It's Panda-monium in April

If you know any children that go bonkers over pandas be prepared for panda-monium to ensue.  PBS Kids is releasing on April 11 a DVD featuring a 4 episode collection from the Wild Kratts animated television series which focus on animals from China and highlights pandas.  Then Disney's BORN IN CHINA is arriving at movie theaters across the United States on April 21.  This feature film follows three animal families (pandas, snow leopards, golden monkeys) as they live in the wild. Based upon opening week attendance (April 21 - 27, 2017), Disney will make a contribution to the World Wildlife Fund to help protect wild pandas and snow leopards in China.  Kids who love pandas are really going to be delighted this month.

The WILD KRATTS: PANDA-MONIUM DVD from PBS Kids provides four action-packed adventures where the Kratt brothers (Chris & Martin) save giant pandas from the evil Zach Varmitech, find an adorable little lost red panda and help to reunite her with her mother, save animals captured in China from the villain Donita Donata, and more!

Panda Power Up

While checking out the endangered giant panda, the Wild Kratts get stranded in the bamboo forests of China without having power for any of their vehicles or equipment. They must figure out how to ‘power up’ in time to help save the pandas, who are being turned into roboticized stuffed toys by the nefarious villain, Zach Varmitech. An ‘ancient panda secret’ just might lead to the creature power that will restart their engines and save the pandas.  

Red Panda Rescue


Chris finds a little lost Red panda, but before she can be reunited with her mother, Zach steals her as a birthday present for Donita Donata. It’s Wild Kratts to the rescue!

The Colors of China 

While hanging out with golden pheasants in China, Martin and Chris wonder how important color is for creatures. But when Donita Donata begins to steal animals and remove their color, they soon discover just how critical it is for survival. It’s a race to stop Donita and get color back into the creature world!

Snowy Owl Invasion

Martin and Chris are hanging out in China with their giant panda friend Stuffo when they receive reports of snowy owls showing up all over North America. Since these raptors live in the Arctic, it’s up to the Wild Kratts to solve the mystery of the snowy owl invasion! 

WILD KRATTS transforms the Kratt Brothers, creators of the award-winning “Kratts’ Creatures” and Emmy-winning “Zoboomafoo,” into animated versions of themselves, allowing the real-life zoologists to visit wild animals in their little-seen habitats and showcase key science concepts along the way. From elephants using physics to suck gallons of water with their trunks to a fleet of peregrine falcons that harness the force of gravity to speed through the air, each episode of WILD KRATTS presents age-appropriate science inspired by the natural abilities of the animals that the Kratt Brothers – and young viewers – meet. WILD KRATTS airs daily on PBS KIDS (check local listings). 

Disney's BORN IN CHINA explores the magic and mystery of China's exotic wildlife.  Narrated by John Krasinski ( NBC's "The Office"), this movie transports audiences to some of the world's most extreme environments to witness intimate moments in the lives of animals that are only found in the wild within China.  A panda bear guides her growing baby that is beginning to seek independence from the mother. A two-year old golden monkey who feels displaced by his new baby sister joins up with a group of free-spirited outcasts.  And a mother snow leopard -- an elusive animal rarely seen by human eyes -- raises two cubs in one of the harshest environments on Earth.

BORN IN CHINA features stunning, never-before-seen imagery and includes pandas in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in the Si Chuan province, golden snub-nosed monkeys in the Hubei Shennongjia Nature Reserve in the middle of the Yangtze River and the elusive snow leopards in the Qinghai Province which is on the northeast rim of the Tibetan plateau (5,000 meters above sea level).  The movie also shows the rarely filmed chiru, located in the Kekexili National Reserve, and red-crowned cranes filmed at the Heilongjiang Zhanglong National Nature Reserve and Jiangsu Yancheng National Nature Reserve for Coastal Rare Birds.

