Wednesday, February 22, 2012

PBS KIDS Celebrates Dr. Seuss’ Birthday on March 2 with THE CAT IN THE HAT-A-THON Multimedia Event (Review)





On March 2, PBS KIDS will celebrate the 108th birthday of Dr. Seuss on-air, online, and on mobile. PBS stations nationwide will feature THE CAT-IN-THE-HAT-A-THON, a two-hour marathon of THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! (check local listings). Kids will also be able to engage with the Cat and friends through games and video content online and on mobile, and parents will be able to enjoy a new Birthday Party Builder Tool on the PBS KIDS Shop website.


“THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! is designed to help young children learn core science skills to prepare them for success in school – while taking them on Seussian adventures that inspire their curiosity,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “Families, schools and communities around the country pay tribute to Dr. Seuss at this time each year, and we join them in honoring his legacy with content that encourages kids to explore the world around them.”
THE CAT IN THE HAT-A-THON will feature two brand new episodes, “Seasons – Spring and Summer/Fall and Winter,” which takes the Cat, Nick and Sally on a journey through the four seasons, and “When I Grow Up/Doing It Differently,” in which Nick and Sally explore what it means to grow up and learn that trying a different approach can sometimes be the best way to solve a problem. The marathon will also include encore presentations of “Hooray for Hair/Ice Is Nice” and “Chasing Rainbows/Follow the Prints.”

The celebration will continue online and on mobile. Video clips from all four episodes featured in THE CAT IN THE HAT-A-THON will be available for free online at PBSKIDS.org/video and on the PBS KIDS Video App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The PBS KIDS Shop will also launch a Birthday Party Builder Tool – a one-stop-shop for parents’ every party need – on March 1. From tableware and party banners to clothing and gifts, the Party Builder offers customized recommendations based on the number of guests and exclusive, personalized products. It’s a fun and easy way for parents to plan the perfect party featuring their kids’ favorite characters, including the Cat in the Hat.

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! has ranked among the top ten programs for children ages 2 to 5 since it premiered on PBS KIDS in September 2010.* The series is a key part of PBS KIDS’ commitment to helping kids build critical STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – skills through engaging content across platforms.


Following is a listing of the episodes airing during the March 2 CAT-IN-THE-HAT-A-THON (check local listings for air dates and times).
 
“Seasons – Spring and Summer/Fall and Winter” *NEW*

“Seasons – Spring and Summer” – For Show and Tell at school, Nick and Sally must bring something from their favorite season. But how can they choose which is their favorite? The Cat in the Hat takes them to the magical Garden of Seasons, where they can visit any season they like, any time they like! They meet three young animals and journey with them as they begin to grow up. Sally decides that she has two favorite seasons, and with the pictures taken from the Snaparama camera, she now has a scrapbook of pictures to show why!
“Seasons – Fall and Winter” – It’s Nick’s turn to choose a favorite season. Back to the Garden of Seasons to visit Fall and Winter! In Fall, they meet up with their friends from Spring and Summer to have a going away party for Candy the goose who’s about to fly south. In Winter, they have a great time playing with Sam the hare while all his other friends hibernate. Nick can’t decide on just one season, so he makes a picture of all the fun they had in both seasons!

“When I Grow Up/Doing Things Differently” *NEW*

“When I Grow Up” – Sally and Nick are trying to guess what they’ll be when they grow up when the Cat drops in for a visit. Cat is sure Nick and Sally will never guess what his friend Puggle will be when she grows up. When they see her, they start guessing right away! A frog? A duck? No, a beaver! They discover that, while Puggle may have some similarities to other creatures, she will grow up to be a duck billed platypus.
“Doing It Differently” – Nick and Sally can’t seem to find Harvey the guinea pig. They find the Cat in the Hat instead! Cat suggests that Sally and Nick might find Harvey by meeting three friends who always do things differently – like a bird that runs instead of flies, or a cat that swims, or a fish that walks on the mud! Nick and Sally are sure to find Harvey now – by doing it differently!

