Jake and his Never Land Pirate crew have a new full-length adventure out on DVD this week. Those who are fans of the show have probably already seen "Jake Saves Bucky", as it has aired on Disney Junior and Disney already. Now you can own it, and with the cool Digital Copy that is included, you can "grab it and go!" wherever your adventures take you. And don't forget your trusty sword... it's included too!
Welcome to the first of the new Disney Junior shows that will be covered here on TV Mom!
Doc McStuffins is a really novel new program, although the initial premise of talking toys may sound familiar to Disney fans. This program follows a six year old little girl named Doc (short for... Dottie. Yes, really.) -- Talk about parents naming their kid for what they want them to grow up to be, eh? -- who takes her moniker very seriously. She is a doctor to toys and stuffed animals who have boo boos or illnesses.
Each episode depicts a toy with an "illness" or a "boo boo", and it walks them through their diagnosis and doctor visit, and ends with the toy singing the "I Feel Better" song. Doc likes to log her various toy maladies in her Big Book of Boo Boos, by drawing what happened to the toy and giving it a funny name like "Left on the right-itis" (for a toy who had his legs put on backwards after they fell off). There are lots of other songs for various things, and another recurring song entitled "Time For Your Checkup" in which Doc tells the toy all of the procedures she must do to make sure they are healthy.
This show is great for a number of reasons. First, the main character is an African American female in a powerful role of a physician. This is something that has been missing from pretty much all television, and Disney has definitely capitalized on that absence. Doc really gives girls someone to look up to other than a puffy pink princess who needs a prince to rescue her, and African American girls have a strong intelligent role model that they can relate to specifically.
Another interesting note in this category is that Mrs. McStuffins, Doc's mom, is actually a physician herself, which is part of why Doc aspires to be a doctor. Two strong African American females in this family! Doc is even voiced by a real young African American actress, Kira Muhammad, which I'm super glad about. (Honestly, nothing bugs me more than having a white person voice an African American character.)
Even cooler, Doc's DAD is the one who stays home with her and her younger brother Donny. That is a market that children's programming (heck, ALL programming!) seems to miss entirely. Stay at Home Dads, this one is for you!
Second, this show helps children to understand what happens in a doctor's office and visit, making them feel at ease with procedures such as getting their ears, eyes, and blood pressure checked. Also, it's great for showing kids that it's okay to be afraid when you are hurt, but that doctors help take the pain away. Several of the episodes I have viewed show the toys having apprehension at first, but the other toys and Doc herself all do their best to put them at ease. This is something else that is unprecedented in children's television as far as whole episodes and different situations under which a doctor visit is required, for injury and illness as well as just routine checkups.
Doc has her own crew of main talking stuffed animal and toy characters. There is a nurse hippo named Hallie, voiced by Loretta Devine, who you might recognize from various television roles including a part in Boston Legal, the secretary Patty from ABC's one-season lawyer series Eli Stone, or Adele Webber from Grey's Anatomy. There is a snowman named Chilly, voiced by a popular character actor Jess Harnell, whose voice-over credits include Wakko Warner from Animaniacs and Secret Squirrel on Two Stupid Dogs. There is a stuffed lamb with jingle bells in her feet named Lamby, who loves to give cuddles to everyone, voiced by Lara Jill Miller, who also voices Widget on Wow Wow Wubbzy (although thankfully she's not NEARLY as obnoxious on this program!). Finally, there is Stuffy the Dragon, who is voiced by Robbie Rist... a name very few would know... unless you remember cousin Oliver from the Brady Bunch. Yeah, same guy! He's also the voice of Michaelangelo the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle in the movies from the late 80's/early 90's. Quite the cast if you ask me! They even have already taken to having guest voices, most notably Modern Family's Ty Burrell as a daddy Jack-in-the-box whose son Jack-in-the-box can't pop out properly.
This program airs on the new Disney Junior channel, as well as during the Disney Junior block on the regular Disney Channel. Check your local listings to see if Disney Junior channel is offered in your area through your cable or satellite provider, as it is fairly new (it has only been on the air since mid-March), but you can always set your DVR for it on the regular channel as well!
What your child learns:
What to expect from doctor visits for situations of injury, illness, or even just routine checkups. They learn what each test is for and why the doctor needs to use it, in gentle language that is familiar to them.
