Papercutz Announces Graphic Novels Based on Nickelodeon's THE LOUD HOUSE

The funny adventures of 11-year old Lincoln Loud who has to survive the struggles and bedlam of being the only boy in a household filled with  10 sisters is jumping from the TV screen to the pages of a comic book.  Papercutz, a leading publisher of graphic novels for kids, is publishing the first graphic novel based upon Nickelodeon's hit animated television series The Loud House.  "There Will Be Chaos" will feature stories and artwork from show creator and executive producer, Chris Savino, and his his talented team of animators and writers that are behind the creation of The Loud House episodes.  Papercutz has teamed up with Savino to distribute The Loud House mini-comics at San Diego ComicCon International in 2015 and 2016 and has included The Loud House comic strips in its Nickelodeon Pandemonium anthology, but "There Will Be Chaos" will be the first full volume graphic novel devoted solely to The Loud House.

The Loud House follows Lincoln as he gives an inside look at his daily life in a very large family. With his best bud Clyde, Lincoln always comes up with a plan to stay one step ahead of the chaos, but whether or not it works is where the adventures begin. Inspired by creator Chris Savino’s (Rocko’s Modern Life, The Powerpuff Girls) chaotic life growing up in a huge household, the television series was recently picked up for a third season by Nickelodeon.

“Comics are a first love of mine, so it’s incredibly exciting to expand The Loud House universe with this graphic novel,” Savino reflected in the announcement by Papercutz about the publication of this graphic novel. “With endless stories to be told from Lincoln and his 10 sisters, The Loud House feels just as 'at home' on the printed page as it does on television, and I look forward to sharing all the adventures to come with readers.”

THE LOUD HOUSE #1: "There Will Be Chaos" will be available in bookstores and comic book shops across the United States and Canada beginning May 9, 2017.  To find a local comic shop near you go to comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-COMIC-BOOK.  For more information about the graphic novels available through Papercutz, please visit papercutz.com

HARVEY BEAKS Two-Part Steampunk Themed Musical Special on Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon's HARVEY BEAKS animated television show is featuring a steampunk themed two-part musical special that will debut on Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24, 2016 at 5:30pm (ET/PT) on the cable channel.  Harvey and his friends set out on a brand-new, imaginary and musical journey where they explore the cogs, gears, and fantasy of the world Steamburg.

In Part 1 which premieres on the evening of June 23rd, Harvey imagines he is in a steampunk world, and is blamed for breaking a floating city.  Part 2 follows the next evening of Friday, June 24 where the songs and mystery continue when Harvey continues his quest to fix the floating city, but danger looms around every steamy corner.  This special two-episode story arc will feature four original songs: "Steamburg," "(Here In Our Town Called) Reject Town," "I Can Tell We're Gonna Be Friends" and "Friendship Can Do Anything."



Created and executive produced by C.H. Greenblatt (Chowder), Harvey Beaks follows the life of a big-hearted and big-headed kid and his impetuous two best friends. Together with an odd assortment of townsfolk in their magical forest, they get into all sorts of adventures and trouble. But no matter how ridiculous things get, they always find a way to stay true to themselves.

Visit the Harvey Beaks page on Nick.com or the Nick App to learn more about the show and its characters, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the series. Episodes of Harvey Beaks are available on Nick.com and the Nick App, along with digital download and streaming platforms that include iTunes, Amazon, Xbox, Google Play, Vudu, Playstation, and Nick On Demand.

Nickelodeon continuing popular animated series THE LOUD HOUSE for a second season

After its hugely successful first season debut in May which saw THE LOUD HOUSE dominate ratings as the #1 animated kids' show on television, it didn't take long for Nickelodeon to announce that it was renewing the series for a 14-episode second season.  THE LOUD HOUSE provides a humorous inside look at what it takes to survive the chaos of growing up in a huge family by following the lives of Lincoln Loud and his 10 sisters.  The series debuted on Monday, May 2, 2016 at 5:00 pm (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon and has quickly garnered a large following on the cable network.  THE LOUD HOUSE is inspired by creator and executive producer Chris Savino's life growing up in a family of 10 kids.



