Between the Lions at Boston Children's Museum Friday, July 25 at 4 p.m.

Between the Lions, the seven-time Emmy Award winning children's television series and 2007 & 2008 recipient of the International Reading Association's Broadcast Media Award will be performing a puppet Show with Cleo and Lionel .
This live show, featuring two members of the Lion family, includes puppet performances, songs, jokes, and audience participation. Join us on KidStage for a special treat.
Tickets are limited and will be available 1-hour prior to the performance.
Between the Lions is best for ages 4-7.
Visit www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org for more information or 617-426-6500

Catch Between the Lions LIVE!

Since 2000, the popular PBS KIDS series Between the Lions has been helping children learn how to read, and this summer, the Lions are hitting the road yet again to engage live audiences in read-alouds and performances and to celebrate the show’s upcoming eighth season on the air.
On Thursday, July 24, mother of the pride, Cleo, and cub Lionel will be joined by executive producer Chris Cerf when they visit several locations in Boston and Burlington on the first leg of the show’s 2008 summer road tour.
The Between the Lions Lions are scheduled to make public appearances, live, on Friday, July 25th at the main branch of the Boston Public Library and at the Boston Children’s Museum. On Saturday, July 26, the Lions perform at the Burlington Mall. Franklin Prk Zoo, and at WGBH's Theatre.
“Cleo and Lionel can’t wait to visit with their fans, says Sirius Thinking executive producer Chris Cerf. The children they meet are so excited about meeting them in person an d reading along with them. And since the regular episodes of the Between the Lions television show are not performed in front of a live audience, it's a special thrill for all of us involved in the series to get out around the country and interact with our viewers."
After a rest from their travels, cast and crew will set out on the second leg of their tour and visit Tulsa, Oklahoma City and San Antonio from September 8-13. In the summer of 2007, kids, their parents, teachers, and caregivers enthusiastically welcomed the crew in Baltimore, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans. The producers plan to continue the grass roots tours over the next two summers, providing opportunities for more children to meet the Lions up close, and to demonstrate directly to their families the value of using BETWEEN THE LIONS as a way to teach reading skills. According to independent studies, kindergarten students who watched BETWEEN THE LIONS improved their reading skills and outperformed students who didn’t watch by four to one.

July 25:

10m.: Boston Public Librarym700 Boylston St

4 p.m. Boston Children's Museum (included with the cost of admission)

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July 26:

10 a.m.: Burlington Mall, 75 Middlesex Turnpike

1 p.m.: WGBH Yawkey Theater (attendees should sign up at http://support.wgbh.org/btlevent)1 Guest Street, Boston, MA 02135

4 p.m.: Franklin Park Zoo (included with the cost of admission) One Franklin Park Road, Dorchester, http://www.franklinparkzoo.org/

About Between the Lions: BTL is produced by WGBH Boston, Sirius Thinking, Ltd., and Mississippi Public Broadcasting. The series is funded in part by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Education's Ready To Learn grant, and by the Barksdale Reading Institute. National corporate funding is provided by Chick-fil-A, Inc. The BTL team is committed to making quality television available to all children. Each episode is accessible to blind and visually impaired viewers through WGBH Boston's innovative, Emmy Award-winning Descriptive Video Service (DVS). The series is closed captioned by the Caption Center at WGBH for viewers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Elmo & Friends Help Military Families & Young Children Cope With the Challenges of Multiple Deployments and Combat-Related Injuries

Since the launch on April 29, Sesame Street’s Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes has had over 120,000 requests for its kit for families.
Military families can request their free kit at www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc.
Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street, launched Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes, the second phase of the Workshop’s military outreach program which launched initially in 2006. The initiative provides support and offers significant resources for military families with young children experiencing the effects of deployments, multiple deployments or when a parent returns home changed due to a combat related injury.
The Sesame Foundation developed Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes to help military families with young children between the ages of 2-5 build a sense of stability and resiliency during times of separation and change.
Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes seeks to:
* Reduce the level of anxiety children may experience during homecomings after multiple deployments
* Help parents with ways to cope with multiple deployments
* Help young children gain an age-appropriate understanding of a parent’s injury by including them and the entire family in the rehabilitation process
* Reassure children that they are loved and secure and that together with their families, they can learn new ways of being there for one another and having hope for the future
“The incredible response and impact Sesame Workshop saw from our initial work with military families and the impact it made, inspired this next phase of Talk, Listen, Connect,” said Gary E. Knell, President and CEO, Sesame Workshop. “With an increasing number of military parents experiencing multiple deployments and a parent coming home injured, more than ever, these families need help navigating the ups-and-downs of these experiences with their children as well as ways to support one another and find resiliency in the face of change. We hope with the help of their friends from Sesame Street they will continue to discover ways they can continue to forge family bonds despite the situations they may encounter.”
According to the Director of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury U.S., Army Colonel Loree K. Sutton, “This wonderful project by Sesame Workshop demonstrates its long-standing efforts to provide positive development in our children. The Talk, Listen, Connect series is a solid, practical and entertaining learning tool for our military families and will contribute greatly toward psychological health for our troops and their families. What a privilege to work in collaboration with these educational projects that serve those who are serving us.”

