Nick Jr. Holiday Bonanza DVD Review and Giveaway

Halloween is over and the season for being thankful and giving has begun! Nickelodeon is starting it off right with the release of their fun collection Nick Jr. Holiday Bonanza (affiliate link), now on DVD! This collection will feature holiday-themed episodes from Blue’s Clues & You! Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies, PAW Patrol®, and Baby Shark’s Big Show!

I got the chance to review the DVD and here is what I thought.

Most who seek this collection out already know the awesomeness that is Nick Jr. Their shows are amazing for the preschool audience and even adults find some of them fascinating to watch. This collection is no different. All that the fans have come to love, they will find in this holiday themed collection. The episodes include:

  • Blue’s Clues & You! – A Blue’s Clues Festival of Lights!
  • Blaze – A Blazing Amazing Christmas
  • Bubble Guppies – Christmas is Coming!
  • PAW Patrol – Snowbound Cow
  • PAW Patrol – Pups Save the Marooned Mayors
  • Baby Shark’s Big Show! – Snowball Bonanza

What I find excellent about this collection is that it introduces the audience to different holidays. In Blue’s Clues and You! we get to celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of lights. Going in a different direction, Blaze and his friends help Santa in Blaze and the Monster Machines. We even enjoy a Christmas Party in PAW Patrol. What a great start to the holidays!

I have to admit, my favorite episode is PAW Patrol: Snowbound Cow. I didn’t know I needed to see a cow on a sled, but apparently, I did. We also get to see Everest and her snowplow in this episode, and she is one of my favorite characters.

To celebrate the release of Nick Jr. Holiday Bonanza (affiliate Link) on DVD, we are hosting a fun giveaway! Use the form below to enter for a chance to win. Simply follow, tweet, or comment to earn entries. Many will enter, only one will win! Good Luck!

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Happy Halloween Cauldron Punch Recipe Inspired By The Smurfs Season 1 Volume 2

The Smurfs are back with the release of The Smurfs Season 1 Volume 1. Continuing the merriment of being a Smurf, boy Smurfs and girl Smurfs come together to live in somewhat harmony. Featuring all the Smurfs that we have come to love including Papa Smurf, Clumsy, Grumpy, Handy, Vanity, and Smurfette, this collection is a smurfy addition to the family home.

To celebrate the release of The Smurfs Season 1 Volume 2 on DVD and Halloween, here is a smurfy Cauldron Punch recipe Smurfs and humans will love. With very few ingredients and very little create time, it is a smurf-tastic addition to any party! You will need:

  • 1/2 Gallon of Lime Sherbet
  • 12 L of Sprite
  • 1 46oz can of Pineapple juice
  • 1/4 Cup of Lime Juice
  • 1 few drops of green food coloring
  • a variety of round green candy
  • green icing
  • Cauldron mug

To get he instruction click the image below and save the PDF to your computer, then print and create for the Smurfiest party ever!

Smurfs Season 1 Volume 2 DVD Giveaway and Review – Ends 11-14-2022

The Surfs are back and this time they share the screen with more than one girl Smurf! Continuing the story after the movie Smurfs: The Lost Village, The Smurfs series shares the dynamics of Smurf Village when male and female Smurfs collide in their Smurfy world. Of course there are complications, especially with Gargamel and his feline friend Azrael running around. The Smurfs Season 1 Volume 2 is now available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment for $10.99. Purchase from Amazon.com (Affiliate Link) and get it for the holidays.

I received the chance to review this collection and here are my thoughts.

Like The Smurfs Season 1 Volume 1 DVD, Volume 2 isn’t much different art wise. Their clothes have texture, the trees have depth, and the colors are vibrant. All of these features make Volume 2 a joy to watch. Of course, all the amazing graphics don’t mean much if we don’t have a good story.

