Disney Junior

Disney Junior introduced hit new series Sofia the First earlier this year, and it quickly became the channel's highest-rated show (sorry, Mickey). But Sofia might be getting some competition starting Monday, April 15, when Henry Hugglemonster makes its debut at 5 p.m. At least one toddler (my daughter) thinks Henry is the coolest monster to ever hit the small screen, and just to prove her allegiance, she watched my 22-minute preview episode a record 15 times over the course of three days (mostly during a road trip; I'm not that crazy of a mother!).

So what makes fun-loving, 5-year-old Henry so addictive? I'm guessing the combination of bold-colored, silly-looking monster characters, fun sayings (everything in Henry's world is "Hugglerific" and "Roarsome"), and sweet story lines that focus on the close bond between the Hugglemonster family, which consists of Henry, Momma, Daddo, big sister Summer, older brother Cobby, and baby Ivor. Grandparents Nan-oh and Grando also make guest appearances. Family dynamics and support are a huge focus of the show, but we also see the Hugglemonsters interacting with their neighbors and friends in the town of Roarsville, a friendly community that's home to a variety of species of monsters.

Look for Isabella Roarson (voiced by Spice Girls' Geri Halliwell), a spirited and popular monster pop star; the Enormomonsters, a family of very large monsters including Ernest, Ernestine (voiced by Atonement's Brenda Blethyn), and their daughter Estelle; and Denzel Dugglemonster, Henry's best friend who has scoop-shaped hands that are perfect for digging.

Whether Henry is trying to help his baby brother, Ivor, get to sleep or asking his sister, Summer, for help, the show is all about optimism, persistence, and teamwork, great lessons for toddlers — and their parents, now that I think about it. Add in the upbeat songs found in each episode (Momma Hugglemonster often plays the piano and Summer is a budding singer and dancer), and you have a recipe for kid success. Check out Henry Hugglemonster on Monday, and let us know if your kids are as obsessed as ours are!

Source: Disney Junior

Can you talk like a pirate? If your lil one is between 2 and 5 years old, chances are he'll know exactly what we're talking about!

Since its launch last February, Disney's Jake and the Neverland Pirates has become the top-ranking series among kids in that age group. The animated show — about a new crew of pirates who work together to outwit Captain Hook and Smee around Pirate Island — is about to embark on its second season with a prime-time special Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns (airing Feb. 13), where the little boy who won't grow up enlists the minipirates to help him find his lost shadow. As with the daily show, the special will feature original pirate rock songs written and sung by Sharky and Bones of The Never Land Pirate Band. I spoke with Loren Hoskins and Kevin Hendrickson, the men behind Sharky and Bones and the stars of the live-action music videos featured at the end of each episode, about the popularity of pirate culture and what it can teach tots today.

LilSugar: Obviously you two are well versed in little kids' obsessions with pirates. How did it start for you two?
Kevin Hendrickson (Bones): It started before our kids. Loren and I met maybe 12 years ago, and we both just had a love of pirates and the old Disney records we grew up listening to. We decided to make a pirate album for kids, even though we didn't have kids.
Loren Hoskins (Sharky): We were pirates before pirate was cool. We had an affinity for pirate and pirate culture and the old Disneyland rides — you know the old Pirates of the Caribbean attraction — and we combined all those into a rock album for kids of all ages. We say "for buccaneers of all ages" because we had a lot of fans that were not kids and a lot of fans that were kids and then families that were fans. We just decided to not be a children's band, but a band for all buccaneers!

LilSugar: It's been almost 60 years since Disney released Peter Pan, and unlike other Disney flicks, it hasn't received a rerelease or a 3D upgrade. Why do you think the pirate obsession remains so strong today?
Loren Hoskins (Sharky): I have always maintained that what pirates represent for play is all the best things about play. That's imagination, adventure, being bold-hearted, silly voices, and fun dress-up costumes. You put all that together and you get classic kid play. It's like pirates and dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were huge for a while, and I think for the same reason – you can just go "roaar," and play all these great games, and they were bold and adventurous and from exotic locations. Pirates are the same thing. They're one of those classic play building blocks

Keep reading for more of our talk about pirate rock and the show's educational value.

