'Dinosaur Train: Eggstravagaza'
(DVD / NR / 2015 / PBS KIDS)
Overview: 'Dinosaur Train' embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains while sparking an interest in life science, natural history, and paleontology.
DVD Verdict: For those of you that are not aware, the rather brilliant 'Dinosaur Train' completely changes how kids learn about dinosaurs. Or should do! Finally, all the mistakes I was taught as a kid are repaired! Dinosaurs use tails for balance, have proper names, sometimes are tiny, have feathers, fly, are birds, swim, hunt, etc.
Mix in some really well done music and clear, quality animation, and you've got a great show. Best of all is a moment after each episode with a real paleontologist who clears up fact from fiction and even gives great details about what was learned in the cartoon - finally, a TV show is using standard teaching methods like reinforcement and repetition without boring us to death!
In this brand new release, we begin with 'The Egg Stealer?' where Buddy and Don stumble upon a mystery when they find unhatched eggs on their beach. In 'Hatching Party,' Buddy, Tiny and Mrs. Pteranodon ride the Dinosaur Train to attend an egg hatching party, where they meet their friend Cory Corythosaurus, who introduces them to her new brothers and sisters. In 'Tank's Baby Brother,' Tank Triceratops has a new baby brother that everyone dotes on, making Tank feel left out. Buddy, Tiny, and Tank play with some older kid Triceratops, and Tank learns the perks of being a big brother.
In the fourth episode 'Diamond Anniversary,' Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon decide to surprise each other with gifts on their anniversary. Despite some close calls, the kids help each of them to keep their gifts a secret until the perfect moment when the whole family can celebrate. In 'Nursery Car,' When the family rides the Dinosaur Train, they learn that a new car has been added a Nursery Car, with dozens of eggs in little, padded nests, attended by their expectant moms and dads. The kids watch the eggs hatch, and try to guess which hatchling goes with which dinosaur parent.
Then in 'All Kinds of Families,' When Buddy expresses his feelings about being adopted to Tiny and Mrs. Pteranodon, they tell him that he will always be a part of the Pteranodon family. Mom takes Buddy and Tiny to meet another adopted dinosaur kid named Sonny Sauroposeidon, a huge tall creature, now a part of tiny Mikey Microraptor's family. Buddy and Sonny bond over being adopted and knowing that they are both in adoptive families that are different species but still love and appreciate them.
And finally, in 'A Sea Turtle Tale,' our Pteranodon family is on the beach watching small eggs hatch and baby Archelon turtles emerge, and start to swim away, and then in 'The Good Mom,' "Mom's" the word when Mrs. Pteranodon meets fellow mom Millie Maiasaura, who is a little too over-protective of her kids. The two moms compare mothering methods in a play date at the Big Pond. This DVD also comes with the front cover as an inventive jigsaw puzzle as a bonus! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
Interactive Game
Coloring Pages
Dinosaur Reference Guide
Information for Parents
Dr. Scott's Segments
www.PBSKIDS.org