Fans will enjoy the exciting tale of the lovable “street rat,” Aladdin (Mena Massoud), courageous and Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) and the...

Fans will enjoy the exciting tale of the lovable “street rat,” Aladdin (Mena Massoud), courageous and Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) and the larger-than-life Genie (Will Smith) now that live-action ALADDIN, is available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD.

Note: I received product sample for review purpose. Any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

The release includes all new bonus features, such as deleted scenes, a blooper reel and more extras that explore elements of “Aladdin” that audiences adore, from the film’s treasured, iconic award-winning music to its beloved characters and their hilarious antics on and off screen.

In addition, early owners of “Aladdin” gain access to exclusive bonus features. Fans who pre-purchase will receive a feature showcasing the making of the massive musical number “Prince Ali,” and those who bring home the film first on Digital will secure an exclusive extra detailing the creation of Jasmine’s new song “Speechless.”


Disney's Aladdin - "World of Aladdin" Special Look


“Aladdin” stars Will Smith as Genie, Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, Navid Negahban as Sultan, Nasim Pedrad as Dalia, Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders and Numan Acar as Hakim.


Bonus features include*:

DIGITAL PRESELL BONUS:

• MAKE WAY FOR PRINCE ALI – Take a look at the gigantic design extravaganza that came together for this scene of Genie-sized proportions.

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE BONUS:

• “SPEECHLESS”: CREATING A NEW SONG FOR JASMINE – Follow the story of Jasmine’s inspirational song “Speechless,” written by Alan Menken, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul especially for this version of “Aladdin.”

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL BONUS:

• ALADDIN’S VIDEO JOURNAL: A NEW FANTASTIC POINT OF VIEW – Watch behind-the-scenes moments captured by Mena Massoud (Aladdin) in this fun, fast-paced look at his personal journey.
• DELETED SONG: “DESERT MOON” – Experience a moving duet performed by Jasmine and Aladdin, fully shot and edited, with an introduction by Alan Menken.
• GUY RITCHIE: A CINEMATIC GENIE – Discover why director Guy Ritchie was the perfect filmmaker to tackle this exhilarating reimagining of a beloved classic.
• A FRIEND LIKE GENIE – Discover how Will Smith brings talent, experience and his own personal magic to the iconic role of Genie.
• DELETED SCENES

• Falling Petals Into OJ
• Jafar’s Magic Orrery
• Anders’ Gift
• Wrong Wishes
• Silly Old Fool
• Post Yam Jam Debrief

• BLOOPERS – Laugh along with the cast and crew in this lighthearted collection of outtakes from the set.
• MUSIC VIDEOS

• "Speechless" – Music video performed by Naomi Scott
• “A Whole New World” – Music video performed by ZAYN and Zhavia Ward
• “ A Whole New World” (“Un Mundo Ideal”) – Music video performed by ZAYN and Becky G.

*Bonus features may vary by retailer


Disney's Aladdin | On Digital 8/27 & Blu-ray 9/10


“Aladdin” is directed by Guy Ritchie from a screenplay by John August and Ritchie based on Disney’s Aladdin animation screenplay by Ron Clements & John Musker and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio.

The film is produced by Dan Lin, p.g.a., and Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a., with Marc Platt and Kevin De La Noy serving as executive producers.

Alan Menken provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and lyricists Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and new music written by Menken and songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

The release of the live-action adventure coincides with the addition of the original animated classic to the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection, granting Aladdin fans everywhere the opportunity to own both magical movies. In 4K for the first time, the new release features all new bonus content, including alternate endings!

To learn more, visit - www.movies.disney.com/Aladdin-2019

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/DisneyAladdin
www.facebook.com/AladdinGenie
www.facebook.com/AladdinPrincessJasmine

Twitter: www.twitter.com/DisneyAladdin
Instagram: www.instagram.com/DisneyAladdin

To get us ready for The Angry Birds 2 release in theaters, we were invited by Sony Pictures Animation to an advance screening and family aft...

To get us ready for The Angry Birds 2 release in theaters, we were invited by Sony Pictures Animation to an advance screening and family after party.

Note: I was invited as media to the screening and after party event. While this is a sponsored post, any personal views expressed are always 100% my own

To be very honest, I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy The Angry Birds Movie 2. As a major fan of the first The Angry Birds movie, I wondered how they could top all the humor and amazing storytelling.

But The Angry Birds 2 did top the first film! And even better then that, it used the power of friendship and engineering to do. Which is what the original game was all about. Remember those sling shot?! I was so excited to see it used in the film's storyline. More about that later!



So before joining the #AngryBirdsMovie2 activities, we had to pick a mask with some of The Angry Birds characters. This was such a fun way to start.

While I am definitely an "Angry Birds", I felt I needed to be open to what the "Pigs" had to say in this film. Plus how cute is Leonard and his piggy assistant Courtney?!