In season two of THE LOUD HOUSE, Lincoln remains the man with the plan as he navigates through the chaos of living in a family with 11 kids.  The upcoming season that is scheduled to arrive this Fall will dive deeper into the unique personalities of Lincoln's sisters as well as feature a spooky themed Halloween episode. If you haven't seen any of season one's shows yet, Nickelodeon has a few of the full length episodes available to view at your convenience on its website.

THE LOUD HOUSE is based on an animated short of the same name that was created by Chris Savino for Nickelodeon's annual Animated Shorts Program.  It is the first TV series to be greenlit from that global program which is designed to cultivate a new generation of creative talent for the cable network. THE LOUD HOUSE is being produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, California.

For more information, visit nick.com/loud-house

Nickelodeon Conjures Up A Halloween Celebration

Nickelodeon is getting into the Halloween spirit with a month-long celebration throughout October including holiday-themed premieres and specials from its live-action, animation and preschool series. Beginning Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT), Nick treats viewers to a fang-tastical TV movie, Liar, Liar, Vampire, starring Brec Bassinger (Bella and the Bulldogs) and Rahart Adams (Every Witch Way), followed by weekly Halloween-themed premieres throughout the month. Nickelodeon also invites viewers to the Halloween Ultimate Costume Party, a 60 minute special debuting Sunday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). Hosted by the cast of Game Shakers, the fest features live music, a costume contest, DIY Halloween tips and tutorials, along with special appearances by the cast of Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, Talia in the Kitchen and the WITS Academy.

Throughout October, Nickelodeon’s hit mobile apps get into the spirit with bone-chilling updates including new characters, collectable items and Halloween designs. SpongeBob Moves In will introduce a new character, Lord Poltergeist, new costumes and a Spooky Bikini Bottom skin. Sky Whale, the recently launched app from the new live-action series, Game Shakers, will feature ten new Halloween-themed collectible objects. Preschoolers will also be treated to new updates on the Nick Jr App and Noggin with themed home screens and video hubs, and Halloween-themed episodes of hit preschool series.

Fans can also visit Nick.com/games to access two new Halloween-themed games and a ghoulish update to fan-favorite, Nick Dance Machine. Nickelodeon Trendsetters debuts on Oct. 12, followed by Nickelodeon: OMG, Zombies! on Oct. 19.

Below is a rundown of Nickelodeon’s Halloween-themed premieres: NICKELODEON (all times ET/PT):

MONDAY, OCT. 12

7:00 p.m. – Liar, Liar, Vampire *Original Nickelodeon Movie* (simulcast on TeenNick and Nicktoons) When introverted 17-year old Davis Pell (Rahart Adams/Every Witch Way) switches schools, mega popular Caitlyn Crisp mistakes him for a vampire. His new neighbor Vi (Brec Bassinger/Bella and the Bulldogs) helps him dial up the ruse and his supernatural persona helps Davis rule the school. As word spreads, the truth becomes harder to hide.

SATURDAY, OCT. 17 

12:00 p.m. - Power Rangers “The Ghostest with the Mostest” Bat Monster kidnaps a costumed Ranger teen from a Halloween Party and extracts memories that will allow her to impersonate them. Kendall must ask the teens test questions to identify the imposter before all of the Energems are stolen.

SUNDAY, OCT. 18

 8:00 p.m. - Halloween Ultimate Costume Party (simulcast on TeenNick and Nicktoons) Hosted by the cast of Game Shakers, the 60 minute spooktacular show features live music, a costume contest, DIY Halloween tips and tutorials for kids and families, along with special appearances by the Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, Talia in the Kitchen and WITS Academy casts.

FRIDAY, OCT. 23

12:00 p.m. - Blaze and the Monster Machines “Truck or Treat” It’s Halloween in Axle City, and Blaze, AJ and all of their friends are excited to “Truck or Treat.” When Crusher tries to steal all of their candy, his plan goes awry and he sends their treats far away from Axle City. Blaze and his friends must race Crusher to get to their candy first.

12:30 p.m. - Wallykazam! “Dawn of the Zucchini” While helping Gina Giant harvest vegetables from her garden, Wally and Norville meet a garden gnome. His name is Zach, but he doesn’t like his name because he thinks that ‘z’ isn’t a very fun letter. Wally decides to show Zach just how many fun words ‘z’ can make. It’s all going great until Bobgoblin convinces Wally to make a zillion zombie zucchinis who take off with Gina’s vegetables.

