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Weekend Fun and Games

Posted Jul 3rd 2009 4:00PM by Sandy Maple
Filed under: That's entertainment

Kids bored after the fireworks and fun? If so, here is a rundown of what's new in entertainment as adapted from reviews and ratings by Common Sense Media. Click on the links to read the reviews in full.

Movies
This third installment in the popular franchise, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" features all the same characters audiences already love and a few, extra-large new ones. The new guys are dinosaurs and the herd is lost in their world, trying to rescue a wayward friend. It is silly, action-packed and has awesome dinosaurs -- what's not to love? Rated PG, OK for Kids 6+

On DVD
Jonas Brothers 3D Concert DVDIf you missed "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" in the theater, now is your chance to swoon over the brothers three in the privacy of your own home. Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas perform at Madison Square Garden and take fans behind the scenes as they live their squeaky clean pop star lives. Rated G, OK for Kids 7+

TV
The educational docu-series "Monsters Inside Me" is an up-close look at parasites and what they can do inside the human body. Sound gross? With all the close-ups of bugs and descriptive narration, it is clearly meant to be. The squeamish may want to skip this one. Rated TV-PG, OK for Kids 11+

Books
Peace love and baby ducksThe sweetly titled "Peace, Love and Baby Ducks" by Lauren Myracle is the story of two sisters struggling to remain close as they grow older. Dealing with jealousy, burgeoning sexuality and less-than-perfect family relationships, the girls learn that sisterly love is not always easy but worth the effort. OK for Kids 13+

Music
With a punk rock sound and clever lyrics, "The Time Machine" by The Sippy Cups explores the milestones of childhood. From losing a tooth to learning to swim, the San Francisco Bay Area band covers it all with a fresh and original sound that totally rocks. OK for Kids 5+

Web
An offshoot of Coolmath.com, "Science Monster" is an instructional site featuring science concepts with a focus on space. It is text-heavy and not exactly cutting-edge, but for those looking for specific scientific answers, it delivers. OK for Kids 13+

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince GameGames
"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is a multi-platform game that lets players explore the Hogwarts castle and grounds. As Harry, players accomplish tasks and are rewarded with video cut scenes that move the story forward. It is fairly easy to play but might be hard to follow if you haven't read the book. Rated E10+, OK for Kids 10+

common sense media

Beyoncé Appears On Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!

Posted Apr 28th 2009 11:00AM by Brett Singer
Filed under: Preschoolers, That's entertainment

Beyonce on Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!

Beyoncé Knowles is having a big week. First she fights off a fake tape of her singing horribly off-key. Then her movie, "Obsessed", opens at number one despite the fact that critics seemed to hate it. Oh, and she has a mega-multi-super-uber music career. So what should she do next?

A children's cartoon. I mean, duh.

Beyoncé appeared on the Nick Jr. show Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! on Monday, April 27; don't worry, it will be replayed several hundred times, I'm sure.

According to a press release, the bootylicious singer (I guess we have to say "and actress" now that she has a number one film, right?) "is excited about her role" on the show, which she knows all about because of her 4-year-old nephew. Apparently the kid "can't believe she landed" this role. (Note to the kid: trust me. They were thrilled to have her.)

Continue reading Beyoncé Appears On Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!

Why Does Dora Have To Grow Up?

Posted Mar 18th 2009 1:00PM by Brett Singer
Filed under: Kids 5-7, That's entertainment

Dora the Tween - whatEVERNickelodeon and Mattel have released an image of their all-new older Dora. She won't be replacing the original "Dora the Explorer," but what will this new "tween" Dora be called? Dora the Mall Shopper? Dora the Texter?

By releasing the image, the two companies seem to be trying to soothe the minds of troubled parents. It's as if they're saying, "We know you were upset by that weirdly inappropriate silhouette. But look! It's not like she's a Bratz doll or something. She's wearing leggings! And besides -- she's still Dora."

But she isn't, at least not exactly. She's older. And the one question that Mattel and Nickelodeon haven't answered is the one that we think is the most obvious.

Why?

Continue reading Why Does Dora Have To Grow Up?

