No Mystery Here: The Great Shape Mystery Is Another Great Letter Factory Adventure

Courtesy: Lionsgate

Lionsgate studios has never been known as one of Hollywood’s “Power Five” studios. This aside it has still proven to be a powerhouse in its own right. It is the studio responsible for hit movie franchises such as The Hunger Games, The Expendables, and the new thriller Sicario. It is just as well known in the TV world thanks to hit series such as Manhattan, Orange is the New Black, and Mad Men. It has even delved into the world of educational content with its Leap Frog titles. Lionsgate has released a number of titles from Leap Frog in recent years thanks to its partnership with the organization. Those titles include a handful of titles in Leap Frog’s Letter Factory Adventures series. The latest of those titles, The Great Shape Mystery, was released late this summer. And it is yet another enjoyable addition to any early childhood educator’s personal DVD library just as much as it is to the personal collection of any family with a young child or children. The central reason for its enjoyment lies in its story. This time out Leap and company have to set out on a quest a la Indiana Jones in order to figure out the secret of a mystery machine (no, not that mystery machine) that has been delivered to the Letter Factory. The team’s adventure takes it underground through a number of interesting situations requiring some problem solving skills and all the way back to the Letter Factory in the end. And it all happens in the span of about thirty-seven minutes, which is really not that bad. It is just one way in which this latest installment from Leap Frog’s Letter Factory Adventures series proves itself to be so enjoyable. Another way in which it proves itself so enjoyable is its lessons. Despite being part of the Letter Factory Adventures series, this installment branches out into the world of basic math just as with the previously released installment Counting on Lemonade. Even more interesting is that it expertly balances not one or even two lessons but three over the course of that near forty-minute run time. That will be discussed at more length later. Along with its multiple lessons and engaging story, The Great Shape Mystery also boasts another handful of bonuses for kids and grownups alike. Those bonuses include a few sing-a-longs for younger viewers that help to drive home the lessons presented throughout the gang’s adventure and extra curriculum discussions to help parents and educators drive home those lessons, too. Collectively, the bonuses round out the presentation that it The Great Shape Mystery. Together with the featured story and lessons, the DVD in whole proves to be one more great addition to Leap Frog and Lionsgate’s Letter Factory Adventure series.

Letter Factory Adventures: The Great Shape Mystery is another great addition to Leap Frog and Lionsgate’s popular Letter Factory Adventures series of DVDs. The main way in which it proves itself so enjoyable is its story. The story follows Leap and the rest of the Letter Factory gang as they set out to solve the mystery of a new machine that has been delivered to the letter factory. The adventure takes the gang underground and through a number of interesting situations that require some problem solving skills. Just as with previous Letter Factory Adventures DVDs the story presented here is family friendly. And it has been scripted in such fashion that not once does it ever go over the heads of its target pre-school-age audiences. In other words, the story and its incorporated lessons are written at the target audiences’ level, thus keeping those viewers engaged. Just as important to note of the story is its run time and associated pacing. The presentation in whole runs roughly thirty-seven minutes. Thirty-seven minutes may seem like a lot even for a pre-schooler. But the pacing of the story over that time is such that those audiences will in fact remain engaged. The pacing together with the run time and story itself combine to make this central element of the presentation a key way in which The Great Shape Mystery shows itself to be yet another enjoyable installment of the Letter Factory Adventures series. It is just one of the ways in which this DVD shows itself to be so enjoyable, too. The lessons that are featured within the story are collectively another way in which it shows itself to be so impressive.

The story at the center of The Great Shape Mystery, its run time and associated pacing are hugely important elements to note in examining what makes this presentation so enjoyable. And as important as they are to the whole of the DVD’s overall presentation they are only part of the presentation’s whole. The lessons that are incorporated into the story are just as important as the story and its associated elements. The story features a total of three lessons over the course of its nearly forty-minute run time. The lessons are each centered on basic math skills. They center on basic geometry, measurements, and fractions. It’s not the first time that one of Leap Frog’s Letter Factory Adventures DVDs has featured basic math lessons. But the fact that the series is titled Letter Factory Adventures yet features basic math lessons shows the thought put into the DVD. It shows once more that those behind the series understand the need for the series to branch out in order to be successful. What’s more, the lessons are presented such that they are easy for those target viewers to understand. Leap and his friends don’t use big words, formulas or any related matters in teaching the lessons. They are presented with terms that those young viewers will understand and in turn connect with easier. Even more noteworthy of the lessons is the manner in which they are delivered throughout the course of the program. The lessons are actually made part of the story instead of being the center of focus. They are also very well-balanced from beginning to end. No one lesson gets more time than the others. This ensures even more that young viewers will not only remain engaged but will also easily grasp the presented concepts and retain them, too. It is yet another way in which this DVD shows itself to be an important and enjoyable addition to the Letter Factory Adventures DVD series.

