MTE reviews: Dinosaur Train

If you've got young kids who watch PBS, then I'm willing to bet that you're familiar with Dinosaur Train, from its peppy opening music to Dr. Scott the Paleontologist who chats about dinosaurs at the end of each episode, helping children to make scientifically based connections between dinosaurs and animals that exist today. If you've seen even just one episode, then you already know how the show focuses on science concepts in a kid-friendly manner as it entertains children with engaging characters and interesting stories. I'm confident that you'll agree with me when I say that this is fun, quality children's programming-- what we've come to equate with PBS Kids.

If you've never seen the show, then please gather your preschool to young elementary school aged kids together, as the second season kicks off next week with the one-hour movie Dinosaur Big City on Monday, August 22nd. From the press release, here's the synopsis:

Buddy and his Pteranodon family embark on a journey on the Dinosaur Train, gathering all their theropod friends together to travel to a really big Theropod Club Convention, which is being held in Laramidia, the “Dinosaur Big City.”  Among the travelers is King Cryolophosaurus, a singing theropod who is more than a little nervous about giving a concert in front of his biggest audience ever in the Big City.  Once the Dinosaur Train arrives in Laramidia, Buddy and the Pteranodon family explore the crowded “dinosaur metropolis.” At the Theropod Convention, the kids reunite with Annie Tyrannosaurus and her parents Delores and Boris, and they all meet the multi-horned mayor, Mayor Kosmoceratops.  In the end, Buddy and Tiny help King Cryolophosaurus overcome his stage fright, and he wows a large dinosaur audience when he sings his new song, “Whole Lotta Theropods” at the Convention.

Check your local listings to find out when you can watch this fun movie next week, and if you want to own it in your personal movie collection, it's even available on DVD beginning on Tuesday.

And I'm happy to say that I can share with you six sets of big thumbs up for Dinosaur Big City, as Red, Pudge, and I hosted some friends over yesterday for a Dinosaur Train party, where we got to preview the movie. Along with some goodie bags and Dinosaur Train figures that we got to share with our friends, we also were lucky enough to have our very own red carpet to walk before the movie premiere.

We're so cool, we run the red carpet.

After some of us took turns strutting our stuff, we popped some popcorn, poured the bubbly chocolate milk, and settled in for the viewing. It was a hit!

A good show, some good eats. What more could we ask for?

All in all, the movie Dinosaur Big City was enjoyed by all, and Dinosaur Train remains high on my top picks for kids' shows. Check out the new season on PBS for some sciency fun!


** Disclosure: I was offered a complimentary screening kit, including the Dinosaur Train: Dinosaur Big City DVD, goodie bags and Dinosaur Train themed toys, popcorn, and of course, our very own red carpet. All opinions of the show and the wonder that is PBS are entirely my own, and were already firmly in place before this experience.


Scientifically yours,