Sesame Street Gets Downsized

Posted Mar 17th 2009 2:00PM by Sandy Maple
Filed under: In the news, That's entertainment

oscar the grouchWith so many people from all walks of life losing their homes these days, it seems that no neighborhood is immune to the credit crunch; from the row houses of Chicago to the gated estates of Palm Beach, foreclosure signs are popping up everywhere. Things are so bad that even make-believe neighborhoods are starting to feel the pain of our shrinking economy. And now it seems that Sesame Workshop, the producers of Sesame Street and other children's programming, will be cutting 20 percent of their staff.

Sesame Workshop, which was founded in 1968 as Children's Television Workshop, issued a statement announcing the layoffs and placing the blame squarely on the economy. Acknowledging that it is "not immune to the unprecedented challenges of today's economic environment," the company revealed plans to lay off 67 of their 355 workers.

In addition to receiving funds from government agencies, foundations and corporations, the non-profit Sesame Workshop makes money through product licensing and the sale of programming to PBS and syndication. While they did not have a revenue shortfall in 2008, the layoffs would seem to indicate that they are expecting one in 2009. Maybe we should all go out and purchase an Elmo doll for the cause.

But what does all this mean for the beloved residents of Sesame Street? For now, it seems that they are all going to be okay. Big Bird may have lost his nest egg, but he's not losing his nest. Oscar isn't getting canned and Kermit is still in the green. Bert and Ernie may have to put off upgrading to a two-bedroom apartment, but at least they still have a roof over their heads.

Let's hope the same can be said for those 67 employees who are being kicked off the block.

Rick Springfield - 7 Questions on "His Precious Little One"

Posted Mar 6th 2009 10:00AM by Brett Singer
Filed under: Babies, Celeb parenting, That's entertainment

Rick SpringfieldRick Springfield has an appeal that spans generations. My mother, my wife and my babysitter all were, like, totally excited that Dr. Noah Drake, the dude who sang "Jesse's Girl," is releasing a new album of a very different sort -- lullabies. ParentDish spoke to Springfield about his new CD, his kids and his years on General Hospital.

What can people expect from a Rick Springfield lullaby?
They're like baby pop songs. I wrote them when my kids were first born in the mid-80's.[Liam and Joshua are now 23 and 20, respectively.] I found them recently and was surprised at how charming they were. They brought back a lot of great memories, so I decided to launch it and see what would happen.

Was it difficult to sing lullabies after a rock career?
No, it's stuff that I've written and it came from my heart. I'm a little nervous, because it's so open. I didn't edit them or anything, because I wasn't intending to release them when I first wrote them in 1985. I just did them for my kids, and we gave them to a couple of friends, and that was pretty much it. I'm a little nervous about it.

Continue reading Rick Springfield - 7 Questions on "His Precious Little One"

Reality Shows Kids Watch

Posted Feb 27th 2009 2:00PM by Brett Singer
Filed under: Media, That's entertainment

With so much unscripted programming on television these days, you might wonder who's watching it. Turns out the answer is: Our kids!

Surprise, surprise. A lot of reality shows are being enjoyed by children as young as 7 or 8 years old. Here are some examples:

Top Chef: Who knew cooking was so fascinating? Obviously it's the drama, not the food, although breaking out the liquid nitrogen to make bacon ice cream doesn't hurt. And boys who are discovering the opposite sex probably don't mind watching Padma Lakshmi.

Continue reading Reality Shows Kids Watch

5 Reasons Why I Truly, Madly, Deeply Love the Jonas Brothers

Posted Feb 26th 2009 10:00AM by Sandy Maple
Filed under: Teens & tweens, That's entertainment

Unlike some parents, when my 8-year-old pops in her Jonas Brothers CD, I don't breathe a heavy sigh and grit my teeth. I smile and sing along. Not only do I know all the words to the songs, I actually like them.

I am not saying this as a parent who approves of the trio's clean-cut wholesomeness (although I do). I am saying I like them for all the reasons my Ellie does, and then some. Before you start snickering at this middle-aged teenybopper, let me count the ways in which I love Kevin, Nick and Joe.

Boy Crushes

    There are plenty of reasons to love the Jonas Brothers. They act their age and they're the real deal when it comes to writing and playing their own music. And that's just to start.

    Getty Images

    Twilight's Robert Pattinson is the hottie vampire with the rock star vibe.

    Kevin Winter, Getty Images

    Gossip Girl's Chase Crawford has blue eyes to die for and a can't-live-without smile.