The story at the center of The Great Shape Mystery, its associated elements, and the lessons tied into the story are each vitally important to the presentation’s overall viewing experience. While both elements are equally important to the whole of the program, they are not all that deem noting in considering the DVD’s overall presentation. The bonus material included alongside the main feature rounds out the DVD’s presentation. Just as with previous installments of Lionsgate and Leap Frog’s Letter Factory Adventures, this one has also come complete with a handful of bonus sing-a-longs for kids and curriculum material for parents and teachers. The sing-a-longs are not just sing-a-longs, either. They are songs lifted directly from the main feature. Each one serves to drive home even more the lessons presented throughout the course of the main feature. And being that the program is aimed largely at pre-K-aged children, said viewers likely won’t even realize that they are being educated while also being entertained at the same time. This is nothing new to the Letter Factory Adventures DVDs and is just as welcome here as in those aforementioned DVDs. The case is similar with the bonus curriculum material included for parents and educators. Instead of forcing both parties to sit through the entire presentation a second time, only the first few minutes of the program are used in order to establish the key lessons and lesson ideas. In other words, the bonus curriculum material is presented in a quick yet clear and concise fashion. It’s exactly the same as with each previous Letter Factory Adventures DVD. So regardless of whether they are used in a home setting or in the classroom, the bonus curriculum materials and sing-a-longs both prove quite useful in the end. Those bonuses set alongside the DVD’s story, its associated elements, and its lessons leave no mystery about The Great Shape Mystery. It is yet another great DVD for any Pre-K educator and for any family with young children. They collectively make The Great Shape Mystery yet another great addition to Lionsgate and Leap Frog’s Letter Factory Adventures series.

Lionsgate and Leap Frog’s latest addition to their Letter Factory Adventures series The Great Shape Mystery is a great addition to any Pre-K classroom and home setting. Its story, with its relatively short run time and equally solid pacing makes for plenty of reason for the series’ fans to add this DVD to their collections whether for a home or classroom setting. The lessons that are tied into the story make for even more enjoyment and interest to the DVD in whole. That is because the lessons show yet again the companies’ willingness to take a risk and branch out past just teaching about letters and vocabulary in these DVDs. That bravery paid off in spades in this case just as much as in a previous case such as Counting on Lemonade. The bonus material included in the DVD rounds out its overall presentation, making it complete. Young viewers won’t realize in the bonus sing-a-longs that they are actually being educated at the same time that they are being entertained thanks once again to the approach taken by the story’s writers. The bonus curriculum material included alongside the sing-a-longs is a boon both for parents and teachers alike. That is because it offers both parties plenty of extra insight into the program and ideas for lesson plans of their own. Each element is important in its own right to the whole of The Great Shape Mystery. Together, they make this latest installment in Lionsgate and Leap Frog’s Letter Factory Adventure series yet another great addition to that series and leaves no mystery as to why, either. Letter Factory Adventures: The Great Shape Mystery is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online now direct via Lionsgate’s online store at http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=32330&TitleParentId=10244. More information on this and other titles from Lionsgate is available online now at:

Website: http://www.lionsgate.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lionsgate

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Letter Factory Gang Heads Off For Another Adventure This Fall

Courtesy: Lionsgate

Leap, Lily, Tad, and the rest of the Letter Factory gang are back at it again in yet another adventure that will entertain and educate the whole family.