 1:00 p.m. - Shimmer and Shine “A Very Genie Halloweenie” It’s Halloween and Leah invites her genies over to join the fun. Since everyone is in costume, no one will know they’re real genies!. Zac is competing in a haunted house competition, but he accidentally ruins his own decorations. Leah makes a wish to make Zac’s house look haunted and the genies turn it into a real haunted house, complete with a real live Frankenstein! It’s a spooktacular adventure as the girls try to stop Frankenstein from smashing every Jack-O’-Lantern in Leah’s neighborhood.

 1:30 p.m. - Dora and Friends “Trick or Treat” When Emma accidentally scares off Abuela's cat Lucky on Halloween, Dora and her friends must travel to a real monster mash to save the kitty from a jealous witch.

 8:00 p.m. - Harvey Beaks “Le Corn Maze…OF DOOM!”/ “Harvey Isn’t Scary” In “Le Corn Maze…OF DOOM!,” After the kids claim that last year’s Halloween maze wasn’t all scary, the Squirrels swear to make this year’s maze the scariest ever. Everyone enters the maze but will anyone ever exit? Then in “Harvey Isn’t Scary,” a Littlebark Halloween tradition involves telling scary stories to keep the boogeyman away, but Harvey can’t seem to scare anyone. If he doesn’t step up his game, they’re all going to be in trouble.

SATURDAY, OCT. 24

8:30 p.m. - Game Shakers “Scared Tripless” Double G has scared Triple G every Halloween since he was a baby. This year, Double G asks Babe and Kenzie to help, but they double-cross him by telling Triple G his elaborate plan.

 9:00 p.m. - 100 Things to do Before High School “Have the Best Halloween Ever Thing!” CJ is determined to fix Principal Hader’s Halloween-hate in time to rescue the school’s cancelled Halloween festivities. Meanwhile, Crispo and Fenwick deal with costume-related crises.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28

7:30 p.m. – The Thundermans “Patch Me If You Can” Phoebe babysits her boyfriend's shy brother, but the mild-mannered boy discovers his evil side when he gets his hands on one of Max's inventions.

8:00 p.m. - Bella and the Bulldogs “Sha-Boo! Ya” During Halloween, Troy and Sawyer try to scare the girls at the annual football and cheerleader campout and an urban legend about the school’s old groundskeeper becomes all too real.

Also here's a run-down of Halloween specials on NICK JR:

MONDAY, OCT. 19

6:00 p.m. - Fresh Beat Band of Spies “Ghost of Rock” To save a haunted music theater, the Fresh Beat Band of Spies must help Spooky Spooks, a friendly and energetic ghost who just wants to rock.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21

6:00 p.m. - Little Charmers “Spooky Pumpkin Moon Night” On Spooky Pumpkin Moon Night, Hazel and the Charmers go to the pumpkin patch to find the best pumpkins to win the contest.

THURSDAY, OCT. 22

 6:00 p.m. - Tickety Toc “Trick or Treat Time/Spooky Time” In “Trick or Treat Time,” after the twins go trick or treating, they help prepare toffee treats for the Halloween party. In the process, they unleash a giant toffee monster that puts a scare into Tickety Town. Then in “Spooky Time,” while preparing for the Spooky Party, Pufferty is scared by his own reflection and races off into the Spooky Woods. The twins go after him, but they must conquer their own fears to bring him back in time for Chime Time.

WHAT'S YOUR NICKFLUENCE? Animation Challenge To Provide $25,000 College Scholarship

Know a college aged student who would love a career in the field of television and movie animation?  Nickelodeon, known for its cable television and internet programming for kids, Get Schooled, a national non-profit organization founded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom are going to be giving one skilled and innovative young animator the chance to win a $25,000 scholarship through the inaugural "What's Your Nickfluence?" Animation Challenge.  Anyone between the ages of 13 and 24 can submit an original 3 minute Nick-inspired short film between now and September 14, 2015.  Entries should celebrate Nickelodeon's past and present shows and brand, and demonstrate how these influenced the applicant's art, childhood, and life.