    David Rogowski, AOL

    Daniel Radcliffe, the boy who lived and grew up to be a world-famous movie star.

    Seth Wenig, AP

    First out as Lil Bow Wow in 2000,Bow Wow is now a big fella on campus in music and movies.

    Johnny Nunez, WireImage

    Zac Efron is getting a rep as being as shirt-allergic as Matthew McConaughey. As if that's a problem.

    Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

    There's a whole lotta girls that get double vision when viewing twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse from The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.

    Jamie McCarthy, WireImage

    Little brother to Back Street Boy Nick Carter, Aaron Carter was a teen heartthrob before actually becoming a teen.

    Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Continue reading 5 Reasons Why I Truly, Madly, Deeply Love the Jonas Brothers

Weekend Fun and Games

Posted Feb 20th 2009 3:00PM by Sandy Maple
Filed under: Fun & activities, That's entertainment

This week's review of kid's entertainment features a little something for everyone - boys, girls and even parents! Here's a look at what's happening as adapted from reviews and ratings by Common Sense Media.

At the Movies
If you live anywhere near an IMAX theater, your little ones are in for a treat as they explore Under the Sea 3D. Actor Jim Carrey narrates this close-up look at what lives beneath the waters in such exotic locales as Papua, New Guinea, The Great Barrier Reef of Australia, and the Coral Triangle. With small children in mind, the filmmakers have toned down the depiction of predatory-prey relationships as well as the mating rituals of the undersea creatures. Beautifully filmed and only 40 minutes long, it's a movie the entire family can enjoy. Rated G, OK for Kids 6+

On DVD
High School Musical 3High School Musical 3: Senior Year continues the saga of the East High gang as they prepare for prom and graduation day. Other than one sweet kiss, the teen romances don't go beyond mild flirting and hand-holding and the characters themselves are mostly kind and generous (with the exception of Sharpay, of course). With catchy pop tunes and beautiful people, it's high school Disney-style. Rated G, OK for Kids 8+

TV
Instead of spending some long-awaited one-on-one time with her famous author dad, Melissa (Emily Osment) finds herself having to rescue him after he's been Dadnapped by a bumbling fan. The wacky, over-the-top humor tempers the implied threat to the dad and the film wraps up with a nice message about family communication and individual confidence. Rated TV-G, OK for Kids 6+

Little Miss PerfectAn inside look at the world of child beauty pageants, Little Miss Perfect follows two little girls as they compete to win a crown. Non-judgmental and devoid of any objectionable language, the series examines the good, the bad and the beautiful of life on the beauty pageant circuit. NR, OK for Kids 9+


On the Web
In their quest to conquer the hearts and minds of pre-teen boys, Disney has launched Disney XD.com, a companion site for their new cable channel of the same name. Featuring lots of tie-ins to their own shows, the site offers customizable avatars, lots of competitive games and filtered and monitored chat. OK for Kids 8+

Books
Mexican White BoySwearing, fighting and a bone-crushing accident feature prominently in Mexican WhiteBoy, the story of mixed-race boy trying to fit in while overcoming self-doubt and an absent father. Sex, drugs and alcohol all make an appearance in this well-written look inside the mind of a boy who appears to have it all yet is deeply troubled. OK for Kids 14+

common sense media

The Family That Plays Together - Games and Toys That Reconnect Us

Posted Feb 20th 2009 8:00AM by Michelle Burford
Filed under: Toys & games, That's entertainment

There was a time when mom, pop, and the kiddos could spend eons gathered 'round a Monopoly board on a weekend night. That was then. In an age where most of us have more face time with our Blackberries than we do with our children, squeezing in even 4.2 minutes of eyeball-to-eyeball fun has become a Herculean feat.

Michelle Burford is posting live from Toy Fair 2009 in New York City.

