Roald Dahl Month - Reading Dahlathon 2010 - What book should we read?

I've yet to read a Roald Dahl book to my daughter, but this month we're planning to test the Dahl waters. You see, September is Roald Dahl Month (in celebration of his birthday month). There's a little celebration and reading challenge going on right now, sponsored by Penguin Young Readers Group called the "Reading Dahlathon." The reading challenge is for kids ages seven to 13 that live in the United States. Kids that participate have a chance to win prizes when they read three of Roald Dahl’s books from September through December 2010. If you'd like to participate, check out the website at http://www.roalddahl.com/dahlathon and print out a Dahlathon Official Reading Journal. For full details see the website.

For those that really want to have a "dahlicious" month, there's even a Roald Dahl Month Celebration Calendar and Reproducible Activity Sheets to print out.

Also in the news today, Penguin Young Readers released a book called The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Stories. The book apparently includes a chapter that was taken out of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book and some other Dahl-related content. I haven't read it yet, but would love to learn more about the missing ticket and character.

And, even though my daughter isn't old enough to truly participate in the reading challenge, we plan to read at least one Roald Dahl book together in September anyway. The problem is deciding which book we should read first. I'm asking my readers for recommendations. We'll choose a book and hopefully read it before Roald Dahl Day on September 13th.

What Roald Dahl book should we read? (My daughter is in kindergarten, FYI.) Let me know in the comments!

Wordless Wednesday - Yellow Bus

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom or Seven Clown Circus.

Little Lexicographer - Creating a Pretend Dictionary

My kindergartener has a love of words or, more accurately, a love of made-up words. She's not able to sit down and write words by sounding them out yet, but lately she's shown a lot of interest in arranging letters together to form pretend words. After she finishes writing her string of letters, she asks, "Mommy, what does this say?" We sound the word out together and laugh. She originally created a lot of words with only consonants, until I explained to her that all words usually contain vowels between the consonants. Our pretend word play turned into a simple lesson about vowels and consonants, and I provided her with a list of the vowels to use as a reference when making up words.

Here are a few of her made-up dictionary entries:

Eef: a type of lettuce that looks like a leaf

Amomilis: a kind of fruit that looks like a blueberry that grows on a pink bush. They are smaller than your pinky. If you drop one, it will disappear.

Coymix: type of food you need to mix. Need to make sure it doesn't have too much sugar because it might get very tall and all messy. It's a different kind of cake that has nuts in it.

Cobwixu: type of animal like a giraffe but it doesn't have any spots.

Hewtus: kind of flower, but if you try to pick it, it might stink you. Has a very stinky smell.

My daughter drew accompanying illustrations for each of her entries. Below I've included a few of her completed pages with illustration.





Most kids I know find dictionaries fascinating. Every home library should include include at least one printed dictionary, preferably more. Yesterday, I read an article in the Washington post titled, "Internet may phase out printed Oxford Dictionary." (Today the Oxford University Press issued a statement contradicting all the online buzz that they plan to stop printing the dictionary.) I use online dictionaries quite often when trying to find the correct spelling or meaning of a word, but I've never referenced the OED, print or online. However, we do own a massively large, one volume Webster's Third New International Dictionary and even though it is not as complete as the 20 volume Oxford English Dictionary, it is still very fun to browse though and use as reference. Last year we referred to the print dictionary several times when trying to think of an object that my daughter could take for her "starts with the letter -" weekly show and tell. My daughter also likes to look at all the words in her own copy of The Sesame Street Dictionary and view all the interesting color illustrations. Maybe we have a future lexicographer in the family.

Do you have a dictionary loving kid in your home? If so, you should encourage them to try creating a pretend dictionary of their own!

Adventures of Otto - Ready to Read Series by David Milgrim - For Early Readers

My daughter is just in the very beginning stages of reading. She knows all her letter sounds and can identify a few sight words. This past month we started checking out early reader books from the library. Her favorite series so far is the Adventures of Otto Series by David Milgrim. These simple "Ready-to-Read" books are listed as Pre-Level 1 and are for kids that are just starting to learn to read.



