Doc McStuffins Starts Making House Calls on Sept 6

The Disney cable network’s popular and award-winning preschool show “Doc McStuffins” will be kicking off Season 2 on Friday, September 6^th.   "Doc McStuffins" is a tv program my kids enjoy watching and I can appreciate letting them watch. This animated show chronicles a six-year-old girl named Doc McStuffins who, one day, wants to become a doctor like her mother. As a kid, she "pretends" to be a doctor by fixing up toys and dolls. When she puts on her stethoscope, something magical happens: toys, dolls and stuffed animals come to life and she can communicate with them. With a little help from her stuffed animal friends, Stuffy, Hallie, Lambie and Chilly, Doc helps toys "feel better" by giving them check-ups.  

It is a really entertaining series that includes an original song in each show plus the show’s catchy theme song “Time for your Check-up” along with educational themes and messages for preschool and kindergarten aged children including Doc giving advice to viewers about staying healthy during the ending credits . The most important educational aspect of the show though is its message to little girls that they can grow up to have professional careers and be doctors…something this geek daddy wouldn’t mind seeing his own daughter grow up to do.

Starting on September 6^th, there will be a new episode of “Doc McStuffins” airing every Friday on the Disney Channel throughout the month of September.  The season will be premiering Doc’s new mobile clinic, a souped up wagon that lets her travel the neighborhood making house calls, allowing the show to expand beyond the primary setting of Doc’s bedroom, playhouse and back yard from Season 1 in these new episodes.  Also new in Season 2 will be guest stars voicing characters in show.  While you and your family are watching Season 2 can you guess which characters are being voiced by  Geena Davis "A League of Their Own", Jeffrey Tambor "Arrested Development", Tony Hale "Arrested Development", Molly Shannon "Saturday Night Live", Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster "Anything Goes", Amy Sedaris "Strangers with Candy" and Peter MacNicol "Grey's Anatomy"?

To help kick-off Season 2, a "Doc McStuffins: The Doc Mobile" game and other digital activities including one that invites boys and girls to create a customized doctor avatar, will debut on DisneyJunior.com/Doc  on Friday, August 30.  Also debuting that day is a preview of the season two premiere "Doc McStuffins Goes McMobile/Chip Off the Ol' Box" via WATCHDisneyJunior.com, the WATCH Disney Junior app for smartphones and tablets, and Disney Junior on Demand.  It will become available for download on iTunes, Amazon and Xbox beginning Saturday, September 7.

A winner among preschoolers and their parents, "Doc McStuffins" was 2012's #1 cable TV series in Kids 2-5 and the #1 cable TV preschool series in Total Viewers and Women 18-49.* The popular series has inspired the creation of brand extensions across other Disney businesses. The award-winning "Doc McStuffins Time For Your Check Up Doll" was lauded as 2013's Preschool Toy of the Year by the Toy Industry Association. The "Doc McStuffins Time For Your Check Up" app launched in April 2013 as the #1 paid entertainment iPad app, and the series recently debuted two new appisodes for the Disney Junior Appisode app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. There are over 50 "Doc McStuffins" book titles from Disney Publishing, a soundtrack and two DVDs from Disney Studios and the series is prominently featured in the popular "Disney Junior Live on Stage!" attraction at Disney Parks & Resorts.

Created and executive-produced by Humanitas Prize and Emmy Award-winning Chris Nee (writer on "Little Bill" and producer of "Deadliest Catch: Crab Fishing in Alaska") and directed by Emmy-winning Norton Virgien ("Rugrats"), "Doc McStuffins" is a production of Dublin, Ireland's Brown Bag Films in association with Disney Channel. The Hollywood Health & Society division of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center serves as its health and medical consultants, advising on basic health issues that are relevant to young kids and families. 

JOIN THE DADS CLUB!!!

As someone who has worked in the legal system as both a Prosecutor and a Defense Attorney, I can testify that I’ve witnessed firsthand a correlation between the absence of a father in someone’s life and corresponding social and criminal troubles for many people.  Since every kid isn’t as lucky as I’ve been to have a great involved Dad in their like I had – and strive to be with my children – I support the work of the National Fatherhood Initiative.