"What's Your Nickfluence?" participants between the ages of 17 and 24 who are in college will be competing to win a $25,000 scholarship to be used towards school tuition and expenses.  High school students between the ages of 13 and 17 can also submit entries for the chance to win a Wacom Cintiq 13 HD Interactive Pen Display, along with a one year subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud services.  All applicants must comply with the submission process and rules described at https://getschooled.com/nickfluencechallenge.

From September 28, 2015 through November 15, 2015 fans will have the chance to vote for their favorite "People's Choice" short at GetSchooled.com.  A panel of judges though will select the final prize winners with one winner in the college category receiving the scholarship and five winners in the high school category.

Shimmer and Shine Whirl onto Nickelodeon's TV Lineup

Thanks to our friends at Nickelodeon, my twins were two of the first kids to be able to watch a brand new animated TV show featuring the whimsical adventures of twin genies-in-training named Shimmer and Shine.  My son and daughter were amused by the first few episodes of Nickelodeon's Shimmer and Shine and found the show to be full of magic, music and misadventures.  Like many of Nickelodeon's shows aimed at young audiences, the show incorporates a social-emotional curriculum within its stories that highlights the importance of teamwork, resilience, and overcoming obstacles.  It is a cute show that is primarily aimed at preschoolers but probably would keep the attention and entertain children as old as Kindergarten or First Grade age as well. The show takes a lot of cues from Nickelodeon's Dora shows and movies which makes a lot of sense knowing that Shimmer and Shine's creator Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz has spent the last ten years working as a post-production supervisor for Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go.

Shimmer and Shine premieres on Monday August 17, 2015 at 7:30 pm (ET/PT) across the United States on Nick and the Nick Jr. channel.  Following its U.S. launch, the series will debut on Nickelodeon's international channels beginning in the fall.  The first season of Shimmer and Shine will consist of 20 episodes featuring the twin genies making wishes for their friend Leah that lead to surprising mishaps but the trio is always able to figure out a way to make the mistakes turn out great.

In Shimmer and Shine, the twin sisters are Leah's secret genies.  Leah always has a dilemma that she needs her magical friends' assistance with, and the genies-in-training are happy to grant her a maximum of three wishes a day to help her out.  Sometimes they misinterpret what Leah wishes for and accidentally grant her wishes she didn't even mean to make.  Each wrong wish quickly compounds into a crazy adventure.  Ultimately through teamwork, the genies and Leah find a way to fix the problem and save the day!

Eleven year old Eva Bella is the voice of Shimmer.  She booked her first professional gig at 6 years old in a Disney Jr. commercial and shortly afterward landed a recurring role on NBC's Parenthood.  Since then, this charismatic young actress has appeared in a variety of regional and national television commercials.  Eva has also provided the voices in a number of prominent animated feature films including Frozen, Despicable Me 2 and Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Despite her focus on acting and performing, Eva has also kept her focus on school and is a straight A student, making her a remarkable role model for children showing you can reach for your dream while staying grounded in the ordinary routines of life.

Shine is voiced by 10 year old Isabella Crovetti-Cramp.  For a young age, she has an impressive list of TV show credits for her acting credentials having appeared on The Neighbors, Jessie, Happy Endings, In Plain Sight, Mike & Molly, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and  CSI: Miami.  Isabella will also be appearing in Colony, a brand-new series on USA Network. She has twin brothers at hime who help inspire her for this role.  It looks like Isabella is a name to remember as she continues developing a career in the entertainment industry.

"The beautiful fantasy world of Shimmer and Shine offers endless possibilities for magical adventures," said Russel Hicks, Nickelodeon's President of Content Development and Production in a press release sent to A Geek Daddy.  "First-time creator Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz is a homegrown success story who started as an intern at Nick.  She epitomizes the diverse talent and empowering spirit that comes from Nickelodeon Animation Studio."

The new series will debut with "The Sweetest Thing" on August 17th.  In the episode, Leah wishes for the genies help in making cupcakes for her school bake sale.  Through silly misunderstandings, Leah, Shimmer, and Shine find themselves stuck with a giant birthday cake, some farm animals and no wishes left.  They must work together to fix their magical mistakes without drawing the attention of Leah's curious (and hungry) neighbor Zac.

