Luna Park: Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village

The school holidays are here!

Yes, we know... you suddenly become an event planner, calendar wrangler, kiddies entertainer, time manager extraordinaire.

You KNOW Luna Park is a no brainer for non stop kiddie fun (unlimited rides, anyone? YES! For kids AND adults) and now the iconic Sydney historical theme park is introducing the BIGGEST Shopkins and Grossery Gang attraction with an entire Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village! YES!

Featuring a Shopkins Swapkins Station allowing children to swap their Shopkins with fellow fans (so, it's Shopkins aficionado heaven) and a Shopkins and Grossery Gang Museum and Treasure Hunt, there will be daily meet and greets with Kooky Cookie throughout Luna Park, and much more.

Featuring every Shopkins and Grossery Gang character ever created, a selection of one of kind Shopkins showbags and merchandise and an exciting opportunity for guests to have their very own Shopkin design made into a real life Shopkin by entering the Design your Own Shopkin competition, the Shopkins and Grossery Gang activities are bound to set little hearts racing and provide endless hours of entertainment these school holidays.

In addition to Luna Park Sydney’s traditional rides, including the recently reinstated Tango Train with a modern twist, LED light show and state of the art technology for a faster white knuckle ride, a brand new experience will be making its debut at the park only for the holiday period – The Avenger. For the older and braver crowd, the ride spins on three axes. Think extreme adrenaline and extreme fun for those brave enough to strap in.

Luna Park Marketing Manager, Brendan Biddell said, “We’re stepping it up a notch these school holidays and offering something for the entire family – the little ones can let loose in the Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village, while the bigger kids and adults can enjoy all the thrills of Luna Park’s rides, venues, attractions and entertainment.”

“Having the Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village is something we are really excited about, it’s a national first and caters to the school holiday crowd - an audience that is constantly on the look out for some extra entertainment options over the holidays.”

As the weather warms up, Luna Park will not only be THE perfect Sydney day out for young and older folks (the ferries wheel! Coney Island! The dodgem cars! The Hair Raiser drop tower! That million dollar view!), you should stay tuned for the fun pop up exhibits like this, themed events like Halloween (Halloscream), and much more.

For all your questions on Luna Park, click HERE.

For more on Shopkins at Luna Park, click HERE.

You can explore the Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village, open daily during the school holidays from 10am - 4pm.

NOTE: ENTRY IS INCLUDED WITH YOUR UNLIMITED RIDES OR ANNUAL PASS WRISTBAND.

The Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village is open daily until 10 October.

And: it's exclusive to Luna Park Sydney. 

Follow Luna Park on Instagram HERE.

Follow Luna Park on Facebook HERE.

And here is a trailer for the Shopkins FUN at Luna Park:

Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure: Australian 2016 Tour

Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure is the live, ice-skating arena spectacular, starring the characters from the much loved 'Ice Age' films, and it's here during the school holiday season for kids to enjoy - through March and April.



Scrat, Sid and all his pre-historic friends are here. TEG Live, Stage Entertainment Touring Productions and Twentieth Century Fox bring Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure to Australian audiences - the FIRST EVER AUSTRALIAN SHOW performed on Friday 25 March at Newcastle Entertainment Centre then sees the tour continue to Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth for the school holidays (pic below from media launch in Sydney, 2016).

Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure combines circus, comedy, aerial arts, exceptional ice-skating, puppetry and film, with a new story based on one of the top-grossing international animated film franchises of all time. Have your kiddies watched 'Ice Age'? Okay... how many times?

Directed by some of the biggest names in live entertainment, this global phenomenon has travelled 25 (YES!) countries in its five-year tour since the premiere at London’s Wembley Arena in November 2012. Due to popular demand, three new shows have been added to the schedule in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Fo all tickets available, go here to Ticketek site.