The resources consist of a bilingual (English/Spanish) multimedia outreach kit with DVDs for children and adults starring the Muppets from Sesame Street, print materials for children, parents and caregivers and facilitators and American Greeting postcards featuring the beloved Sesame Street characters for parents and children to stay connected. Sesame Workshop will produce and distribute 500,000 kits at no cost to individual families, schools, child care programs, family support programs, hospitals and rehabilitation centers and other organizations serving the needs of military families with the help of Military OneSource, the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYSOMH), the USO (United Service Organizations), the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) and other partners. Special emphasis will be made to reach families of the Reserves and National Guard. The kit materials are available online at www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc, where streaming video is being provided by the Department of Defense Military Community and Family Policy Program Support Group, so families everywhere can view the videos and download the information.

About Sesame Workshop: Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120 nations. Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo. In addition, multimedia needs-driven initiatives provide families tools for addressing such issues as children’s health, military deployment and emergency preparedness. As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic donations support Sesame Workshop’s educational research and creative content for children around the world. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org
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Curious George Marathon on PBS Kids Monday

On Monday, February 18th, catch twice the monkey business, twice the learning, and twice the excitement as Curious George stars in his own marathon of back-to-back episodes on PBS KIDS. The special two-hour marathon will include four favorite episodes of George's amazing adventures. "George to George" will air in place of the regularly scheduled PBS KIDS preschool block (check local listings for specific times).
Since its September 2006 debut, Curious George has been the number-one rated weekday children's series on television among kids ages 2-5 years. The half-hour, animated series airs daily on PBS KIDS and is seen by nearly nine million people each week.
Brought to PBS KIDS by Imagine Entertainment, WGBH Boston, and Universal Studios Family Productions, with the support of Curious George publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Curious George the television series is designed to inspire kids to explore science, math and engineering in the world around them in a fun and entertaining way.
"We're thrilled that George is back for his second President's Day marathon on PBS KIDS," said Executive Producer for Universal Studios Family Productions, Ellen Cockrill. "Well into his second season, George's lovable (mis)-adventures continue to resonate with viewers, and we couldn't be more excited about his phenomenal appeal."
This President's Day weekend, watch as George takes a job in Chef Pisghetti's kitchen, where they experiment with kitchen magic in "Curious George Takes a Job."
In "Ski Monkey," George learns the hard way that deep snow isn't the easiest for a monkey to play in, until he discovers skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing. Chaos ensues in the aisles of the grocery store when George tries to help customers in "George the Grocer," and continues when George learns about broken bones after a museum mishap in "Housebound".
Following these and other monkey adventures, the marathon concludes with "Curious George versus Winter," when George learns why summer isn't the only fun season!
"What better way to kick off the holiday than to watch our curious little monkey get himself into fun predicaments," said WGBH Executive Producer Carol Greenwald. "It's our pleasure to bring kids a double dose of George's math, science and engineering-related mishaps all in one day."In addition to the President's Day marathon, kids can extend their fun with the Curious George Web site (www.pbskids.org/curiousgeorge), which features two new interactive activities. In "I Love Shapes," kids are encouraged by the Man With the Yellow Hat to help George sort items by color and shape as they move down a conveyor belt, and in "Pogo-A-Gogo," George's new pogo stick allows him to jump up and catch objects such as hats, toys, presents, bags and tools, with help from little monkey fans at home.

Sesame Street to Cultivate Generation of Globally-Responsible Children

Sesame Workshop and Merrill Lynch Partner to Create Multi-lingual Worldwide Interactive Initiative Targeting Children Ages 4-7
Elmo, Big Bird and Oscar are world-renowned, but it’s their new counterparts, “Azibo,” “Athena,” and “Baabra” who are the focus of a new worldwide initiative. Children today live in an increasingly interconnected world full of opportunities and challenges that require them to develop new skills and perspectives. To meet this need, Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street, and the Merrill Lynch Foundation have created Panwapa, a Worldwide Kids initiative launching today. NYC Mayor Bloomberg officially proclaimed October 10 as “Panwapa Day."