CLICK HERE to watch a full episode of Shimmer and Shine for yourself before the series debuts on TV.  Enjoy the GENIE TREEHOUSE!

Papercutz announces partnership with Nickelodeon

One of our family's favorite publishers is a company called Papercutz which specializes in producing graphic novels aimed for children and teens.  Whether you have a preschooler or a high schooler at home, Papercutz has something of interest to kids of all ages with titles ranging from Disney Fairies and Dinosaurs for younger children to The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Diaries for older ones.  So we were excited to hear that Papercutz is expanding its offerings through a new partnership with Nickelodeon.

The partnership will give Papercutz the first option to adapt all new Nickelodeon original properties into comics and graphic novels.  The new partnership will allow Papercutz to work with Nickelodeon at the earliest stages of a show's development, ensuring that the graphic novels based on these new programs are as faithful to the original look and spirit of the series as possible. This arrangement will also allow Papercutz to make graphic novels available to book and comic stores closer to the debut of new animated series on Nickelodeon then previously possible.  Under this deal, Papercutz already has plans for publishing two new series titles in 2015 and two more graphic novel series beginning in 2016.  Plus beginning in June 2015, Papercutz will also begin publishing an all new Nickelodeon Magazine which will preview the comics content that will be featured in the graphic novels, debut new properties in comics form and also feature a variety of games, puzzles and other activities for kids.

The first two Nickelodeon-based titles to be launched by Papercutz will be SANJAY AND CRAIG debuting in September 2015 and BREADWINNERS which will debut in October 2015.

SANJAY AND CRAIG is the story of an adventurous 12-year-old boy who proves the old adage: there's nothing you can't accomplish (or destroy) as long as your best friend is a talking snake. The adventures of this dude-snake duo have been a ratings smash for Nickelodeon with the series ranking as the #2 animated show across all TV among kids 2 to 11.  The first SANJAY AND CRAIG graphic novel is set to debut just in time for the premiere of the series’ third season on Nickelodeon.

BREADWINNERS features the adventures of SwaySway and Buhdeuce, two carefree ducks who fly around in a super sweet rocket van, delivering bread to hungry beaks everywhere. Like SANJAY AND CRAIG, BREADWINNERS has been a popular program on the Nickelodeon's cable television lineup.

"Papercutz's strong track record with licensed properties for kids made them our ideal choice for a publishing partner,” stated  Linda Lee, VP of Nickelodeon Domestic Publishing, in a press release sent to A Geek Daddy Blog. "As we grow our stable of original animated properties, we wanted to work with a company that could reach the broadest possible audience. We're excited to work with the Papercutz team and we look forward to adding the Nickelodeon characters to one of the most diverse lists offered by any children's publisher."

For more information about Papercutz's graphic novel offerings, visit www.papercutz.com.

New Animated Television Series Flies Onto Nickelodeon's Show Schedule In March: Harvey Beaks

A mild-mannered bird and his two wild best friends embark on a series of hilarious adventures in Nickelodeon’s brand-new animated series Harvey Beaks, debuting Sunday, March 29, at 7:00p.m. (ET/PT).  This 26-episode series, created and executive produced by C.H. Greenblatt , tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Harvey, a kid who’s never broken the rules, and Fee and Foo, his two friends who’ve never lived by any.  Greenblatt returns to Nickelodeon after beginning his career in animation as a storyboard artist and writer on SpongeBob SquarePants.  He later created and executive produced Chowder and was a storyboard artist and writer for The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy at Cartoon Network.  Greenblatt also directed his own version of the character Deadman for Cartoon Network's DC Nation shorts.

Greenblatt's newest creation is set in a magical forest and follows one sweet bird on his mission to experience wild adventures with the help of his two best friends.  Harvey, Fee and Foo’s connection only grows stronger throughout the series as they push each other into endless fun. On Sunday, March 29, at 7:00p.m. (ET/PT), the series will launch in its regular timeslot with “The Spitting Tree.” Spitting from the highest tree in Littlebark is fun until the kids realize they can’t get back down.

“Carl Greenblatt’s very funny and heart-warming stories fit directly in with Nickelodeon’s DNA and sensibilities,” noted Russell Hicks, President of Content Development and Production, Nickelodeon, in a press release provided to A Geek Daddy blog.  “In Harvey Beaks, viewers have the opportunity to discover the joys, triumphs and fears of growing up through thoughtful characters who push their limits and step out of their personal comfort zones.”