Here is a teaser clip:

The full run of tour dates are as follows:

CITY	DATE	SHOW TIMES
Newcastle	Fri 25 Mar 2016	2pm
	Sat 26 Mar 2016	2pm | 6 pm
	Sun 27 Mar 2016	12pm
Brisbane	Fri 1 Apr 2016	2pm
	Sat 2 Apr 2016	2pm | 6 pm
	Sun 3 Apr 2016	12pm
Melbourne	Fri 8 Apr 2016	2pm
	Sat 9 Apr 2016	10am | 2pm | 6pm
	Sun 10 Apr 2016	12pm
Sydney	Fri 15 Apr 2016	2pm
	Sat 16 Apr 2016	10am | 2pm | 6pm
	Sun 17 Apr 2016	12pm
Perth	Fri 22 Apr 2016	2pm
	Sat 23 Apr 2016	10am | 2pm | 6pm
	Sun 24 Apr 2016	12pm

Tickets on sale now: www.ticketek.com.au/iceagelive

More ABOUT ICE AGE LIVE! A MAMMOTH ADVENTURE

Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure is brought to Australia by TEG Live, produced by Stage Entertainment Touring Productions and Twentieth Century Fox directed by some of the biggest names in live entertainment. The show is co-directed by the brilliant mind behind the Cirque du Soleil productions, Ka and Dralion, Guy Caron, with story, music and lyrics created by Ella Louise Allaire and Martin Lord Ferguson (Cirque du Soleil, Holiday on Ice and APM Music). 

Michael Berg, who co-wrote some of the Ice Age films, supervises character dialogue. Character Visualisation design is headed by co-director Michael Curry (Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney’s The Lion King).

Here are some more pics from the show's International Facebook page (which you can follow here):

Geomag: Product Review

This was the best little delivery for my little kiddies!

Combining two highly regarded, educational, tried and true play concepts - magnets and construction toys - presenting Geomag which will see your kids opening their mind to be their creative best. 

Geomag is the ultimate open-ended creative construction toy enhanced by the magic and intrigue of magnets, ensuring that the educational benefits that kids learn during play are ones that will stick!

Produced in Switzerland to the most stringent international toys standards, Geomag is now entertaining and inspiring Aussie kids from three to 103, all while providing a wealth of educational benefits developing math, problem-solving, spacial, coordination, creative and thinking skills.  

The characteristics of movement and the fascination of magnetism makes Geomag a unique construction toy. Fun and easy for little hands to manipulate, Geomag ensures that creativity never gives way to frustration. Kids can build ambitiously, big and fast, limited only by their imaginations.

Here is what Geomag looks like (and PS: it is THE perfect gift for Christmas).

The four inspiring lines of Geomag are as below:

GEOMAG CLASSIC Colour:  

This classic set combines magnetic rods, non-magnetic spheres and various accessories to build unlimited models and constructions in a very simple and fun way.  

Five colourful sets containing between 30 to 120 pieces starting from $30 rrp

GEOMAG CLASSIC Panel:

The addition of bright and transparent panels that give more rigidity, colour and appeal to the rods and sphere constructions.  Triangles, squares and pentagonal panels in many different colours across five sets containing from 22 to 180 pieces. From $20 rrp

GEOMAG E-Motion Magic Spin: 

E-Motion expresses the concept of dynamism contained in the Geomag play activity and allows kids to build fun creations in motion, giving life to surprising optical effects.  This collection has special accessories and instructions to create spinning tops and many dynamic constructions.  Available in three various sets starting from the basic ‘speedy spin’ up to the ‘magic spin’, these sets contain from 10 to 38 pieces.  From $30 rrp

GEOMAG Glitter:  

Glitterised rods and panels in new fashion and glamour colours.  Girls will love making creations with magical sparkly effects. Geomag Glitter is available in four sets with a piece count from 22 to 68. From $20 RRP.

STOCKISTS: 0419 432 761

Available at a range of toy stores including Australian Geographic and Kidstuff

www.geomagworld.com ~ Instagram: @Geomagworld #geomag

Highly recommended by TwinnieWorld and Josie's Juice!

Jimmy Giggle's Christmas Party: WIN tickets + album release

Jimmy Giggle!

Mention his name and kids go kinda nuts... and with good reason! Jimmy Giggle is fun and kids respond to his particular brand of joy.

And now, he is bringing the Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party Tour to excited kids of all ages.

In fact, there has been a huge demand for Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party Tour, with a fifth Melbourne show announced! The response to this tour has been wonderful and this cements Jimmy’s reputation as one of Australia’s most popular children’s entertainers.

Jimmy Giggle is set to light up this festive season adding plenty of cheer to the holiday celebrations with the release of a brand new album, followed by live Christmas shows in Melbourne and Sydney. The magic of Christmas will come alive with Jimmy - joined by Hoot and Hootabelle, the super talented songstress Ali McGregor and a very special guest appearance from Santa and his elves - YES! They will be performing some of your favourite Christmas songs live on stage this December. These shows promise to be the highlight of the summer holidays for children and parents alike. And you know what it's like, parents! School and daycare holidays start, and boom: mum and dad need to be entertainment central.

