LilSugar

Disney Costumes For Your Little Princess or Mermaid

LilSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:30:41 -0700

Once upon a time there was an adorable little girl who loved fairy tales, happy endings and Disney princesses. What did she want to be for Halloween? Why Bella, Cinderella, Snow White or the Little Mermaid, naturally!

Like their inspiration, Disney princess costumes are always a classic. You can make your darling's wishes come true with an official Disney costume (they sure know how to make a mama's life easy!) or make your own using the character's token colors and style. Either way, she'll be the Bella of the ball.

Share a past pic of your wee one in their costume in our Sugarbabies group in the LilSugar Community! Your little darlings could be featured on the site.

Disney© Belle Costume - $54.99	Disney© Cinderella Costume - $54.99
Disney© Ariel Costume - $44.99	Disney© Sleeping Beauty Costume - $54.99
Disney© Jasmine Costume - $29.99	Disney© Ariel Costume - $54.99
Disney© Snow White Costume - $44.99

Source: Flickr User jepoycamboy

LeapFrog's Zippity Brings Full-Body Gaming to Preschoolers

LilSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:00:11 -0700

Dance Dance Revolution sparked a worldwide rhythm and dance craze when it launched in Japan a decade ago. Since then, game console manufacturers like Nintendo and Sony have created dozens of videos merging exercise and gaming for adults and teens alike. With the Zippity Learning System ($80), LeapFrog delivers the concept to the preschool set.

The TV-based gaming system brings some of The Disney Channel's most popular characters – like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Winnie the Pooh and Handy Manny – to combine upper- and lower-body movements with educational concepts.

To see what we liked about the Zippity system and what left us wondering, read more.

The Zippity system allows kids to choose from eight games that either use an interactive mat for lower-body movement or a waist-high joystick for upper-body activity. The games, such as a Mickey Mouse version of Simon Says and a Handy Manny version of song creation, encourage number, shape, directional and color recognition. While some of the games are more movement-oriented than others, they all do encourage the participant to be active. The great graphics and variety of games are perhaps the best features of the system, as lil ones can work on several different skills throughout their play. Each game has two levels of play, meaning the system is designed to grow with them – but we found that a 3-year-old was already well-advanced for the first level of most of the included games, leaving us wondering just how long he would be able to play with a set geared toward 3-6-year-olds.

Tweens Can Rock Disney Duds As They Head Back to School

LilSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:35:24 -0700

If you have school aged children, especially tweens, the Mouse has probably taken over your television set and CD player. Now, prepare for The Jonas Brothers and The Wizards of Waverly Place to take over your kiddo's closet. Yesterday, Disney debuted it's back to school line of Ivy League and Boho Chic duds inspired by the popular shows. There are also school supplies and accessories to fill up your youngster's desk or locker. The reasonably priced items hit shelves this month at JC Penney, Kmart, Sears, Walmart, Target and DisneyStore.com.

To check out more shots from the runway show and the full line of apparel, read more.

View 28 Photos ›

Movies With Miya: Up Takes Kids on an AIrborne Adventure

LilSugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:00:42 -0700

Today, Disney-Pixar's latest creation, Up, opens in theaters. The film chronicles the adventures of 78-year-old widower Carl Fredrickson, who ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to his dream destination of Paradise Falls in South America. Unbeknownst to Carl, an incredibly enthusiastic 8-year-old boy named Russell has come along for the ride looking to earn his last Wilderness Explorer badge.

Russell and Carl bond on their journey while befriending creatures, overcoming a villain, and sharing a love of exploration. With amazing animation, witty writing, and a great message, Up will hold an older child's attention. Kids under five will have a hard time following the story line and may be scared by violent scenes. We sat down with our favorite child critic, Miya, to discuss the film.

Q: What was your favorite part of the movie?
A: I liked it when the house lifted up and flew away with all the pretty balloons.

Q: What didn't you like about the movie?
A: I didn't like it when the bad guys hurt and captured the bird.

Q: Did any parts scare you?
A: I was scared when the boy and the old man fought the mean man.

Q: Would you tell your friends to watch it?
A: I would tell my older friends to watch it. But I would tell my school friends that some of it was scary.

Movie buff Miya, 5, has been watching films since she was old enough to follow the images in the Baby Einstein videos. Her favorite flick is the adored blockbuster The Little Mermaid. This cute critic hopes to grace the silver screen some day!

My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too

Sponsor — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:00:05 -0700

Nothing says fun more than a family sing-along, and the new Disney full-length feature DVD release, My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too, makes for a great time with the kids!

It's a perfect day for a picnic, and you're invited! To thank Rabbit for planning this delightful event, his pals appoint him mayor. But Rabbit has a lot to learn about what it takes to keep everyone in the Hundred Acre Wood one big, happy family! Join in the excitement as Pooh and the gang share laughter, surprises, and the joys of friendship.

Bursting with fun, beloved characters and unforgettable new music, this instant family classic is sure to be the biggest showstopper ever! And with exclusive bonus features and four great ways to watch, including a sing-along with seven original songs, the laughter and joy will keep on for years to come!

Bring My Friends Tigger & Pooh home on DVD now!

