Granny Ranny's Coming Attractions

For your young boys and some of your girls as well. Everyone’s favorite builder faces a new challenge when Bob the Builder™ ON SITE: Skyscrapers premieres exclusively on DVD March 17, 2009. No problem is too tall to overcome when you have positive-thinking and teamwork on your side. This exciting mix of animation and thrilling live-action building features real skyscrapers being constructed, Bob and his Can-Do Crew hammer out solutions that lead to a job well done. From start to finish, the team proves that The Fun Is In Getting It Done! Bob the Builder ON SITE: Skyscrapers is available ONLY on DVD, and is never-before-seen on TV.

Reaching new heights in construction, Bob and his Can-Do Crew – Dizzy, Roley, Lofty, Tumbler, Flex and the rest of the team – take future architects and contractors out for another on-site adventure, this time to learn how the urban tower – the skyscraper – is built. From drafting the blueprints to laying the foundation, finishing the top-most floor and installing the elevator system, Skyscrapers breaks the process down into engaging, easy-to-follow stages, incorporating Bob the Builder’s delightful animation and charming characters, along with live action construction site footage. The sky has no limit in this latest title from everyone’s favorite builder!

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

• Build It with Bob Puzzle
• Trivia Tune Up
• Bonus Episode Roary the Racing Car™ in “Big Chris learns to Fly”, the all-new animated series from the creators of Bob the Builder™

Age Target: 2-5 years old
Running Time: Approximately 60 Minutes
Audio Status: English, Spanish and French 2.0 Dolby Digital
For more information, go to http://www.bobthebuilder.com/

From our colleagues at the American Academy of Pediatrics come suggestions for safety tips during your Spring break. As much as Spring break is a great time for the family to get away from the cold, dark days of winter and have some fun in the sun, it’s good to remember basic safety tips.
Spring break is a great time for the family to get away from the cold, dark days of winter and have some fun in the sun. Keep your family safe while on your trip by following these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Please feel free to use them in any print or broadcast story, with appropriate attribution of source.

Sun Safety for Babies

Babies under 6 months of age should be kept out of direct sunlight. Move your baby to the shade under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy. It is okay to apply a small amount of sunscreen on infants under 6 months if there is no way to avoid the sun.

Dress babies in lightweight clothing that covers the arms and legs, and use brimmed hats.

Sun Safety for Kids

Choose sunscreen that is made for children, preferably waterproof. Before covering your child, test the sunscreen on your child’s back for an allergic reaction. Apply carefully around the eyes, avoiding eyelids. If a rash develops, talk with your pediatrician.

Select clothes made of tightly woven fabrics. Cotton clothing is both cool and protective.

When using a cap with a bill, make sure the bill is facing forward to shield your child’s face. Sunglasses with UV protection are also a good idea for protecting your child’s eyes.

If your child gets sunburn that results in blistering, pain or fever, contact your pediatrician.

Sun Safety for the Family

The sun’s rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Try to keep out of the sun during those hours.

The sun’s damaging UV rays can bounce back from sand, snow or concrete; so be particularly careful of these areas.

Most of the sun’s rays can come through the clouds on an overcast day; so use sun protection even on cloudy days.

When choosing a sunscreen, look for the words “broad-spectrum” on the label – it means that the sunscreen will screen out both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. Choose a water-resistant or waterproof sunscreen and reapply every two hours.

Zinc oxide, a very effective sunblock, can be used as extra protection on the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears and on the shoulders.

Use a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.

Rub sunscreen in well, making sure to cover all exposed areas, especially the face, nose, ears, feet and hands, and even the backs of the knees.

Put on sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors – it needs time to work on the skin.

Sunscreens should be used for sun protection and not as a reason to stay in the sun longer.

Beach Tips *

Drink plenty of water, non-carbonated and non-alcoholic drinks, even if you do not feel thirsty.

Stay within the designated swimming area and ideally within the visibility of a lifeguard

Never swim alone.

Be aware of rip currents. If you should get caught in a current, don’t try to swim against it. Swim parallel to shore until clear of the current.

Seek shelter in case of storm. Get out of the water. Get off the beach in case of lightning.

Watch out for traffic – some beaches allow cars.