Panwapa, which means “here on this earth” in the Tshiluba language, aims to foster the foundation for global citizenship and community participation in young children, ages 4 to 7. Featuring an entirely new group of Muppet characters, Panwapa consists of an interactive website, http://www.panwapa.com/, a DVD, and print materials that are available in five languages to children around the world—Arabic, English, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish.

Beginning today, Panwapa will be available at no charge on iTunes (http://www.itunes.com/) and starting January 2008 Panwapa will be available on free video-on-demand (VOD), via PBS KIDS Sprout, the first and only 24-hour preschool network for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers. Additionally, Panwapa games and information will be available at http://www.sproutonline.com/. Both media platforms support Sesame Workshop’s and Merrill Lynch’s outreach efforts in reaching as many children as possible.
The Web site, file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/pschmier/Local%20Settings/pschmier/Local%20Settings/Temp/XPgrpwise/panwapa/www.panwapa.com, is the center of the initiative. The experience begins on “Panwapa Island,” a floating island that travels the oceans of the world, where children and their caregivers will enter the virtual Panwapa community and meet newly created Muppet characters such as “Athena the Owl” and “Azibo the Monster.” Children will be able to safely travel around the world and visit with Panwapa kids from other countries, watch interactive movies, learn words in other languages, and collect Panwapa Cards by going on international treasure hunts.
In addition, 200,000 Panwapa educational kits will be distributed to caregivers in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Jordan and Mexico to encourage long-term exploration of the issues of global citizenship. The kit includes a DVD, a caregiver magazine with an activity section for children, a board game that reinforces the lessons, and a map of the world to support and complement the Panwapa experience. Local launches in the participating countries will follow the United States launch.
A team of international cultural experts, early childhood researchers, educators and media specialists from nine countries and organizations such as Oxfam, UNICEF, and the World Bank first developed the idea for Panwapa in 2005. Multi-national teams from Merrill Lynch and Sesame Workshop worked with the advisors to create content for the program, focusing on messages of global citizenship for young children.
The international advisory board, led by Dr. Charlotte Frances Cole, Vice President for Education and Research at Sesame Workshop,, developed five broad educational goals for the project:
Awareness of the Wider World: An understanding of the linkages between local neighborhoods and communities and national and global issues.
Appreciating Similarities and Differences: An understanding of and respect for similarities and differences among the people of the world and the interconnectedness of the world’s systems.
Taking Responsibility for One’s Behaviors: An awareness of one’s actions and one’s impact on others, the willingness and desire to take responsibility for one’s actions, and an effort to seek ways to make the world a better place.
Community Participation and Willingness to Take Action: A desire to participate in and contribute to one’s community locally and globally, as well as a willingness to take action around persistent issues and work through them to effect meaningful civic improvement.
Understanding of and Responsiveness to Economic Disparity: An understanding that all people share certain basic needs and disparities in resources affect individuals’ abilities to fulfill these needs -- and a desire to address these disparities.
“21st century children live in the global village from the moment they are born. The sooner they learn to think of this as a wonderful, fun adventure, the better global citizens they will grow into,” stated David Woollcombe, Founder and President, Peace Child International and Panwapa Advisor.

“I am delighted that Sesame Workshop has taken upon itself the task of introducing its young audiences to their global neighborhood: their experience and creativity equips them better than any other organization to ensure that young people all over the world come to view the global neighborhood as a cornucopia of opportunities.”

About Sesame Workshop: Sesame Workshop is the non-profit educational organization that changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120 nations. Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo. In addition, multimedia needs-driven initiatives provide families tools for addressing such issues as children’s health, military deployment and emergency preparedness. As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic donations support Sesame Workshop’s educational research and creative content for children around the world. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

Upton Boy & Medford Girl Part of CBS' Kid Nation

Tomorrow (Wednesday) night, CBS (WBZ-TV 4, 8 p.m.) will premiere its kid-centered reality show, Kid Nation. The show's premise, if you haven't read any of the hype (or negativity) is that 40 kids, between the ages of 8-15, are put into the abandoned town of Bonanza City, New Mexico for 40 days. There, without adult supervision (I guess the cameramen and production crew don't officially count) have to build their own society by electing leaders, passing laws, and establishing an economy. According to CBS, the kids confront grown-up issues, while coping with the classic childhood emotions of homesickness, peer pressure, and the urge to break every rule. Episodes end with a town meeting in which the kids award one child a gold star worth $20,000, all leading to the grand finale, with an unimaginable test, the biggest awards and a special surprise for every child.
While the kids had no contact with their parents for about 6 weeks, all 40 kids needed parental approval to try out for the show ( CBS is already expecting the show to do well, despite some advocacy groups calling the show "child abuse," as they are already accepting applications for Kid Nation 2.)

