Week Six - Dinosaurs - Movies and Shows

This has been a really fun week in our house. I love introducing new things to Little Man but there is such joy in sharing something he is always interested in exploring.

There are so many great choices for movies and shows about dinosaurs. Enjoy your weekend!

Movies:

Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaur: The first in the Ice Age franchise to talk about dinosaurs. Big appeal for the little ones, but it is a more intense look from the Ice Age folks. I love these movies because they look at unconventional families (herds) and encouraging the characters to be themselves and play to their own strengths.

We're Back! A Dinosaur Story: Talking, non-violent dinosaurs in this cute offering. A cute piece of fluff that will delight the dinosaur obsessed.

The Land Before Time: This is a wonderful movie that Little Man can't get enough of (stick with the original - believe me I have seen all of the sequels and they do not compare to the innocence and beauty of the first). Be prepared the the main dinosaur baby looses his Momma in the beginning of the movie and there are some scary moments with "Sharp Teeth".

Shows:

Dinosaur Train: I know I have talked about this all week, but I really can't say enough. This is a sweet, cute show that combines two of Little Man's favorites. It is educational and so well done. The music, and frank way they deal with the realities of dinosaurs in a fantasy setting is wonderful. You need to watch this if you haven't yet seen it. You can catch it on PBS. Check out the site for cute (free) online games.

Wonder Pets: Save a Baby Dinosaur: This offering from Nick Jr. is all about team work between the three main characters.

Sesame Street: Dinosaurs!: This covers healthy eating, the alphabet, taking turns and all that Sesame Street has to offer.

Games:

Caillou Dinosaur Game

Dinosaur Dash

Dinosphere

Week Five - 4th of July - Movies and Shows

Getting ready to get into the car for our non-stop (who am I kidding) drive home from the beach. We had a great time and enjoyed the time together but are ready to sleep in our own beds.

I went for more a broad theme so I could provide you with a couple of options.

Movies & Shows:

This is America, Charlie Brown: Beloved characters explore US history. This may be a little old for preschool children - but it sounds like a great way to teach history. It is a series of eight episodes  that cover the Constitution, NASA, Wright Brothers, Inventors and Music and Heroes.

All Aboard America: I don't know anything about this except what I read on the IMDB page. Apparently, a giant bald eagle takes you around the country to meet other patriotic friends including a steam engine, stars (dog) and stripes (cat). This is a musical adventure that includes landmarks, historical figures and American standards.

School House Rock - Election Collection: "I'm just a bill here, yes I'm only a bill sitting here on Capitol Hill..." These are classics are over the head of our kids, but the animation is cute and the songs are catchy. Maybe they could pick u the concepts for later :)

Little Einsteins: Mission Celebration: This is themed around birthdays, but it is celebrations so stick with me. Another great option from the Little Einstein gang (as always watch for Annie's voice and Quincy "not believing it" [Journey would be pissed]). 

Week Four - Beach - Movies, Shows and Games

On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the ... oh wait... I can. We are halfway into our eight our drive. I survived the first day barely, but now they know what is coming. I am concerned we are going to have a revolt when they see the car seats again.

Today we have movies, shows and games for the beach. Hopefully these will help you if you are traveling for the holiday week or weekend or at least bring the beach to you if you are staying home (smart move).

Movies:

Surf's Up: This is a cute movie about a pro-surfing penguin who leaves home to follow his dream only to learn that winning isn't everything. Very beachy with the surfing and Pen Gu Island location. I think this is ideal for 5 year olds, but younger will enjoy the images.

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure: This movie is not about the beach but involves working out disagreements between friends - something that siblings can use when closed in the back of a car. It gets my vote for keeping both interested and giving me a chance to talk about other "people" who struggle to get along but realize it is better together.

Shows:

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Big Splash: Mickey and friends head to the beach for fun in the sun. If you can deal with the voices this is a great one for kids to get ready for the beach.

The Backyardigans: Tale of the Mighty Knights: Once again this is a stretch - more about going on an adventure more than the beach. I had to include it because (truth time)...I love it. It is a rock musical with choreography, great catchy songs, funny dialogue and a great message. I am always excited when this gets picked by Little Man.