Lil Links: 65 Things You Must Do and See at Disney World

LilSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:00:29 -0700

The must see and dos of Disney World - Alpha Mom

"Why Is Poop Brown, Mommy?" - Cafe Mom

Celebrate your child's birthday with a Star Wars soiree - Cookie

Jerry O'Connell says his twin daughters will walk all over him - Celebrity Baby Blog

Keith Urban chats about daughter's unusual name - Celebrity Baby Scoop

Jen and Ben's Kleen Kanteen of choice - Parent Dish

The best seasonal fruits and veggies - Health

The inebriated truth - The Poop

Interview With Sean Astin: Star of Disney's Special Agent Oso

LilSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:00:42 -0700

Parents who grew up watching Sean Astin in The Goonies, Where the Day Takes You and Rudy, can now tune in to his latest endeavor with their children. The actor is the voice of special agent-in-training, Oso, in the Disney Channel's new show Special Agent Oso, which premieres in April 4th. Oso, a panda bear, works for U.N.I.Q.U.E. (United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events), an international organization of stuffed animals that helps kids accomplish simple tasks like making their bed or mailing a letter. I recently had the chance to chat with Astin, 38, who is also a director and father of three - Alexandra, 12, Elizabeth, 6, and Isabella, 3.

lilsugar: You said that when you saw the animation of the character, Oso, you felt it reflected you - how so?
Sean Astin: Well, just the look of him. I mean I see myself. I'm not a lean, mean marathon runner. I run and occasionally, I slim down, but he's cute, he's cuddly, you know? He's me - ask anyone who's ever met me.

To see what the proud papa had to say about fatherhood and his career, read more.

lilsugar: As the father of three young daughters, are they thrilled that you are going to have a show on the Disney Channel?
Sean Astin: At first they were very matter-of-fact about understanding the concept of the show and they knew it'd come on at some point in the indeterminable future and that dad would be the voice of the character. And, then they saw a commercial for it at their friend's house and they went ballistic. They can't get enough of it. It kind of brought them to the fact that their dad's an actor a little more than before and now they want to start watching other movies that I've been in. That's a direct effect of them enjoying Oso.

Is working on Secret Agent Oso also different because your kids can watch it as opposed to some of your other films?
Sean Astin: Absolutely, there's been a number of movies I have done that were R-rated. I played a drug addict and I've played a homicidal killer and it's just not what we're going to let our children watch. But over the years, I've always gotten approached by people asking why I wasn't making more movies for kids. When this came along, I was really excited. More than anything else, except maybe Meerkat Manor (Astin is the narrator) - this is the most direct, specific way that I can communicate as an actor to kids.

lilsugar: Your big break was in The Goonies, which is a beloved film for kids and people of all ages. Now that you are an adult actor, director and dad, how do you think children's entertainment has changed since then?
Sean Astin: Well I think in a lot of ways it's more elicit. You know something like Goonies there's fun and there's adventure, but it's kind of - I don't know, it's not a laser beam of entertainment. We didn't figure out how the funny bone would get winged in between here and there as is naturally the case. There are so many shows that the people making them now grew up on. All the television shows now are beneficiaries, for better or worse, and a culmination of all those things. I am sort of a purist and like some of the old school things like Peter Pan and classic Disney animation, but the animation you can do now is just absolutely incredible. There used to be a core group of 15 or so actors that did almost all of the voice work that was out there and now you've got world class movie stars who regularly want to participate in the next generation's movies and shows. Violence is a little worse, comedy is a little more intense in some of them, but basically there's good shows, good stories, good characters and talent - well acted.

lilsugar: Fill in the blank. You know you're a father when ____?
Sean Astin: You cry at commercials with families saying goodbye to their kids when they go to college.

lilsugar: Fill in the blank. Why didn't anybody tell me _____ about fatherhood?
Sean Astin: Why didn't anybody tell me how much more sleep I would get as a father and how upset my wife would be about it.

The Jonas Brothers Go Home With Their Mom at Night

LilSugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:00:43 -0800

Barbara Walters is known for breaking even the toughest, most seasoned stars during her interviews, but she didn't get much out of The Jonas Brothers. The Disney musical sensations - Nick, 16, Joe, 19, and Kevin, 21 - told the prime time queen that the silver rings they wear are a sign of respect towards the girls they date. And, at the end of the day, they board their tour bus with one woman - their mother. The trio known for their clean songs and admirable image has many moms of teen, tween and even tot fans breathing a much welcomed sigh of relief.

Courtesy of ABC

Isla Fisher Doesn't Open Up Much About Motherhood

LilSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:00:20 -0800

Isla Fisher's willing to confess things about her much anticipated movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic, which opened today, but she keeps mum about motherhood. At least when it comes to the press. At a recent junket for her latest release, when asked if she had read the book the movie was based on and how she balances the challenges of motherhood and career, the actress said:

Motherhood is my favorite topic in my personal life, but I don’t discuss it professionally just because I want my daughter to have privacy and a normal life. Yes, I was a huge fan of the books. I had read them all long before I heard about the project, and when I heard about the project and that Jerry Bruckheimer was producing it, obviously who I was a huge fan of, I didn’t think in my wildest dreams, that I would even get a meeting, let alone get the role. I literally still cannot believe I got the role. It’s very exciting for me.

