droolicious : dora

Star Kid: Jason Bateman Gives Francesca and Dora a Lift

SunnyChanel — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Jason Bateman is in New York City shooting his new movie The Baster with Jennifer Aniston. When not hamming it up for the cameras, Jason attends to his other gig as his daughter’s favorite mode of transportation. And Jason isn’t just carrying his 2 ½ year old daughter, she opted to bring a friend along.

Here Francesca carries a Dora the Explorer Sleepy Dreams Dora doll by Fisher-Price. This snuggly doll features Dora as a toddler, and a very sleepy on at that. This doll closes her eyes when you lay her down and she also sings a bedtime song, a melody and ten random phrases. The doll also comes with a hairbrush and bedtime storybook. You can pick one up here for $23.99.

Photo: via Just Jared

7 Days of Wii Games for Kids: Dora Saves the Snow Princess

SunnyChanel — Wed, 13 May 2009 02:54:00 GMT

Personally, I’m not a fan of the Dora. I just don’t get the appeal. But Dora as a video game? Now that makes sense. The television show features those annoying computer clicks and that ‘user interface’ like appearance but allows no real interaction. It’s a totally static event. This Dora Wii game allows you to actually select an item from ‘Backpack’ or ‘ Map’ instead of having Dora rhetorically ask the question and assume you got it right. This game makes the user make the decision.

In Dora Saves the Snow Princess (based on the Dora feature of the same name), Dora traipses around a winter wonderland searching for said Ice Princess. Along the way she slides down ice covered slopes, falls into caverns, and collects Frost Sparkles, Magic Snowflakes and ‘Stickers’ . Physical tasks such as steering, flapping, lifting, digging and climbing are integrated into the game play.

My three year old was able to easily navigate the playing field, although some of the jumping, and extras were frustrating for her. With a little practice I’m sure she’ll be able to conquer those game demons. And if your little player does end up getting stuck or frustrated, there is the ‘Snowy Forrest Helper Feature’ which you can utilize with a second controller. This lets a parent assist the player to avoid a melt down or an attempt to throw the Wii controller at the screen.

You and your little gamer can help save the Ice Princess here for $19.99

Some Doras are Still Little Girls

JeanneSager — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:25:00 GMT

Her tween counterpart might be making all the news lately, but Swim and Splash Mermaid Dora is very much your sweet regular bilingual gal.

Part of the Fisher-Price bath line, mermaid Dora earns points for being one of those one-size-fits all toys. Sure, she's made for water, but she does just fine on land thanks to fine hair for kids who like to groom their dolls (none of that molded tub toy plastic hair that steals that pleasure away).

Mermaid Dora still does her best exploring in the tub, where your little waterbug can spin her conch shell necklace and get her flipper a flipping. Because what little kid doesn't pretend to be a mermaid when they're swimming? Come on - girls AND boys buy into that one, and they did way before Ariel start singing and making you shell out for princess gear.

So let Dora take a dip in their tub while she's still a little girl.

Star Baby: Suri Watch – She Keeps Dry with Dora!

SunnyChanel — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:30:00 GMT

I was stunned to see Suri Cruise in public carrying a simple Dora the Explorer umbrella instead of one dipped in 24 karat gold or one personally designed for her by Miuccia Prada. But instead of getting the basic Dora umbrella, if your child is into that sort of thing, I’d opt for the Color Me Dora Umbrella ($14.50). This child sized umbrella is black and white and comes with six permanent markers so it can be personalized how ever you want.

Photo: From Just Jared

Video Game Round-Up: Licensed Fun for Everyone, Part 1

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:03:00 GMT

With the holidays upon us, the steady trickle of video games for kids has turned into a landslide. There's plenty of educational gaming to be found (watch this space...), but this week's focus is on licensed games -- those flashy, store-aisle eyeball-grabbers that work in characters and plotlines from kids' favorite toys, movies and TV shows. Consider it sort of like eating your dessert first and then working backward toward the veggies.

Avatar: The Burning Earth (THQ; screenshot above)
Available For: Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, DS, GBA
The Deal: Nick's animated hit about an on-the-run golden child with element-manipulating powers returns to the console; this time, you're playing as lead character Aang, as well as his friends, to hone your (literal) elemental skills and fend off a Fire Nation assault: air battles, multiplayer action and arena combat ensue. It's a fighting game, albeit a cartoonish, Zen-like one, so little kids may not be ready for it yet -- though they're sure to argue otherwise.
Who'll Dig It: Besides Babble's own Lisa Carver, fans of Avatar (the storyline, characters and Asian-style animation are straight out of season 2) and of martial-arts games in general.

Barbie as the Island Princess (Activision)
Available For: Wii, PS2, DS, GBA, PC
The Deal: A game based on a movie based on a toy based on a beauty ideal, Barbie as the Island Princess finds you playing as the shipwrecked Princess Rosella -- with the option to unlock new characters and costumes as you move toward your ultimate destination, the prince's castle. A multiplayer mode and 28 minigames, along with footage not found in the DVD, add welcome replay value.
Who'll Dig It: Barbie fans of all ages; it's also a fun way to bond outside of the castle playset with your little Barbie collector, particularly if neither of you is an avid gamer.

Ben 10: Protector of Earth (D3)
Available For: Wii, DS, PS2, PSP
The Deal: The shape-shifting 10-year-old star of Cartoon Network's animated smash (and real-life spinoff) must stop the evil Vilgax from stealing the source of his power. Play as Ben's five alien alter-egos; battle friends in combat mode; and unlock challenges as you fight to save the world. Or, you know, just watch your kids clobber their way through the thing.
Who'll Dig It: Ben 10 fans will love being able to man the Omnitrix (don't ask) and get into their hero's business. You might be underwhelmed by the basic fight-to-win action if you're not down with the series, but if that's the case, why are you playing?

Cars: Mater National (THQ)
Available For: Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, PS2, DS, GBA, PC
The Deal: Racing games are like crack for kids; throw in the characters from Pixar's Cars, along with Monsters, Inc.'s Mike and Sully (here as monster trucks) and you won't be able to pull 'em away from the set. This time, you're competing in the Mater-National world championship, vying for a shot against Lightning McQueen while veering off course in over 20 minigames and a wide-open playing field.
Who'll Dig It: See above. It doesn't blow away the original Cars game, but given how easy these things are to beat, it's a nice expansion to the series.

Dora Saves the Mermaids (2K Play)
Available For: DS
The Deal: Though it's clearly aimed at the littlest gamers, Dora's new adventure -- in which she and Boots team up for a fun, simple journey to restore a mermaid's magic crown -- has some cool features: You can use the stylus to sweep garbage off a beach, or call to dolphins through the DS' microphone. And with basic counting and puzzle-solving activities included, it's got some educational perks, too.
Who'll Dig It: Dora fans, of course.

Nickelodeon Launches myNOGGIN for Ad-Free Online Learning

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:32:00 GMT

More power to those of you who've managed to keep your little ones offline, but for the rest of us, Nickelodeon has launched myNOGGIN, a subscription-based, ad-free site aimed at preschoolers through first graders. Featuring a variety of curriculum-based learning games developed with an educational advisory board, and hosted by familiar characters Blue, Dora, Diego and Moose A. Moose, the site offers three subscription levels: $5.95 for 12 months, $7.95 for six months, and $9.95 for a month-to-month deal. You can try a demo, sign up for a free trial, and read more about the "connected learning" approach before committing, and, as with any sort of gaming experience, this one is only as meaningful as the time you invest in it alongside your kids (there's even a Parent Center where you sign in to track progress). In other words, a baby-sitter it isn't.