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Bubble Guppies Debuts on Nick

January 24, 2011January 24, 2011 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Bubble Guppies, a colorful CGA preschool series that follows the adventures of an inquisitive school of fishtails, is set to debut on Nickelodeon. Created by the team who brought us the poignant show, Little Bill and the cheerful Backyardigans, Bubble Guppies, like most Nick Jr. shows geared to the preschool set, has an educational emphasis on kindergarten readiness specifically, math literacy, the arts, science and soci-emotional development.

The Bubble Guppies embrace kids’ curiosity and penchant for asking questions by following the Guppies’ everyday discoveries. Co-hosts of the show are Gil, described as an energetic and adventures boy, and Molly, who is described to be the bubbly one who is friends with everyone. Gil and Molly are joined by friends, Deema, Nonny, Oona, Goby, Mr. Grouper, Bubble Puppy and Little Fish.

In addition to teaching lessons from everyday discoveries, the Bubble Guppies’ adventures are complemented with a little song and dance.

Vibrant colors, cute characters and a relatable scope combine to make Bubble Guppies’ a fun addition to Nick Jr.’s preschool lineup, offering both musical and educational value.

In the pilot episode “Call a Clambulance,” we follow Oona’s fish friend Avi who falls off his tricycle and breaks a bone in his tail.

77kids Gives Back with Wish-4-Snow Charity Program

December 2, 2010December 9, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The holidays are in full swing, and it’s certainly the time for giving. NKT fave, 77kids, is once again in the spotlight for their charitable initiatives. The retailer announced that they plan to keep their “Do Good” momentum flowing by giving back through a charitable initiative twice a year, once in the summer and once during the holiday season.

The Motherhood invited the kid and I, along with several of my NYC/NJ blogger friends, back to 77kid’s NYC design studios a few weeks ago to discuss their current holiday charity. The execs from 77kids shared a lot of great details about their holiday line, plus gave us a sneak peek of upcoming lines. But more importantly, we were on hand to learn about what matters most about the holiday season: giving back. 77kids has kicked off their holiday season with their Wish-4-Snow charity program that benefits children’s hospitals.

Want to know why I love working with 77kids? It’s not just because I genuinely adore their kid’s clothes and their “Do Good” mantra, but also because they enlist bloggers to spread their word. As Betsy Schumacher, chief merchandising officer of 77kids mentioned, their grassroots approach to marketing involves moms and word of mouth. And to me, that accounts for a lot; reaching out to the key demographic who makes the buying decisions and involving bloggers in their social media campaigns speaks volumes. But better yet, this company continues to underscore the importance of charity, and I like that even more.

For 77kids’ Wish-4-Snow program, there’s a variety of easy ways you can get involved to make a big impact:

In stores

– Customers can donate 77 cents (or more) to benefit their local children’s hospital!

– Customers/kids will receive a snowflake to write their name and wish on, and then they can place the snowflake on the “blizzard wall” in the store for all to see!

– In addition to the snowflake, the customer will get a ‘you done good’ bumper sticker to take with them!

Online

– Visit 77kids’ Wish-4-Snow microsite, featuring a fun “catch the snowflake” game and giving visitors the opportunity to design their own snowflake to help 77kids reach their children’s hospital donation goal!

– Help 77kids reach their goal to make a total of 100,000 snowflakes.

– If that goal is hit, 77kids will make an additional $25,000 donation to the children’s hospitals on top of the customer donations each store collects during the month!

– You can make as many snowflakes as you want – not just one! You’re asked to submit your contact information only after the first snowflake.

– Creating a snowflake makes you eligible to win a $77 gift card from 77kids (one gift card given away daily!) and enters you to win the ultimate grand prize: an awesome block party for you and 77 pals!!

Local benefiting hospitals include:

– Children’s Health and Wellness Center at Danbury Hospital

– Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

– Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

– Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper

– University Hospital (Cherry Hill/Philadelphia)

– Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital (Syracuse)

– WakeMed Children’s Hospital (Raleigh)

– Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (Hartford)

– Children’s Memorial Hospital (Chicago)

So, log on and help 77kids give back by making a snowflake or three!

Giveaway

And because it’s the season for giving, 77kids would like to give one NKT reader a $50 giftcard! All you have to do is, you guessed it, make a snowflake! Do you know of someone that needs a warm coat or a new outfit? Nominate them for the giveaway! ‘Tis the season. After you make your snowflake, just leave a comment below.

Would you like extra entries?

Become a fan of 77kids on Facebook

Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to include @jenrab and @77kids

Become a fan of NKT

Please comment below for all entries. This will giveaway will end at midnight on December 6, so enter away! Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be notified via email, so be sure to include a valid email address. Good luck and have fun!