Games:

Beach Bingo - print as many cards as you need shuffling the words, use shells to mark the squares - here is an example with words you can use.

sand	surf board	crab	rock	beach toy
sand castle	towel	wave	shovel	sign
umbrella	pail	seaweed	stick	lifeguard
sunglasses	feather	sea gull	bug	swimsuit
boat	shell	fish	chair	swimmer

Create a beach map

Beach bowling

Have fun!

Week Three - Weather - Movies and Shows

Another week has come to a close. I wasn't sure how this one was going to go over - Little Man is already a fan of space and anything summer but weather, not so much - but our family really enjoyed it. I hope you did too!

For the weekend (if you are not in the lines to see Brave [please take me, mine are not interested]) here are some movies and a show that will continue the theme. Movies about weather that are appropriate for kids, are a little hard to come by - I could give you a million options for adults and all involve weather/the end of the world - so some of these are a little bit of a stretch. Work with me.

Also, something I found while trying to find some decent weather movies was a website called CommonSenseMedia.org. They allow you to search movies and provide suggested age, ranking of different "appropriate" levels (sexual content, violence, language, positive message, etc.) and ideas of what families can talk about after they watch the movie. Check this site out - I think it is a winner, especially when trying to decide if a movie is right for your child.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - blustery days, rain, floods - Pooh has it all. This is a lovely movie with all of the classic stories and characters. There are a couple scenes of heffalumps and woozles that can be a little scary, so use caution there. Also, if you have not watched the new Winnie the Pooh, check it out - so sweet. Again, there is a "scary" Backson but Little Man was fine once it was explained.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - this may be a little higher level (this is rated a "know your child" for 4 years olds at CommonSenseMedia) but it was by far the closest kid weather movie I could find. We have not seen this in our house, so I am not speaking from experience - but according to what I read there is a lot of rain of the food variety. If you watch it write a comment and let me know if it was any good.

The Wizard of Oz - As they say in Modern Family, "gay cinema's most famous tornado." I kid, but seriously this is one of the best family films of all time and it includes a very famous tornado - on the list! Once again, this may be a little old for the preschool set, but it is a great time to talk about friendships, strengths and weaknesses in all of us and how we keep trying to find what we need to grow. As a note if you haven't seen this (gasp) there are some scary scenes.

Show:

Sid the Science Kid - (learning games for kids if you follow the link) This is a great show about a curious boy and his classmates learning about science. It teaches basic science methodology and shows great adult/child roles in the learning process. They dedicated a whole cycle to weather including the episodes: Sid's Rainy Play Date (activity - Rain, Rain Don't Go Away), Sid's Special Dad Day (activity - Sunblock Investigation), Sid's Holiday Adventure (activity - Temperature Investigation), The Wind Did It (activity - Wind Power). The links provided take you to an activity suggested to reinforce the theme of the episode. In case you get hooked, this page gives you a list of all of the episodes with activities for each.

Next week we are going to focus on the beach. This should be fun and get the family ready for any upcoming vacations. Have a great weekend.

Week Two - Night Sky - Movies, Shows and Father's Day

Once again we have reached the end of the week. I hope your family enjoyed our trip to outer space as much as my family did. Below is a list of some movies for family time over the weekend that still bring in our space theme.

Also, as a reminder - if you were planning on grabbing the card for Father's Day I posted about on Tuesday don't forget to visit Kiki & Company's site today!

Here are the movies/shows:

Wall-E: This is a favorite at our house. Little man (who is slightly below the age suggested) is enchanted by the visuals and loves laughing at little misfit Wall-E. This is a good one for parents as well - it is a pleasure to watch. There is not much dialog in the film Wall-E mostly communicates through beeps and electronic noises - so make sure to talk about how great it is that we use words but other ways that we can communicate. Not much scary fare in this one, some loud spaceship landing and weather if your child is sensitive to that sort of thing.

Space Chimps: We have not seen this one at our house, but I can imagine great delight at the idea of monkeys doing...well...pretty much anything. Monkeys are a source of great humor to Little Man so I couldn't pass up including it, but watch at your own risk.

