, I did receive promotional material.

Pumpkin Carving with PBS Kids

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Halloween time is one of my absolute favorite times of year. Cool, brisk air allowing for sweatshirt and jeans, and of course, harvest time coupled with costumes—what’s not to love?


It’s the art of going to the pumpkin patch, painstakingly choosing the most perfect pumpkin and then, planning and carving our pumpkin to depict something we love, that embodies the kind of family Halloween fun that never gets old.


As crafty and artsy as we are, though, pumpkin carving is almost like a science. Unlike when we were kids, there are now specialized, kid-friendly tools and premade stencils to make this craft much easier.


Even better, many of our favorite kid websites provide these free stencils and other Halloween ideas. Last year, we created a Jack Skellington pumpkin via Disney’s website.

And of course, leave it to our friends at PBS Kids to share a plethora of fun character stencils to make this year’s pumpkins that much cooler. Whether you’re a fan of Peg + Cat, Daniel Tiger, the Wild Kratts or our good buddy Curious George, PBS Kids likely has a stencil fit for your pumpkin. Head to PBS Kids to grab a stencil for your family’s pumpkin!

Today, along with a few of our blogging friends, Jack was invited to join GMA Live for a fun segment just on this topic: pumpkin carving and Halloween fun inspired by PBS Kids. It’s always a treat when Jack gets to make an appearance on tv, so it’s quite fitting that it’s PBS Kids, one of our most beloved kid properties.


And speaking of Halloween fun: “CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest” airs Monday, October 28. It is the first ever CURIOUS GEORGE Halloween special.
Throughout the week of October 28, PBS KIDS will feature Halloween programming from other family favorites as well, including new episodes from THOMAS & FRIENDS and its newest series, PEG + CAT, and encore presentations of many other series (check local listings). PBS KIDS will also repeat CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest on Halloween.
Kids can also explore a pumpkin patch with George with a new Halloween game on PBSKIDS.org/curiousgeorge.
“CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest” is also available on DVD.