DreamWorks Animation's TURBO Comes to Theaters on July 17th (Movie Trailer + Free Printable Coloring Pages) #TurboMovie

Thank you to DreamWorks Animation for providing the trailer and images for this post and for sending me a promotional item as a thank you for taking the time to share the upcoming film Turbo with my readers.

My children are huge fans of Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar, so they are highly anticipating seeing the upcoming film Turbo, the latest children's movie from DreamWorks Animation.  Due out in theaters on July 17th, this tale about a snail, who dares to dream of winning the Indy 500, teaches a lesson about dreaming big and friendship.

This animated film features the voices of Ryan Reynolds (of Green Lantern), Paul Giamatti (of Romeo and Juliet), Ken Jeong (of Despicable Me 2), Maya Rudolph (of The Way, Way Back), Ben Schwartz (of Parks and Recreation), Snoop Dogg (of Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard), and Samuel L. Jackson (of The Avengers).

To learn more about the movie Turbo, visit TurboMovie.com, Turbo on Facebook, and @GoTurbo on Twitter.  Also checkout DreamWorks Animation on YouTube for more fun Turbo videos.

You can grab some free printable Turbo coloring pages to help familiarize your children with the cast of characters prior to attending the movie!

Also, be sure to look for our Turbo Prize Pack Giveaway in July for a chance to win a gift card to see the movie in theaters!

Free Printables: Halloween Coloring Pages

Halloween will be upon us in just over a month.  Like for many children, Halloween is one of our children's favorite holidays.  Surprisingly, they love it not so much for the candy, but rather for seeing all the cool costumes and decorations.  Below you will find 6 free printable Halloween-themed coloring pages courtesy of Coloring Pages 24, a wonderful source of free coloring pages for a wide variety of themes and occasions.

Get your little ones excited about Halloween with some of the fun coloring pages below.  These would also be a great activity to keep children entertained during a Halloween party.  Personally, my favorite is the trick-or-treating toothy monster.  That coloring page is brand new for Halloween 2012!  Which one is your favorite?

TO PRINT:  Make sure your computer's printer is on and ready to print.  Click on desired image to enlarge.  Then right click and select print.  Use your browser's back arrow to return to this page.

Free Printable: Monsuno Coloring Page

If you have not yet heard of the animated Nicktoons series Monsuno that debuted in February 2012, you'll need to educate yourself by visiting Monsuno on Nicktoons, as well as Monsuno on Facebook, and by tuning in on Thursday evenings at 8:30pm EST.  This is important so you will not appear to be out-of-the-loop when carrying on conversations with your children about all the currently popular television shows.  Surprise your child with this free printable coloring page to help tie him or her over until the next Monsuno episode airs.

TO PRINT:  Click on the image below to enlarge.  Then right-click on enlarged image and select print.  Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

Free Printables: Santa and Christmas-Themed Coloring Pages

Since everyone enjoyed the free Easter coloring pages I shared earlier this year, I thought some Christmas coloring pages would be called for.  All these Christmas images can be found at ColoringPages24.com along with many other fun themed coloring pages.

My favorite of the bunch is this adorable penguin carrying an armful of presents.  I wonder where he could be taking them?  Perhaps to a holiday party?  If you choose to print this one out for your child, you should definitely ask where he or she thinks this penguin is headed.

TO PRINT: Click on any image to enlarge. Then right click and select print. Hit the "back" arrow on your browser to return to this page to print another color page.

The above images were provided by Coloring Pages 24.  No compensation was received for sharing these images with my readers.

Free Printables: Disney Pixar Cars 2 Coloring & Activity Pages

Since Disney Pixar Cars 2 is now available on Blu-ray and DVD and your little Cars movie fan is likely to be very excited about this release, these free printable coloring and activity pages may add to the fun.  If you have not already run out to purchase this movie, click on this link to receive $5 off the Cars 2 5-Disc Combo Pack good through November 6th, 2011.




Look for my son's review of Cars 2 coming soon!

Kindergartner-In-Training: Cutting A Rug Activity (Free Printable)

This is a fun easy mess-free activity for preschoolers or anyone who may be learning how to use scissors.  The first thing you need to do is print out the rug coloring page below and then ask your child to color it in and decorate it however he or she wishes.  Our twin preschoolers simply used crayons, but you can get creative with stickers, stampers, or even some glitter and glue.  This activity is also a great way to teach your child about repetitive patterns and sequences.