For tour and ticketing details, visit: www.livenation.com.au.

There is also an exciting new album! Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party, just released.

This album features some very special Australian prominent artists and guest celebrities - see track listing below.

Tickets are selling fast for these very limited shows - be sure to get in quick!

JIMMY GIGGLE’S CHRISTMAS PARTY TOUR DATES:

THE CONCOURSE, CHATSWOOD: SATURDAY DECEMBER 19

ENMORE THEATRE: SUNDAY DECEMBER 20

SYDNEY ARTS CENTRE, MELBOURNE: MONDAY 21, TUESDAY 22 DECEMBER & WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW.

For complete tour and ticket information, visit:
www.abc.net.au/abcevents and www.livenation.com.au

AND! The Jimmy Giggle 'Christmas Party' album, available November 6.

Jimmy Giggle is set to light up Christmas adding plenty of cheer to your celebrations with the release of a new album.

2015 ARIA award winning nominee, Jimmy Giggle, has teamed up with some very special guest celebrities and prominent Australian artists, such as David Campbell, Tina Arena, Justine Clarke, Deb Mailman, FiFi Box, Kate Miller Heidke, Ali McGregor and Lah Lah to deliver you and your family the Christmas album of the year. Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party is chockoblock full of covers of everyone’s favourite Christmas carols, plus a few reworks and originals, including: Deck The Halls, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the snow man and many more. All these favourites will have will have the whole family singing along and having a hoot of time for this years festive season!

Giggle and Hoot is an award winning ABC TV children’s show starring best friends Jimmy Giggle, Hoot the Owl and Hoot’s best owl pal, Hootabelle. Giggle and Hoot focuses on preschoolers lives and routines through friendship, laughter, imagination and music. It airs every day on ABC4Kids and reaches over 2million people each week across 5 metro cities.
Purchase now at ABC Shops.

Tracklisting:

1. Jingle Bells (FiFi Box)
   
2. Rudolph The Red nose Reindeer (Hoot)
   
3. Santa Clause is coming to Town (Deb Mailman)
   
4. Deck the Halls (Tina Arena)
   
5. Frosty the Snowman (Lah Lah)
   
6. Jimmy’s Christmas Present
   
7. Jingle Bell Rock (Ali McGregor)
   
8. Twelve Days of Christmas - Giggle Style (Ali McGregor, Lah Lah,
   Hoot & Hootabelle)
   
9. (Everybody’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag (David Campbell)
   
10. ZatyouSantaClaus?(JustineClarke)
    
11. SilentNight(KateMillerHeidke)
    
12. WeWishYouAMerryChristmas(DavidCampbell,JustineClarke
    & Deb Mailman)
    
    For more: www.abcmusic.com.au
    
    And here is the cute as album cover:
    

Stevie Jacobs: Minions ‘Summer Entertainment’ VIDEO + DVD release

Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has partnered with everyone’s favourite 'Today' weatherman and father of two, Stevie Jacobs, to star alongside the Minions in a new video designed  to help parents keep their kids entertained this summer. Here is the reel, below, with more info on the Minions mission:

Research shows that children gain understanding about the world by seeing, touching, tasting, smelling, moving and hearing. According to the National Quality Framework*, we can enhance the choice and quality of learning experiences by supporting flexible use and interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Understanding the importance of balancing indoor and outdoor play in childhood development, the new Minions ‘Summer Entertainment’ video provides parents with some tips to help inspire their kids to experience Australia’s great outdoors this summer.

Stevie Jacobs said, “We are on the road a lot and are fortunate enough to take our girls with us. We always see every outing not just as an adventure, but as an opportunity for Isabelle and Frenchy to learn something new.”

“Using the Minions as an avenue to talk to children, on a level they understand, will no doubt inspire them to want to get outside and explore Australia’s beautiful beaches and national parks, or create their own family adventure.”

From bobbing for ducks at a theme park to jumping into waterfalls on a hike and visiting Australia’s iconic landmarks, like the Minions’ favourite The Big Banana, Stevie has enlisted the help of everyone’s favourite yellow henchmen to provide some easy-to-understand tips that families can follow to ensure little minds are engaged and inspired to go exploring.