The National Fatherhood Initiative’s mission is to improve the well-being of children by increasing the proportion of children growing up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers.  They do this by educating and inspiring all American on the important role dads play through research, media appearances, and online tools.  They also work with local, state, and national organizations across the country to reach fathers at their point of need with skill-building resources to help them be the best dads they can be.  The National Fatherhood Initiative also partners with a variety of companies and organizations to raise awareness, create unique programs and to expand interaction and outreach to as many fathers and families as possible to fulfill its mission.

I showed my support by joining their DADS CLUB ™, a fundraiser and outreach effort for The National Fatherhood Initiative.  For a $35 one-time membership fee (They have a special Fathers Day special rate of $20 between now and Sunday) provides you with some Dads Club ™ swag plus a connection the organization resources and other Dads who have joined.  Membership benefits of the Club are:

• Gift from Dove Men Care ™ - a sample of products that help men in carrying for their skin, face and hair;
• Dads Club T-shirt you can proudly sport to show you are a committed Dad;
• Photo Magnet to help hang a favorite family photo on the fridge;
• A 5 pack set of the NFI’s Dad Pocket Guide ™ which is a handy to carry booklet of parenting tips;  Keep one for your family and pass the other 4 along to other dads in the neighborhood;
• A monthly e-mail newsletter featuring tips for dads, member spotlights and special promotions from Dove Men Care ™;
• Twice-weekly Dad Email with practical tips, resources and ideas for dads.

Check out this TIDE & DOWNY television commercial promoting Fathers Day and featuring the National Fatherhood Initiative that is currently airing:

Another way to support the National Fatherhood Initiative is to tweet a message a favorite Fathers Day memory, a parenting tips, or a message of support to NFI between now and June 16^th with the hash tag #Dadsway.  For every tweet with #Dadsway between now and Fathers Day, TIDE & DOWNY will donate a $1 to the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Join the DADS CLUB! It is a great way to honor Fathers Day this year by supporting the goals and programs of the National Fatherhood Initiative. Visit www.fatherhood.org for more information.

Wishing everyone a Happy Fathers Day this weekend!  All the best from my family to yours!

DISCLAIMER:  I purchased a $35 membership in the NFI Dads Club with my own money, was not solicited to write this post, and these are my own opinions in this article. 

Little Passports: Month Deux

Last month I posted about receiving our introductory package from the Little Passports program (Little Passports opens up the world of travel to little ones).  Little Passports is a subscription service that sends your child(ren) a package in the mail each month with fun and informational items focusing on either highlighting a foreign country or spotlighting two of the states in the USA.  We choose the USA package for our 4 year old twins.  Here's the reveal of what came in the mail this month:

This month's Little Passports package featured the states of Arizona & Rhode Island.  It contained a booklet with historical facts, informational tips, and workbook activities like connect the dots, puzzles, and word games about these two states.  Also included were stickers reflecting important things from Arizona & Rhode Island and a post card from each state.

The items that my kids were most excited about and had the most fun with were cardboard a cardboard lighthouse and cactus that we could build together.  There were two sides of the coin when it came to building these projects though.  It was nice that these weren't tab insert constructions - you have to follow instructions and GLUE these creations together - so they are pretty sturdy once you've completed putting them together.  That being said, the other side of the coin when it comes to these projects is that it does take some time, effort, and GLUE to put them together versus being able to quickly and easily snap together tabs.

Unfortunately, this pack was a little too "mature" for my 4 year old preschoolers, but it was a well packaged kit that I believe any elementary school aged child who is studying geography would be excited and thrilled to get as a special little extra something in the mail.  My opinion overall of Little Passports from the first two packages we've received in the mail is that they really do a nice job of making education fun through their monthly mailings that help promote to kids an interest in geography, history, culture, and travel.  The product is probably best suited for children 7 - 10 years old.

For more information about Little Passports, visit their Web site:  www.littlepassports.com

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary 3 month subscription of Little Passports United States Edition from Little Passports.  The views and opinions in this article are my own.