The Surfs Season 1 Volume 1 comes with 9 episodes on one DVD. The episodes are:

  • The Pluffs!
  • The Majestic 5/Kitchen Klutz
  • Chef Soup/Adventures in Smurfsitting
  • The Round Up/Waffle Wednesday
  • Funny Mommy/Smurfy Day Care
  • Smurfy Secrets
  • Crashing Gargamel’s Party/The Curse of the Smurfs’ Treasure
  • Storm Loses her Mojo/Pop Out
  • Knight Smurfalot/Forget Me What?

These episodes are a blast to watch! We have weird curse treasure in The Curse of the Smurfs’ Treasure, fun knight quests in Knight Smurfalot, and even alternate universes in The Pluffs! I have to admit The Pluffs is probably one of my favorite episodic episodes. The Pluffs is a two part story about how Brainy and Blossom enter an alternate universe where the Smurfs (Pluffs) are gray and mean and Gargamel, known as Caramel, is nice. Everything is a little topsy turvey as Brainy and Blossom attempt to find their way home. It is fun to see the backwards world and get to know the crazy Pluffs. It reminds me of the Star Trek episodes where Kirk ends up in an alternate universe and everyone is opposite of what they are in his universe.

The Pluffs

That isn’t the only time we get something geeky from other pop culture films. In The Curse of the Smurfs’ Treasure, Vanity calls the treasure “My Precious” like Gollum did from Lord of the Rings. I spit my coffee a little when I heard him say that. I know there has to be other pop culture Easter eggs throughout all of the other episodes. If you find some feel free to share them in the comments below.

Because of the graphics, the stories, and the fun pop culture reference, I have to give this Volume 5 stars. It is a fantastic collection of episodes!

To celebrate the release of The Smurfs Season 1 Volume 2 on DVD, I am hosting a giveaway! Use the form below to enter for a chance to win Volume 2 on DVD! If the form isn’t working comment your favorite Smurf and state the form did not work to make sure you get your entries included. Remember, many will enter, only one will win! Good Luck!

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Blue’s Clues and You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures Adorable Mailer

Blue’s Clues and You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures is now on DVD! It is an adorable collection of episodes that takes viewers on an adventure through different worlds, singing adventures, beach adventures, and even a magic show. Each episode features everyone’s favorite puppy, the Rainbow Puppy! My family absolutely loves the adventurous Rainbow Puppy and we love this DVD.

To celebrate this release, Nickelodeon sent a mailer with the cutest stuff ever!!!! We had so much fun opening the box!

The mailer came with three items that celebrate all things Rainbow Puppy! It had a ton of blue confetti (that went everywhere), an adorable rainbow puppy plushie, a box featuring 2 themed sugar cookies, and the Rainbow Puppy Adventures DVD!

The DVD is fantastic and you can read my review here. There is also a fun giveaway for the Blue’s Clues and You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures DVD, which ends 10-18-2022.

The plushie is absolutely the cutest thing ever! It stands about 7 inches and it is so soft. It looks just like the Rainbow Puppy, down to the adorable cheeks and red nose. I was able to get a couple pictures of it before it disappeared into it’s own adventure with it’s new owner. I will be lucky to ever hold it again.

The cookies were another matter entirely. Make a note, NEVER turn your back for a second to get better light when cookies are involved. At least it was returned quickly so I could take a picture. I asked what the cookie tasted like and all I got was, ‘Mmmmmmmm.” Trust me that is 5 star review when it comes to food. The cookies are adorable and have edible transfer paper to get the rainbow puppy and Blue’s Clues theme.

We absolutely love this mailer! The Rainbow Puppy plushie has a new home, the cookies were devoured quickly., and we all got to sit and watch one of the best DVD releases Nickelodeon and Blue’s Clues and You! have released. Thank you Nickelodeon!

Blue’s Clues and You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures DVD Giveaway and Review! – Ends 10/18/2022

Get ready to perform with the most talented and musical pup around, the Rainbow Puppy, in Blue’s Clues & You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures. We can join Rainbow Puppy as she goes to the beach, puts on a magic show, and even opens a theater. Blue’s Clues & You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures will be available October 4, 2022, for the retail price of $10.99. Purchase from Amazon.com (affiliate link) or use the form below to enter for a chance to win Blue’s Clues & You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures on DVD.