Officials with Lionsgate recently announced that the studio will release Letter Factory Adventures: The Great Shape Mystery on Tuesday, September 8th. The adventure in this DVD centers on a new machine that has been delivered to the Letter Factory. No one is sure of what exactly the machine does. So it’s up to Leap, Lily, Tad, and the rest of the gang to solve the mystery. Armed with a map and just a few clues, the gang sets off to answer the big question. Along the way, there are lessons about shapes, fractions, and measurements that help to solve the mystery of the new machine. As with previous Letter Factory Adventures DVDs, this presentation will also include a pair of bonuses for the whole family. Included this time are: Another sing-a-long for kids and a complete, in-depth curriculum commentary for parents and educators. It will also come with a free digital combo that audiences can watch anywhere anytime.

Letter Factory Adventures: The Great Shape Mystery will be released in stores and online on Tuesday, September 8th on DVD + Digital combo pack. It will retail for MSRP of $14.98 and will be able to be ordered online via Lionsgate’s online store at http://www.lionsgatestore.com. More information on this and other titles from Lionsgate is available online at:

Website: http://www.lionsgate.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lionsgate

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Leap Frog’s Latest Release Is Another Fun Adventure For The Whole Family

Courtesy: Lionsgate/Leap Frog

Lionsgate has made the quite the name for itself in the world of both movies and home entertainment in recent years.  Its hit movie franchises (The Expendables 1- 3, The Hunger Games) and home releases thanks to ties with History Channel and MLB Productions have garnered Lionsgate quite the reason for attention.  Its ongoing series of DVD releases from Leap Frog’s Letter Factory Adventures franchise has done just as much to put Lionsgate on the map.  Speaking of the Letter Factory Adventures franchise, Lionsgate released the latest installment in that franchise this past March in the form of Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers.  It is another win not just or the people at Lionsgate and Leap Frog but for viewers, too.  That is because of all that it has to offer audiences.  There is plenty to say about its lessons on rhyming, storytelling, and word building.  The musical numbers featured throughout the program’s thirty-seven-minute run time will entertain younger audiences just as much as ay presented in previous Letter Factory Adventures DVDs. Parents, teachers, and children alike will recognize the bonus material included with the DVD.  The standard curriculum commentary is there for teachers and parents as are the bonus sing-a-longs for the kids that have become just as standard with these DVDs.  The combination of the bonus material, the smartly-written lessons, and the equally entertaining musical numbers makes this installment of Lionsgate’s Letter Factory Adventures franchise one more candidate for a slot on this year’s list of best new DVDs and Blu-rays for children and families.

Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers, the latest addition to Lionsgate’s hugely popular Letter Factory Adventures DVDs, is yet another win not just for the people at Lionsgate and Leap Frog, but for parents, teachers, and children, too.  It continues the success carried by the franchise’s previous DVDs primarily through the work of the franchise’s writers.  The writers have crafted yet another story that incorporates three more equally important lessons and does so seamlessly at that.  The lessons in question help young audiences develop an understanding of how words rhyme, understand the structure of stories, and the structure of words.  Young audiences learn through the lesson on rhyming that the suffix of given words makes them rhyme with other words with the same suffix.  The lesson on story structure is even more of a positive in that it actually serves a dual purpose. The central purpose of this lesson is to teach young viewers how a story is built. It presents a story’s key moments—beginning, middle and end—on the most basic of levels. Leap’s use of a card game to encourage his young friends to build their own stories is a great teaching tool for teachers and parents alike. It is just as likely to encourage young viewers in the classroom or the living room to develop their own imaginations and strengthen their understanding of story structure. In the same vein, the lesson on word structure uses a similar sort of card game. The difference here is that instead of cards used to define different story elements, the cards are letter cards. The cards in question allow children to change words by changing just one letter at a time. It brings everything full circle as changing the words can also lead right back to the lesson on rhyming just as much as it is meant to establish children’s word building skills overall. Teachers and parents can even tie in the lesson on word building directly into the lesson on story structure just as Leap and his young friends did to connect everything together in their learning adventure. All three lessons show in their own way why they are so important to the whole of Letter Factoy Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers. Each lesson will educate children without said audiences even realize they are being educated. The fact that each of the lessons can be connected to the others makes them even more critical to the success and enjoyment of this new DVD. And that they can be translated into the real world makes them all the more important, showing yet again why the presented lessons are the cornerstone of this new Letter Factory Adventures DVD. It’s only the beginning of what makes this disc so enjoyable, too. Believe it or not, the musical numbers included throughout the program are important to the whole in their own way, too.