“Hooray for Hair/Ice Is Nice”

“Hooray for Hair” – Sally and Nick are getting their hair cut today; maybe they should try new hairstyles! A trip to meet three of Cat’s friends (and some styling help from the Wig-o-lator) will help them decide! Should they have Yak hair? No, too hot! How about hair like a fur seal? Not quite, too short. A porcupine? No way! How will they ever get a hug from their moms with hair that spiky? They decide that the hair they have is what’s perfect for them!
“Ice Is Nice” – Nick and Sally want some nice cold lemonade, but there are no more ice cubes in Sally’s fridge! A trip to Freeze-your-knees Snowland will fix that! They meet Cat’s friend Polly the polar bear who introduces Sally and Nick to all the different kinds of ice that make up her home. After trying many types of ice, they find the kind that will be perfect for their lemonade!

“Chasing Rainbows/Follow the Prints”

“Chasing Rainbows” The kids are painting a picture of a rainbow but can’t remember all the colors to use. Luckily for them, Cat takes them to Color-ga-lore to meet King Kaleidoscope, an expert on rainbows! A musical number teaches them the proper color order, and a silly spray of water leads them to discover how to make their very own rainbow!
“Follow the Prints” Nick and Sally are enjoying a backyard picnic when they discover their last strawberry has gone missing! Who could have taken it? Cat’s friend Cluey Looey can help them! They are off to Muddyfeet Waterhole where they learn about how the differently shaped feet, paws, or hooves of various animals make differently shaped footprints. Back home, they follow the prints and discover their strawberry was taken by a squirrel! Luckily, the Cat has some more!

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My Thoughts of the Two New Episodes:

Savannah is a huge Dr. Seuss fan, and go a day without seeing The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That on PBS Kids.  So, when I received an advanced screener of the two new episodes premiering as part of the THE CAT IN THE HAT-A-THON, I knew she would be excited and would want to watch them right away.  And, I was right.  As soon as I showed her the DVD, she asked to watch it.  So, the other night before bed, I put this DVD on and we watched “Seasons – Spring and Summer/Fall and Winter,” which takes the Cat, Nick and Sally on a journey through the four seasons, to help Nick and Sally decide which is their favorite to present at show-and-tell.  I have always been a fan of The Cat in the Hat, and love this new animated series on PBS, which began airing in 2010.  I love the rhyming and fun adventures the Cat takes Nick and Sally on.  And, the colorful and bright animation is very eye pleasing for both kids and adults.  Out of all Savannah's favorite shows, this is one of my favorite to cuddle up with her and watch.  Even though children are having fun with the Cat, viewers also learn valuable lesson, which is great.  This was my favorite of the two new episodes because of all the vibrant colors and depictions of the seasons.  I could see why Sally and Nick chose their seasons to share with their class.  I would have chosen Spring/Summer!  Well, maybe even Fall/Winter!  All the seasons offer something unique and beautiful.  I could just do without the cold in the winter!

I didn't want to keep Savannah up late, so we waited until the next night to watch, "When I Grow Up/Doing It Differently,” in which Nick and Sally explore what it means to grow up and learn that trying a different approach can sometimes be the best way to solve a problem.   This turned out to be Savannah's favorite episode, as she has asked to watch it repeatedly since then.  I can only imagine what Savannah will be when she grows up, but right now I am enjoying her being little, and having her imagine get carried away by the Cat in the Hat.

So, if you and your child like watching The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That on PBS Kid, then you must tune in to watch this birthday marathon, which will air these two new episodes as encore presentations of “Hooray for Hair/Ice Is Nice” and “Chasing Rainbows/Follow the Prints,” on March 2.  When you are done watching the marathon, I'd love to hear what your family thought of these new episodes.  I can't wait to take part in the fun activities PBS has planned online for kids that day, too.

About PBS KIDS
 
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. For more information on specific PBS KIDS programs supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom. Follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.


*Ratings Source: NTI NPower, PBS KIDS’ Monthly Ranker | September 2010 – December 2011

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