Learn more about pandas and the other animals BORN IN CHINA features be enjoying this entertaining and educational activity pack courtesy of The Walt Disney Studios:



Want to see a Panda up close?  These animals are rare and endangered but there are a few on display at a few zoos in the USA on loan from China to assist with conservation education and captive breeding programs.  The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC has 3 pandas you can meet during a visit, Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Bei Bei.  Can't make it to the nation's capital?  Visit the zoo's website to view a live webcam feed of these panda bears' exhibit for a real-time view of these animals.

The Atlanta Zoo is also home to a panda family.  In fact a set of panda cub twins were just born in September 2016 expanding the growing family of parents Lun Lun and Yang Yang.  Check them out on the zoo's pandacam.

When I think of Memphis it is Graceland and BBQ that come to mind, but this Tennessee city is also home to the pandas Le Le and Ya Ya.  They are on loan from China until 2023 and make a trip to the zoo well worth a visit if you are in town.



The final zoo you can find pandas at in the USA is on the West Coast.  The San Diego Zoo is considered one of the best zoos in the country and the panda display is one of the jewels in its crown.  They also have a Panda Cam if your family can't make it out to southern California and want to see Gao Gao, Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu. 

My daughter loves pandas so she's going to be thrilled as we watch the complimentary WILD KRATTS: PANDA-MONIUM DVD PBS Kids sent our way, celebrate Earth Day by going to see BORN IN CHINA and check out the web cams that provide a look at those animals that live in zoos.  April is going to be a month of panda-monium! 

San Diego Zoo Panda Cam

TROLLS -- THE MOVIE

The Trolls are coming! The Trolls are coming! We're all familiar with the dolls with the wacky hair and now they're coming to the big screen for their very own animated comedy adventure.   DreamWorks' TROLLS arrives at movie theaters across the United States on November 4, 2016.



This holiday season, enter a colorful, wondrous world populated by hilariously unforgettable characters and discover the story of the overly optimistic Trolls, with a constant song on their lips, and the comically pessimistic Bergens, who are only happy when they have trolls in their stomach. Featuring original music from Justin Timberlake, and soon-to-be classic mash-ups of songs from other popular artists, the film also features the voice talents of Timberlake along with Anna Kendrick, Russell Brand, James Corden, Kunal Nayyar, Ron Funches, Icona Pop, Gwen Stefani, and many more. DreamWorks' TROLLS is a fresh, broad comedy filled with music, heart and hair-raising adventures.

Thank you to DreamWorks Studios for providing us with some wacky hair to get my kids in the mood for watching the movie.  For more information about this film, please visit www.dreamworks.com/trolls

FUN FALL ACTIVITIES

Just because for many of us the weather begins to get brisk during the Fall season doesn't mean your family can't be outside enjoying itself.  From apple orchard trips to themed 5k runs to visits to haunted houses there are more fun things to do in the Fall than I can try to count.  That being said, I joined with my friends from the Social Fabric Blogger Network to try and list as many fall family friendly activities as we could all come up with taking place across the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom.  Enjoy checking out all these great blog posts and if you have a favorite Fall activity or event not mentioned below, feel free to plug it in this post's comment section so we can all learn about it!

USA

Arizona

• East Valley - Experiencing Parenthood
• Phoenix - Meatloaf and Melodrama
• Tucson - Desert Chica

California

• Escalon - The Naptime Reviewer
• Sacramento - Gluesticks
• Santa Clarita - This Talk Ain't Cheap

Connecticut

• Northwestern Connecticut - The Momma Diaries

Florida

• Fort Myers - Flour on my Face
• Pensacola - Just a Little Creativity
• South Florida - Huppie Mama
• Tampa Bay Area - Stacey Homemaker

