5 Highly Anticipated Family Movies in 2012

March 16, 2012 by 7 Comments
Taking the entire family out to the movies is an excellent bonding activity. But you may be concerned when you encounter the flood of movies to choose from, especially as summer blockbuster season draws nearer. What movies can possibly appease every family member’s particular tastes? As you glance at your calendar for the upcoming months, keep in mind these suggestions for the top family friendly films you’ll want to see. And don’t forget the popcorn!
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.Having recently hit theaters,The Loraxis a proven smash. Dr. Seuss is famous for his fanciful tales for children, usually involving whimsy, bizarre characters, clever rhyme schemes, and a subtle lesson included for readers to ponder. Starring Danny DeVito as the Lorax, Seuss’ beloved children’s book has been adapted for the big screen with its message about the importance of preserving the environment intact. Even if they don’t pick up on the film’s eco friendly message, your kids will love the 3-D animation offered through 3-D equipped theaters and media services (it’s also available to watch in good old fashioned – and less expensive – 2-D).

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.The third installment of the popularMadagascarseries follows the wacky adventures of Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller) and his pals Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock) as they try to make their way back home to New York. And don’t forget those crazy penguins!

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Filed Under: family, kids, movie

St. Patrick’s Day Tree Craft

March 16, 2012 by 13 Comments
After Christmas time my kids asked if we could keep the tree up. They love the bright colors and the lights. At first I refused because I like my home to stay neat, tidy and tree-free (after Christmas has passed). Even with 23+ years of experience working with kids I still have my moments of wanting NO MESSES!

I soon moved past that idea and thought, “Why not, eh? Kids need to have fun – no harm done here.” We decided then and there to decorate a tree for various holidays all year long. So far we’ve have a Valentine’s Day Tree and now… our St. Patrick’s [Read more…]
Filed Under: crafts, holidays, kids

WIN TICKETS to “1-2-3 Imagine! with Elmo & Friends” Live Show

March 15, 2012 by 7 Comments

What kid doesn’t love Elmo? I know I grew on on Sesame Street, and though the 80’s toys and games have made a comeback- Sesame Street never really went away, did it? And thankfully so- it’s a great, educational, and wholesome show that you don’t have to be afraid to let your children watch. Another thing I love about Sesame Street? They kept it as it was. Sure, it is updated- but no one got super skinny, got giant heads or eyes, went “anime” in style, Maria and Gordon aged like normal people, and the characters all look as they should.


AND You and your child can see all your favorite friends Live in the latest stage performance- 1-2-3 Imagine 🙂
Where can your imagination take you? Anywhere you want to
be! Audiences in New Brunswick are invited to make a world of adventure come to life with
Elmo, Abby Cadabby and friends as the stage lights come up on Sesame Street Live “1-
2-3 Imagine! with Elmo & Friends”. This imagination-inspired musical will make a stop at
the State Theatre from Thursday, April 12, through Sunday, April 15. Tickets for all eight
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Filed Under: entertainment, family, kids, theater

How to Manage Your Child’s Daily Schedule

March 15, 2012 by 7 Comments
Most parents these days are blown away by the demands on their child’s time. When you were a kid, you went to school and you came home. Maybe you played a sport or suffered through piano lessons once a week, but for the most part afternoons were whiled away with friends until dinner time, and then it was on to homework, a bath, and bed. Today it seems like kids are going from sunup until midnight, with a schedule jam-packed with schooling, extracurricular activities galore (sometimes two or more a day), stacks of homework that rivaled your college curriculum, and very little time left over for friends, sleep, or anything else. Play-dates, something you never even heard of as a kid, now have to be scheduled far in advance so they fit into the mix. So when it comes to managing your child’s schedule you may find yourself at something of a loss; after all, it’s not like you signed up to be a personal assistant when you decided to start a family. If you’re struggling to get your child’s crazy timeline under control, here are a few tips to make the calendar manageable.

