If you answered “Absolutely!” to both of these questions, today may just be a very exciting day for your family… because today is the day that the Raggs Rockin’ Kids Search begins!

“Raggs,” the hit public television preschool series, [...] will hold auditions from June 1-30 at Raggs.com for 100 kids to appear in a special talk show segment of the series. The winners will be selected based on video submissions, which parents can upload to the Raggs.com website or mail in.

“This is not a talent competition. The goal is to find 100 really animated, talkative and clever kids who represent a diverse sampling of families in our country,” said, Toni Steedman, President and Founder of Raggs LLC. “It is a unique opportunity for the ‘Raggs’ television series to have a direct connection to our viewers.”

(If you’re unfamiliar with the hit preschool show, there’s a section where Dumpster the Cat chats with kids about the show’s theme. It’s completely adorable.)

Refer to their website for all of the official contest rules and such, and then get to taping! Video submissions must be in by the end of this month. And then… maybe your child will get to be part of Raggs at their studio in North Carolina.

Of course, if Junior is trying to decide what to wear for his close-up, allow me to suggest, oh, anything from the Raggs Clothing Store. I can’t promise it’ll give him a leg up, but it can’t hurt, right? Right.

Oh, I wouldn’t necessarily hire me to find someone a spouse, but occasionally I’m able to put together people who are able to do fabulous work together.

This is why I’m totally planning to take credit for the fact that there’s a brand spanking new Raggs Store at Ty’s Toy Box. Because where did you first hear about Raggs? Why, right here, last February. I wrote about them, back then, purely out of personal intrigue.

And then I put their people in touch with my people. (Hey, I have people!) And now? Voila! Awesome Raggs stuff at the new Raggs Store!

I love it when a plan comes together like that.

And I’ve already told you about their fun music and their great TV show, true. What’s new since I last talked about these dynamic doggies is that they’re launching a live tour and now your little Raggs fan has the opportunity to see them in the flesh. Er, in the fur. (If you decide to see them live, don’t forget to pick out a favorite Raggs shirt before you go!)

How much fun could Raggs be in person? This much fun:

(If that didn’t cause your toes to tap a little, check to make sure you still have a pulse.)

Welcome to Ty’s Toy Box, Raggs! We give you two paws up!

And the Raggs Kids Club Band is hardly new, you understand—they’ve been playing live concerts to throngs of delighted canine-fans (that is, fans of canines, not canines themselves) (I don’t think, anyway) since 2002. But for those of us here in the U.S., the Raggs television show has just expanded to many more PBS affiliates this year. This means you don’t have to hit a concert venue for your kids to fall in love with this pack of pooches.

And had it occurred to me that a kids’ band in the form of technicolor dogs was a good idea? No, it hadn’t. Possibly this is why I am not in charge of these things. Nevertheless, someone brighter than me (creator Toni Steedman, in fact) knew that kids wouldn’t be able to resist the upbeat music presented by these distinctly-personalitied dogs.

You can meet the whole band here, but I recommend against a beverage while you peruse the list. The gang is predictably anthropomorphized, of course, but there are still nuggets like this:

Raggs is an enthusiastic tail chaser, a passionate flea scratcher and a compulsive sniffer.

(That’s such a coincidence, because I know a few passionate flea scratchers, myself.)

If your kids are already fans—or you think they’ll become fans—be sure to check out the online activities, plus I happen to know of a giveaway contest where you could win a Raggs CD or DVD. (And by “happen to know of” I of course mean “I am hosting.” Full disclosure and all of that.)

So check ‘em out. I guarantee they’ll keep your kid too busy bopping to argue or make a mess… at least for a few minutes!