The series consists of five books published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (we wish there were more):
See Otto (2002)
Ride Otto Ride! (2002)
See Pip Point (2003)
Swing Otto Swing (2004)
See Santa Nap (2004)


My daughter loves these books because the illustrations are humorous and enormously engaging, unlike some other books meant for beginning readers. The main character, a cute little robot named Otto, goes on various silly adventures sure to generate some laughs. With simple words and sentences, lots of repetition and text written in a large font, this series is perfect for emergent readers. Best of all, the books appeal to both boys and girls. Some of the other "beginning readers" frustrated my daughter because they were too difficult for her reading level, but the books in this series are short and feature only a few words per page. Her favorite is Swing Otto Swing where Otto tries to swing on vines with his monkey friends, Flip and Flop. The books have boosted her confidence level, and I'm sure within a few months she'll be advancing to some of the more difficult early readers. If you have a beginning reader, I highly recommend this series. Sadly, it seems they are currently out-of-print, so you'll need to buy used or look for them at your local library.

Related links:
http://www.davidmilgrim.com/

Inspired by Otto, we've been listening to some robotic music. My kids recently discovered the song "Mechanical Man" by Bent Bolt and the Nuts while listening to the kids' channel on Sirius Satellite Radio. The song is an oldie but it still is pretty darn amusing. Here's an interesting YouTube video featuring a guy pretending to be the Mechanical Man. Next time we read Otto, we'll have to try using our best robotic voices!



I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Molding Farm Animals with the Moon Dough Barn - Product Review

Exploration through tactile play is an important part of childhood. My kids especially love it when I bring out the play dough. They roll and shape it into interesting forms and like the way it feels when they squish and knead it between their fingers. Playing with dough improves motor skills and encourages creativity.

Recently, thanks to an opportunity provided by Team Mom, we had the chance to try a new kind of moldable dough called Moon Dough. It is a very lightweight, dry and crumbly dough that easily compresses into shapes. And, according to the manufacturer, it never dries out, is hypo-allergenic, and is wheat-free.

We received the Moon Dough Barn product to test and review. The large plastic barn is actually a crank driven toy that molds the dough into four different animal shapes: cow, sheep, horse or chicken. The barn requires some minor assembly before kids can play with it.

Besides the main barn pieces, the set comes with the following items:
3 packages of Colored Moon Dough, Removable Barn Silo, Fence Mold, Hay Bale Mold, Small Play Mat, Instruction Guide

The lightweight dough is a very different product to work with than your typical play dough and feels really interesting to squish and compress. My kids had fun trying to form the Moon Dough into balls, placing it into the hay and bale molds and liked crumbling it into bits. They also really, really enjoyed pressing the dough into the top compartment of the barn and turning the crank to create the various animals one by one. Oftentimes they were in such a hurry to make an animal that they didn't put enough dough into the mold compartment and didn't fully compress it before cranking so they would end up with half-formed animals.

This is a fairly messy activity so I decided to let the kids play with the dough outside to simplify clean up. The dough does end up everywhere because it is so lightweight and it tracks easily. I think that adult supervision is necessary for kids who use this product. Care needs to be taken if you don't want the different dough colors to mix. In my opinion the play mat is a little on the small size (the manufacturer suggests covering the play surface with a plastic sheet or disposable table cloth). If my kids played with it indoors, I think I'd invest in a large shallow tub or tray to help contain the play.





What I really like about this toy is that it gives me the opportunity to talk to my kids about the science and processes of molding. (Yes, the mechanical engineer side of me really loves mechanical toys. I worked for a company that specialized in blow and extrusion molding, so molding toys are especially intriguing to me.) While it seems like magic, the barn is actually a machine that molds figures. Molding is an interesting manufacturing process to discuss with kids because many toys are made using molding techniques. Also, from a creativity standpoint, the product offers unlimited possibilities for creative, messy play. For instance, how many other toys provide you with the opportunity to make a snowman in the summer?




Thanks to Moon Dough and Team Mom for this review opportunity and for providing a play set for my family to review. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Moon Dough products are available for purchase at many retailers. We've even seen them at our local K-Mart. For more information, visit http://www.moondough.com/

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (8/27/10)

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

Fish for more children's book giveaways at Lori Calabrese's Fish for a Free Book linkup each Friday

My giveaways:
Backpack filled with new DINOSAUR TRAIN products/books - Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
The 39 Clues: Book 1 and Book 2 Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD Giveaway Ends 9/6/10



