Mrs. Carter, The New Victory Theater Ghost

The New Victory Theater in Times Square is one of the oldest theaters in New York. It's also haunted! While Kidoons was at there, we sat down with Colleen Davis, the Production Coordinator. She told us who the ghostly woman is! The woman's name was Mrs. Carter, and she was an actress on that very stage. She has pulled pranks on performers who used her old dressing rooms right up to today. Did YOU ever see a ghost? What's YOUR favorite scary story? Visit AnimatedHalloween.com to see the story of Mrs. Carter, and to find out the story BEHIND the holiday of Halloween.

Happy Halloween from Kidoons!

The Original story of Halloween VIDEO!

Did you know that things we do to celebrate Halloween started over 500 years BC?

A long time ago, October 31st was the last day of the Celtic calendar. The Celts were tribes of people living across Europe since around 1000 years BC.
Have you heard of the Druids? The Druids worshipped the spirits of trees and plants and practiced healing and magic? They were Celts.

Watch the Original Story of Halloween on AnimatedHalloween.com

Back to School 2016: The Best Way to Learn About Our World!

Teachers and moms love Kidoons online videos as they're FREE, fun, and on a safe network! Join our animated characters as they travel to real places to solve mysteries for Captain Nemo, while learning about real science, history, environment and culture. Each episode partners with a real museum, organization, or city, so the content is vetted by real-life educators and curators. Watch all new episodes, and if you know any places or topics you want to see for your kids, please contact us!
Have a great school year,
The Kidoons Team

Start Your Journey with Jerry Muskrat!

WATCH: Gateway to the Seaway - Jerry Muskrat Feels Superior At the Port of Thunder Bay

Jerry and Snappy imagine themselves being buried in quicksand, but Topper the Topmost Mouse shakes them out of the fantasy. They’re actually in the cargo hold of a bulk ship, standing on Topper’s grain shipment to the east coast. Together, they discover the history of Thunder Bay, from its beginnings as the separate towns of Port Arthur and Fort William, to the present western gateway to the St. Lawrence Seaway. While learning about the Port of Thunder Bay, Jerry’s pal Steve Adore makes a surprise appearance. He tells Jerry how im-port-ant shipping is from an economic and an ecological point-of-view. By the end, Jerry’s ready to move on to Thunder Bay Museum to find his next gear for Captain Nemo’s time machine.

Special note: we created this video with the Port of Thunder Bay. For more info on ports, you can also watch “A Very Im-Port-ant Person: Jerry Meets Steve Adore at the Port of Oshawa”. And stay tuned for more of Jerry’s adventure in his series "The Greatest Lakes – a Jerry Muskrat™ Adventure!"

WATCH VIDEO

WATCH: A Tail of Two Cities: Jerry Muskrat Visits The Thunder Bay Museum

Jerry’s walking down Donald Street East in Thunder Bay, searching for another gear on Captain Nemo’s mission. He jumps back in time at Thunder Bay Museum, where he relives the history of TBay, from the merging of the twin cities of Fort William and Port Arthur. Jerry learns about the fur trade, silver mines, and the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway, all of which had a role to play in creating “Canada’s gateway to the west”. After stumbling through a 100-year old doctor’s office (Dr. Smellie!) and an old-fashioned movie theatre, Jerry finds his gear inside the skeleton of a giant Albertosaurus.

Special note: we created this video with Thunder Bay Museum, who also partnered with us on the creation of “The Sinking of the Algoma”.

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On July 1 we're celebrating Canada Day!

Being in Canada, Kidoons Network is especially proud to join in the Canada Day celebrations! In history, this day marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a single country called Canada within the British Empire.

Dominion Day, and later Canada Day, was the date set for a number of important events through the history of the country:

• the flooding of the Saint Lawrence Seaway (1958)
• the first colour television transmission in Canada (1966)
• the inauguration of the Order of Canada (1967)
• the establishment of "O Canada" as the country's national anthem (1980)

to name a few.

People across the country organize celebrations for Canada Day, usually outdoor events like parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, fireworks, and free shows or musical concerts.
So to all our friends in Canada, get outside enjoy the sun, and Happy Canada Day!