Blue’s Clues & You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures comes with 4 very specific episodes all featuring the one and only, charismatic and confident Rainbow Puppy. The episodes are:

  • Rainbow Puppy’s Skidoo Adventure!
  • The Treasure of Clue Lagoon
  • Little Rainbow Riding Hood
  • The Amazing Joshini

My family loves the Rainbow Puppy and getting this DVD to review has been fantastic, even if it is watched a couple zillion times. Obviously, very well loved.

Like all of the Blue’s Clues and You! episodes before, these four episodes feature Josh and Blue as they look for Clues to solve some fun mysteries. Add the Rainbow Puppy and things go from blue to multi-colorful. It also gets way more fun! In Rainbow Puppy’s Skidoo Adventure! we enter so many different worlds in one episode as we look for Rainbow Clues to figure out where Rainbow Puppy wants to go. We get to see Chalkworld, the Ocean, the Theater, the farm, Rainbow World, and more!

The Rainbow Puppy adventures don’t end there! In The Treasure of Clue Lagoon, Rainbow Puppy needs help finding the Clue Lagoon treasure. This quest takes the audience on a clue search to find the amazing treasure. Of course, the audience gets to travel with Josh and Blue as they Skidoo to Clue Lagoon.

The audience also gets to help Rainbow Puppy with her theater in Little Rainbow Riding Hood and see the great Joshini in The Amazing Joshini.. There are so many colors and so much fun that all these episodes are eye catching and entertaining, especially when the Rainbow Puppy comes to play.

This collection of episodes stays true to the Blue’s Clues and You! theme of helping each other, discovering the world around you, and learning new things. The Rainbow Puppy certainly adds to that fun with an energetic puppy smile and new ideas to discover. This collection of episodes also includes many of the worlds Josh and Blue have discovered through their Skidoo adventures, which was awesome to see. It is a great collection to have and I give it 5 stars!

In celebration of Blue’s Clues and You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures! coming to DVD, we are hosting a Giveaway! Use the form below to enter for a chance to win Blue’s Clues and You! Rainbow Puppy Adventures on DVD. You can tweet, follow, or comment to earn entries. If the form isn’t working, simply leave a comment saying that the form did not work and I will add your name to the bowl. Remember if you don’t eneter, you don’t have a chance to win. Good Luck!

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Blaze And The Monster Machines: Big Rig To The Rescue DVD Giveaway and Review! – Ends 10-14-2022

Join Blaze and the Monster Machines in all new adventures in Axle city in Blaze And The Monster Machines: Big Rig To The Rescue. We get to follow Blaze in 4 episodes as he and his friends do their part to keep their town safe by cleaning after a big windstorm, rescuing their friends from a slime volcano, and helping a dolphin reunite with his family. This DVD will be released October 4 , 2022, for the suggested retail price of $10.99.

Big Rig to the Rescue features four episodes of Blaze transforming into a big simi-truck to help save the day. From rescuing party supplies to getting a dolphin named flippy home, no job is to big for Blaze. The four episodes are:

  • Big Rig to the Rescue!
  • Big Rig Blaze
  • Big Rig: Dolphin Delivery
  • The Big. Balloon Rescue

The series Blaze and the Monster Machines is an interactive series for preschoolers. It will stop in the middle of a mission and ask for tips, shapes and other items kids will love to pick and shout. Each episode features a different problem to solve as the audience learns about teamwork and helping others. This series is no different as Blaze goes forth to rescue his friends. It is a fun show with learning, discovery, and entertainment. I have always like the series.

In this collection of episodes, Blaze has a few missions that will require him in a big rig. My favorite one has to be Big Rig Blaze. Blaze gets a call from Stripes, who’s party was just destroyed by the wind. To save the day, Blaze goes in search of all the items that were lost. Somehow they travel far, a cotton candy machine ends up on a pier and the prizes end up in snowballs. However, Blaze will do what it takes to help get this party back in action and accept help from the audience.