The best place to start is by paring it down. Your child may be keen to pursue all sorts of interests, but if he’s not hitting the hay until long after sundown and the lack of sleep is starting to affect everyone, then it’s definitely time to take the upper hand and limit his activities. You don’t have to stifle your child’s creativity or drive to do this, either. Simply allow him to choose one or two interests at a time [Read more…]
Filed Under: family, kids

When Is Your Child Too Sick for School?

March 14, 2012 by 7 Comments
If you’re like most parents you’ve probably had to deal with days when the kids just don’t want to get out of bed and go to school. In some cases they may pretend to be sick, while at other times they might have a legitimate ailment. But it’s not always easy to tell which end of the spectrum they’re at, especially if they seem to fall somewhere in the middle. Still, it’s still your job as a parent to determine whether or not your child is too ill to attend school for the day. So how can you decide when to drag him out of bed and get him dressed and when to let him go back to sleep? Here are a few helpful hints that can serve as a barometer to your child’s state of health.
The first thing you should do is check for a fever. This is the one real absolute of illness; if a fever is present you have undeniable proof that something is wrong. Just don’t forget the scene in E.T. where Elliot holds his thermometer next to a light bulb to heat it up so he can get out of school for the day. Of course, there are other signs and symptoms that are fairly irrefutable, such as vomiting, congestion, or rashes (like chicken pox). But in lieu of these outstanding physical manifestations of illness you may have to find other tests to ascertain if your child is truly ill.

One simple strategy is to take away a fun activity. If your child has after-school activities that he loves, just let him know that staying home from school means he forfeits the right to attend the next session. Even if he’s not feeling great, he may be willing [Read more…]
Filed Under: health, kids

Adorable Kid’s Theater with @MamaDramaNY @FFStrawberry

March 13, 2012 by 15 Comments

Why take the kids to yet another movie when you can take them to see live theater? Not everyday, but once in a while, at least 🙂
If you read my recent overview of Freckleface The Musical, you know what a cute show it would be to take the kiddos to. My kids, ages 4 and 7, had a great time. They laughed out loud on several occasions, and the loved the cast. The show, while it does tackle the difficult issue of bullying, is very lighthearted and energetic.

Freckleface is a little girl who (in reality) is named Strawberry, but is taunted for her freckles. The show follows a few days in the life of seven-year-old Strawberry, from school, to ballet class, and home. In ballet class, we see that even the most “perfect” of children have problems fitting in and feeling good about themselves.


Strawberry, who we know is being teased by her classmates for having red hair and freckles, is dealing with the issue of being bullied- but the show’s take on the subject is not too aggressive for young children to watch, and is not scary in any way. Most of it is silly, in fact. The other “children” in the show are portrayed as her friends- just insensitive ones. (Note- all actors are adults.) Strawberry feels different from the other children and will try many things to be rid of her freckles, from soap to a ski mask- before she learns that her [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, kids, theater

Veggie Tales – Robin Good Review and Giveaway

March 13, 2012 by 35 Comments

If you didn’t think the story of Robin Hood wasn’t full of moral inspiration already, take a look at Robin Good. The new VeggieTales DVD which retells the story of Robin Hood with a more Biblical spin.

The story starts out with Robin and friends fundraising from the rich to give to the poor, but before long the prince throws a wrench in things and Robin must make a difficult decision. Is he willing to steal from the rich and give to the poor along with his friends? The story is a familiar one, that is easy to follow [Read more…]

Filed Under: giveaway, kids, movie, review

Hello Kitty on DVD

March 13, 2012 by 11 Comments

Hello Kitty- a cultural phenomenon. But most only know it as the cute kitty pattern that it plastered onto anything geared toward girls of any age. Did you know there is a cartoon based on the popular franchise? Well…. actually quite a few cartoons. But for now, we will talk about one of them.


The episodes of Hello Kitty are easy to follow and very easy going in nature. Think “Leave it to Beaver” gone cartoon 🙂 The stories mostly revolve around what you would expect a playful little kitty with a bow in her hair and her younger kitty sister to deal with-sharing, eating vegetables, phone etiquette, [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids, movie, review