Beginning March 26, you visit the Harvey Beaks page on Nick.com and the Nick App to learn more about the show and its characters, get a behind-the-scenes look at the series and play new games including “Harvey Beaks Pe-Choo!” and take the quiz "Which Character Are You?”.   Episodes of Harvey Beaks will be available on Nick.com and the Nick App, along with platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Xbox, Google Play, Vudu, Playstation, Hulu and VOD.

Here's a little bit more information on the show's main characters:

HARVEY

Harvey is a well-behaved kid who lives by the rules and gets a kick out of making his world a nice, neat and orderly place, but behind his innocence burns an adventurous, yet thoughtful spirit. He is not a kid who can easily break rules, so in order to get the most out of life, he re-writes them in his own earnest way. Where Harvey leads, his best friends, Fee and Foo always follow. Fee and Foo’s wild nature inspire him to take bigger risks. With friends like these, Harvey might get into more trouble, but he will also have more fun.

FEE

Fee is a kid who sinks her pointy teeth into childhood. She’s fiercely loyal, confident and dirty. Since she’s never had anyone to tell her what to do, she does exactly what she wants. As much as Harvey follows rules, Fee follows her heart. She’s rough and tumble and driven by what seems fun and interesting in the moment. Like her hair, she’s completely untamed and wild, willing to risk everything for her friends or her beliefs.

FOO

Foo is like a puppy. He likes sticks, eating bugs, running and chewing on things. Foo is the most impulsive of the three friends. He can be totally energized one minute and fast asleep the next. Foo considers Harvey his very best friend and Harvey feels the same, which is nice because Harvey can teach Foo about taking baths and wearing pants. He has a pure heart and, if he had sleeves, he would wear it on them.

Tune in to Nickelodeon on Sundays starting March 29th to follow the adventures of Harvey, Fee & Foo in the magical forest of Littlebark.

New Mobile App from Nickelodeon provides Streaming Media to help Preschoolers develop their Noggin

Starting March 5, 2015 Nickelodeon will begin streaming unique content meant to help preschoolers develop their noggins through a new app called "Noggin." Available through the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, Noggin's content for preschoolers will be available by parents buying a monthly subscription to access the content via the app.  The paid service will be ad free and cost $5.99 per month.

When Noggin launches on March 5th it content will include episodes of Blue's Clues, Allegra's Window, Franklin & Friends, Gullah Gullah Island, Little Bear, Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, Ni Hao Kai-lan, Oswald, Pocoyo, Robot and Monster, and The Upside Down Show; music videos featuring Nickelodeon characters; and the return of the retired characters Moose and Zee to host educational videos that will help children learn letters, shapes, matching and other important skills to get ready for kindergarten.  Over time new content, games, and activities will be added to the app.  The Noogin library of videos, games, and activities will be separate and distinct from the televised and online preschool content available through Nick Jr. and Nickelodeon's other distribution platforms.

Nickelodeon's Noggin will provide content specifically targeted for preschooler's educational and entertainment needs and appears aimed to appeal to the growing number of households that have cut cable television services and to active on the go parents who would like a mobile option accessible for their children when the family is out and about.  Of course, not wanting to compete with their own successful cable network brands, subscribers won't find Nick's most popular preschool focused characters like Dora, PAW Patrol and Wallykazam! on Noggin.

Do you have preschoolers at home and if so does Noggin peek your interest?  If you decide to subscribe to Noggin send us a message to share your experience with the app.  Share your thoughts with A Geek Daddy Blog via email thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com , Facebook, Twitter, or the comment section below.

Nickelodeon's Newest Animated Series Promotes Math, Science, Technology & Engineering Through Monster Truck Adventures

Monsters are coming to Nick TV (the Nickelodeon cable channel) during Halloween Month ( aka October) with the hour long premiere on Monday October 13th of its brand new animated series for preschoolers Blaze and the Monster Machines.  These aren't the spooky kind of monsters that hide under the bed though but rather monster trucks that will help introduce the exciting world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) to its viewers.  Nickelodeon is promoting Blaze and the Monster Machines as the first preschool show on TV to comprehensively cover all areas of STEM in every episode.  Combining Monster Trucks with Math and Science...this Geek Daddy LIKES the idea!