The video, featuring the Jacobs family including Stevie, wife Rose and kids Isabella (4) and Francesca (2) and the Minions, can be seen on The Viewing LoungeYouTube page. Minions is out now on 3D Blu-ray™, Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital with UltraViolet™.

Listed below are top tips to keep kids entertained this summer, curated by Stevie Jacobs and the Minions. WE LOVE THEM ALL!

1. If you’re feeling like a dare devil, grab the family and hit up one of Australia’s theme parks:
   • Zoom around on a roller coaster
   • Challenge your family at bobbing for ducks
   • Laugh at yourselves in the Mirror Maze
   • Take in the view from the Ferris Wheel
   • Finish your day with a banana ice cream – that’s if the mischievous Minions don’t eat them first!

2. Warm your vocal chords with the best travel songs or games to play on a road trip:
   • 10 green bottles sitting on a wall
   • Wheels on the bus
   • Eye-spy with my little eye
   • 20 questions
   • Play who can spot the Minion yellow cars?

3. Spend a day at the beach:
   • Play a game of family cricket
   • Grab a board and learn to surf – make sure you follow the surf safety tips!
   • Build a Minion sized sandcastle
   • Play a game of tag and run down the sand dunes
   • Have a beach BBQ

4. Take a family hike in a national park:
   • Pack your bag and go hiking – don’t forget your boots, hat and lots of water to explore the great outdoors
   • Play a game of spot the animals and see if you can find some friendly Australian wildlife hiding in the trees
   • Find a canyon, open your lungs and play a of Mr Echo (Echo Echo)
   • Find a waterfall, pop your bathers on and jump right in!
   • Spend a night camping under the stars

5. Visit Australia’s iconic landmarks:
   • Awe at the sails of the Sydney Opera House
   • Have a snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef – bring your stinger suit!
   • Visit one of Australia’s famous zoos
   • Don your Akubra and hit the outback
   • Head up to Coffs Harbour and explore the BIG BANANA!

More about The National Quality Framework:

The National Quality Framework (NQF) is the result of an agreement between all Australian governments to work together to provide better educational and developmental outcomes for children using education and care services. As part of the 2015-16 Budget, the Australian Government allocated $61.1 million over three years to June 2018 to support states and territories to implement the NQF. For more information, see here.

More about 'Minions':

The breakout stars the world fell in love with in Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me global film franchise headline their own movie for the first time in Minions, available on 3D Blu-ray™, Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital with UltraViolet™ now.

Since the dawn of time, Minions have served (and accidentally eliminated) history’s most despicable villains. With the tribe on the brink of collapse, three unlikely heroes - Kevin, Stuart, and Bob - embark on a journey to find a new big boss. When their quest leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award(R) winner Sandra Bullock), our three heroes must face their biggest challenge yet: saving all of Minionkind... from annihilation!. 

Dr. Dimensionpants - DVD Giveaway

Dr. Dimensionpants, Season 1 Volume 1, is here!

We love this, just for the funny name!

Releasing 29 October, The series follows Kyle Lipton, who, for all his life was just like the other kids – playful, happy and without a care in the world until one day an inter-dimensional portal opened up and dropped onto his lap a pair of glowing pants. Now Kyle is Dr. Dimensionpants, a super-hero with a super intense attitude who must deal with the constant threat of inter-dimensional villains bent on destroying the Universe! Okay, not the universe but his hometown of Ganderville, which is like the universe to a 12-year-old boy.

He's a super-hero with a super intense attitude! Kyle Lipton must learn to master his powers as he saves the universe from unspeakable horrors. What a guy! Hey, nice pants...

RRP: $14.95 and it's in the family DVD genre, and it's ideal for kids aged 2-12 (and big kids!)

Stars: Samuel Vincent (Tom & Jerry), Richard Ian Cox (Dragon Ball Z), Ian James Corlett  (Cinderella).

Here is all you need to do to be in the running to win one of TEN copies:

'Like' the Josie's Juice Facebook page

- Follow me on Instagram and Twitter if you are on the social media platforms.

- Share this link on your Facebook wall

- Email me at josiegags@optusnet.com.au so I can contact you in case you are a winner. If you don't enter a valid email address I spend lots of time trying to track you down, or simply give the prize to the next person - not fun for anyone!

Simply send me your entry and mailing address via email at josiegags@optusnet.com.au).

*Competition is open to Australian residents only. Winners will be drawn by end of November, 2015.