Other book giveaways:
Tolivers to Texas - Book Giveaway Ends 9/5/10
Using Decimals to Plan our Vacation
From One Mommy to Another - Book Giveaway Ends 9/22/10
Little One Books single product of your choice
On the Lap - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
On the Night Your Were Born by Nancy Tillman
Imagine Childhood - Book Giveaway Ends 9/2/10
Rip the Page!: Adventures in Creative Writing (middle grade)
Mommy's Memorandum - Book Giveaway Ends 9/3/10
$25 Gift Certificate to spend on LittleOneBooks.com
Go Graham Go! - Book Giveaway Ends 9/9/10
Wubbzy Goes to School DVD and School Surprise Wubbzy book
And then there were 4 - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
You Can Cook cookbook by Annabel Karmel
Where the Best Books Are - Book Giveaway Ends 9/2/10
Scumble by Ingrid Law (middle grade)
Rookery Ramblings - Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Tasha Tudor Day Giveaway: old-fashioned hand-crank ice cream maker AND a copy of Tasha Tudor's Cookbook
Teaching Authors - Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Number One Kid and Big Whopper by Esther Hershenhorn (ages 6-9)
Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves - Book Giveaway Ends 8/29/10
We Like Kindergarten
From the Mixed Up Files - Book Giveaway Ends ??
What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb (middle grade)
Bookworm's Dinner - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
Imagination Soup - Book Giveaway Ends 9/5/10
Bears! Bears! Bears! by Bob Barner
Reviewed By Mom - Book Giveaway Ends 9/2/10
Little Chimp's Big Day by Lisa Schroeder
Clara Gillow Clark - Book Giveaway Ends 9/1/10
One Square Inch by Claudia Mills (middle grade)
?The World of Peach Tree Publishers - Book Giveaway Ends 9/7/10
Three Scoops and a Fig by Sara Laux Akin, a set of cookie cutters and a fabulous new kitchen apron

TOO PICKLEY! online party August 23-28, 2010 at http://www.jeanreidy.com/Partypage.html - free gifts & door prizes plus Grand Prize for teachers/librarians

Fill the Backpack back to school giveaways (August 16th to September 17th) - 8 different bloggers, $300 worth of items in each giveaway (includes Rose Art products, LeapFrog, Silver Dolphin books and more!)
The Centsible Life Ends 9/3
Detroit Mommies Ends 9/3
Just Precious Ends 8/31
Savvy Sassy Moms Ends 9/5
It’s Jessica’s Life Ends 8/31
Tech Savvy Mama Ends 9/5






Check out the Curriculum Clean-Out Link-up at Homeschool Creations. Many book giveaways there to browse. (Too many for me to list again!)





Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka book giveaways (middle grade):
Karin's Book Nook Ends 9/6/10
Read House Books Ends 9/10/10
Booking Mama - Ends 9/6/10
The Children's Book Review - Ends 9/20/10
There's a Book - Ends 9/11/10


Reminder: Make sure to check out all the stops along the The 39 Clues blog countdown tour and enter the giveaways (middle grade):
July 23: Techmamas; July 27: Brimful Curiosities; July 30: Susan Heim on Parenting; August 4: Manic Mommies; August 9: HighTechDad; August 12: Tree, Root, and Twig; August 18: The Children's Book Review; August 23: Robyn's Online World; August 25: On Our Minds @Scholastic; August 31: 5 Minutes for Mom.


Have a children's book you are giving away on your blog? Let me know! I'll spread the word here!

Flavorful Low-sodium Family Meals with Mrs. Dash

When picking recipes to make, I always try to choose those with lower salt content. Often, if a recipe does list salt, I usually won't add it (except when I'm making recipes involving yeast). My husband does have heart related health concerns so we try to make healthy choices in the kitchen. Thank goodness for herbs and spices. I love to use them when I cook. They help add flavor and make meals more appealing. One seasoning I reach for again and again is Mrs. Dash Original Blend. I always keep a bottle of this salt-free, natural seasoning in my spice cabinet so I can spice up many of our meals. It is MSG free and contains 14 different herbs and spices. We use it as a salt replacement, and I especially like to use the seasoning on vegetables, in soup and on chicken and fish.