Ahoy mate! Fans of Disney Junior's new Jake and the Neverland Pirates know that Captain Hook and Smitty are often up to no good, and this week is no different. On Earth Day (April 22), the animated series is offering up a show designed to teach tots about our endangered coral reefs, featuring a frequent guest voice on the show, Ariel Winter (better known as Alex Dunphy on our favorite parenting show – Modern Family).

I spoke with the teen star about her involvement in the episode and she offered up some tips for introducing kids to environmental awareness. See what she had to say!

LilSugar: Tell me a little bit about Marina and what is happening to her character on the Earth Day episode of Jake and the Neverland Pirates.
Ariel Winter: I voice Marina the Mermaid. She’s the cheerful and bright fishtailed mermaid in Mermaid Lagoon. Our Earth Day episode is titled "Save the Coral Cove" and it’s where Jake and the crew save Marina the Mermaid and Sandy the Starfish’s underwater habitat when it’s threatened by Captain Hook – he’s searching for sunken treasure in the Coral Cove.

LS: Was it your idea to involve your character in an Earth Day story, or Disney’s?
AW: It was all mutual. We all said we need an Earth Day episode so kids can learn they need to be green and help the environment. I think it’s really cool that I get to be part of the Jake and the Neverland Pirates Earth Day episode.

LS: What’s it like voicing a mermaid? I take it you didn’t do much research in the water!
AW: It’s funny. I’m Ariel and everyone always thinks I’m named after the mermaid. It’s pretty cool to voice a mermaid because when you see her on the screen she’s so adorable and she’s got like the big blue eyes and the big fishy-tail. It’s just so cool because she’s just got an amazing aura and she just wants to help and she’s always there for Jake and the crew. I didn’t do a lot of underwater training through!

Keep reading to see Ariel's Earth Day tips for kids, and how the Modern Family set keeps green.

Disney Junior's dad band, the Imagination Movers are wowing crowds on television and on tour. I recently caught up with the guys (Rich Collins, Scott Durbin, Dave Poche, and Scott "Smitty" Smith) before they zipped into their signature blue jumpsuits to take the stage at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA.

LilSugar: You film your show in New Orleans to create jobs for locals. Is Louisiana still your home base?
Smitty: We've done three complete seasons of Imagination Movers so that's a decent amount of work for a lot of local people. We also started our tour there. Anytime we can bring the business home, that's what we do.
Scott: Likewise, we filmed a concert special in New Orleans that will be airing on March 6.

LilSugar: Do your kids (the Movers have a combined nine) mind sharing you with the masses now that you are Disney celebrities?
Rich: It's very hard to leave. I get texts and pictures throughout the day when we're on the road. The balance in working is that we have to go a lot, but we also get a good chunk of time where we get to be Mr. Mom between the end of production and the beginning of the tour.
Dave: Now with the technology —Skype, Facetime — being able to send pictures back and forth, it makes it a bit easier. My wife scans homework and sends it to me. Then, I get on Skype with my son and go over his homework with him when I'm on the bus or at the hotel. That makes it a lot more bearable and keeps me in what's going on in the house even though I'm not there physically. I get to participate and parent on the road.
Scott: It helps when they are in school because then they have their routine. If we were touring during the Summer, it would be more felt. We're blessed that we have wonderful wives and a network of friends that help us out when we aren't there.

LilSugar: In terms of revenue, you have the show, merchandise, and the tour. Is anything else on the horizon?
Rich: We're not going to stop until we make the Imagination Movers feature film.

LilSugar: Are you in talks or negotiations with Disney on that?
Rich: We're in the very early stages.
Scott: To be able to create an intelligent G-rated movie for kids is kind of like the Holy Grail because there's so much out there that is just insufficient.

LilSugar: Would you go 3D like everyone is doing now?
Rich: (laughs) We're going to go 4D, maybe 5D — we're thinking big!

Katie Holmes is teaching her daughter, Suri Cruise, and other children to appreciate the written word. The actress and mom lent her voice to Disney Junior's new show, A Poem Is.... The minute-long snippets will include the work of classic and contemporary poets read by celebrities and paired with animation. The vignettes will air in between full-length shows beginning on Feb. 14. Mom of two Jennifer Garner has also signed onto the project. Disney gave us the exclusive sneak peek of Holmes reading "Mice" by Rose Fyleman. Check it out!