Full disclosure: I am being compensated for my participation in this campaign, but as always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Meet the Freaky Pets

November 5, 2010November 5, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

If you think all plush toys are all cute and cuddly, then you’re partially right. Combine cute and cranky, then you’ve got this new line of plush pets called Freaky Pets.

At first glance these imaginary creatures are sweet and innocent, then with a quick tuck, the Freaky Pets reveal their cranky alter ego.

Toy Story 3 Features Hidden Easter Eggs

November 4, 2010November 4, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The highest grossing animated film of all time and one of our family’s favorite movies of the year (and maybe yours too?), Toy Story 3, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray earlier this week. We, of course, were first in line to grab our copies.

Since picking up our copy of TS3, it’s no surprise that we’ve watched it no less than four times already. Each time, I’ve found myself searching for even more quirky surprises that I missed before. Pixar is well known for hiding easter eggs in their films, so I thought I’d repost the link to a great site that shares many of those hidden gems of Woody, Buzz and the gang.

Slash Film did a great job dissecting some of the most important scenes in the film that were chock full of interesting tidbits, many of which reference other Pixar films and characters, with quite a few nods to next year’s Cars 2. One easter egg that I found interesting was the significance of the number of A113 found in several other Pixar flicks, just like TS3.

Happy 90 Years, Scholastic!

October 22, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I can still remember those awesome days, sitting in a circle, indian-style at the library, listening to my grade school librarian read a silly story about Amelia Bedelia aloud during story time. Or, how about those days when the latest Scholastic book club flyers went out? I can still remember circling every awesome book on every page. Or what about those awesome book fairs? Or how about collecting every single Babysitter’s Club book and re-reading them five times over.

These days, I practically squeal with excitement when we head to Soho, because that usually means a gratuitous trip to the Scholastic store—a trip that I wholeheartedly enjoy as a lifelong book lover grooming the next generation of book nerds. My boy embraces his Clifford classics. And hello, a specific Pirate potty training book made life a little easier during these trying months.

Perhaps you have similar memories, or maybe more current ones of how Scholastic has impacted your life?

Today, Scholastic celebrates quite a monumental anniversary. Ninety years ago, Robbie Robinson created the first issue of a magazine called The Western Pennsylvania Scholastic. Today, Scholastic is now the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books.

Based on the awesome microsite to celebrate this anniversary, Scholastic has had a fabulous 90 years thus far!

If you’re in the NYC area today, be on the lookout for the many ways Scholastic is celebrating their special day. They’ll be in Times Square, Central Park, outside the American Museum of Natural History, at the Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry Terminal, and outside Scholastic HQ at 557 Broadway and will even be ringing the closing NASDAQ bell. A busy day celebrating in NYC will be capped off with the Empire State building glowing a bright red as a nod to Scholastic’s amazing 90 years.

To emphasize their impact on the importance in reading for kids of all ages, Scholastic also announced their latest global campaign, Read Every Day/ Lead a Better Life. It’s so fitting, isn’t it? Check it out and be sure to fill out the Reading Bill of Rights to take part.

Congrats, and here’s to 90 more years of awesomeness, Scholastic!

Celebrate and Share: Tag.Give.Read with LeapFrog

September 27, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s my boy’s birthday today, and I’m happy to report that we enjoyed our mini-party this weekend. Of course, a birthday party wouldn’t be complete without fun gifts, which is why I’m sharing about yet another NKT fave, LeapFrog.

Reading has been a huge, huge part of being 2. LeapFrog’s Tag Jr. has been a staple in our reading routine since we were introduced to it last summer. Tag Jr., which is geared to 2-5 year olds, has been such a hit for the kid, that for holidays like Easter and Valentine’s Day, in lieu of excess candy, I’ve made sure to gift the kid with Tag Jr. books to bolster our library.

Watching the boy’s chubby toddler arms plop the equally chubby Tag Jr. on the graphics of his little books are memories that I’ll always embrace. And the quality time that dad gets to share with the kid while reading with Tag Jr. during the bedtime routine? Irreplaceable.

One of the many fantastic aspects of LeapFrog is that they’ve done a genius job of developing an array of products that grow with kids, and I envision Tag being a huge part of the preschool phase. While we haven’t officially graduated from Tag Jr., the kid has had a fun time exploring more titles with LeapFrog’s Tag Reading System, which is aimed to 4- 8 year olds. Superheroes are the favorite phase du jour, so, reading about Spiderman with LeapFrog Tag has offered a great new perspective to Spidey’s adventures.