Once we had our masks, we headed into the screening to see The Angry Birds 2. I confess I laughed so much, I might have also shed a tear and cheered a bit at the end. The Angry Birds Movie 2 offers so much for families to enjoy. But more on that after I tell you about the family after party.

Sony Pictures Animation provided everything an "Angry Birds Movie 2" fan could enjoy after seeing the film.



Families were able to take photos with both Red and Silver. Enjoy Angry Birds themed drinks and snacks. Do varies Angry Birds activities and crafts including making a raft to save the Hatchlings. You'll understand why after you see the movie.

The kids (and to be honest adults also) had a great time and left feeling so happy. Which is kinda the feeling families will have after seeing The Angry Birds 2.

MY REVIEW

While the first The Angry Birds focused on anger for Red and his bird friends, this time around it's about love, friendship and ironically engineering.

Having to deal with a "new threat that puts both Bird and Pig Island in danger" brings both birds and pigs together. This leads to a unique team using all their skills to save both island communities. The team plans together, builds wacky products together and eventually discovers something amazing about all the islands together. At the heart of this team is Red and Silver.

Silver who has an open mind, a caring heart and is super smart. Because of Silver we get to see a new side of the Angry Birds crew and the return of STEM ideas. Which lets be real, makes sense since this was behind the original Angry Birds game.


But more important the idea of Silver (and piggy Garry) highlights how important is to keep finding ways to encourage kids (and families) to use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to envision, invent and create a better world. Whether for birds, pigs or humans.

For young girls especially, this encouragement is needed. So I wanted to share this PSAs (public service advertisements) of the Ad Council's She Can STEM campaign in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation/Rovio Entertainment.


This PSA encourages girls to pursue their STEM passions by challenging obsolete stereotypes and surprising girls with how cool, unexpected and inspiring STEM can be.

To learn more about She Can STEM, visit - www.shecanstem.com

Twitter - www.twitter.com/shecanstem
Instagram - www.instagram.com/shecanstem

SYNOPSIS

The flightless angry birds and the scheming green piggies take their beef to the next level in The Angry Birds Movie 2!

When a new threat emerges that puts both Bird and Pig Island in danger, Red (Jason Sudeikis), Chuck (Josh Gad), Bomb (Danny McBride), and Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage) recruit Chuck's sister Silver (Rachel Bloom) and team up with pigs Leonard (Bill Hader), his assistant Courtney (Awkwafina), and techpig Garry (Sterling K. Brown) to forge an unsteady truce and form an unlikely superteam to save their homes.

Directed By: Thurop Van Orman
Screenplay by: Peter Ackerman and Eyel Podell & Jonathon E. Stewart
Produced by: John Cohen

To learn more, visit - www.AngryBirds-Movie.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/AngryBirdsMovie
Twitter - www.twitter.com/AngryBirdsMovie
Instagram - www.instagram.com/angrybirdsmovie

Earlier this year I learned about Wonderscope, the augmented reality children's reading app. The app is both fun and educational for chi...

Earlier this year I learned about Wonderscope, the augmented reality children's reading app. The app is both fun and educational for children who enjoy playing with augmented reality. They will be amazed by the various AR storybooks, including the newest - Clio's Cosmic Quest.

Clio's Cosmic Quest joins the Wonderscope app's growing catalog of read aloud, interactive adventures, which allow children to converse with characters and play an active role in the narrative.

Wonderscope: Clio's Cosmic Quest



In Clio's Cosmic Quest, children are invited to journey into space where they meet Clio, a tiny particle of stardust who dreams of illuminating the universe as a big, beautiful star. Tasked with helping her, kids read out loud to challenge bullies, meet the Sun and bring the nebula back together, learning facts and engaging with a fully interactive solar system along the way.

Wonderscope's library of titles, include:

• A Brief History of Stunts by Astounding People, where children take part in three of history's most impossible stunts and meet the real people that made them happen: Betty Bromage, an 88-year old grandmother that stood on the wings of an airborne bi-plane; Helen Gibson, Hollywood's first stuntwoman; and Charles Blondin, the first person to tightrope walk across Niagara Falls.

• Little Red the Inventor, where kids pair up with Red, a modern-day Little Red Riding Hood who has added "inventor" to her resume. Together they solve tricky situations to evade the Big Bad Wolf, using their voices to stand up for what's right, and their smarts to become heroes in this new take on a classic fairy tale.

More stories being released in the coming months.

AR as a Tool for Learning

Introducing Wonderscope: an augmented reality iOS app for kids


Just as there are different types of learners, the essential skill of reading comes to children in different ways. Wonderscope's voice recognition system is built to understand and nurture confidence in new readers at a wide range of levels, and with different dialects and accents.