Two of the 40 contestants in the premiere season have ties to Massachusetts, a boy from Upton and a girl from Medford.

Guylan, 11, from Upton writes on his CBS blog that most people would be surprised that "after being raised by two elephant trainers that I'm afraid of little spiders. Tarantulas don't bother me but little wolf spiders and daddy long-legs creep me out. "

Also on his blog, he wrote that if he had the power to change one or two things about the country right now, he would "like to change the president to one who actually cares about global warming and will do something about it instead of just putting it aside until later... I would also increase funds to save the few remaining wild places and wild life parks and reserves in the hopes of being an example for other countries."

Medford's Laurel, age 12, on her blog wrote that if she could put into place one law that pertains to kids in our country, "I'm really a strong supporter of no bullying. I don't think some kids know how much that can damage someone. I just wish there would be a law that kids have to be nice. It would be against the law to be mean to another child. Middle school kids can be so so so mean to each other. Everyone is trying to be accepted and nobody wants to be different for fear of being made fun of. I just wish being different wasn't such a bad thing, it would be nice for everyone to get along."

She also wrote if she could go anywhere in the world she would "GO BACK TO BONANZA CITY, NEW MEXICO AND DO IT ALL AGAIN. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT THERE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO TV, NO VIDEO GAMES, NO IPOD, NO PHONE, NO HAIR DRYERS, NO LIP GLOSS, NO MODERN DAY COMFORTS, I HAD MORE FUN THERE THAN I COULD HAVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD."

Some critics have called the show a reality version of William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies.

Some TV critics have called it one of the best new fall shows. Yet others, have heralded the show as "child abuse." In fact, a parent of one of the kids filed a complaint (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/18/arts/television/18kid.html?ex=1345089600&en=085d627866c74958&ei=5088&partner=rssny) with New Mexico officials saying the kids on the show were neglected. She says one girl had her face burned by hot grease (she was cooking) and that other kids needed medical help after accidentally drinking bleach.

But several of the child participants of the show, who have been doing pre-show publicity, have said they enjoyed their experience, just like Laurel wrote in her CBS blog.

Tune in tomorrow night - consider watching with your own children -- and form your own opinion of the show.

Post your thoughts here.

Talking To Tweens and Teens About the Virginia Tech Shooting Tragedy

In the wake of the recent shootings of at least 32 students on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, mental health experts at Bradley Hospital (www.bradleyhospital.org), the nation’s first psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents, recognize that one of the most difficult tasks a parent has to face is that of talking about tragedy with their children.
This can range from the death of a pet through the death of a family member, all the way to local or national tragedies they see or read about in the news.

“Kids gain mastery through repetition - they may ask repeatedly about the incident to gain understanding--parents and caregivers need to be prepared to answer the same questions over and over and using simple, honest, and age appropriate answers,” says Kelly Chasse, PhD, with the Bradley School in East Providence, RI.
She also suggests that parents stay away from using euphemisms when talking about death.
“Statements such as “resting in peace;” “passed on to another life;" “we lost her;” “she is no longer with us” are not helpful to children and are confusing.
Using the words death or died, although difficult for adults, will be more helpful to kids,” says Chasse.