Georgia

• Atlanta - Married Filing Jointly

Hawaii

• Honolulu - Communikait

Illinois

• Chicago - Kids are a Trip
• Chicago - Tiaras & Tantrums

Indiana

• Northeast Indiana - The Teel House

Iowa

• Central Iowa - A Journey to Thin

Kansas

• Kansas City - Mama Plus One

Kentucky

• Louisville, Lexington & Frankfort - Hobbies on a Budget

Louisiana

• Baton Rouge - The Mama Zone

Massachusetts

• Boston - Feathers and Stripes

Michigan

• Ann Arbor - Ann Arbor with Kids
• Detroit - A Geek Daddy

Minnesota

• Minneapolis - The Real Housewives of Minnesota

Nebraska

• Omaha - Mom on the Side

New Hampshire

• Upper Valley Region - Scrappy Geek

New York

• Albany - Just Another Mom

North Carolina

• Piedmont - It Happens in a Blink

Ohio

• Cleveland - I Need a Playdate
• Columbus - Mission to Save
• Northern Miami Valley - Home & Garden Cafe

Pennsylvania

• Philadelphia Suburbs - A Grande Life
• Philadelphia Suburbs - Mamma Bear's World
• Philadelphia Suburbs - Mama Cheaps
• Pittsburgh - Third Stop on the Right

Rhode Island

• Providence - Tall Mom Tiny Baby
• Providence & Surrounding Areas - Mama Luvs Books

South Carolina

• Jefferson - An Alli Event

Tennessee

• East Tennessee - Creative Southern Home
• Nashville - Family Focus Blog

Texas

• Dallas/Fort Worth - DFW Images
• Dallas/Fort Worth - Julie is Coco and Cocoa
• Dallas/Fort Worth - Momma DJane
• Fort Worth - Mommie....Again
• Northwest Texas - For What It's Worth
• San Antonio - House of Fauci's
• San Antonio - Ramblings of a Marine Wife

Utah

• Salt Lake City - The Ranting Latina

Virginia

• New River Valley - Pursuit of Pink

Washington

• Seattle - Not Just a Mommy

CANADA

London, Ontario - Creative Cynchronicity

Toronto, Ontario - Teddy Out-Ready

 UK

Yorkshire - JuggleMum  

 #Fall4SoFab

Pope Francis Visits United States This Week

Photo by Dave Yoder/National Geographic

Our children have been going to Sunday and Holiday masses with my wife and I since they were infants, but the next few months are a particularly important time for their induction into the Catholic faith as they begin attending catechism and preparing for their First Communion.  So Pope Francis' visit to the United States from Tuesday, September 22 through Sunday, September 27th presents a great opportunity for us to have some teachable moments regarding the Catholic faith and the Pope's role in the Church as he tours our country.

As part of our discussion with our children about the Pope's visit, we read together as a family the book National Geographic Readers: Pope Francis.  This book was really perfect for our first grader twins because it is a Level 1 book meant for early independent readers or parents reading aloud to their kids.  This 32 page softcover book is recommended for children 4 to 6 years old and provides readers with an overview of the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina who became the first Pope to originate from the Americas and the first to replace another living Pope for the leadership position of the world's largest Christian church which has a congregation of more than 1.25 billion people worldwide.

Photo by Dave Yoder/National Geographic

National Geographic Kids points out some fun facts in their book that can help children relate to Pope Francis such as:

• Pope Francis is the oldest brother of 5 siblings;
• He loved to play soccer as a kid;
• Praying was something he learned from his grandmother during his childhood;
• He has been featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine;
• The Pope is an excellent cook;
• He was the first Pope to take a Selfie;
• As a kid Pope Francis collected stamps and now his image is featured on several stamps.

This National Geographic Kids book written by Barbara Kramer is available for $3.99 from the National Geographic online store and other retailers such as Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.  It is part of the National Geographic Readers series which provides kid friendly profiles of public and historical figures including Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Graham Bell, George Washington, Rosa Parks, Sacagawea, Thomas Edison and President Obama.  These easy to read books also feature topics such as Coral Reefs, Ellis Island, Mars, Trucks, Weird Sea Creatures and Volcanoes.

Pope Francis visit to the United States begins in Washington D.C. where he will meet the President at the White House and give a speech to a Joint Session of Congress at the Capitol.  There will also be a Papal Parade through the National Mall and a special mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Pope Francis will be in Washington D.C. from Tuesday September 22 through Thursday September 24.