Games and Toys That Reconnect Us

    Enter this year's crop of toys-from the everyone-plays variety to the newest generation of board games-that are designed to bring families closer. When dad and former exec David Schoenberger wanted to re-connect with his kids, he invented a game entitled Family Matters ($24.99, for 2 to 6 players, ages 7 and up, familymattersgame.com). "Families work harder than ever before and enjoy less quality time together," Schoenberger says. "The familiarity past generations took for granted is now a distant dream with everyone so busy, distracted, and exhausted."

    familymattersgame.com

    Schoenberger's 45-minute game uses a set of 120 cards to explore real-life situation and so-called "fake family crises"-for instance, each player pretends to be another person in the family while discussing, say, how the family has changed since a sick grandparent moved in to live. Another aspect of the game involves a "weekend wish," in which players describe the activity they'd most like to do with the family. The included playbook allows parents to record their children's weekend wishes and later use the ideas as fodder for planning a real-life outing.

    familymattersgame.com

    This July, look out for a family-friendly update to the classic Lego collection: With the Builders of Tomorrow Set ($29.99, ages 4 and up, legoland.com), parents and kids receive a versatile collection of bricks-then, courtesy of a linked Website offering free step-by-step building instructions each month-they can continuously switch up their creations as a team. The site also features family stories, building challenges and contests, and a photo gallery for sharing creations.

    legoland.com

    If you want to shore up your children's critical reasoning skills (sneakily, by all means ...), pick up the visual perception game that has toy critics and schoolteachers buzzing: Set ($12, www.setgame.com). Using 81 cards, players race to find three cards (out of 12) that form a set, based on color, shape, and shading. Once family game night is over, tweens and teens can continue the fun: The techie version of Set ($29.95) is a travel-worthy handheld that contains four levels of difficulty on a full-color LCD display screen.

    setgame.com

    Feeling a tad over the hill with all this high-tech business? Get back to the basics with a few recently-updated USAopoly (usaopoloy.com) games that give a head nod to us old-school gamers. Check out Trivial Pursuit: The Beatles Collectors' Edition ($39.95, available August 2009); for the first time, Beatles aficionados can test their knowledge of the band with 2,500 questions on topic such as history, music, and travels. Seinfeld junkies can get a fix with Monopoly Seinfeld Collectors' Edition ($35.95, available in August 2009). The game features the characters of Jerry, Kramer, George and Elaine, and the game board includes locations that the sitcom's fans will recognize: Jerry's Apartment, Monk's Restaurant, and the Soup Kitchen.

    usaopoloy.com

    Finally, there's my personal fave for LOL group fun: Telestrations, which does double duty as either a family or party game. Telestrations ($29.95, available in September 2009, usaopoly.com) keeps players guessing as they sketch a word they're given and pass it along. Expect spontaneous giggling as players do their best to guess at others' sketches. Look out, Pictionary: Telestrations has a real shot at becoming 2009's party pick. Brownie points for the game's creators: Since you can play as few or as many rounds of this game as you'd like, you can squeeze in a family laugh-fest in as little 15 minutes.

    usaopoloy.com

Candy Land to Sweeten Movie Theatres

Posted Feb 6th 2009 2:00PM by Roger Sinasohn
Filed under: Fun & activities, Toys & games, That's entertainment

The classic board game Candy LandIf you haven't had the pleasure of playing Candy Land with your kids, I suggest you run right out, pick up a copy and sit down for a game tonight. Especially if your kids are teenagers. If they're little ones, however, here's some sweet news to share with them: Candy Land is coming to the big screen! Yes, your favorite sugary board game is going to become a live-action motion picture.

On tap to direct is Kevin Lima, who brought us Enchanted, Tarzan and 102 Dalmatians. The screenplay is to be written by Etan Cohen, who penned the scripts for Tropic Thunder and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. He's also written episodes of Beavis and Butthead which is somehow both wildly inappropriate and totally reassuring.

I'm not sure how they're going to find a plot in "pick a card, move to the next square with the same color," but considering the intended audience of Candy Land, perhaps they don't really need a plot. Unfortunately, there are a lot of parents who are going to have to sit through this, so I do hope they come up with something at least mildly entertaining. There are tons of possibilities; why don't you share your ideas.

Of course, the bigger issue is that with all the wonderful children's literature out there just begging to be made into movies, why are they turning to Candy Land for inspiration? Personally, I'd rather see My Father's Dragon or From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. In fact, those are movies I'd look forward to seeing. Candy Land? Not so much. Which kids' books would you rather see made into movies?

Stephen King Says Stephenie Meyer Can't Write

Posted Feb 5th 2009 3:01PM by Elise Nersesian
Filed under: Media, That's entertainment

/>Recently, famed horror writer Stephen King sat down with journalist Lorrie Lynch from USA WEEKEND to talk about his career, his new collection of stories called Stephen King Goes to the Movies and his influence on popular authors today like J.K.Rowling and Stephenie Meyer.