One of my favorite vegetable side dishes to make is Green Bean and Mushroom Medley from All Recipes. I make it quite often, instead of the typical French Onion Green Bean Casserole. However, instead of using salt, the seasoned salt and the garlic salt, I use Mrs. Dash Original Blend and a minced fresh garlic. Here's my modified recipe:

Green Bean and Mushroom Medley

Ingredients:

* 1/2 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
* 2 carrots, cut into thick strips
* 2-3 tablespoons butter (can substitute olive oil)
* 1 onion, sliced
* 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
* 1-2 cloves garlic minced
* 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:

1. Place green beans and carrots in 1 inch of boiling water. Cover, and cook until tender but still firm. Drain.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until almost tender. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in green beans, carrots, salt, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and white pepper. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

The the Mrs. Dash® website (http://www.mrsdash.com) includes many other recipes (mostly low sodium) you can easily browse. There's even Video Recipes and Cooking Videos to watch online.

Did you know that there are 15 flavors of Mrs. Dash® Salt-Free Seasoning Blends? They include Original Blend, Garlic & Herb, Table Blend, Extra Spicy, Onion & Herb, Lemon Pepper, Italian Medley, Tomato Basil Garlic, Southwest Chipotle, Steak Grilling Blend, Chicken Grilling Blend, Mesquite Grilling Blend and Hamburger Grilling Blend. Which are your favorite ones to use?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Mrs. Dash and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Potty Animals by Hope Vestergaard - Book Review and stART project

Germs lurk and bad habits are hard to break. When it comes to teaching proper bathroom etiquette, it's best to start early and remind, remind, remind. This week we're headed to kindergarten orientation with my daughter. One of the only reasons that I'm not really looking forward to the school year is the increased risk of colds and illnesses. This year I'm planning to make a side trip to the bathroom with my daughter on orientation day to familiarize her with the restroom and remind her of the importance of hand washing and other bathroom protocol. And, we've found the perfect book to help us remember all the rules of the bathroom.

"They don't mean to be messy. They haven't got a clue. Let's meet some potty animals and tell them what to do."

Potty Animals: What to Know When You've Gotta Go! by Hope Vestergaard, illustrated by Valeria Petrone; Sterling Publishing (June 2010); ISBN 9781402759963; 32 pages;
Book Source: Review copy provided by publisher

Potty animals. Every daycare, preschool and kindergarten teacher has seen their fair share of them. I'm sure you've even seen them yourself. Maybe even in your home. What kind of animals am I talking about? Those kids that refuse to wash their hands, flush the toilet and, time after time, display poor bathroom hygiene. Hope Vestergaard provides a humorous yet instructive book for all those little potty animals. Sycamore Preschool is full of animals that forget their bathroom manners. Wilber doesn't wash his hands, Wilma waits too long, Freddie forgets to flush and Georgie doesn't wipe. In rhyming verses, Vestergaard writes of all sorts of bathroom woes and gently provides tips on the right way to handle bathroom visits. An easy and fun read aloud, the verses even prompt kids to help remind the characters of the potty rules. Hopefully when kids use the bathroom, they'll remember and try to avoid the bad behaviors of the potty animals.

This is not a potty training book, but a book for kids on bathroom manners. Somehow Vestergaard manages to cover this important topic in a fun and tasteful way without sounding preachy. She's a veteran early childhood teacher so she's had plenty of experience with the subject matter. And it's pretty hard not to laugh at Petrone's bold illustrations of the cartoon animal characters as they break the rules. The poor male elephant teacher has his hands full in this zoo of a preschool! The toilet paper letters in the title on the cover are a cute, eye catching touch. My daughter just loves to look at the pictures (she likes the girl raccoon in the pink dress), and I've noticed that she doesn't rush around quite as much in the bathroom and thinks about the rules covered. Read the book to remind kids of proper bathroom etiquette and maybe they won't end up looking like they were raised in a barn. It's a perfect back-to-school read for all young children, and I highly recommend this helpful, humorous bathroom basics book. Teachers of young children will especially appreciate the book.

Related links:
Hope Vestergaard - Author Website
Potty Animals Bathroom Poster [pdf]




❖❖❖❖❖❖ stART Craft - Potty Rules Chart ❖❖❖❖❖❖

We made our own chart to hang on our bathroom door for our book craft project this week. I drew a big picture of a toilet and let my daughter decorate it. (I didn't think my husband would approve of coloring on our toilet, otherwise I might have let her decorate the real thing.) The chart includes some the rules covered in the book: Flush, Wash Hands, Wipe, Plan, No Mess, Close Lid, Don't Wait



I also printed out a train potty training chart for my son to color from childavenue.com. I'm going to start potty training him next month. Wish me luck. Sometimes potty animals can be stubborn as well as forgetful.