And for indoor fun, learn even more about Canada:
"The Greatest Lakes" a Jerry Muskrat™ Adventure
"Maritime Mink" a Billy Mink™ Adventure
"Go West Young Bear" a Buster Bear™ Adventure

WATCH: Journey to Belonging - Billy Mink in the Immigration Hall at Pier 21

In this next "Maritime Mink" Adventure, Captain Nemo sends Billy Mink to the Canadian Immigration Hall, inside Halifax's Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Fresh from discovering the roots of his family tree, Billy discovers the big picture of Canada's immigration story - one that is still unfolding today. He explores the interactive museum, and even finds that some of his Kidoons friends have 'immigrated' into his story! While building a replica of his great-grandpa's green trunk, he finds a branch from the Secret Wreath, and gets sucked into his next episode!

Special note: This MOM (Multimedia Outreach Module) was the 2nd episode in a 2-part series developed in partnership with The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. It's part of a larger Nova Scotia story arc that features episodes created with the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Happy Father's Day!

This weekend we celebrate all fathers and father figures in our lives. Thank you for being there every day with the love and guidance we need.

For Father's Day fun visit: AnimatedFathersDay.com
Check out an Animated Story "Leaping Match"


http://ls4.co/1wPx

WATCH: Honey, I Shrunk the Bear! - Buster Buzzes Through the Victoria Bug Zoo

In this next Buster Bear adventure, Buster follows Bumbles Bee into the Victoria Bug Zoo. Still under the effects of Captain Nemo's shrinking ray, Buster interacts with many of the zoo's exotic bugs, while trying to track down his pal. He finally hitches a ride on Bumbles, who leads him to the the largest leaf-cutter ant colony in Canada. After learning about the ants, he gets to meet the Ant Queen, as she busily lays eggs in her secret lair. The Queen finally lays a gold coin for Buster, leading him to the next clue in Nemo's adventure.

Special note: This MOM (Multimedia Outreach Module) was developed in partnership with the the Victoria Bug Zoo. Stay tuned for more Buster Bear adventures on Vancouver Island!

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WATCH: Mink Jet! - Billy Mink Visits the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum

This next adventure in Billy Mink's "Maritime Mink" web series finds him in the cockpit of CF-104 Starfighter airplane, at the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum in Halifax. He hops around all the amazing aircraft, exploring the history of flight, and Atlantic Canada's aviation heritage. With the help of Dr. N and Fulgur, Billy learns about the physics of flight, and what makes an aircraft actually fly. Bobby Racoon throws a paper airplane at him, escaping with another branch of the Secret Wreath. Nemo orders Billy to pursue him in the Silver Dart, and the adventure continues.

Special note: This MOM (Multimedia Outreach Module) was developed in partnership with the the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum. It's part of a Nova Scotia story arc that features episodes created with the The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Hey Canada! Get ready to celebrate Victoria Day on Monday, May 23

Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the Monday before May 25 in honour of the birthdays of both Queen Victoria and the current monarch of Canada.

Queen Victoria was born on May 24, 1819. She became Queen of the United Kingdom on June 20, 1837 and reigned until her death on January 22, 1901. Victoria is still the longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. The monarch's birthday has been celebrated in Canada as Victoria Day since before the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign.

In many cities and provinces across Canada this holiday is celebrated with fireworks and parades.

Quebec province has never celebrated Victoria Day, in fact they're celebrating a different holiday on the same date - National Patriots' Day (Journée nationale des patriotes) to honour the rebellion against the British in 1837.

So where ever you are in Canada, prepare for a great long weekend. No matter what holiday you celebrate, or when you celebrate it, this is a time to enjoy friends, family, and outdoor fun. Happy holiday weekend!

This Sunday is Mother's Day!

Get ready to celebrate Mother's Day on May 8th! It's a day to show your love and appreciation for mothers and mother figures. Did you know that in US and Canada this holiday is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, but in other countries it can be celebrated on different dates? Join the celebration and head on to animatedmothersday.com, here you will find out about the history of this holiday "The Original Story of Mother's Day", play some fun games and get some cool downloadable activities.

http://ls4.co/1rYb

WATCH: Topmost Ship! Billy and Topper Chart a Course Aboard the Acadia

This next adventure in Billy Mink's "Maritime Mink" web series has him pop in a trunk aboard the CSS Acadia at Halifax's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. With the help of Topper the Topmost Mouse, Steve the Shipkeeper, Erik the Cat, and Merlin the Macaw, Billy discovers Acadia's amazing history, and how it helped chart much of Canada's Northeast coast. He learns about cartography, and how ships like Acadia played a vital role in Canadian navigation. It's actually the only vessel still afloat today that survived the massive 1917 Halifax Explosion… a story Captain Nemo saves for another time.

