If you have a Whole Foods Market nearby, you may have noticed something new available over the past couple of weeks - a full line of products from PBS KIDS. This holiday season, PBS KIDS & Whole Foods are collaborating on a new collection of toys and products designed to give back to both children and our planet. From wooden toys made in Vermont by Maple Landmark Woodcraft, to Green Toys vehicles made from recycled plastics and organic cotton t-shirts (for kids and grownups), there's a lot to choose from - including over 40 plush animals from Aurora. As part of my gig as a member of the PBS KIDS VIP (Very Involved Parent) Team, my girls have a few of these here (a plush sloth, a Little Scoot wooden race car and airplane), and I'm showcasing the entire line as part of my 2014 Holiday Wish Guide. Act fast though, these item are only available in Whole Foods Market locations (selection will vary) and at PBSKIDS.org (where many have already sold-out).

As of today, kids can meet the ODD SQUAD and start getting a jump on those math skills. Previewed this past May at the PBS Annual Meeting in San Francisco (I was there) ODD SQUAD will premiere November 26 on PBS stations, but families can now enjoy six full-length 11-minute “Case Files” from the series, as well as many additional clips that include profiles of the agents, agent training videos, recruitment videos and more, are now available for free on pbskids.org, the PBS KIDS Video App, and PBS KIDS on Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast and Amazon Fire. In addition, two games and parent resources are now available on the series’ website. 

Did Halloween exist in the prehistoric days? While some would say "of course not, Rock Father!" I will say, "absolutely!" DINOSAUR TRAIN: BUDDY'S HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE proves that, bringing four episodes of The Jim Henson Company's hit PBS KIDS series home in one spook-tacular collection that we've been enjoying these past few weeks here at Rock Father HQ. Why do preschoolers find such fascination in both dinosaurs and trains? I don't think that's ever been scientifically-explored, but combining both has been a big win, and adding the year's best holiday into the mix pushes it right to the top for a spot in this year's 31 Days of Halloween here on THE ROCK FATHER.

"¡Feliz cumpleaños!" In celebration of it's 10th anniversary, Scholastic Media'a award-winning TV series, MAYA & MIGUEL, just made it's way onto iTunes during the just-wrapped National Hispanic Heritage Month. All 65 episodes of the energetic animated adventures of 10-year-old twins Maya and Miguel Santos are now available for download on iTunes in a collection featuring six volumes for hours of entertainment and multicultural learning. To celebrate the release, Scholastic and THE ROCK FATHER have teamed-up for a giveaway in which one lucky family will receive a MAYA & MIGUEL Prize Pack containing a Spanish First Words book, an additional MAYA & MIGUEL title, and some cool temporary tattoos! Enter below...

This November, interactive learning company Tiggly will follow-up their award-winning Tiggly Shapes with the release of Tiggly Counts - "a revolutionary new way for kids to learn math." Inspired by the cuisenaire  rods  used  in  Montessori  education,  Tiggly  Counts  includes  a  set  of   five  colorful  counting  Toys  that  interact with  three  parent-and-educator­‐approved   Tiggly  iPad  learning  apps.  The  combination  of  physical  and  digital  play  helps  children   develop  their  number  sense,  counting  skills,  and  understanding  of  math  operations,   such  as  addition  and  subtraction. While the set won't be available until next month, Tiggly has teamed-up with THE ROCK FATHER to offer readers a chance to win a Tiggly Counts set of their own, and offer 30% off the normal price of $29.95 for those wishing to pre-order. Curious what more Tiggly has to offer? Check out the specs and enter to win below!

It's National Fire Prevention Week (Oct 5-11, 2014), and this year a couple of familiar names have teamed-up with the National Fire Protection Association to help spread the word about safety to the kids. RECESS MONKEY and PBS KIDS regular Mr. Steve (SteveSongs) have contributed songs, videos and dance moves to Sparky's Schoolhouse, the educational home of Sparky the Fire Dog. There's printable activities, resources for educators, free downloads and more, all available via this link. Want some jams right now? Check out a couple of videos below, right here on THE ROCK FATHER!