Today we hosted a special Dinosaur Train movie screening at our house. I connected with the folks at PBS Kids while at the EVO ’11 conference and because of that I’ll be doing some special reviews and posting some great info about PBS Kids on the blog. This is perfect because Eva is a huge fan of PBS Kids and the great programming that they have. Dinosaur Train is one of those terrific shows that is on PBS Kids. It is about a family of Pteradons and their adopted T-Rex son, Buddy. They go on some fun adventures through the many different time periods of prehistory. They get to the different time periods through a special train that goes through time tunnels. There is even a lesson about real dinosaurs at the end of each episode. Trains and dinos, ow can you go wrong with the hearts of kids everywhere. Well, the show was a hit and it is back for a second season starting Monday August 22. We were lucky enough to get a special DVD of a bunch of upcoming episodes including the big movie “Dinosaur Big City”.

We were provided with movie, as well as gift bags for the kids and some packages of Dinosaur Train figures to give as prizes. We invited a bunch of friends and four families came. We had four of the special prizes so each family got one. I had to promise Eva I’d get her something Dinosaur Train at another time. She was good with that.

Our friends arrived and we had chips and guacamole that Allison and Eva made. We had goldfish and our friend Marybeth brought munchkins so the kids had plenty of stuff to munch on. I had microwave popcorn that was sent to us too and probably could have made that but figured it was morning so it was too early for that even though we had chips and guac, go figure.

There were three boys and three girls who came to watch the show. I need to remember that for next time, the kids get the gift bags AFTER the show. Wrangling a bunch of little kids to sit and watch a show is daunting. There were so many other things going on that we’d get them drifting back and forth into watching the show. One of the older boys was very much into the show and liked the episodes that I showed which were the Dinosaur Big City 4 part movie. He liked it so much he wanted more episodes. The other kids enjoyed the show too and for the most part are regular watchers of Dinosaur Train. I’m not sure if they understood the significance of getting to see the show early but they did enjoy the show.

I tried to block out the chaos and watch the episode. It was cute and funny. There is one dinosaurs called “The King” and he does some Elvis sort of stuff which is funny. There were also some songs and lots of info about different dinos. I was a big fan of dinosaurs as a kid, Triceratops is my favorite (glad they never changed the Triceratops’ name like good old Brontosaurus). I liked the episodes, they were well done and it is nice to see a fun show like dinosaur Train with great educational value come back. I’m posting the Press Release that has gone out about the new season. Please check it out.

DINOSAUR TRAIN Heads to the “Big City” on PBS KIDS

The Jim Henson Company’s one-hour movie, Dinosaur Big City, kicks off DINOSAUR TRAIN’s second season on August 22; DVD releases August 23

ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Everyone’s favorite dinosaurs are making their way to the city for Dinosaur Big City, a one-hour DINOSAUR TRAIN movie airing on August 22 on PBS KIDS (check local listings). Families can join Buddy and his adoptive Pteranodon family on a pre-historic adventure as they gather all their theropod friends to travel to the big Theropod Club Convention being held in Laramidia, the “Dinosaur Big City!”

The premiere of Dinosaur Big City marks the start of season two of DINOSAUR TRAIN. From the world-renowned Jim Henson Company, the hit DINOSAUR TRAIN series is seen in over 13 million households every month1. The series encourages scientific thinking and other skills as it teaches children about natural science, natural history and paleontology. DINOSAUR TRAIN’s second season will focus on exploring the outdoors and natural phenomena, and will feature “Big Dinosaur Week” and a special based on the fan favorite “Dinosaurs A to Z” song.

“We are extremely proud of the success of DINOSAUR TRAIN and are delighted that young fans around the world continue to embrace the series,” states Lisa Henson, CEO, The Jim Henson Company. “With each episode, we strive to deliver the highest quality of entertainment and education, and we have a tremendous team of creative talent to ensure that we meet the expectations of children and their parents.” She adds, “We look forward to launching season two with the new movie, Dinosaur Big City, as we take Buddy and friends on all-new adventures!”

“DINOSAUR TRAIN combines fascinating science concepts with funny and engaging characters, so it’s no wonder that it’s one of our top-rated series for preschoolers,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “We’re excited to kick off season two of this popular series with a movie that brings interesting scientific facts to life with musical numbers, humor, and even a singing theropod character based on Elvis. We know that families will have a lot of fun with this movie – and learn a great deal along the way.”

Bringing History to Life

The theme of Dinosaur Big City is based on research from scientific advisors who help DINOSAUR TRAIN bring history to life and make science fun and accessible for kids. Laramidia – the “Dinosaur Big City” – describes an island continent that existed during the Late Cretaceous period and stretches from modern-day Alaska to Mexico.

“For millions of years during the age of dinosaurs, western North America was an isolated chunk of land known today as ‘Laramidia.’ A rich fossil record discovered in the American West has revealed that, despite its small size, Laramidia was home to tremendous diversity of dinosaurs,” said show host Dr. Scott Sampson, a dinosaur paleontologist, evolutionary biologist and author of Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life. “Dozens of species of giant dinosaurs co-existed on this ‘mini-continent,’ a major mystery that paleontologists are still trying to solve.”

Dinosaur Big City Movie Synopsis

Buddy and his Pteranodon family embark on a journey on the Dinosaur Train, gathering all their theropod friends together to travel to a really big Theropod Club Convention, which is being held in Laramidia, the “Dinosaur Big City.” Among the travelers is King Cryolophosaurus, a singing theropod who is more than a little nervous about giving a concert in front of his biggest audience ever in the Big City. Once the Dinosaur Train arrives in Laramidia, Buddy and the Pteranodon family explore the crowded “dinosaur metropolis.” At the Theropod Convention, the kids reunite with Annie Tyrannosaurus and her parents Delores and Boris, and they all meet the multi-horned mayor, Mayor Kosmoceratops. In the end, Buddy and Tiny help King Cryolophosaurus overcome his stage fright, and he wows a large dinosaur audience when he sings his new song, “Whole Lotta Theropods” at the Convention.

Dinosaur Big City on DVD

The movie will also be released on DVD on August 23 by Paramount Home Entertainment. The DVD includes the Dinosaur Big City movie and four bonus episodes of DINOSAUR TRAIN, as well as interactive games, coloring pages, a dinosaur reference guide and information for parents. The DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $14.99 U.S./$15.99 Canada.

For more information and images from Dinosaur Big City, visit PBS Pressroom.

DINOSAUR TRAIN™ & © The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.

About The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy® nominated “Sid the Science Kid,” “Dinosaur Train,” “Wilson & Ditch: Digging America” and “Pajanimals.” Features include “The Dark Crystal,” “Labyrinth,” “MirrorMask,” and “Unstable Fables” and television productions include “Fraggle Rock” and the sci-fi cult series “Farscape.”

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company’s Henson Alternative brand has recently announced the national tour of “Stuffed and Unstrung,” a live puppet improvisational show named one of the top 10 “Best Stage Shows of 2010” by Entertainment Weekly. www.henson.com

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About PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for children, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. Each quarter, more than 27 million viewers watch PBS KIDS on TV, and PBSKIDS.org, the number one kids’ entertainment site for free video streaming, attracts more than 10 million unique visitors per month (Nielsen, NTI Q42010; comScore Video Metrix; Google Analytics). For more information on specific PBS KIDS programs supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.

Disclosure: As I explained in the first paragraph I have a relationship with PBS Kids now and will receive products and press releases to blog about. Opinions are 100% mine.