A Mommy's Adventures hosts the "stART" meme (Story + Art) each week. Hope Is the Word hosts a Read Aloud Thursday link-up as well. Homeschool Creations hosts the weekly Preschool Corner link-up, a place to share activities for preschool and 5K.

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Wordless Wednesday - Day Out With Thomas

One of my son's favorite activities is playing with his set of wooden track and trains. He loves Thomas the Tank Engine so we drove to Union, Illinois this past weekend and attended the Day Out With Thomas Event at the Illinois Railway Museum. Everyone had fun riding the train, even Grandpa and Grandma. And I was surprised at the number of cars and trains on display. We didn't have time to look at them all. Here are a few pictures from our trip.








Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom or Seven Clown Circus.

A few art contests for kids

We've returned from our weekend travels. Now I'm trying to reorganize our house in preparation for the start of school. So no review posts for a few days. However, here are a couple fun art / design / drawing contests that sound like fun to enter. They should keep the kids busy:

Lands' End Every Tee Tells A Story Art Contest -
For kids ages 4 to 11. Submit a drawing based on the theme of “Arctic Exploration” for a chance to have your design featured in the next Lands’ End Graphic Tee collection. Equally awesome and another great reason to submit a drawing -- For every entry received, Lands’ End will donate $1 to fund art-related classroom projects at public schools throughout the nation via its partnership with DonorsChoose.org – up to $10,000. Get creating - the contest ends Septemember 7th. For more information visit http://www.landsend.com/thehub/dads/index.html. Be sure to check out the rules and use the official entry form.



Chronicle Books Taro Gomi's Oodles of Doodles Creativity Contest -
For all ages. Scribble, Doodle and Draw! In celebration of the newest Taro Gomi books, Chronicle Books is holding an art contest. See the website for full details: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/tarogomi. The contest ends October 31st, 2010. The grand prize (5 available) consists of a Taro Gomi art print, a Faber-Castell Ultimate Sketching and Drawing Gift Set, and full collection of Chronicle's Taro Gomi books and gifts.


Rebekah Joy Plett Painting Contest -
No painting involved here. Just put on your creativity hats. Submit your idea and let the artist know in 10 words or less what she should paint next. Details at: http://rebekahjoyplett.blogspot.com/2010/08/painting-contest.html Ends September 1st.

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (8/20/10)

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

Fish for more children's book giveaways at Lori Calabrese's Fish for a Free Book linkup each Friday

My giveaways:
Backpack filled with new DINOSAUR TRAIN products/books - Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
The 39 Clues: Book 1 and Book 2 Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD Giveaway Ends 9/6/10



Other book giveaways:
Mom to Bed by 8 - Book Giveaway Ends 9/8/10
Ruby's School Walk
Coupon Geek - Book Giveaway Ends 8/22/10
$20 Amazon gift certificate
Mama Monkemee - Book Giveaway Ends 9/3/10
Indestructibles book set
Bookscoops - Book Giveaway Ends 8/26/10
Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman illustrated by Scott Magoon
Becoming Sarah - Book Giveaway Ends 8/22/10
Just Like Us! or Just Like Me! series books by Jess Stockham
Cynsations - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
Busing Brewster by Richard Michelson (scroll to bottom of post for info)
Momma in Flip Flops2 - Book Giveaway Ends 8/24/10
Ruby's School Walk by Kathryn White
Fabulous Family Reviews - Book Giveaway Ends 9/3/10
Yo Gabba Gabba Book & DVD
The Book Smugglers - Book Giveaway Ends 8/21/10
ARC of The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson (middle grade)
From the Mixed Up Files - Book Giveaway Ends 8/21/10
Advanced Reading Copy of Scumble by Ingrid Law (middle grade)
From the Mixed Up Files - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
Karma Bites, Shooting Kabul and Goddess Girls #3: Aphrodite the Beauty (middle grade)


Simon & Schuster Sweepstakes: Love Karen Katz? Enter this sweepstakes for your chance to win some of her books! http://www.simonandschuster.com/sweepstakes/the-karen-katz-sweepstakes

For Homeschoolers: Win a complete Oak Meadow grade level package of your choice, including all curriculum materials and readers (excluding the craft kit) at http://simplehomeschool.net/oak-meadow-giveaway-back-to-school-week/ (Ends 8/21)