Just like all of the Blaze and the Monster Machine episodes, these do not disappoint and lead to an interactive good time. I give the DVD five stars

Blaze and the Monster Machines: Big Rig to the Rescue will be on DVD Oct. 4. You can purchase it from Amazon.com (affiliate link) or use the form below to enter for a chance to win the cool DVD. Simply follow, tweet daily, and comment for entries. If the form is not working, state that in the comments and I will add your name to the giveaway list. Remember, many will enter and only one will win. Good Luck!

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DIY Microphone Craft Inspired by Baby Shark’s Big Show: The Seaweed Sway!

Celebrate the release of Baby Shark’s Big Show: The Seaweed Sway on DVD like Cardi B with a cool DIY Microphone craft! Baby Shark’s Big Show: The Seaweed Sway was release Sept 20, 2022 and now thanks to Nickelodeon, we have instructions on how to turn a toilet paper roll into a fun pretend microphone in your favorite colors. The supplies and tools you will need are:

  • Empty Toilet Paper Roll
  • Sheet of Construction Paper
  • Styrofoam Craft Ball 2″
  • Metallic or Glitter Paint
  • Decorative Washi Tape
  • Craft Pearl Beads, Flat Back
  • Sticker Gems
  • Paint Brush
  • Fast Drying Glue
  • Scissors

To learn how to make this fun microphone, click the image below and save the PDF to your computer. Once saved, print the pdf or place the how to on your tablet/phone and start crafting.

NOTE: All cutting should be done by an adult.

Learn more about Baby Shark’s Big Show: The Seaweed Sway and enter for a chance to win it on DVD here: The Seaweed Sway Giveaway

Baby Shark’s Big Show! The Seaweed Sway DVD Giveaway and Review! – Ends 10/14/2022

Baby Shark’s Big Show! The Seaweed Sway! was released on DVD September 20, 2022 featuring new characters and smash hits! This dance-party DVD contains eight episodes filled with music and fun the whole family will love to watch and dance with. Grab a copy of the DVD from Amazon.com (affiliate link)

The eight episodes are

  • The Seaweed Sway
  • Busy Baby
  • A Shark Day’s Night
  • Wavey Jones’ Locker
  • Daddyshark
  • Rocky-Bye
  • Rainy Day Roundup
  • Deep Goo Sea

For those that know the Baby Shark’s Big Show franchise, you will not be disappointed with this collection. Like many of the episodes, this rockin set continues to teach morals, such as friendship, encouragement, and being yourself, in bright stories’ featuring the beloved character, Baby Shark. Thanks to the featured episode, The Seaweed Sway, the audience is also encouraged to get up and dance to learn the Seaweed Sway or dance their own way.

Preschoolers will fall in love with the Seaweed Sway, taught to them by Baby Shark, William, and Cardi B voicing Sharki B. While the younger audience may not know who Cardi B is, I am sure the parents watching will get a kick out of the Rapper voicing a shark in a children’s TV series. I know I found it hilarious.

Check out the video of Seaweed Sway

Baby Shark’s Big Show! The Seaweed Sway is a great collection of episodes and the Seaweed Sway is a great dance. I love who they got to voice Sharki B. I give this DVD 5 stars.

Be sure to enter for a chance to win the fun DVD featuring Cardi B by using the form below. Follow, comment, or tweet to earn entries. If the form isn’t working leave a comment below letting me know of the error and I will place your name in the giveaway.

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Printable Cat Pack Stick Puppets Inspired by PAW Patrol: Cat Pack Rescues!