Tips are available in English and Spanish at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/marspringbreaktips.cfm

©American Academy of Pediatrics 2/09

Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to sing, dance and count down from twenty with Barney in this all-new DVD special, Barney’s Top 20 Countdown.

Barney engages a lively studio audience of youngsters with a countdown of his 20 favorite songs. Right from the start, Barney, along with Baby Bop and B.J., gets kids on their feet singing, dancing and counting to everyone’s favorite tunes like “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe,” “Mr. Knickerbocker,” “The Elephant Song,” “Good Manners,” “If I Lived Under the Sea,” “The Doctor is a Friend of Mine” and of course, “I Love You.” It’s a musical party full of fun and learning  designed for the entire family.
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

What’s That Sound? Game
“If You’re Happy and You Know It” Sing-Along
Bonus Episode – Roary The Racing Car™ – “Roary Cleans Up His Act” The all-new animated series from the creators of Bob the Builder™

Year of Production: 2009
Age Target: 1-5 years old
Running Time: Approximately 52 Minutes
Audio Status: English and Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital
For more information, go to http://www.barney.com/

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) invites children to enter a national art contest with a chance to win a trip to Washington, DC, this year. The contest is open to boys and girls in three groups, grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12, and the theme is “Protecting Children from Tobacco Smoke.”

Group winners and their parents/guardians will be invited to a presentation ceremony before several thousand pediatricians at the 2009 AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC, on Saturday, October 17. Each first-place winner will receive $500 and up to $1,000 for travel-related expenses. The three second-place winners will each receive $250. The six winners’ schools will be awarded matching cash amounts. Winners will have their artwork featured on the AAP Web site and in promotional materials.

“There are still far too many young people who smoke and many pick up this deadly habit while they are at school,” warns AAP President David Tayloe, Jr, MD, FAAP. “This is an opportunity for children to exercise their creative side to alert other children – and parents — to the dangers of tobacco and secondhand smoke.”

This year’s contest is an initiative of the AAP’s Julius B. Richmond Center, supported by the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute, and dedicated to the elimination of children’s exposure to tobacco and secondhand smoke.

To enter, children should submit an original piece of artwork to: National Art Contest, American Academy of Pediatrics, 141, Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.

Rules, official entry forms and consent forms must accompany all entries and are available online at http://www.aap.org/ . Entries must be postmarked by July 31, 2009. Winning entries will be selected by a panel of judges including pediatricians, and announced in the summer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has release information about a new study that shows exposing infants and toddlers to television does not improve their language and visual motor skills at age 3, but does not appear to harm them either.

In the study, “Television Viewing in Infancy and Child Cognition at 3 Years of Age in a US Cohort,” researchers looked at the amount of time 872 children spent watching television or videos from birth to 2 years of age, then assessed their language and visual motor skills at age 3. When researchers adjusted for other factors that could influence these skills, such as maternal education and breastfeeding, the effect of television appeared neutral. Contrary to many parents’ perception that television viewing is beneficial to their children’s brain development, the researchers found no evidence of such a benefit. The authors point out that there are many potential benefits of limiting television exposure in children, including improved diet, lower risk of overweight, less exposure to violent content, and improved sleep quality.

Watch your local DVD retailer for some of these delightful titles for your younger viewers:

3-2-1 Penguins!: Blast In Space!

All systems are GO as your favorite space-traveling penguins embark on their next intergalactic journey! From the creators of the award-winning VeggieTales® series, Big Idea, Inc., an Entertainment Rights group company, presents Zidgel, Midgel, Fidgel and Kevin in 3-2-1 Penguins!®: Blast In SpaceÔ! Featuring three all new episodes together on one DVD. Dedicated to responding to distress calls from across the galaxy, 3-2-1 Penguins! follows the adventures of a pair of seven-year old twins and four space-traveling penguins who learn valuable lessons based on the book of Proverbs along the way.

Strap in for three all new adventures with four space-traveling penguins! Add in giant ants, hula-dancing tikis and a volcano ready to blow and you’ll have a blast in space while learning valuable lessons from the book of Proverbs in patience, diligence and compassion! Featured episodes include Wiki Tiki, Lazy Daze and Compassion Crashin’.

Elmo and Friends: Tales of Adventure – Making ABCs, geometry and comparisons fun!