Tag’s library is constantly evolving, and titles such as Toy Story 3 is one of the new ones that will no doubt find its way into our home. Oh yes, and how can I forget staples such Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat, which came with our Tag Reader, and for good reason: it’s been one book that’s read endlessly for bedtime.

Check it

LeapFrog has certainly helped cultivate the joy of reading at a young age in our home, and they’re aiming to touch even more lives. Announced last week, through a partnership with DonorsChoose.org, LeapFrog’s new Tag. Give. Read. program is aiming to help more U.S. children embrace the love of reading by donating $100,000 to match donations made to teachers requesting Tag School Reading systems.

To learn more about the Tag. Give. Read. program, logon to LeapFrog.com. All DonorsChoose.org projects that are eligible for the LeapFrog match are searchable by teacher name or geographic area. Once a teacher’s goal for Tag School systems is half-met by donors, LeapFrog provides the rest. Awesome, no?

And Those who don’t have money to give can make a difference, by becoming a fan of LeapFrog on Facebook. For each new “like,” LeapFrog will give a Tag book to a Kindergarten teacher, up to 25,000 books. As if we needed another reason to love LeapFrog!

Giveaway

And because we’re still in celebration mode over here on NKT, here’s another gift for you: LeapFrog has offered to give one NKT reader a LeapFrog Tag Reading System.

Want a LeapFrog Tag for your kids? Simply share about LeapFrog’s Tag.Give.Read program. Leverage all social media outlets and share about this fantastic program. Tweet, Share on Facebook, email your friends and family… Share: give more kids a chance to celebrate the love of reading.

(actual book in giveaway may vary from photo. This photo was taken at the LeapFrog media preview)

Please comment below for each way that you share. Multiple entries are encouraged, so please share away.

Interested in another extra entry? Become an NKT fan on Facebook and/or “like” this post. Who knows, maybe I’ll give away something else very soon. *cough*tomorrow*cough

This giveaway will end October 11 at midnight. Winners will be chosen via random.org, and will be notified via Facebook fanpage and email.

NKT Fave: The Electric Company

September 21, 2010September 21, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Music, ultimately, is one of the kid’s favorite things. He loves to beatbox (thanks, Biz Markie) and like many preschoolers, he turns any conversation into a song. He plays his guitars to any song or show; anything and everything is a drumset; he has a quirky fondness for banjos and plays his harmonica even before eating breakfast. And along with his love for music, we’re big on educational shows, especially ones with awesome musical segments.

One show in particular, The Electric Company, is one that we watch together almost non-stop. I loved the show growing up, and so, this is definitely a show that I hoped the kid would love just as well. I just didn’t expect him to fall in love with this show at just two years old. But, understandably, much of that has to do with our meet and greet with The Electric Company last year. (more on that later!)

Geared to school-aged kids, The Electric Company, was originally produced by Children’s Television Workshop (now called Sesame Workshop,) back in the 1970s. The show ceased production in the late 1970s, but I remember watching reruns as a kid in the early 80s. In 2009, the Sesame Workshop revived the series with a cast of fresh faces, complete with a modern and funky edge to it. For the school aged set, the Electric Company’s website is one worth checking out. It’s really no surprise that their site, like the show, has garnered several awards.

As I mentioned, the kid loves The Electric Company. Perhaps he doesn’t know about punctuation or prefixes yet, but he does, however, have a little crush that keeps him watching. One of the main characters of the show, Priscilla Diaz, known as Jessica on the show, is a super-talented singer, rapper and actress that’s caught the eye of my little guy. The kid is smitten.
His favorite episode has a cute segment where a variety of characters are pushing muffins on Jessica. A catchy line from the episode, “Have a Muffin, Jessica,” is echoed in our home at least 10 times a day. And speaking of catchy, if you knew the show back in the 70s and 80s, then you’ll be glad to know that the popular catchphrase, “Heyyyyy yooooooou guyyyyysssss!” is still alive and well in the new(er) Electric Company.

Just as The Electric Company was wrapping their third season of taping the other week, a few bloggers and members of the media were invited to the set to sit in on a taping of a music video with the band Good Charlotte. The song they recorded was funny and memorable, one that I’m sure that bigger kids would appreciate. We had a great time watching Joel and Benji Madden record their video, and even had a chance to ask Benji a few questions!

We’re on our way to a different event at Sesame Workshop today, but I wanted to share a teaser about the kid’s love for the Electric Company. Stay tuned for the interview and a video of the video! In the meantime, check out my photostream from the event!

Party On with Perfect Piggies

September 20, 2010September 20, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s a sunny Monday in our part of the world; what a great start to another week. This week marks the kid’s last week as a two-year old, and so in the week leading up to his birthday, I will be spotlighting his favorite things à la Oprah. Unlike Oprah, I won’t be giving away a bazillion and one things to all NKT readers, but I will be hosting some exciting giveaways and downloads—fun toys and goodies that have made our lives a little sunnier.