TO PRINT:  Check that your computer's printer is turned on and ready to go.  Click on the image below to enlarge.  Then right click on the image and select print.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

After your child is done coloring the rug, give them a pair of child's safety scissor to create the rug's fringe on each end by cutting along the black lines.  Remind your child to take his or her time and to try to stay right on the lines.  Also remind your child to stop cutting at the double lines.

When your child is done cutting the fringe on both ends of the rug, you can make the fringe more realistic by bending up every other one.

The cutting portion of this activity takes a lot of patience.  You may even want to have your child cut the fringe on one end of the rug and then do the other side after taking a break.  Both our children did a fairly good job. Our daughter did a great job staying on the lines at first, but towards the end, she started to get tired and began to rush through it.  Those cuts were not as accurate.  Our son has less patience than our daughter by nature.  He had some cuts that were right on the mark, but he was not consistent.

After they were done with their rugs, our twins used them for playing with their Barbies and action figures.  It seems like they thoroughly enjoyed this activity from beginning to end.  I hope your child will too!

Free Printables: Disney's Dumbo 70th Anniversary

Today marks the day of the much-anticipated release of the 70th Anniversary Edition of Disney's Dumbo!  I remember seeing this movie during a re-release in the theater as a young child and it is one of my earliest and fondest Disney memories.

If you are planning on introducing your child to the beloved Dumbo, it is now available to purchase in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo.  You can also treat your child to some free Dumbo printable coloring pages and activities to further the fun!  Simply click on the banner below to save the files to your computer and then print out one or all the activity sheets using your computer's printer.




Look for my family's review of Dumbo coming later this week!

Free Printable: Print & Color Garfield Mask

In anticipation of the August 23rd release date of the upcoming DVD The Garfield Show:  Spooky Tails, Vivendi Entertainment would like to share this fun free craft with you.  To complete this activity, you will need a printer, crayons, color pencils, or markers, a pair of child-safe scissors, and a rubber band.

TO PRINT:  Click on image to enlarge.  Then right click on image with mouse and choose the PRINT option.

Free Printables: Print & Color Father's Day Cards Courtesy of Company Kids

Father's Day falls on June 19th this year and that date is right around the corner.  If you have little ones at home, a handmade card always means so much more to the recipient (as well as the child giving the card) than a store-bought card.  Company Kids, a company that is all about delighting children, understands this.  That is why this year they are offering free printable Father's Day cards to all their Facebook fans.

To print out one or both cards, simply visit Company Kids on Facebook, click on the "Father's Day Cards" link on the sidebar, and click the download button for the card you wish to print.  Then help your child fold the card into quarters.  After your child colors in the card, you can help him or her add things like glitter, stickers, and foam shapes to give the card that special touch.  Both cards have a greeting inside and a blank space for your child to sign his or her name.  Since one card has a boy and a girl on it, I think I am going to print that one out for the twins to color and decorate for their Dad and our 7 year old son can use the "Best Dad" card.  They are going to love doing this mini art project!


Company Kids sent me a product as a thank you for sharing about these free printables with my readers.

Free Printables: My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Coloring Pages

If you have not heard, there is an all-new My Little Pony show on The Hub called My Little Pony Friendship is Magic!  Our 4 year old daughter is just delighted to have discovered this new show since she is such a huge fan of Hasbro My Little Pony toys.  Check your local listings for the broadcast schedule, as the times are different depending on the day of the week.

TO PRINT: Click on any image to enlarge. Then right click and select print. Hit the "back" arrow on your browser to return to this page to print another color page.

Thank you to The Hub for providing these printable coloring pages.  No compensation was received for sharing these images with my readers.

Free Printables: Easter Bunny, Easter Egg Car, and More Coloring Pages

These are some adorable Easter-themed coloring pages that I will be printing out for my three children plus a friend who will be coming over for a playdate tomorrow.  All these Easter images can be found at ColoringPages24.com along with many other themed coloring pages.

My favorite is the one with the pile of eggs.  I think both my sons will love the Easter egg mobile.  My daughter will love the girl with the Easter basket of course.  Which one is your favorite?

TO PRINT: Click on any image to enlarge. Then right click and select print. Hit the "back" arrow on your browser to return to this page to print another color page.

The above images were provided by Coloring Pages 24.  No compensation was received for sharing these images with my readers.