"Both Rowling and Meyer, they're speaking directly to young people," he said. "The real difference is that J.K. Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good." Ouch!!!

Top 10 Baby Books

    Goodnight Moon
    Perhaps the perfect children's bedtime book, Goodnight Moon is a short poem of goodnight wishes from a young rabbit preparing for -- or attempting to postpone -- his own slumber.

    HarperCollins

    Pat the Bunny
    Pat the Bunny is a part of childhood, as soothing as cocoa and animal crackers.

    Golden Books

    The Very Hungry Caterpillar
    "In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic.

    Philomel

    Guess How Much I Love You
    Little Nutbrown Hare wants very much to impress Big Nutbrown Hare with the enormous scale of his devotion in this ever-popular book, but ends up being the one who's impressed.

    Candlewick

    One Fish, Two Fish, Three, Four, Five Fish!
    This bouncy counting book comes with five beads shaped like Seussian fish that toddlers can move across the top of the book as they count along.

    Random House Books for Young Readers

    Love You Forever
    Here, the mother sings to her sleeping baby: "I'll love you forever / I'll love you for always / As long as I'm living / My baby you'll be."


    Firefly Books, Ltd

    Time for Bed
    Filling each spread, Dyer's commanding yet gentle, large-scale watercolors are the key to the appeal of this bedtime lullaby.


    Red Wagon Books

    Where the Wild Things Are
    Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up.


    HarperCollins

    Baby Faces
    Full of crisp color photographs, this book captures the expressions and moods of babies throughout their busy days.

    DK Preschool

    Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
    The gentle rhyming and gorgeous, tissue-paper collage illustrations in this classic picture book make it a dog-eared favorite on many children's bookshelves.

    Henry Holt & Co.



Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
King just couldn't resist dissing Meyer. People are attracted by the stories, by the pace and in the case of Stephenie Meyer. It's very clear that she's writing to a whole generation of girls and opening up kind of a safe joining of love and sex in those books. It's exciting and it's thrilling and it's not particularly threatening because they're not overtly sexual. A lot of the physical side of it is conveyed in things like the vampire will touch her forearm or run a hand over skin, and she just flushes all hot and cold. And for girls, that's a shorthand for all the feelings that they're not ready to deal with yet."

King has earned the right to express his opinions, but his remarks sting. He sounds waaaay jealous to me. Look, the guy spent his early years struggling with a drinking addiction and a slow-growing fan base. Only thanks to Carrie did his popularity take off. Meyer, on the other hand, is a firecracker with a movie deal.

What's more, Meyer appeals mothers and daughters, who often read her books together. As a result, many women and entire families have bonded over her books.

Bottom line: King sounds like a bitter old man. Stress on man. Maybe he wishes his work still inspires a frenzied media circus. Or maybe he wishes that teenagers were lining up in droves to buy his latest book. What do you think?

Coraline Director Henry Selick Scares Children - And Likes It

Posted Feb 5th 2009 1:00PM by Brett Singer
Filed under: Fun & activities, That's entertainment

Henry Selick likes to scare children. And the director of the new film Coraline, opening February 6, is very good at it. "I absolutely believe that all kids love a good scare."

Tell us about Coraline. It's based on a best-selling children's novella by Neil Gaiman, and it's definitely not "Freckle Juice." It's "Alice in Wonderland" meets "Hansel and Gretel" set in modern times.It's contemporary but timeless -- an ordinary girl (voiced by Dakota Fanning) faces extraordinary, classic evil.

What's so scary about that? This is an alternate world where Coraline's parents are always fun and not working all the time. At first it seems like everything there is better than real life, until she finds that the "perfection" is anything but. Also scary: Everyone in the other world has buttons sewn over their eyes and there's a a closet populated by the ghosts of dead children. But just like in Nightmare Before Christmas [Selick's beloved stop-action film from 1993], when Sally's arm falls off, we see leaves. We're not trying to traumatize anyone.

Kids Movies 2009

    Earth
    Disney's first nature film follows three animal families -- polar bears, elephants, and humpback whales -- on their journey across the planet. And for every ticket sold during the film's opening week, Disney will plant a tree in your family's honor. Have fun and do good.