The app provides visual and aural feedback by highlighting words, and having characters make eye contact and react expressively back to the user. Clio's Cosmic Quest ends with a fully interactive bonus scene where users explore and learn more about space, planets and solar systems, developing a playful appreciation for STEM.


Pricing and Availability

Wonderscope is the first AR app from Within. It was designed for iOS using Apple's ARKit. It is FREE and currently available on all AR-enabled iOS devices*.

From August 13-August 25, in time for back-to-school, all Wonderscope stories are available for $.99. Stories are regularly priced at $4.99.

Wonderscope is geared for kids 6 years and older, does not require user registration or a credit card and currently holds a 4-star rating from Common Sense Media.

To learn more, visit - www.wonderscope.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/WonderscopeApp
Twitter - www.twitter.com/WonderscopeApp

When I learned that The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy offered Fishing Clinics as part of its 20th Anniversary of free, public programming...

When I learned that The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy offered Fishing Clinics as part of its 20th Anniversary of free, public programming, I knew it would be a great family activity for the day!

So we joined a blogging friend and her family in Brooklyn Bridge Park for a day of water fun and summer chill.

Getting to the Fishing Clinics is super easy since it's right on Pier 5. Once there, you check in, learn which time group your in (each fishing group is about 15-30mins) and then get your location number.


Before heading over to your location, groups learn the basics of line fishing from marine biologist and expert anglers. They also demo how to tie fishing knots, bait a hook, cast a fishing rod, and even reel up a fish. While you could keep some of the fish, most fish are catch-and-released.

Since the clinics are produced in part by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and equipment is provided on-site, once you learn the basics, you can head over to your location and start fishing!



Since we're new to fishing, we received help from one of the "anglers" who walk up and down the pier in case anyone needs assistance. He took my son through the steps, explained a little about sea life under the pier and gave some tips to help us catch a fish.

Sadly during our time there, we didn't catch any fish, but my son still enjoyed the experience of "fishing". Meanwhile I enjoyed just have a moment with him learning something new.


After our fishing time was up, we checked out a few of the fish caught that day by others. There was a shark and another fish I don't remember the name of. Who knew those lived in the water under the pier!

So if your in the Brooklyn Bridge Park area, check out the new Fishing Clinics for kids and adults. The 7-part series will take place at Pier 5’s fishing station from May-September.

To learn more, visit - www.brooklynbridgepark.org

Each year planning a child's birthday party becomes a mission. Who to invite. What party theme to have. Birthday cake, cupcakes or somet...

Each year planning a child's birthday party becomes a mission. Who to invite. What party theme to have. Birthday cake, cupcakes or something else?! But planning the party doesn't have to be a daunting task.

photo credit: Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

Planning a child's birthday party can be a family fun and bonding moment. To help families with their party planning, I'm sharing these six tips to keep the party fun and engaging all afternoon.


Note: This post was written in partnership with CityHUNT. However any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

Think about the Guest List

The guest list is a crucial part of planning a birthday party, especially for a kid. Is there be someone your child must have at his or her party? Is there anyone in their class that he or she doesn’t get along with that should be avoided?

Decide if you’ll invite the entire classroom, only girls or only boys, or keep the party strictly to close friends and family. Either way, you want to ensure that the people are child wants there is
there.

Incorporate Creative Games

Be creative when planning a child’s birthday party. Almost anything can get turned into a fun and exciting game. You don’t have to go overboard. However, you should have a decent list of games and activities to do with the party, just in case they start to get bored.

One game idea worth considering is a scavenger hunt. It’s a great way to keep kids busy for quite a while. Plus, it forces them to use their minds a bit as they solve for clues. You can create a scavenger hunt yourself, or hire companies like CityHUNT to do the work for you.

Have Tasty Snacks Available

The kids will likely get hungry throughout the party, especially if it is scheduled during the lunch or dinner hour. You’ll want to have tasty snacks available at all times. Simple finger food is a good way to go. Remember, it’s a kid’s birthday party, so you don’t need an elaborate three-course dinner.

Keep in mind any food allergies some guests may have. Ask them on the invite to mention any allergies that you should know. That way, when you come up with your food list, you can be mindful to avoid any allergens.

Don’t Forget the Party Favors

For a child’s birthday party, you’ll want to have party favors. They are a way of thanking the guests for coming and bringing presents. Party favors can be just about anything, so get creative with your ideas.

Have a Plan, but Be Flexible

You’ll want to have a plan of how the day should go. However, you’re dealing with kids, which means you’ll need to be somewhat flexible. Don’t create an itinerary that’s set in stone. Instead, leave room for spontaneous events and keep in mind that all activities may not go as planned.

Relax and Enjoy the Party

Even though you’ve planned the party for your child, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy yourself, too. Remember to relax throughout the day. A stressed adult will only end up stressing the children and set a bad vibe in the room.

To learn more, visit - www.cityhunt.com