The series follows the adventures of the monster truck Blaze and his eight-year-old driver AJ.  Together they explore the physics of how things move; tackle problems through scientific inquiry and mathematics; and discover the parts needed to make everyday technologies work.  Each episode is filled with MONSTER TRUCKS, physical humor, and upbeat original songs with lyrics that highlight a STEM concept such as adhesion, friction, force, trajectory, and magnetism.  Blaze and the Monster Machines is created by the head writer of Team Umizoomi, Jeff Borkin, and the supervising producer of Bubble Guppies, Ellen Martin.

In its hour long premiere, on Monday October 13 at 12:00pm (ET/PT), Blaze and AJ are introduced to a world of racing monster machines in the town of Axle City.  When Crusher, a troublemaker truck, uses his dirty tricks to try to win the championship race, Blaze does everything he can to help his friends and beat him to the finish line.  In the show's "Blaze of Glory" debut the STEM concepts of buoyancy and trajectory will be focused on.

Following the series premiere, Blaze and the Monster Machines will feature three weeks of new original 1/2 hour episodes as the show is broadcast in its scheduled time slot of week day afternoons at 12:30pm (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.  I'm really excited to see a television show that highlights concepts such as buoyancy, friction and magnetism in a way that catches children's attention in an educational and entertaining way!  Oh and what dad wouldn't think the monster truck angle is just plain out cool!  There really is a lot of STEM concepts behind the scenes in the construction and racing of vehicles that many people don't think about so this show is taking a fun approach to hopefully getting some serious topics stuck in kids heads that will spur their imaginations, help with school work and encourage children not to be scared of pursuing careers that involve math, engineering or science.  Unfortunately because of some societal stigmas children have a tendency to want to stay away from STEM classes and careers because they consider them "geeky" but shows like Blaze and the Monster Machines demonstrate to children at an early age that geeky can be fun, interesting and cool and not something to think of in a bad way.  A Geek Daddy blog has to give a nod of approval to that!

Nickelodeon Goes Dark to Encourage Kids: Get Out & Play

You'd think that a multimedia company that makes its money by providing children focused television programing and online services would be the last ones to pull the plug on their content to encourage kids to get outside and play; but Nickelodeon is doing just that!  In an effort to promote that children's television viewing, video game playing and online use should be balanced with outdoor active play time, Nickelodeon is going dark on September 20, 2014 in recognition of Worldwide Day of Play.

Beginning at 9 a.m. through Noon on September 20th, Nickelodeon will air special messages featuring stars from some of its most popular live-action series, including  Sydney Park and Tylen Jacob Williams (Instant Mom), Curtis Harris and Breanna Yde (The Haunted Hathaways) and Paola Andino and Nick Merico (Every Witch Way), that will encourage children and teens to take time to be more physically active.  Than at Noon, Nickelodeon will sign-off, not just the main Nick cable channel but all of is television and online outlets Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nick.com, NickJr.com, Nicktoons.com, TeenNick.com, and the Nick App for mobile devices, until 3pm.  While the network is turned off a message encouraging TV viewers and online visitors to go out and play will appear.  When Nickelodeon's channels, websites and app resume normal operations at 3pm, messages promoting getting outside and playing featuring highlights from "Road to Worldwide Day of Play" events that Nickelodeon sponsored in my hometown of DETROIT, MICHIGAN, San Diego, California and Virginia Beach, Virginia over the summer will continue for the remainder of the day.

If you didn't make it to one of the three summer kickoff events to Worldwide Day of Play, there will be thousands of events across the country taking place on September 20th hosted by Nickeldeon's national partners, including Afterschool Alliance, the Association of Children's Museums, the Boys and Girls Club of America, Girls on the Run, the Girl Scouts of the USA, Key Club/Kiwanis, the National Environment Education Foundation, NFL PLAY 60, Playworks, Right to Play (USA Gymnastics), Roller Skating International, Save the Children, the United States Tennis Association, Up2Us, USA BMX and the YMCA, to encourage kids to get off the couch and out of the house to spend some time playing.  Click here for a list of links to all of these national Worldwide Day of Play partners to check and see if they are hosting any events in your area.