Dinosaur Train Backpack Giveaways (include books) featuring products based on the PBS Dinosaur Train series:
Momma Findings Ends 9/2/10
Keeper of the Cheerios Ends 8/31/10
Firefly Blog - Ends 8/20/10
Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife - Ends 9/4/10
Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports - Ends 9/4/10
Flying Giggles and Lollipops - Ends 8/27/10
Grammy Janet's Place - Ends 8/27
Toronto Teacher Mom - Ends 8/28/10
and Twins make 5 - Ends 9/9/10
Ice Fairy's Treasure Chest - Ends 9/1
Susan Heim on Parenting - Ends 8/29/10


Bob Book Giveaways:
Sheilacakes Ends 9/4/10
Chalk Talk: A Kindergarten Blog Ends 8/27/10
Raising Itty-Bitty Bookworms - Ends 8/28/10
Mom Start - Ends 8/30/10
Growing Up Mo' Reviews - Ends 8/27/10
Mommy Perks - Ends 8/30
Ladybug Soup - Ends 8/27




Have a children's book you are giving away on your blog? Let me know! I'll spread the word here!

DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea - DVD Giveaway

Did your kids miss the new DINOSAUR TRAIN "Under the Sea" special this morning on PBS? Don't worry, the shows from the special are all on the new Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD that is releasing August 24th. One lucky Brimful Curiosities reader will win a copy. Read on for our review of the new sea adventures!



As you know from our DINOSAUR TRAIN backpack giveaway post yesterday, my family enjoys watching the DINOSAUR TRAIN series on PBS. My kids love exploring the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic time periods with Buddy and the Pteranodon family as they travel on the Dinosaur Train. In the new "Under the Sea" episodes, the dinosaurs travel in a glass tunnel to different under water stations and learn about marine creatures. We had the chance to preview four of the new under water episodes:

• "Elmer Elasmosaurus" - The Dinosaur Train’s new Aquacar gets its first passenger when the Pteranodon family helps transport Elmer back to his home in the ocean. This long-necked, giant marine reptile is a deep-sea diver with a special talent for holding his breath. (Cretaceous time period)
• "Carla Cretoxyrhina" - On their underwater excursion, the Pteranodon family meets up with a young shark named Carla Cretoxyrhina and her father. Both sharks turn out to be much nicer than their reputations suggest. Kids learn that the prehistoric Cretoxyrhina is similar to the great white shark. (Cretaceous time period)
• "The Amazing Michelinoceras Brothers" - Buddy and his family continue their underwater adventure by traveling deep underwater on the Dinosaur Train to view two backwards-bounding brothers named Max and Mitch Michelinoceras. (Triassic time period)
• "Paulie Pliosaurus" - The Pteranodon family view the "T. rex of the Ocean," a marine reptile called Paulie Pliosaurus, one of the largest-ever marine predators known. The group gets to meet his very large mother as well. (Jurassic time period)

Cowabunga! These ocean themed episodes feature a fun and catchy beach music song sung by the conductor and my kids love to sing along. Before watching the episodes we had never heard of these prehistoric creatures of the ocean. The kids especially enjoyed watching the shark episode and my daughter was surprised that the shark species has been around for such a long time. They also loved comparing Buddy to Paulie Pliosaurus, the "T-Rex of the Ocean." Later on we researched the Pliosaurus and learned that a large plesiosaur fossil measuring 50 feet was discovered a couple of years ago on an Arctic island. That's the beauty of DINOSAUR TRAIN - it appeals to a wide audience. Younger kids can watch the show and check out the corresponding website, while older dinosaur-loving kids can further research and learn more about the dinosaurs and creatures introduced in the episodes.


DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD contains the four episodes mentioned above plus four others (eight total) and runs 120 minutes.
• Elmer Elasmosaurus
• Carla Cretoxyrhina
• The Amazing Michelinoceras Brothers
• Paulie Pliosaurus
• Elmer Visits the Desert
• Shiny’s Sea Shells
• Jess Hesperornis
• The Old Spinosaurus and the Sea

The Jim Henson Company has kindly offered to give away a copy of the new DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD to (1) Brimful Curiosities reader.

To enter, leave any comment relevant to this post.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US Only
• Contest ends on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and sent an email notification.

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4; please leave a separate comment for each entry):
1st extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
2nd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
3rd extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader

Thanks to The Jim Henson Company for sending us a review screener DVD of the Dinosaur Train: "Under the Sea" special for review purposes. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)