    Disney

    Hannah Montana: The Movie
    If you have a tween girl in your house, you've probably known about this movie for months. It's essentially a longer version of the Disney Channel TV show, but with new songs and a slightly more complex plot. Your daughter will love it, and you'll be happy you took her. We promise.

    Disney

    Up
    The latest in this year's crop of 3D movies is the improbable story of a crotchety old man and an excitable little boy who fall into the adventure of a lifetime. Kids will love the 3D technology, and parents will appreciate the humor and fast-moving plot.

    Disney/Pixar

    Coraline
    Newbery Award winner Neil Gaiman's magic realist novella comes to the big screen in a mesmerizing, scary adaptation. Coraline's new flat has a secret door in it; on the other side is a world just like hers but seemingly so much better -- until she discovers it's frightening secrets. This is definitely a big kids movie.

    Focus Features

    Hotel for Dogs
    What happens when you combine kindhearted siblings, and empty house, and a pack of stray dogs? Why, the Hotel for Dogs, of course! The perfect film for kids who love dogs (but be prepared for post-movies pleas for a puppy).

    Nickelodeon

    Inkheart
    Meggie's father has a magical power: when he reads aloud, stories come to life. Now Meggie must rescue him from a fictional villain come to life. Brendan Fraser stars as the supercool bibliophile dad in a film guaranteed to get kids interested in reading.

    New Line Cinema

    Pink Panther Deux
    While most parents will roll their eyes at the thought of another Pink Panther Movie, kids will love Steve Martin's slapstick humor and funny mispronunciations. Take the kids and try to remember what it was like to watch the original Pink Panther movies -- you might find yourself laughing at the pratfalls, too.

    Sony Pictures

    Under the Sea
    The first in the year's crop of 3D movies for kids, Under the Sea is a documentary about the costal regions of Southern Australia, New Guinea and the Indo-Pacific. Narrated by Jim Carrey, this is a movie that will thrill and educate the kids.

    IMAX

    Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
    Not willing to take your tween to a Jonas Brothers concert? How about the next best thing -- the 3D concert movie! Earplugs recommended if you're over 16.

    Walt Disney Pictures

    Race to Witch Mountain
    Remember back when kids movies were smart and funny and exciting, like Escape to Witch Mountain? Here's hoping that the sequel will be all of that. But really, any story about a UFO expert and two kids with paranormal powers is the perfect Saturday afternoon matinee, for kids and parents.

    Walt Disney Pictures



Why did you cast Dakota Fanning? Dakota first read the script when she was only nine years old (She's 14 now; stop-motion animation takes a long time), and she responded immediately, understood the character and loved the darker elements.

Are we talking Saw Jr? It's more like "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia," R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" series and camp fire stories. If those tales from the Brothers Grimm have lasted hundreds of years, there's something about them that people like to hear. The best stories were always the scary ones.

Like a roller coaster? It is, that feeling of not being in control for a moment and getting scared. It puts the hairs up on your neck and sends a shiver down your spine. But just as the roller coaster takes you back safely to the start, in the end, good has to triumph over evil.

Coraline is best suited for ages eight and up.

Online Playground Getting Bigger and More Popular

Posted Feb 3rd 2009 8:00AM by Sandy Maple
Filed under: Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Toys & games, That's entertainment

baby onlineParents who worry that their children are spending too much time in front of a screen now have about 200 more reasons to worry. That's the number of virtual online worlds for kids that are either active, in development or being planned, according to Virtual Worlds Management.

Club Penguin, Tootsville and Barbie World-- there are already plenty of virtual hangouts filled with imaginary characters and imaginary environments out there aimed at kids of all ages. But children aged seven and under have fast become the focus of developers' attention. Of those 200 virtual worlds identified, 107 of them are aimed squarely at the under-sevens.

Sure, they're fun. I even have a tricked out igloo of my own. But those who create these virtual worlds aren't doing it for kicks. They're in it for the money, and they've devised several ways to accomplish their goal.

Continue reading Online Playground Getting Bigger and More Popular

Would You Switch Careers Mid-life With Kids?