Courtesy of Disney

Interview with Imagination Movers: Disney's Amazing Dad Band

LilSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:00:27 -0800

Disney's hottest dad act, the Imagination Movers encourage friendship, creativity, and thinking while they get kids up off the couch. You may assume this is just another example of the Mouse's Midas touch, but it's more. The four friends (three of which are fathers to a combined nine children) have a back story beginning in New Orleans that will have parents pushing their tots in front of the television as the band's message is genuine. Rich Collins (Mover Rich) explained, "We weren't four guys that went and auditioned and got put on a show. There's history that makes us what we are." I had the opportunity to sit down with the foursome (Collins, Scott Durbin, Dave Poche, and Scott "Smitty" Smith) recently in San Francisco. To see how Hurricane Katrina altered their lives and led them to become male role models on the Disney channel, read more.

lilsugar: How did you guys go from being an architect, a firefighter, a teacher and a journalist to having a kid's band?
Dave: We wanted to make quality music for kids because we had children who were steeped in the whole world of entertainment and a lot of what we saw was cartoons and puppets. We brought it back to what we had grown up with - Mr. Rogers and Captain Kangaroo. Mr. Rogers had just passed away and we thought there was a void and decided to take a shot at doing something about it. So we got together - four goofy dads who had an idea and here we are years later and it's turned into something that is of value.
Scott: Actually, the initial idea was local in New Orleans and then low and behold what we created resonated with people and we were tenacious about its development and were fortunate that Disney came and saw us at Jazz Fest. We played our set and started talking about doing a show together and had this concept and that's how it was born.

lilsugar: Did you guys quit your day jobs as touring and doing a show must take up the majority of your time?
Dave: When we started it was a hobby. We'd put the kids to bed and meet. At first, it was in my built out attic room and we'd be there from like nine at night until 12 or one in the morning a few days a week and brainstorm and work. Then, the music took on a life of its own. We made three independent CDs and a DVD and started playing shows. The business needed attention so Rich was the first one to quit and make the full time leap. Then, three years ago Katrina came. Once that happened we lost three of our four homes and Smitty was a firefighter.
Smitty: I still am a New Orleans firefighter, I'm just on leave of absence.

lilsugar: When you lost your homes, did you go stay with family and then reconnect later?
Rich: So the flood came and the three of us lived in one neighborhood (Smitty lived in a drier part of town) so our houses got completely flooded and were under eight feet of water for weeks and our office, Mover stuff and instruments - it was all gone. So we were all in our cars with the kids and the cat and the computer and a few pieces of clothing and a couple of pictures you saved and we were literally refugees, but it's funny. It's not funny really, but there was a day or two after when we were all holed up in different cities and hotels and things and we started communicating via text because we had a show booked that next Saturday in Dallas. And, so I was like - can you get there? Can we do this show?
Dave: I was sitting on the steps of a hotel in Houston, my kids were in bed and I'm exhausted outside with my wife and we're texting because that's the only way you can communicate. I looked at my phone and it was Tuesday or Wednesday and he's like so are we still playing Dallas Saturday? Saturday, I was in Dallas. We realized what else are we gonna do? We will have a hotel room there. I don't know if I have a job, I don't know where anybody is, and there's a small fee out there and I've got an obligation. Not knowing where anything was or where money was gonna come from, we went. People loaned us instruments.
Rich: Scott bought some replacement suits - I was wearing my old glasses. We were like refugee performers - so a bad thing happened and that's kind of a symbol for what happened in the bigger picture. We were totally thrown off of our routines, but quickly realized that there was this huge community of Movers fans in New Orleans and around the south who reached out to us to ask if we were okay. And to let us know, "your music was in the car and kept our kids feeling safe and please keep doing what you're doing". It was this outpouring of support. Doing the Movers gave us this safe harbor and in a bigger sense, it is what allowed us to pull ourselves up out of the storm. This is maybe getting a little too grand, but we managed to get the deal with Disney and bring the production of the show to the city. It was the lifeline for us and for our families to get the show going, but we're now employing more than one hundred people for seven months at a time when we do the show. It's a huge boost for the local film community.

lilsugar: No matter what happens, you're staying in New Orleans?
Smitty: New Orleans is a small town, we grew this thing from nothing. People would tell us that this was their sense of normalcy and for us this became the thing we rallied around to lift ourselves up.
Scott: The one guy who didn't lose his home, Smitty, penned the lyrics to the song, We Got Each Other which was probably the first recorded song in New Orleans after Katrina and was on our Eight Feet album.
Dave: You might lose your tangible things, but you've still got your family and friends and support.
Smitty: I didn't lose my house and none of my family died or anything, but as a fireman, for two weeks straight we banded together and relied on one another for our lives. That was part of that song too. It was pretty tough, but I think out of all that, here comes this good thing.
Scott: Our lives turn on a dime. We were professionals working jobs and then we were standing in line for welfare or to get food stamps. It was just a real experience.

Courtesy of Disney