One of the very first shows my kids really loved—once they were past the mindless toddler joy at anything bright and/or musical—was Arthur. He’s just a regular kid, in a regular school, with regular problems. If you overlook the whole thing where he’s an anteater without an anteater nose (really, I never quite understood that part of it…), he’s pretty much Everykid. He’s utterly relatable.

So I’m completely loving this: From February 1st to March 31st, your child (aged 6-12) can go visit the Arthur / All Kids Can Character Search site and submit their ideas for a new character to join the cast of Arthur. Isn’t that awesome? Check it out:

Calling all ARTHUR fans! Do you have an idea for a new friend for Arthur, D.W. or Buster? Well, here’s your chance to create a character for Elwood City. ARTHUR, the award-winning PBS KIDS GO! television series, and CVS Caremark All Kids Can, a program dedicated to making life easier for kids with disabilities, are teaming up to announce the “ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search”!

Beginning February 1, 2009, the “ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search” invites children ages 6-12 to send in their ideas for a new character for Arthur. And not just any character–one who can show that having a unique ability, character trait, or disability might make life a little bit different, but not any less fun. Kids can mail in their entries, with a drawing of their character and a description of what makes them special, starting February 1, 2009. The child with the selected idea, along with their character, will be featured in a live-action segment on the ARTHUR show. In addition, he or she will receive a visit from ARTHUR creator and author Marc Brown at the child’s school, local library, or PBS member station.

I love this. How better to help kids learn about inclusion than to let them be a part of this process? Arthur continues to delight me. So get your kids to put on their thinking caps, and good luck!

Regardless of your political leanings, I think it’s impossible not to feel the excitement as we get ready for the Presidential Inauguration happening tomorrow. It’s a historic time in our country’s history, and kids have been fired up about this election in a way we’ve never seen before.

Whether it was the Nickelodeon Kids Pick the President campaign or a special election-themed WordGirl, kids have been seeing election buzz for months, now. And this week, it all comes together as President Obama is sworn into office. And Nickelodeon is ready—they’re planning their first coverage of the Presidential Inauguration:

Nickelodeon, in another first, will feature coverage of the historic presidential inauguration starting Monday, Jan. 19, at 4 p.m. ET/PT. KPP Election Connection Team correspondents — Lily Collins, JJ and Pick Boy — will report on the political celebration from Washington, D.C. in a series of pre-taped interstitials highlighting the historic Inauguration Day and the celebrations leading up to it.

Additionally, on Inauguration Day — Tuesday, Jan. 20 — at 8 p.m., vignettes featuring footage of the President-Elect’s Oath of Office, will air on Nickelodeon, The N and Nicktoons Networks. Interstitials will continue to air on Nickelodeon through Jan. 31 and will highlight the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue; President-Elect Obama’s arrival at the White House; his inauguration speech; and more.

What a savvy move by Nick, both to keep kids interested in the world around them and to ride the current political wave. This is smart children’s programming at its finest.

Ahhhh, Thanksgiving. Here in the United States, there’s nothing else quite like it. First you run around like a chicken with your head cut off (oh, wait… maybe that’s just me), then you eat yourself into a stupor and watch a lot of television. It’s the quintessential American holiday.

(I kid, of course. I’ve never actually eaten myself into a stupor. I prefer to eat until I’m just this side of a stupor, to leave room for a turkey sandwich later on. Heh.)

Here’s hoping you have a day of good food and wonderful family/friends planned, but of course you know I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t insist we spend a few minutes talking about the television offerings. Because TV is as much a part of Thanksgiving, for most families, as the meal.

You’ve got the football. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The football. The various program marathons. And did I mention the football? I think I may have.

I’ve particularly come to enjoy Thanksgiving television since growing up and putting on my own Thanksgivings; nothing causes my kids’ eyes to light up faster than my suggesting they go watch some more TV. And when I’m trying to baste a turkey, a child happily viewing is a child that’s not under my feet or about to get burned on the oven door.

Need a little viewing guidance for the holiday? I’ve got you covered.

• About.com has rounded up the Top 6 Family Thanksgiving Movies.
• This guy has listed just about every television marathon happening this long weekend, which is a little spooky but mostly really neat to look at. (And there’s a Bridezillas marathon on WE, which has nothing to do with Thanksgiving but delights me, nonetheless.)
• And Family Fun never fails to deliver something delightful, so I wasn’t even surprised to see this ingenious Thanksgiving Day Parade Bingo! Now that’s the way to keep the kids occupied while you finish cooking!

Whatever you end up doing, Happy Thanksgiving from our families here at Ty’s Toy Box to yours!

Every year about this time, I wax rhapsodic about the brilliance that is It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Sure, you could buy it on DVD and watch it any time; heck, it’s probably even out there on YouTube. And yes, kids’ animated shows today are much more sophisticated. I know all of that. I get it.

Still, The Great Pumpkin is an American institution. I watched it every year, and so help me, my kids are going to watch it and appreciate it, too. Or I’ll start telling them all about how hard life was back then in the olden days, when I had to go out trick-or-treating in a cardboard box. (True story.) Which is why we’ll be tuning in tonight at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.

[Basically, if my kids don't instantly know what I'm talking about when I look inside a bag and say "I got a rock," I feel that I have failed as a mother. I'm just sayin'.]

Of course, there are other institutions when it comes to Halloween specials and television, I suppose. Wired’s Geekdad discusses his top five—including The Great Pumpkin—and mentions that the Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror specials “changed the game.”

Which brings me to only the most awesome new ever: Best Week Ever tells us that this year’s Treehouse of Horror episode includes a Mad Men opening credits montage (see the BWE post for more screen caps like the one above). I can’t wait! (Technically, though, I’ll have to wait—the Simpsons special won’t air until next week, after Halloween.)

These are the things I look forward to about Halloween. Almost more than mini Twix bars, in fact.