Posted Jan 30th 2009 9:00AM by Jennifer Jordan
Filed under: Money & work, Rumors, That's entertainment

Joaquin PhoenixWhat the heck is going on with Joaquin Phoenix? I love a man who follows his own heart, but the Oscar-nominated star of Walk the Line has "retired" from acting to start a career as a hip-hop artist. Yes, hip-hop. Or so he would have us believe. While I am hoping all of this is some sort of hoax, as many have recently speculated, or practice for an upcoming role, it would seem that mid-life, the younger Phoenix brother has decided to switch careers.

And, why not? After all, he has all the money he'd ever need. Plus, he's not married, nor does he have any children (that we know about) so what is to stop Joaquin from living out his dream? After all, whether he succeeds or fails, he will at least have tried.

I've often thought to myself how great it would be to just pack up and run off to New Orleans for a few years, try to make it as a writer and live out my personal dream. When I was younger, that seemed like a real possibility. Now, though, I'm married with two kids and I have a mortgage to pay. In other words, I have responsibilities. I can't just drop everything and do whatever I want, whenever I want.

Ah, such is the life of a celebrity. I would caution Mr. Phoenix, however; Michael Jordan may have been one of the greatest athletes of all time, but he was no baseball player. And while Joaquin may be one of the finest living actors I am not sure he will fare as well in the music world.

We regular folk will have to settle for fantasy -- dreams cost time and money that we mostly don't have. Plus, what if we aren't triumphant in our new career? Still, many people are willing to take the risk in case it pays off. Sometimes a little risk is what it takes to ensure success. After all, if we're happy in our work, won't our families be happy too?

Would you be inclined to start over mid-life, or at any time, if you had a family? Have you taken such a risk, and, if so, was the risk worth it?

Daniel Radcliffe Invites Obama Girls to Hogwarts!

Posted Jan 28th 2009 6:02PM by Jennifer Jordan
Filed under: Fun & activities, Weird but true, That's entertainment

How cute is this: Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the title character in the Harry Potter film franchise, has invited President Obama's daughters to visit Hogwarts! In an interview with the Daily Beast website, Daniel has offered to give Sasha, seven and Malia, 10, a grand tour, saying he would be honored to take on the duty of showing them the Harry Potter set, which no doubt includes Hogwarts, the school where young wizards learn and hone their craft.

Sasha and Malia Obama

    The First Family (shown here arriving in Chicago in February) are jetting off to France. This will be Sasha and Malia's first official trip abroad since moving into the White House.

    Getty Images

    President Obama told "Newsweek" that dating "will be an issue" for his girls. "I have men with guns surrounding them at all times, which I'm perfectly happy with, but they may feel differently about it."

    Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

    Malia Obama walks First Dog Bo on the White House Grounds in April of 2009.

    Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

    Just days after the inauguration, the makers of Beanie Babies introduced "Sweet Sasha" and "Marvelous Malia." Now they're valued at over $3,000 for the pair.

    Getty Images

    A boy sneaks a photo of Sasha and Malia as they watch their mom speak to 6th and 7th grade school children from around Washington, DC, in February 2008.

    Getty Images

    Sasha Obama runs down the colonnade as she returns to the White House after a February 2009 weekend visit to Chicago.

    Jonathan Ernst, Reuters

    President Obama took a night off from running the nation to hang out with the family and watch the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform at the Kennedy Center.

    Getty Images

    The Obama girls were easy, breezy and totally adorable on their father's inauguration day. Malia, 10, wore a double-breasted periwinkle-blue coat with a blue-ribbon tied in a bow at the waist. Seven-year-old Sasha wore a matching outfit in pinks and corals; both coats were from Crewcuts by J. Crew.

    Getty Images

    Sasha gives her father the thumbs up following the presidential oath.

    Stan Honda, AFP, Getty Images

    Sasha laughs with her father President Barack Obama following his inaugural address.

    Elise Amendola, AP



The Harry Potter star understands, though, if the girls might be more interested in Robert Pattinson showing them around. Says Daniel, "[Pattinson] is much prettier and can be much more charming," admitting that rather than smolder like the new teen idol and star of the vampire flick Twilight, Radcliffe is "a natural fidget." Somehow I don't think Sasha and Malia would mind!

I think President and Michelle Obama would mind if, say he gave them front row seats to his latest theatrical endeavor, Equus, in which he can be seen bum and all. But the Harry Potter film set? Not so much. The girls have already been issued invitations of entertainment from the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

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