Muppets from Space: Who doesn't love the Muppets? This is classic Muppet fare with a focus on Gonzo, one of my personal favorites. This is still a little old for my family, but might be a perfect fit for yours - and I know the adults will get a kick out of it, sample quote "Midnight. The lone alien stands before a naked sky. The mood is tense. My hair looks *great.*" - Miss Piggy

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure - This is for the younger set who love Mickey. This is great if you have a book you would like to read while watching, but not ideal if you will be actively watching with your child. The antics get a little grating after a while. It is a nice shorter movie/show option and Mickey is always a younger set crowd pleaser.

Disney's Little Einstein's: Race for Space - Ok, the characters on this show can be a little much (I am looking straight at you, Annie) (oh and you Quincy when you can "not believe it!", I mean how shocked are you really? You ride in a rocket made from mobile, and who lives under your friends house in a garage he built himself and you play every instrument known to mankind - you have to know something incredible is going on, just embrace it)...BUT the show is great for teaching musical basics and giving kids experience with classical music. Little man LOVED this show (if you can't tell by my ..ahem..slight animosity), and he learned a ton about musical vocabulary and music in general.

Have a great weekend, enjoy Father's Day with your family.  On Monday we start with weather. Talk to you soon.

Week One - Summer - Movies, Shows and Games

We have reached the end of week one - time for a treat for kids and grown-ups alike. Here is a list of movies and shows that review the ideas of summer and seasons and that kids can enjoy. As a note - not all TV/movies are appropriate for all children. You decide what you want to show your child. My little man is very sensitive to scary images so I will provide a note if he has had a negative reaction to anything to help with your decision, but I would do a quick internet review if you are concerned.

Movies:

 Up by Disney/Pixar - the ultimate summer vacation movie. Lots of adventure and fun. There are some mean dogs that some children (mine included) can find scary. I love this movie, the love story, the cutest little boy ever...to me this is a win when it is picked over say, any of the millions of Land Before Times.

Lilo & Stitch by Disney - a sweet movie about the importance of family. It takes place in Hawaii so the whole movie is in the sun and on the beach. There is a cute alien and some larger loud aliens, but this does not bother my little man. One of the themes of this movie is the loss of parents, so if you child is especially sensitive to emotional drama you may want to talk about it before viewing.

Madagascar by Dreamworks - Follow some humorous animals as they get stranded in the wild. This is a funny movie that has a lot of things that preschoolers find funny. There are some lion type predators and one of the main characters has trouble overcoming his natural predator tendencies. A few scary scenes. My little man needs to have someone with him to view this movie for the scary parts, but I would suggest watching these with your child either way - they are all parents friendly :)

Shows:

Peep and the Big Wide World (found for me on Sprout) - this is a great show that explores pre science and math. Enjoy the simply drawn show that explains things about the world in such a masterful way that you don't even realize you are getting information about science and math. This show takes place outside in the sun. There is a new adventure every day. Bonus - it is narrated by Joan Cusack. Extra bonus - the website is awesome, they have a list of children's books that reinforce every episode, science ideas for families, and coloring pages. Specific summer themed shows: Go West Young Peep, House of Sand and Frog, Peep Prints (just like bubble prints)

Word World (found on PBS) - Pre-reading mania! All of the characters in this world are made of the letters that spell their name. This is all about understanding that letters and words make the things around us. The stories are super cute (although some of the voices are a bit grating) and they have some catchy songs (I dare you to stop singing the OO song after you hear it). Specific summer episodes: Dog Wants to Play Ball, Dog's Camping Adventure, Castles in the Sea, Play Ball

Some other things to do over the weekend:

Sight word flash cards (choose the pre-primer version). This is a simple flash card that includes the words and a colorful border. A nice quick reminder. I like to use these to create a word wall. Once your child knows the word use some tacky putty (the blue stuff that you can reuse, what is the name of that??) and stick it to the wall. My little man gets a huge kick out of adding words to his wall and it is a nice way to acknowledge the accomplishment of reading.

Free online sight word memory game from Dolchword.net

More games to encourage reading on Starfall.com

Next week we start on the night sky and space. I really enjoyed this week - and survived it, so two gold stars for me. Gold stars for you as well. See you on Monday, and remember feel free to leave a comment if you have any other suggestions. Enjoy the weekend!