Today marks the release of PAW Patrol: Cat Pack Rescues on DVD! Fans can now watch as cats take center stage and become rescue heroes along side our favorite PAW Patrol Pups! Featuring 7 episodes of mayhem, rescues, and cool new vehicles. The seven episodes are :

  • Cat Pack/PAW Patrol Rescue: Meow Meow Mayhem
  • Cat Pack/PAW Patrol Rescue: Rocket Rescuers
  • Cat Pack/PAW Patrol Rescue: Pups and Cats Save the Golden Mask
  • Cat Pack/PAW Patrol Rescue: The Cat Who Roared Rocky-Bye
  • Cat Pack/PAW Patrol Rescue: Pups and Cats Saving the Safe
  • Pups Save the Kitties and the Kiddies
  • Pups Save the Portable Pet Wash

In celebration of PAW Patrol: Cat Pack Rescues being released on DVD, here is a cool printable to make Cat Pack puppets! Simply download the PDF, print the template, cut out the cats, and paste to a stick. This craft is fun for the whole family!

NOTE: be sure adults do all the cutting and handling of sharp object.

To get the printable activity, click the image below and have cat-tastic fun!

The Minions get a Mini Master in Minions: The Rise of Gru – Review and Printables

Before Gru joins the AVL, before he saves the minions from becoming purple monsters, before he adopts Margo, Edith, and Agnes, and even before he steals the moon, Gru at a very young age, had aspirations of becoming the worlds greatest villain. Thanks to the release of Minions: The Rise of Gru, fans of all ages finally get to see the young budding villain discover his evil background. Now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital, Minions: The Rise of Gru is a must see for any Minion fan. Grab a copy of Minions the Rise of Gru from Amazon.com (affiliate link).

I received the chance to review the movie and here is what I thought.

SPOILERS BELOW

As a minion fan, once the movie arrived at my door, I tore into the case and quickly put in the blu-ray to start the epic adventure. My family, of course, was not far behind me as popcorn sprayed from the kitchen, blankets fluttered to the floor, and stuffed Minion toys came out to enjoy the party. We all nearly held our breath as Illumination sprang across the screen. I knew we were all thinking, finally, another Minion movie.

Fans know the story of how Gru started as a villain in Despicable me, with the conquest of stealing the moon in order to become the ultimate bad guy. In the process Gru adopts 3 girls and his heart changes from evil to “mostly” good. However, before all that he was a kid in the 70s, looking to be the ultimate bad guy by joining the Vicious 6, When the Vicious 6, kick out Wild Knuckles, they are short a member and hold interviews for those looking to join their ranks. Gru takes a step onto his evil path and attempts to pass the interview process.

Things go from villainous to Minion-ous as a string of events unfold taking Gru and his banana loving Minions on an adventure so absurd that it can only be a Minions movie. After the failure of becoming a member of the Vicious 6, the minions lose a special stone making Gru the enemy of the Vicious 6. In order to help Gru, the Minions .

Many times through the movie popcorn was flying as laughter spewed from our lips. Minions The Rise of Gru did not disappoint when it came to hilarious antics by the Minions. When they learn of their super power with the Puppy Dog eyes, I almost fell out of my chair with laughter. Anyone who has or watches kids know, those puppy dog eyes are a deadly power when caught off guard.

Just look at those faces!

The Minions have way more than puppy dog eyes and a karate scene. Like other Minion movies in the past, the Minions will dawn funny costumes to try to blend into certain areas, that means, 70s attire. And somehow…they succeed. They will also have their bottom jokes and speak the worlds favorite language, Minionese. This combination leads to a wonderful movie with great characters and adorable Minions.

A word of warning for the younger audience. Minions: The Rise of Gru is rated PG due to violence, but what can be done? To be a villain often involves violence. Just know that going in.

Personally, I find this to be a brilliant Minions movie and I truly hope they make more. I give it 5 stars!

To celebrate Minions the Rise of Gru, illumination created a fantastic Printable activity pack for fans to download, print, and create. With crafts, recipes, activities, and coloring pages. It is a pack the whole family will enjoy. The Activity pack includes:

  • Learn about your Chinese Zodiac Sign
  • Make a Disco Ball
  • Make your Own Pet Rock
  • Banana Milkshake
  • Decorate and Color Otto
  • Minion Maze
  • 3 Coloring Pages

To get the printable Activity Pack, click the image below and save the PDF to your computer. Then print and create for tons of fun!