Special note: This MOM (Multimedia Outreach Module) was developed in partnership with the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. It's part of a Nova Scotia story arc that will also feature episodes created with the The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry, and the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum.

WATCH VIDEO

Kidoons Easter Fun with AnimatedEaster.com

Fun holiday videos and activities including easy to follow print outs on how to make one of a kind Easter eggs. The creativity page print outs are easy to use for holiday arts and crafts at home or in the classroom. Activities also include Frequently Asked Questions about Easter.

Happy Easter!

Visit AnimatedEaster.com

Get creative with Animated Easter Art Mania!

Color scenes from Kidoons stories with pre-made pictures - Choose from 20 juicy colors! Draw and color your own pictures and shapes with drawing tools, while ‘tool tips’ changes the size of your line and brushes.

Place pre-drawn objects and make your own wacky Kidoons scenes! Happy Easter from KIDOONS!

Get your creative juices flowing!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

It's March 17th and time to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day....feeling extra lucky?

Saint Patrick was a Christian Missionary in Ireland in the years of the 400's! His legend grew, and by the time people were writing about him 1,300 years later they said he:
– banished all snakes from Ireland by sending them into the sea
– Grew a living tree from his walking staff
– Used the shamrock to illustrate the Christian idea of the holy trinity (father, son and holy spirit) with its 3 leaves.
Today, lots of other Irish myths have been rolled into the day and Ireland's rich culture is celebrated around the world with parades, food and drink.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Today is International Women's Day!

Today is International Women's Day! This special day is celebrated on March 8th and is about the great things women do every day. Who is a great woman in your life? Why not do something special for her?

WATCH: As the White Herns! Jerry visits Whitehern Historic House & Garden in Hamilton

Jerry Muskrat is walking while on the phone with his mother (bad idea, Jerry!) when he literally stumbles onto the grounds of Whitehern Historic House & Garden National Historic Site! At Whitehern, Jerry watches the soap-opera story of the McQuesten Family. Mary Baker McQuesten was a single mother – a widow who raised her six children here. But for one reason or another, none of her children ever got married or had children... so in the end, no one inherited this stately home!

Special note: This MOM (Multimedia Outreach Module) is part of a 5-episode story arc developed in partnership with the Hamilton Civic Museums owned and operated by the City of Hamilton. Kidoons created this episode and filmed on location with the help of curators of the Whitehern Historic House & Garden National Historic Site in Hamilton, Ontario.

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Time for love is almost here! Get in the mood for Valentines Day with AnimatedValentines.com

Are you excited for Valentine's Day on February 14th? Everyone at Kidoons Network sure is! To share the love, we have fun, games and resources to download at AnimatedValentines.com

So who is Valentine exactly?

We know that because there is an apostrophe before the letter 's', the day belongs to someone named Valentine. But who was this Valentine, and how did he get his own day?

Read this funny, illustrated story "The origins of Valentine's Day" with your family or class and learn how Valentine's day came to be!

Also visit the Downloads section for extra downloadable materials for teachers, colouring books and more.

All of us at the Kidoons Network hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Visit AnimatedValentines.com

Gong Hey Fat Choy! Happy Year of the Fire Monkey!

Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Hey Fat Choy...or Gong xi fa cai if you're speaking Mandarin!

Clean the house well on Sunday, New Year's Eve. You will sweep all the old junk from last year away, to get yourself ready for a fresh start! On Monday, wear clean new clothes. You can especially wear red for good fortune! The Monkey is a witty, intelligent, but stubborn creature.... sometimes too clever for its own good! The year of the Fire Monkey will be quick changing, and if you yourself are a Monkey, you best lay low because a monkey meeting a monkey can create conflict.

You are a monkey if you were born in 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, or 1968... but if your birthday is in January, better double-check because the Chinese New Year never starts on January 1st!

Chinese New Year is widely celebrated in many countries around the world, with various symbols and traditions. Flowers are used for decoration, writings for good luck are often seen on homes, tangerines and oranges are displayed as a sign of luck and wealth, red envelopes with money are given to children as presents, and red lanterns are released on the last day of the festival.