1. Remember to consider the developmental level of your child: Teenagers understand the concept of death. It is important to provide honest and factual information when talking with teenagers about death. Couch these facts in as warm and supportive a framework as you can; for instance, with reassurances that you are going to be there for them. With teenagers, it is appropriate to give more information than you would a younger child.
2. Invite questions: Even if your teenager seem to understand what happened, remind them that they can ask you questions any time. Many times, teenagers take some time to process tragic events, and will not ask about them until later. Remind them that questions are okay.
3. Expect regression: In the wake of loss or tragic events, many teenagers will regress to earlier behaviors, particularly ones that are associated with comfort, such as seeking favorite toys, or wanting to sleep in the same room with their parents. These behaviors are normal coping mechanisms in the face of tragedy, and are no cause for alarm. Most teens will return to more age appropriate behaviors in 1 - 2 months after the event, and often much more rapidly. However, if these behaviors continue beyond this general time frame, consult your pediatrician. Particular attention should be paid to regressive behaviors that interfere with your teen’s functioning, such as excessive school refusal and sleep or appetite disturbance.
4. Teenagers express grief differently than adults: Teenagers are on their way to becoming adults, but it is important to remember that they are not yet adults. As teens try to make sense out of what has happened and they experience their grief, you may see anger, disobedience, and acting out behaviors. If you see this happening, it helps to sit down with your teenager and talk with them. Give them permission to experience their feelings and encourage them to express their feelings. Let them know that the intensity of feelings they are experiencing will not last forever.
5. Structure helps: One of the things that most help teenagers through tragic loss is a continuity of family structure and tradition. If at all possible, continue to do the things your family usually does - whether these are mealtimes, special games, or involvement in religious or cultural groups. While teens need to have the tragedy acknowledged, they also need to know that the world will go on.
6. Remember your own grief: Often, parents will try to repress their own feelings in order to stay strong for their teenagers. While it may not be helpful to grieve extensively in front of your child, it is very important to take care of yourself, and your own feelings of loss. Teenagers can easily sense when a parent is tense or anxious, and it is important to acknowledge your own pain and loss, and to get whatever help you need.

Finally, remember that tragedy is a part of every life - the job of parents is not to shield their teenagers from tragedy, but to help their teens become resilient enough to survive it. This is not often a job that anyone can do alone, and if you need help, ask for it, from friends, family, clergy, or helping professionals.

Chasse says that parents and caregivers should not be afraid of not having all of the answers.
“It’s okay to say “I don't know:” You are helping your children by letting them talk about their feelings and listening to them.”


Founded in 1931, Bradley Hospital (www.bradleyhospital.org) was the nation’s first psychiatric hospital operating exclusively for children. Today, it remains a premier medical institution devoted to the research and treatment of childhood psychiatric illnesses.

Elmo Helps Kids Cope With Deployed Parents

Over half a million children under the age of 5 are waiting for their active duty, Guard or Reserve, mother or father to come home - the most since World War II. The producers of Sesame Street, along with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, have responded with a television special geared to address the challenges military families face with deployment. This primetime special, hosted by Cuba Gooding, Jr. captures the extraordinary courage and touching vulnerability of both parents and children. In recognition of April as the “Month of the Military Child,” PBS will air a special encore presentation of When Parents are Deployed tonight (April 9).
If you miss the special airing tonight or want to watch it a a more convenient time with your child, the entire program can be viewed online at http://www.sesameworkshop.org/wpad/

The special builds upon Sesame Workshop's recent educational outreach program produced in partnership with Wal-Mart Stores, Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment.
Compelling research illustrates how Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street, has been successful in helping children cope with the challenges of military deployment.
In July 2006, Sesame Workshop launched Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment, a bilingual, multi-media outreach kit developed to provide tools and ideas to parents and caregivers on how to help children cope with the process of deployment.
Findings from the survey including a national sample of 367 spouses of active duty, National Guard and Reserves personnel from all five branches of the military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and the Coast Guard), indicated that after four weeks of exposure to the kit:
* More than 80 percent of families rated the kit as highly appealing, effective, and comprehensible for adults and children.
* Families expressed increased comfort levels in helping children cope with current and future deployments by utilizing suggestions and strategies from the materials.
* Parents reported feeling less depressed and hopeless.
* Families reported that their children exhibited fewer negative behaviors and an increase in constructive family interactions about deployment.
“The evaluation data strongly supports that parents appreciate and want resources on how to support their young children during deployments. I am so pleased that Sesame Workshop undertook this effort to support military parents of young children, and I am especially pleased that careful evaluation was part of the effort from the very beginning,” stated Shelley MacDermid, Ph.D., co-Director of the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University. “The thoughtfulness with which the developers sought guidance from researchers and other experts as the materials were constructed was instrumental to their success, and today’s findings speak for themselves.”
The Talk, Listen, Connect materials include a DVD for children and adults featuring the Muppets from Sesame Street; a poster for children; and a magazine for children, parents and caregivers that addresses the challenges and concerns experienced during various phases of deployment (pre-deployment, deployment and homecoming).


The kits were distributed to military families by The Department of Defense through Military OneSource various outlets at no cost.
In just the first two weeks of distribution, more than 100,000 requests for kits were received and interest continues each day.
The Talk, Listen, Connect kits are also available online at www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc, where streaming video is being provided by The Department of Defense Quality of Life Information Technology Center.