WILD KRATTS: WILD REPTILES DVD

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review**

While my seven year old twins are starting to age out from much of the programming that PBS Kids has to offer children, one show that they still really enjoy watching is WILD KRATTS.  This animated television show focuses on educating children about biology, ecology and zoology through the wacky adventures of the Kratt brothers, Chris and Martin, where they mimic animal's natural abilities with techie creature power suits to overcome a hazardous obstacle or situation. As a parent, I appreciate these shows are both educational and entertaining so not only are my kids amused while watching them but they also learn a lot of interesting things as well.  In addition to watching the show during its television broadcast, PBS also routinely packages together several episodes and releases them as a themed DVD.  The most recent of these being WILD KRATTS: WILD REPTILES which became available on August 23, 2016.

Having WILD KRATTS available on DVD is great for those times when the kids are complaining there is nothing to watch on TV.  We in particular like to take these DVD on long road trips so the kids can spend their time watching the show in the car instead of constantly asking us "are we almost there yet?"  In fact, we took WILD KRATTS: WILD REPTILES along with us on our end of summer road trip which was a really long drive from one end of Michigan to the other and it kept the kids distracted for 4 hours of the car ride - they watched the 120 minute DVD twice, both going to our destination and coming back home.

WILD KRATTS: WILD REPTILES includes four reptilian themed episodes from the PBS Kids television series:

“The Gecko Effect”
There’s a mystery to be solved, as the Wild Kratts team wonders how a gecko lizard climbs up smooth surfaces and can even climb upside down. The gang uses their Miniaturizer to shrink down and discovers it’s all about physics: all objects have electrical charges that attract one another and the gecko’s marvelous toe pad structure charges so much that they can walk on surfaces as smooth as glass. But in the meantime, Zach has stolen their Miniaturizer and imprisoned them in a glass terrarium. Martin and Chris activate the new gecko powers of their Creature Power Suits and must retrieve the Miniaturizer before Zach shrinks all the animals in the creature world.

“Crocogator Contest”
A pop creature quiz challenge about the differences between crocodiles and alligators turns into a full-blown “crocogator” contest to find out what actually is different about these two similar creatures.

“Rattlesnake Crystal”
After the Tortuga crash lands in the Sonoran Desert, Koki discovers that the Tellurium crystals have run out of power and they need a new supply. Martin and Chris volunteer to go out into the desert to find this important source of energy and discover more than they were expecting!

“Chameleons on Target”
Aviva’s special ring chip invention is stolen by a mysterious lemur! Chris and Martin set off after it, with a little help from the amazing creature powers of the chameleon.

You can pick up this DVD at retailers such as Best Buy, Target and Walmart or online at Shop PBS.  For more information about the television series, visit pbskids.org/wildkratts 

Buy a GREAT Christmas Gift to help a GREAT Cause

Have you heard of the SIERRA CLUB? Founded in 1892 to help protect the lands that eventually became Yosemite National Park from exploitation and development, the group is now America's largest environmental group with a focus on preventing pollution and promoting conservation of our environment.  We've been members of the SIERRA CLUB for several years because our family supports their mission of promoting responsible stewardship of natural resources and the preservation of "wild places".    

Are you still looking for Christmas presents this year?  If so, how about adopting a wild animal through the SIERRA CLUB?  You can purchase an adaption kit through the Club for a wide variety of animals ranging from alligators, to bats, to tarantulas or polar bears for a reasonable price.  The kits include either a plush toy or puppet, an adaption certificate, a color picture of the real animal, information sheet about the animal, and a letter of recognition for supporting the natural habitat of the animal selected through your donation.  Adaption kits start out at $25 (I've seen these same puppets and toys at stores and zoo gift shops priced more than that) and proceeds support the SIERRA CLUB's efforts to protect endangered wildlife and their habitats. 

According to the SIERRA CLUB 83% of your donation will go directly to benefit the Club's conservation programs, including those that preserve and protect wild spaces.

The TARANTULA puppet is one of my favorite selections you can pick from this year.  The BAT puppet and ELK plush are also pretty unique and cool items you can purchase as well.  My daughters preference though is for the LYNX and my son's favorite is the ALLIGATOR.

How is the SIERRA CLUB helping these animals through the donations it receives through these adaption kits? In regard to ALLIGATORS for example they are  working to restore fresh water flows from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay - critical to keeping most of the Everglades above water - the Club has also played a leadership role in initiatives to elevate roads, remove unnecessary canals and buy land needed to clean, store and move the water downstream. The goal is to build resilience in the ecosystem so that native species like the alligator can survive.

For more information about ADOPTING A WILD ANIMAL and SUPPORTING THE SIERRA CLUB visit:  www.sierraclub.org