The lessons incorporated into Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers are central to the enjoyment and overall success of the recently released DVD. That is thanks to the accessibility among audiences of all ages. It is also thanks to the fact that the lesson building ideas presented in the program can be easily translated into the real world. They put a whole new spin on the ongoing card game fad that is still so popular among certain groups of older youths. They are only one part of what makes the whole of Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers enjoyable for audiences of all ages, too. The musical numbers that are peppered throughout the program are just as important to the whole in their own way. The main reason that they are so important is that just as with the lessons, they actually educate young viewers without said viewers even realizing it. The group sings about word structures and story structures, and how each is built all within the course of maybe a minute. Children will pay more attention on the songs’ entertaining aspects while parents and teachers will know that the children are in fact being educated just as much as they are being entertained. It’s one more part of the whole that has been standard for previous Letter Factory Adventures DVDs. To see that it remains standard here makes for even more reason for parents and teachers to add this DVD to their collection.

The musical numbers that have become standard among Lionsgate’s Letter Factory Adventures DVDs is its own important element to the whole of the franchise’s latest installment. Coupled with its solidly written literary lessons the two elements together show clearly why every classroom and living room would benefit from having a copy of Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers. For all of the enjoyment that both elements offer audiences in this presentation, the people at Lionsgate and Leap Frog didn’t stop there. Once again, they have included as bonus material curriculum commentary for parents and teachers that offers far more in depth discussion on the lessons than this critic can give. The commentary explains all of the little nuances of the lessons. It really is another important addition to this DVD that educators especially will appreciate. The bonus sing-a-longs take the songs featured in the program and make them karaoke style, encouraging children to sing along even more. It is another way to drive home the concepts being taught throughout the program. As with the curriculum commentary, this bonus is one more standard element in the Letter Factory Adventures DVDs. And it is another welcome standard, too. It proves once again here just how valuable it is to the whole of the presentation. It proves to be just as invaluable to the whole as the curriculum commentary and the lessons themselves. When it is taken into consideration with those other elements it becomes the period at the end of a statement that will have audiences of all ages happily paying attention from beginning to end with each watch.

From its solidly-written literary lessons to its equally entertaining and educational song numbers to its all-too-important curriculum commentary and karaoke style sing-a-longs, Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers presents plenty for audiences of all ages to appreciate. Whether taken by themselves or collectively, they show regardless the continued attention to detail that was given to this installment of the Letter Factory Adventures franchise. They show a continued dedication to excellence in education. And it is that continued dedication to excellence that makes this latest Letter Factory Adventure one that families and classes alike will enjoy taking time and again now that it is available in stores and online. It can be ordered online direct from Leap Frog’s online store at http://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/app-center/p/letter-factory-adventures-amazing-word-explorers/_/A-prod51563-96914. More information on this and other installments in the Letter Factory Adventures franchise is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.leapfrog.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LeapFrog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeapFrog

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Parents, Educators Can Count On Leap Frog’s New DVD

Courtesy: Lionsgate

Parents and educators alike have so many tools at their disposal today with which to use to educate children.  Television and the internet are both key resources.  Even video games offer their own educational content.  It’s just a matter of finding the right games.  And then there is another standby in the form of DVDs and Blu-rays.  There are perhaps just as many DVDs and Blu-rays from which to choose as there are websites and TV programs combined.  There are so many in fact, that deciding which one(s) to use to educate children can be as stressful as holiday shopping.  Thankfully, Lionsgate and Leap Frog have made that choice just a little bit easier thanks to its recently released DVD Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade.  It is the latest in a series of home releases from Lionsgate and Leap Frog.  And it is another great tool for parents and teachers alike that is just as valuable in the classroom as it is in the living room.  There is plenty to note that makes this DVD worth the watch, not the least of which being the presentation’s central story.  The story presented in this presentation sees the twins Lily and Tad deciding to raise money to buy books for their local library.  There is so much that can be said of this.  And it will be noted momentarily.  As important as the story is to the overall presentation, the combined lessons on both spelling and basic math are quite well balanced, making for even more enjoyment for young viewers.  The educational content and the presentation’s overall story that make up Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade more than make this DVD worth the watch whether in the classroom or the living room.  Speaking of its usefulness, kids can watch the DVD not just in the classroom and the living room but on the go, too.  The DVD comes complete with a digital copy for kids to watch on any mobile platform.  That means kids can be entertained and educated at the same time any time of the day, anywhere.  That is not to discount the “Curriculum commentaries” for parents and educators or the sing-a-long videos for young audiences.  These are added in as bonus material.  They round out the entire presentation and show once more why this DVD is well worth checking out no matter where one intends to use it.

Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade is not the first DVD to be released from Lionsgate and Leap Frog.  It is still a great tool for parents and educators, and an equally great watch for young audiences.  The reasons for this are so many that it would take too long to note them all.  One positive that can be noted though is the central story presented in the DVD.  The central story presented in this program focuses on Tad and Lily’s plans to raise money to buy new books for their local library.  We live in an age today in which books are increasingly going by the wayside in favor of all things digital.  So seeing that Leap Frog and Lionsgate are essentially promoting both books and literacy is by itself a huge positive.  The subtle promotion of community service to the story is worthy of applause, too.  It is great to see that not everybody has given over to the digital movement…at least not in full considering the promotion of actual physical books.  Whether or not Leap Frog and Lionsgate actually intended to promote physical books through the program’s central story is anyone’s guess.  Regardless, it is still nice to have that in there.  Children need to remember books.  For that matter, kids shouldn’t grow up knowing only digital books.  They should be able to experience the joys of actually holding a physical book versus the cold sterile e-readers out there.  Again, this aspect of the story may be subtle.  But it is an important and welcome addition to the whole that is the program’s central script.  The promotion of literacy is par for course from Leap Frog.  So Leap Frog and Lionsgate are to be applauded just as much for that.  The positives don’t end here, either.    The educational content contained in this program is just as noteworthy as its central story.

The educational content that is provided throughout Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade’s roughly thirty-five minute run time is just as important to its enjoyment and success as the central story line.  This installment of Leap Frog’s rather popular series of DVDs balances elements of both math and spelling showing how the two work hand in hand just as much as they work separately.  Tad and Lily have to use basic math skills in order to make the perfect lemonade mix.  At the same time, they incorporate basic spelling skills when assembling their lemonade stand among other activities.  Many of the lessons are accompanied by short, catchy songs that are sure to have young viewers singing along.  And with any luck, the songs will help said young viewers have an easier time remembering the lessons taught throughout the program.  That balance of math and spelling lessons coupled with the catchy songs used to teach them makes for yet another reason that audiences will appreciate and enjoy this latest DVD regardless of age and where it is viewed.  Speaking of where it is viewed, this is one more reason that Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade succeeds as much as it does.  The DVD comes coupled with a digital copy that can be viewed on any mobile web device. This is especially worth noting for any on-the-go family.  And even it in itself still isn’t all that makes this new DVD such a worthwhile watch.

The collective songs and lessons centered on basic math and spelling presented in Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade are by themselves plenty of reason that audiences will enjoy this program.  The feature’s central story makes the whole thing even more enjoyable for parents, educators, and children alike.  As important as these factors are to the presentation in whole, they still are not all that makes it worth watching.  Parents and educators will note that it is presented both with a physical and digital copy. That means that young viewers can enjoy it anywhere and anytime.  In an age when families seem to be increasingly on the go, this is especially important to the DVD in whole.  It means kids can still enjoy the DVD whether coming or going from school, going on a family trip or in any other given situation when not at home.  It may not seem like much of an addition, especially considering that so many DVDs and Blu-rays come complete with digital copies.  But in the grand scheme of things, it is extremely important considering all of the distractions that children have today.  Having this program in digital form is one more way to keep young viewers away from said distractions and still entertain and educate them at the same time.  So for that reason alone , the people at Leap Frog and Lionsgate deserve a standing ovation here.  That isn’t to discount the DVD’s curriculum discussions for parents and educators or the sing-a-long feature included as bonus material.  They play their own role to the DVD, too.  They are topics for another discussion.  The factors noted here collectively prove in the end that Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade is one of those rare children’s DVDs well worth the watch and the price.

Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade is available now on DVD/Digital combo pack in stores and online.  More information on this and other releases from Leap Frog is available online at

Website: http://www.LeapFrog.com

Facebook: http://wwww.facebook.com/LeapFrog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeapFrog

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.