One of the kid’s favorite authors, Sandra Boynton recently released a fun new book, Perfect Piggies. If you love Boynton’s books as much as we do, then I’m sure you’re familiar with classics like Moo, Baa, La La La and Barnyard Dance. Many of her books have a sing-song appeal that’s catchy and memorable, just like this instant classic.

“We are all perfect piggies and we know what we need. It’s really very simple, very simple indeed: a troughful of food, a place in the sun, and a little bit of comfort when the day is done.”

Perfect Piggies, a simple celebration of being unique, echoes the same, fun rhythm and rhyme that Boynton on Board books are well known for, but better yet, this one has a downloadable song that goes along with it.

The Perfect Piggies song is sung in a cappella, and has a sweet swing to it. It’s catchy enough to induce some toe-tapping, finger-snapping and definitely kid-dancing. The song reminds me so much of one of my favorite groups, Straight No Chaser, an a cappella group that’s been known to make people laugh and swoon with their fabulous performances. And no doubt, the Perfect Piggies song and book make us swoon just as much, if not more.

Want to check out the song for your crew? Download the Perfect Piggies song for free here. Oooh, and there’s more, since we’re in party mode, have your own Perfect Piggies themed party, too! Download some activity and craft sheets, a party poster and even the song sheet, and throw yourselves a party that’s perfect for all piggies and kids alike.

Perfect Piggies is published by Workman Publishing and retails for $6.95. The song can be downloaded for free online, and the book is available in bookstores now.

Walk Down Memory Lane + Maegan Dougherty Photo Session Giveaway

August 19, 2010August 18, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

If there was ever a good time to walk down memory lane, this week would be it. After months of waiting to close on our house, we’re still displaced. Needless to say, it’s been a rocky road for our family this summer: all of our stuff still remains in storage, our poor kid cries for his toys, my heart aches every time he begs to go “home” and all we can do is just wait…

But, throughout this trying time, we’ve had each other.

The week before we moved out of our apartment, we had a photo session with our favorite family photographer, Maegan Dougherty. It was a fun time, which yielded another set of great photos that serve as a great reminder of what’s truly important in life.

I met Maegan on a message board I used to frequent, and was immediately drawn to her photos. Shortly after the kid was born, Maegan shot our first session and made our memories that much brighter. Her photography has graced our Holiday cards, were the source for our kid’s headshots, they line my mom’s refrigerator, and soon, after all this waiting, these photos will line the halls of our new home.

Freezer Fruit Pops Make for Healthy Summertime Snacks

July 29, 2010July 29, 2010 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Summertime snacks for our family are often synonymous with fresh, ripe fruit and chilled frozen yogurt or ice cream. Actually, with all this heat we’ve been enduring this summer, anything cold sounds good right about now!

This post and activity was inspired, in part, by Healthy Child Healthy World’s weekly twitter party, and by a recipe I stumbled accross on one of my favorite kiddie cuisine sites, Weelicious.

Since we’ve been staying with family for the past few weeks, with three kids in the house and a Costco down the street, we’ve been stocking up on all the delicious fresh fruit. And fruit from Costco…you know what that means. We had a ton of it!

We had a surplus of strawberries and mangos; meaning, we had more ripened fruit than we knew what to do with! Cue in Weelicious’ yummy recipes!

With all the extra fruit that was on the cusp of getting too ripe, I enlisted the two bigger kids to help me make some fun homemade popsicles!

I used:

1 set of Tovolo Groovy Pop molds, which yield 6 bigger fruit pops
2 ripe mangos, sliced into thirds and then cubed and pureed
1 cup of ripe strawberries, pureed
1/2 cup of blueberries, pureed
1/2 cup of Mott’s Medley’s juice

I mixed and pureed fruit for each pop, personalizing each flavor for each kid. Since these fruits had so much of their own fruit juice, I only had to add a few splashes of the juice to help solidify the mixture once frozen.

It was fun to get creative with the kids and let them mix, then help pour each pop. The making of the pops was a fun outdoor activity, and I’m sure it’d make a great (albeit messy) indoor or rainy day activity too.

The beauty of the Tovolo freezer pop molds is that each container is a good size and actually stays put. I’ve used other molds in the past that used questionable plastic and the sticks never stayed in place. Plus, Tovolo has a bunch of great shapes to choose from.

Looking for more healthy summer snacks? Check out Healthy Child Healthy World’s Twitter Party (tonight at 9-10) and their site for more great ideas!