The Pope will arrive in New York City on Thursday evening.  While in New York he will attend an evening prayers at St. Patrick's Cathedral, address the United Nations General Assembly, attend a mulit-religious services at the Word Trade Center's 9/11 memorial and museum, visit a catholic elementary school in East Harlem, and have a procession through Central Park.  Pope Francis' stay in Manhattan will wrap up with a mass at Madison Square Gardens on Friday, September 25th.

Pope Francis arrives in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 26th for a two day stay.  While in Philadelphia, he will hold mass at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, visit Independence Mall, meet with bishops at the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, tour the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, and meet with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families.  The Pope then departs back to Rome on Sunday evening.

While hundreds of thousands of people are expected to see Pope Francis as he visits the US, if you aren't able to be in the area to see him in person here are a few suggestions on how to join in on the experience from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:

• Take part in a "Virtual Pilgrimage" with these prayers as the Holy Father makes his way to more than a dozen different locations in Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia.

• Learn more about the places Pope Francis will visit by following his journey on this interactive map.

• Have a Papal Visit Watch Party!  All events will be live streamed in English with audio commentary here.  Select events will also be available for video on demand here.

• Respond to Pope Francis's call to have a personal encounter with Jesus by reaching out to those in need, supporting parish or community charitable efforts, acting to promote life, human dignity, families and religious freedom, and by caring for creation. Find ideas here.

• Engage in social media: use our hash tags #PopeinUS and #PapaEnUSA.  Don't forget to use some Pope emojis!

• Support the many people working to make Pope Francis' historic US visit a success by praying for them to the Blessed Virgin under her title  Mary, Undoer of Knots. . . (a favorite of Pope Francis). Include in your intentions: Vatican staff, The US Secret Service, the US Bishops, their staff and volunteers, the World Meeting of Families committee and volunteers, and the three host archdioceses and host cities.

 For more information about Pope Francis's visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops web site.  You can also follow Pope Francis on Twitter at @Pontifex.

A Geek Daddy Blog is participating in the National Geographic Kids Insider brand ambassador program for the 2015-2016 school year. During this time, the “Insiders” will get a behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic’s resources, activities, content and projects for kids and families. National Geographic Kids Insiders review books, magazines television shows and toys, and will be offered interviews with authors, explorers and editors.

Photos uses in this blog post are by Dave Yoder/National Geographic from the book POPE FRANCIS & THE NEW VATICAN used with permission.  Copying, distribution, archiving, sublicensing, sale, or resale of these images is prohibited.  In other words you can look but don't touch the photos in this blog post - which in general is how you should treat all the photos on A GEEK DADDY as this is a copyrighted website with all rights reserved by the publisher. #NGKinsider

Have some Soccer Fun with the characters from RIO 2

The setting for the movie RIO 2 takes place in a local that is at the forefront of public attention right now as Brazil is hosting the world's premiere soccer tournament that takes place every four years featuring the sport's greatest talents representing their countries in international play.  To promote the country where the film takes place and the upcoming July 15th 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download releases of RIO 2, Fox Home Entertainment has provided some fun futbol themed activity sheets to share with your children while you enjoy the tournament.  I do hope you are taking in some of the tournament action, the USA national team for example won their first game with a thrilling last minute score where a player bounced in the GOAL!!! via knocking it off his head.  I know sometimes soccer gets a bad rap for its slow pace but how can you call that boring?!

Check out and download these RIO 2 activity sheets to get into the soccer spirit:

 

For more information about RIO 2, visit www.riomovies.com.  RIO 2 will be available to purchase at local retailers and online beginning July 15, 2014.

Disclaimer:  As a member of the FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT INSIDERS CLUB, A GEEK DADDY BLOG receives complimentary Blu-rays, DVDs, and Digital Downloads of various movies to review and for giveaways to this blog's readers.