Purposeful Playlist | 2024

Our family's approach to screentime and media consumption has continued to work for us and felt good this year! We had some clear favorites as detailed below but there's so much out there to consume and/or avoid -- I continue to welcome recommendations and suggestions!

Favorite Shows
We've established that each child gets to pick one show on the weekend days for a "triple-header" viewing. A bonus of having siblings :) 

- Creature Cases (current favorite)
- Paw Patrol
- Octonauts
- Octonauts Above & Beyond
- Pupstruction 
- Thomas & Friends
- Daniel Tiger
- Bluey

- Puffin Rock
- PJ Masks

Favorite Movies
They reallllly like their shows, so it's been harder to incorporate movies, but in the new year, I hope to re-establish Friday as movie night (even if we just start a movie that night and finish the rest on Saturday/Sunday). Over winter break, we've also been watching movies, which has been a fun treat! 

- The Paw Patrol Movie
- Winnie the Poo
- Elemental
- Thomas the Train
- Robin Hood

- Wall-E 
- Toy Story 

Silly Songs
- Chicken in the Cornbread -- played when we eat cornbread
- Honey for the Bears -- played when we put honey in our oatmeal/yogurt
- Hot Chocolate from The Polar Express -- played when we make hot cocoa
- We're Going on a Lion/Dinosaur/Monster/Shark/Ghost hunt -- NLW favorite 
- Touch the Sky, Owlette -- CCW favorite
- Turtle Train -- EDW favorite

Favorite Albums/Playlists
- PJ Masks
- Wee Sing for Halloween 
- Winter Party 
- Lion King Soundtrack
- Casper Babypants -- I plan to do an entire post featuring this musical magician!

Favorite Spotify Listens

- Paw Patrol playlist by Philip & Mommy

- Blippi and Meekah's Road Trip 
- Mouse Tales Audio Collection 

Next year I'd love to incorporate more of the following: Wallace and Gromit, Roald Dahl audiobooks, Magic School Bus, and Disney movies. 

Surrounded by favorite characters,
- SJW

Colorful Clothes Make me Happy

Bucket hats, trenchcoats, ascots, turtlenecks, tall boots. The outfits on Netflix's Emily in Paris are filled with prints, patterns, and most of all, color! Emily's perky positivity combined with her PR pitches and the soapy drama of it all makes it a fun watch. I like watching Lily Collins on screen and the show's funky fashion recently inspired a shopping spree of my own to add more color to my wardrobe :) 

Here are some of my favorite looks from the first three sesasons -- 

Season One

Season Two

Season Three

Spin the color wheel,
- SJW

Purposeful Playlist | Favorites from Year 5

We have a predictable approach to screen time: on the weekends and special occasions. This has automatically made the weekends extra fun. :) In general, we try to join NLW for his first viewing -- to experience it with him and to see his reaction for any scary scenes. We've watched a lot of the classic animated Disney films, and can easily say these were his favorites/on repeat: 

Favorite Movies
- Aristocats
- Robin Hood 
- 101 Dalmatians (CCW's favorite)
- Lady and the Tramp
- Mary Poppins
- Cinderella 

I love introducing a movie with the soundtrack and often we'll listen to that on weekdays leading up to a new movie...and then daily for weeks on end :) So many breakfasts have been accompanied by one of these:

Favorite Soundtracks
- 101 Dalmatians

- Peter Pan

- Mary Poppins

- Charlotte's Web

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

As for shows, I think they'd likely enjoy anything we put on, but we've really only opted for the following up to this point:

Favorite Shows
- Frog and Toad
- Bluey (EDW's favorite)
- Puffin Rock
- Pupstruction
- Mr. Rogers
- The Busy World of Richard Scarry

Music, stories, and audiobooks are a welcomed entertainment throughout our day and especially midday for NLW since he no longer naps. Flights equal unlimited screen time :)

Next year I'd love to introduce Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Pixar, and some of the live-action Disney classics. We might even venture into the world of kid podcasts. There's so much out there to consume and/or avoid -- I welcome recommendations and suggestions! 

- SJW

Miniskirt Murder & Fashion Forensics

Several years back, I was glued to the screen for the fun and fashionable cast of characters of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. It wasn't until a recent visit to the library, where a colorful DVD cover caught my eye, that I learned the creators had made a spin off! 

The show sticks to the script of a lady private detective and eye-catching period piece; but this time we're following Phryne's niece, Peregrine Fisher, in 1960's Melbourne. As I mentioned in this post, the pacing drags a bit in Season 1, but her wardrobe and spunky personality were a big enough hook for me. Plus, the show is backed by a mostly female creative and production team which helps authenticate the various feminist topics covered throughout the season. But to be honest, I mostly watch for the fashions and Geraldine Hakewill. 

And my absolute favorite look -- the purple plaid pantsuit!

Headbands, bangs, and blue eyeshadow,

- SJW