Dinosaur Train New Episode Premiere

Last month I had the opportunity to host a Dinosaur Train giveaway (what a cute DVD!) and the responses all pretty much pointed to one thing: my kids are definitely not the only ones who enjoy this show. And, as many of you agreed, that's a good thing!

The Jim Henson Company has created an award-winning, fun way for young viewers to join Buddy, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and his adoptive family of Pteranodons on whimsical adventures through prehistoric jungles, swamps, volcanoes and oceans as they unearth basic concepts in natural science, natural history and paleontology.

What better way to do that? On the Dinosaur Train, of course! This colorful locomotive is customized to accommodate all kinds of dinosaurs and has the ability to visit the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous worlds simply by heading through a "Time Tunnel." Along the way, the train's conductor, a knowledgeable Troodon, provides passengers with fascinating facts and helps in the characters' adventures.

By embracing and celebrating the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains (while also encouraging basic scientific thinking and skills), each episode of Dinosaur Train includes a mix of animated segments with live-action sequences. In these, a paleontologist is featured giving specific facts about dinosaurs and comparing their features to animals of today - a great way to bring to life the show's natural science and natural history curriculum for preschoolers.

So what's new for Dinosaur Train in 2011? A great new episode, of course! Premiering Monday, January 17 on PBS KIDS (check your local listings), The Good Mom and Diamond Anniversary double episode is sure to be a hit with current and new fans of the show.

In The Good Mom, Mrs. Pteranodon meets fellow mom Millie Maiasaura, who is a little too over-protective of her kids (think: helicopter parent for dinosaurs). A large duck-billed dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous, there is evidence that Maiasaura lived in large nesting colonies and diligently cared for their young. In this episode, Mrs. Pteranodon gently helps compare mothering methods and tips while at the Big Pond to help Millie loosen up in her parenting a little bit.

In Diamond Anniversary, Buddy, Tiny and Shiny explore a local cave with their dad to help him find a sparkling mineral to give Mom as a wedding anniversary present. What a husband!

If you have a Dinosaur Train fan in your life, be sure to tune in Monday, January 17 for this great new episode! Keep up with The Jim Henson Company on Twitter and Facebook as well for more information about this and many other imaginative and wonderful shows that the whole family can enjoy.

(I was provided with information about The Jim Henson Company and Dinosaur Train for this post as well as a pair of Dinosaur Train pajamas, which will be the focus of a future review)