This month from our Frontlines column:

Calling all film-loving kids

The Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children is accepting submissions for Sprockets Young People’s Juries for its 9th annual festival, April 21 to 30.

Sprockets Young People’s Juries allow kids to actively discuss the films they see, collaborate with other kids to reach consensus and decide which films win prizes at the festival. Jury applicants aged eight to 12 should write a short review (100 to 250 words) of a movie they either really enjoyed or didn’t like. For Jury Entry Form and “How to Write A Film Review” guide go to bell.ca/sprockets.

Submit reviews to juries@torfilmfest.ca, by fax to 416-967-9477, or by mail to Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children, Sprockets Juries, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1600, To, On, M5B 1J3. All reviews must be received by Feb. 10, 2006.

You go, girls!

Girls are… Confident. Girls are… Smart. These are the messages a new apparel company in Toronto is out to promote. The company sells 100-percent cotton, sweatshop-free tee shirts for girls aged four to 12.

The Girls are… line is dedicated to being a positive response and an alternative to inappropriately designed clothing that is sold as “vogue” for tweens today. The company actively counters negative media images that girls are exposed to in the fashion media, and has plans to produce sweatshirts, athletic pants, backpacks, pajamas and hats. girlsare.ca

Girls are also fit. Fitgirls is a Toronto club for girls from Grades 2 to 5. Meeting once weekly, the girls enjoy a healthy, nut-free snack and take part in a fitness activity. There’s also a craft or organized discussion, or a guest speaker. The founders – one a certified gymnastics coach, the other an educator with an interest in nutrition – want to help girls gain confidence in basic athletics and create a healthy body image. After-school meetings, from 4-5:30 p.m., take place in a variety of West End locations.416-908-9713 or email fitgirls@rogers.com.

Girls and boys can have fun and improve their fitness at Fizz Ed’s youth fitness club in Richmond Hill, Ont., a new concept for North America. Fizz Ed’s offers a custom interactive cardio circuit, sports programs and instruction, strength and toning programs, a weight management program and an Internet lounge with snack bar, all specially designed for youth aged 10 to 18. Kids can take classes in floor hockey, basketball, lacrosse, Tai-Bo, Pilates, Nia, yoga and salsa, to name a few. Go to fizzeds.com or call 905-881-8555.

When girls enter the tweens and early teens, they can often benefit from a boost to their confidence and self-understanding. For girls age nine to 15. 5 Elements camps and workshops have as their mission to offer challenging, enlightening and encouraging interactive experiences. From creative movement, self-defense and fashion to relationships, body image, setting goals and setting limits, workshop leaders strive to equip girls with the skills to help them deal with life right now and in the future. mysummercamps.com

Doodlebop Rocks!

Doodlemania reigns among preschoolers thanks to a new CBC kids show. The producer of Doodlebops is Cookie Jar Entertainment in Toronto – the renamed Cinar Entertainment, headed by Michael Hirsch, former top exec at Nelvana Studios.

Doodlebops features the adventures of DeeDee, Rooney and Moe Doodle, three colorful, doll-like mop-headed rockers who sing, dance and interact with their pre-school audience. The Doodlebops are fun, friendly role models. They deal with issues that involve sharing, getting along and solving problems. In one episode, kids learn about high and low sounds in the world around them. In another episode, Rooney and Moe try to rescue Dee Dee from the magical red tap shoes that are forcing her to dance.

A Doodlebops DVD is on sale for home viewing, and a CD for listening at home or in the car. Music is central to the Doodlebops, and our music reviewer, Eric Thom has this to say: “The Doodlebops are a wildly-dressed rock’n’roll trio for the little guys. At worst, they are a clown band, but their music is actually quite good – the voices are slightly exaggerated as goes with the territory, with kid choruses to fill their sound – but there’s a strong pop element to the writing which makes their music fun, if not slightly addictive, to listen to. Deedee, Rooney and Moe Doodle aren’t likely to fill the void left by the Beatles or the Ramones, but their multi-sensual approach (they have a website, onlydoodlebops.com, games and more) kicks Barney’s butt and doesn’t lean on any Aussie accents to get the job done.”