So, I haven’t posted one of these in awhile because, well, it’s been a little hectic. But I have a number of great movies, television shows, holiday specials, music, and more that are coming up, releasing, or available now that I want to make sure you don’t miss. Be sure to pin your favorites below and add them to your calendars!
Holiday Specials
Tickety Toc, airing on Nick Jr., will present it’s new 30-minute special “Christmas Present Time” on Saturday, December 14th. It will re-air on Tuesday, December 24th, and Wednesday, December 25th. Tickety Toc covers the antics of 6-year-old twins Tommy and Tallulah.
As Christmas Eve falls upon Tickety Town and all the townsfolk are busy putting their final preparations together for a Tickety Christmas, a sudden crash landing by Santa throws everything into turmoil. The reindeers have caught a chill, Santa’s sleigh is broken and all the presents are spread across Tickety Town. It’s up to Tommy and Tallulah to work together “quickity tickety” and come up with a plan to save Christmas before it’s too late! The festive, fun-filled special also features a Christmas song that will have the whole family singing along.
If you missed it on it’s original air date, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will again play “Snowflake Day” on December 25th. Daniel also wants to share five ways to have the most Grr-ific Holiday Ever.
- Create Your Own Holiday Traditions – Family rituals will make the season less stressful and more meaningful for everyone. Don’t worry about not sticking with traditions that you grew up with or trying to make everything “perfect.” Whether it’s going to a community show, baking or crafting paper lanterns together, each year offers the opportunity to strengthen your own traditions and make wonderful new memories!
- Get Your Children Involved – Kids love to participate so have them help make place cards, work on decorations, put out gifts, etc. It’s a great way to help get them excited about the festivities.
- Prepare Kids for New Situations – Encountering unfamiliar situations can be stressful for young children. Follow Mom Tiger’s lead and, “When we do something new, let’s talk about what we’ll do.” Before going to a holiday party or gathering, let your child know what they’ll experience and who may be there to help them feel prepared for what’s ahead.
- Teach Preschoolers to Be Thankful – Did your child get something that wasn’t exactly on their wish list? Let them know that it’s okay not to like every gift, but it’s still important to show their appreciation – someone was thoughtful enough to do something nice for them.
- Reinforce the True Meaning of the Holidays – At holiday time, there’s so much pressure on what to buy. Parents can help head off disappointment by reminding kids that they may not get everything they want. This also provides the opportunity for parents to emphasize the importance of giving to others – and that the most special “gift” of all is spending time together!
Apps
For fans of the PBS KIDS show WORDGIRL, you can now download the WORDGIRL Superhero Training App. Designed for kids ages 6-8, it’s available on both iPad and Android tablets for $1.99.
WORDGIRL Superhero Training allows kids to create their own superhero avatars and face off against WordGirl’s most famous villains in a series of four exciting games. Throughout each game, players earn fun and hilarious gear that they can use to customize their superhero avatars. Players can earn up to 48 pieces of gear, and within each game, there are 30 levels.
Television
Grab your scuba gear for “Aqua Kratts Week” on PBS KIDS. Starting December 23rd the PBS KIDS’ show WILD KRATTS will celebrate all things under the sea. The shows that week will include three new episodes plus two existing favorites.
Movies
One of the movies we’re most excited for next year is the April 1st release of Disney’s The Pirate Fairy on Blu-ray Combo Pack.
From the world of “Peter Pan” comes “The Pirate Fairy,” a swashbuckling new adventure about Zarina (voice of Christina Hendricks), a smart and ambitious dust-keeper fairy who’s captivated by Blue Pixie Dust and its endless possibilities. When Zarina’s wild ideas get her into trouble, she flees Pixie Hollow and joins forces with the scheming pirates of Skull Rock, who make her captain of their ship. Tinker Bell (voice of Mae Whitman) and her friends must embark on an epic adventure to find Zarina, and together they go sword-to-sword with the band of pirates led by a cabin boy named James (voice of Tom Hiddleston), who’ll soon be known as Captain Hook himself.
Disney just released a fun 2-movie collection of Muppets! Muppet Treasure Island and The Great Muppet Caper are available together on Blu-ray Combo Pack!
In animated 3D, THE NUT JOB is an action-packed comedy in fictional Oakton that follows the travails of Surly (voiced by Will Arnett), a mischievous squirrel, and his rat friend Buddy, who plan a nut store heist of outrageous proportions and unwittingly find themselves embroiled in a much more complicated and hilarious adventure.
Music
Get a FREE download of the Jordan Sparks‘ song “This Is My Wish“. Originally created as a 30-second spot for a Glade commercial in conjunction with Glade’s $150,000 donation to Toys for Tots, requests for the song have poured in. So Glade has made it available on their website to download until December 31st. If you love it, please take a second to share it on Twitter with the hashtags #bestfeelings and #mywish as Glade has a goal of 150,000 shares – one for each dollar donated.
About Liza
Liza is a mom (5-year-old daughter, 20-year-old stepson, and 24-year-old stepdaughter) and wife living in Louisville. She loves spending time with her family, visiting the local zoo and parks, as well as planning travel adventures. Cooking and baking, DIY projects and crafts, and coffee - lots and lots of coffee - round out some of her other hobbies.