Floogals: Project Birthday Cake: What a Fun Way to Learn How Things Work on Earth!
Each day, Captain Fleeker, First Offi
cer Flo, and Junior Boomer encounter something that sparks their curiosity, setting in motion the day’s research “project” and triggering an exciting adventure! In Floogals: Project Birthday Cake, Boomer’s built a little fizzerific food finder attachment for his Fizzer controls. It’s supposed to be able to sniff out food – a subject close to Boomer’s heart. Flying by a massive birthday cake the food finder goes out of control and Boomer crashes. The Floogals have to work out how to re-make the frosting and in the process find out what a birthday cake and decorations are for. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “These educational episodes are great for younger kids to learn practical things. It is also interesting to look at the human household and human items, from their smaller point of view.” Kimberly M., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror adds, “Think of this as a family sit-com. The Floogal characters are done in claymation. They take interest in particular objects located upstairs, downstairs, in the basement, the bathroom, kitchen and elsewhere. I like the originality of having the real-life backgrounds juxtaposing with the animated characters.” See their full reviews below.
Floogals: Project Birthday Cake
By Jolleen M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
These educationa
l episodes are great for younger kids to learn practical things. The animation is colorful and detailed. The characters, besides the “hoomans” (humans) are unique looking creatures. It is also interesting to look at the human household and human items, from their smaller point of view.
In these episodes, there are three main alien-like characters. Their names are Captain Fleeker, Junior Boomer and First Officer Flo. They live hidden inside the hooman’s house. Fleeker, Boomer and Flo explore around house and try to learn more about the hooman ways. They encounter a birthday cake, some ice, a mirror, a banana, a toothbrush, sand, roller skates, a record player and a jewelry box.
Jules de Jongh voices Fl
o with authority and wisdom. Even though Flo isn’t the Captain, you can tell that she knows what she is talking about and that she is more mature than the other two boys. Junior Boomer is the complete opposite of Flo. His name fits him as he has a lot more to learn than Flo and Fleeker. Hugo Harold-Harrison aptly portrays, through his voice, that Junior Boomer is a lot younger and more immature.
They use a mix of animation and live camera shots for these episodes. This brings the Floogals to life as they venture outside their ship. It is interesting to look at the world we know so familiarly from a completely different point of view. To Fleeker, Boomer and Flo everything looks weird and abnormally large. It’s like entering a modern giant’s house.
My favorite scene is when they first discover the birthday
cake. Their facial expressions are so in awe of this great smelling piece of art in front of them. The birthday cake is based on outer space and looks very delicious and colorful. This is my favorite scene because it really is where the Floogals come to life.
There isn’t a moral or message in these episodes. Their main purpose is to educate younger viewers about the properties of everyday items and how to use them. For example, in the episode “Project Ice,” the Floogals teach viewers that ice can be used to keep things cool, but when it gets hot, it melts back into water.
This DVD offers great learning tools for younger viewers. I recommend it for ages 3 to 5 and give it 5 out of 5 stars for the effort put into it. It is available on DVD now, so check it out!
Floogals: Project Birthday Cake
By Kimberly M., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror
Small alien life forms, the Floogals, explore life in an everyday h
ome setting with a particular family, where they discover certain human objects such as birthday cake, ice (for beverages), roller skates and a record player. The most fascinating and unusual part of this series is the background setup – the house is life action as wel l as the family members (mother, father, and kids). Think of this as a family sit-com. The Floogal characters are done in claymation. They take interest in particular objects located upstairs, downstairs, in the basement, the bathroom, kitchen and elsewhere.
I like the originality of having the real-life backgrounds juxtaposing with the animated characters. The episode with the record player is particularly funny, since it is an older generational way of listening to music. Young children might be as clueless as the Floogals with regards to this “strange object,” moreso than any other object they explore. 
This DVD consists of approximately nine, 8 minute episodes. I recommend this for ages 3 to 6 who will find it really fascinating for expanding their imagination (with every room the Floogals explore) and keep their attention with the pastel-type colors. Curious slightly older kids might tune in for the same reasons.
I give this DVD 5 out of 5 stars.