The United States Tennis Association is probably one of the most active partners this year in holding and promoting events tied to Worldwide Day of Play.  Visit their website and you can enter your zip code to find an event near you.  I found one of their events going on 5 miles from our house.  You may also want to keep an eye out for other local tie-in events being promoted in your own community by various organizations.

What are some of the reasons why it is important to get kids outside playing?  Playing outdoors helps build up immune systems, provides exercise, stimulates imagination, promotes problem solving, and provides Vitamin D.  Check out a nice article from Mommies Magazine on this topic.  Add to this list that our family likes to get outside and take a few trips to our local zoo throughout the year to get a good dose of Vitamin Z too!

So how are you going to get out and play for the Worldwide Day of Play?  I know that we'll be out playing soccer that day.

NFL STARS FACE OFF IN DUNK TANK COMPETITION DURING "LIVE" NICKELODEON BROADCAST

PRO BOWL PLAYERS LARRY FITZGERALD & EARL THOMAS III 

FACE BEING DUNKED LIVE

AT NICKELODEON'S INAUGURAL KIDS CHOICE SPORTS 2014 AWARDS SHOW

Thursday, July 17 @ 8pm (ET) on Nickelodeon

Often times you see dunk tanks at carnivals and school events as a fun event to raise money for a community organization.  I've had some fun in the past throwing pitches and scoring a bullseye to dunk a dreaded teacher, good guy city police chief, and a bow-tied judge in the tank.  Nickelodeon (Nick) is taking the dunk tank competition to the next level at its inaugural Kids Choice Sports Awards Show on Thursday, July 17, 2014. Two dunk tanks will be aligned across from one another and the people seated on them will attack each other's targets trying to be the first dunk the other in a dodge ball style throw down on live tv.  It won't just be two average joes facing off though, Nick will be pitting elite NFL players against each other as Larry Fitzgerald and Earl Thomas III face off during the VERIZON POWER DUNK.

If seeing NFL stars trying to dunk each other wasn't fun enough there is one more "catch" to this game...viewers get to decide what they will be dunked in.  Will it be Nick's trademark green slime?  a tank full of mud? or maybe maple syrup?  During the show the viewers can vote!  Just CLICK THIS LINK to visit the voting page on Nick's website during the Kids Choice Sports Awards Show to help determine which mess either Larry Fitzgerald or Earl Thomas III will get dunked into.  One player will emerge clean and victorious and the other will be submerged in who knows what kind of gooey mess.

Larry Fitzgerald is an 8 time Pro Bowl wide receiver.  In 2013, he became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 11,000 career receiving yards.

Earl Thomas III is a 3 time Pro Bowl free safety for the Super Bowl XLVIII winning Seattle Seahawks and is a member of that team's renowned "Legion of Boom."

Remember to visit Nick.com/powerdunk to vote on which dunk tank mess the loser will fall into and watch to see the competition live during the Kids Choice Sports 2014 Awards.

Kids Choice Sports allows kids to cast votes for their favorite athletes, teams and sports moments from the year.  Among the superstar athletes on the first-ever ballot are Carmelo Anthony, Tom Brady, Gabby Douglas, Kevin Durant, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Gracie Gold, Lebron James, Derek Jeter, Marshawn Lynch, Peyton Manning, Candace Parker, Danica Patrick, Chris Paul, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lindsey Vonn, Dwyane Wade, Abby Wamback, Tiger Woods, and many more!

Performing during the show will be multi-Grammy Award winning artist Pharrell Williams and award winning country music sensation Florida Georgia Line performing a medley of their hit songs.  There will also be a great lineup of athletes and celebrities presenting awards during the show including Super Bowl XLVIII champion Marshwan Lynch (Seattle Seahawks), NBA MVP Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Will Arnett & Megan Fox (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), George Lopez, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, Olympic snow boarder Kelly Clark, Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) and Nick Cannon (America's Got Talent).  The Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports 2014 Awards Show will be hosted by NFL Hall of Fame player and top-rated morning talk show personality from LIVE with Kelly and Michael, Michael Strahan.

CLICK HERE for more information about the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports 2014 Awards Show.