SPRING WILL SOON BE SPROUTING AND THE PAJANIMALS ARE HERE TO HELP YOU PREPARE TO SPRING FORWARD OFFICIALLY AT 2:00AM ON SUNDAY, MARCH 10TH

"Are you prepared for losing that extra hour of sleep when the clocks are turned forward an hour for Daylight Savings on March 10th? It may not be so easy, especially if  you have young children,  who have trouble adapting  to change. But you can get ready  with sound advice and tips for a smooth and calm transition to Daylight Savings from Certified Sleep Experts from Sleepy Planet, Jennifer Waldburger and Jill Spivack, and your friends, the PAJANIMALS, from The Jim Henson Company and Sprout, the 24 hour children’s preschool channel. 

We all know toddlers and preschoolers need plenty of sleep to get through their busy days, especially as they ease into Daylight Savings.   Now, your readers can learn what it takes to keep their bedtime routine on track with these simple tips from Waldburger and Spivack, who serve as consultants for the critically-acclaimed preschool series, PAJANIMALS, a series designed to help parents establish a bedtime routine for their preschoolers.  PAJANIMALS airs nightly on Sprout during The Good Night Show and follows the amazing adventures of four sweet, gentle and cuddly musical puppets that model the skills preschoolers need to move through their days successfully.

·       The Night Before  - On Saturday March 9th, turn clocks AHEAD 1 hour before going to bed! If your child normally sleeps till 6:30 AM, the next morning he/she might be sleepy until 7:30 AM.  The entire schedule – naps and bedtime – will then shift one hour later. If you’re happy about this change, great!  Just protect your child’s room from too much light in the early morning, and use white noise so they won’t wake with the birds. 

·       If you’d rather help your child get back to the usual schedule, try the following:

             1.     Set your alarm for 6:30 AM (according to the new clock) and wake your child  
                     at this time.   To them, it will feel like 5:30 AM and yes, they may be cranky 
                     and tired, but their body will soon get used to the new schedule.

   2.     Put your child down at the normal nap time (if they are still napping)  
           according to the new clock and resume a normal schedule from there.   
           Don’t allow a nap longer than usual.

   3.     On Sunday night, put your child down at their usual bedtime according to the 
           new time.

Additionally, Sprout.com offers many Pajanimals’ games, activities and content to help your child navigate through their bedtime routine, including:

·       An all-new Pajanimals Daylight Savings-themed activity page to share with your followers.  To download and print, visit http://www.sproutonline.com/print/printable/842662 ( and attached). 

·       Tips on easing your child into dreamland: http://www.sproutonline.com/sprout-parents/articles/kids-bedtime-activities

·       Make your own dream catcher: http://www.sproutonline.com/crafts-and-recipes/crafts/squackys-nighttime-dream-catcher

There is also the fun, Pajanimals’ video “How Do I know If It’s Morning Time,” available on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azVSR40ibFo

And also in March, Pajanimals can help your child learn their numbers, letters, words and more with an all-NEW line of entertaining and educational games and puzzles from Briarpatch!

·       My Growth Chart Puzzle: ($14.99 SRP): Build your own puzzle and measure away, marking your height as you grow.  The Growth Puzzle chart includes 17 sturdy self-correcting puzzle pieces and teaches numbers, counting and easy math principals.  Ages: 3+

·       My First ABC Floor Puzzle” ($14.99 SRP): ABC Floor Puzzle includes 27 jumbo self-correcting puzzle pieces to form a 6 ft. long puzzle that teaches ABC’s, matching words and visual recognition. Ages: 3+

·       My First Adventure Game ($14.99 SRP):  Follow the path by matching objects and reach finish in this “path” board game designed for toddlers. Featuring two play patterns for extended play, the game develops visual discrimination, sequencing, hand-eye coordination and language skills. Ages 3+

·       My First Word Game ($14.99 SRP):  Match the picture tiles and find the objects in the illustration with this matching game for toddlers with two playing levels. The game, featuring 6 double-sides playing boards, 18 picture tiles and a parent guide,develops visual discrimination, early learning word skills and hand-eye coordination. Ages 3+

There’s also tons of other springtime fun for the Pajanimals:

·       Tune-in to Sprout between March 18 – April 14 for their “Spring is Sprouting” event, and catch some of your favorite Pajanimals’ episodes, including Apollo’s Special Day, Puppy Love, Share Day, The Cow’s Meow and Team Fort!  Pajanimals also airs every  Saturday morning on NBC Kids!

·       The new DVD, Pajanimals Playdate, is now available at retailers across the U.S.(www.ncircleentertainment.com).

·       The PAJANIMALS App, an interactive adaptation of the episode “Light in the Sky,” lets children join in the fun with their favorite Pajanimals characters. Filled with engaging activities that play off of the theme of the episode, as well as charming music and animation, the fully 3D app extends the reach of the TV series onto iPhone, iPad and iPod touch."

Stay up-to-date on the Pajanimals by following the following social media sites:

Introducing the NEW dedicated Pajanimals’ Facebook page:

Pajanimals on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Pajanimals

Follow The Jim Henson Company:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/hensoncompany 

Twitter: @hensonparents

Follow Sprout:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sprout

Twitter: @SproutTV

---GIVEAWAY---

One lucky reader will win a fun Pajanimals Briarpatch game (vendor chooses game from list above), to share with your preschooler.  To enter, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this post.  The vendor is sponsoring and fulfilling the giveaway.  I am merely promoting and hosting on my site.