Social and Emotional Development: Caring for friends, encouraging others, calming fears, allowing children to recognize and feel emotions such as fear and uncertainty.
Logical reasoning: Taking pieces of information and putting them together to solve a problem (or make a diagnosis).
As a parent watching, you won't be overly bored. The dialog isn't too slow, and the characters are cute and amusing. There are plenty of fun songs to encourage your child to sing. It's also a great tool to use in advance of a doctor visit, to help open up a dialog with your child about what will happen and how they feel about it. Kids are also going to hear good advice about being safe, eating healthy, exercising, grooming, and proper rest, all things a kid is much more likely to absorb coming from a singing animated stuffed dragon than boring old Mom.
Age ranges for this program will vary from early preschool years to probably third or fourth graders. I think kids much older than that will think that the program is a little beneath them, but I do think that younger toddler aged kiddos will enjoy the fun characters and songs.
Overall, it's not a super educational program, but it is great for making kids feel better about visiting the doctor, something that every mother knows and has to deal with. As I've said, the characters are cute and the songs aren't obnoxious, which makes for decent watch-ability. Kids will enjoy it, girls will enjoy having a great role model, and parents will like how it opens communication about something that all kids have to endure and may not be super keen on. My son likes it, so it's a keeper in our book!
Word World is one of the most clever ways I've ever seen to teach reading. It's an adorable animated series where each character and many of the things they encounter in the world are made up of the letters used to make that word. Take a look at the character Duck in the image above (they only have the name of what they are, which helps to make it less confusing for kids)... he is made up of the letters D-U-C-K. Sheep is made of the letters S-H-E-E-P, and so on. There are tons of recurring characters on the show, referred to as "Word Friends": Frog, Duck, Sheep, Pig, Bear, Bug, Ant, Fly, Cat, Robot, Shark... I could go on and on.
The great thing about this program is that it really helps foster the idea that all words are made up of letters. In fact, several times during the program, your child is invited to "build a word" with a cute little song. Then the characters show them how the letters come together, make sounds, and form words.
There are also fantastic companion toys available, many are stuffed Word Friends, whose letters actually come apart so your child can build the word and make the friend whole again. Endlessly clever I tell you! I have a feeling that I would probably just find disembodied Word Friend parts all over my house, since my son just enjoys the destruction.
Word World currently airs on PBS stations, which are free over the air. There are also lots of DVDs available, as well as the toys I mentioned.
Toddler and preschool children will probably get the most out of this show, although babies may enjoy the bright colors and cute animated friends on screen. Older kids will likely be bored with the show itself, but may still benefit from some of the supplemental materials, like flash cards, for spelling and reading comprehension.
What your child learns:
Reading Readiness: Learning that words are made up of letters, letters make sounds (phonics), spelling, capital and lowercase letter recognition, rhyming, vocabulary.
Problem Solving: Choosing the right word or letter, filling in blanks, arranging letters in a certain order.
Social and Emotional Development: Cultivating friendships, being helpful, social diversity awareness, knowing when to ask for help.
There is also a great site for parents and educators wishing to use this program in a more instructional manner, Word World for Parents and Teachers. There is also a bar across the top where you can bring your child to play online Word World games with their favorite characters from the program.
As a parent watching, I will admit that hearing the "It's time to build a word" song a few times in a row might be grating. However, I can't really think of any other major flaws. Some parents think Duck's voice is kind of annoying, but I think he sounds like Don Knotts. (Hey, it could be worse... he could be voiced by Gilbert Godfreid. I swear that guy does nothing but voice-over work these days. His voice makes me want to stick a sharpened pencil in my ear.) My son loves shouting out the words as they turn into the object. It actually makes me wonder if he knows more about reading than he lets on at two and a half.
I can still never get over just how clever of an idea this program is. I highly recommend it, especially for parents of pre- or early readers. It's an enjoyable way to teach phonics and other early reading skills. And it's just downright adorable!
Little Einsteins is a unique concept for a children's show, but one that I think many parents will appreciate more than others. You might be familiar with the Baby Einstein DVD series, which exposes your infant to classical music and art. Little Einsteins takes that concept a little further into childhood. Each episode focuses on one famous piece of music and one famous artist/art style/painting. Then they integrate the music and the art into the episode's story line.
There are five main characters in this program: Leo (red-headed boy), June (brunette girl), Quincy (African-American boy), Annie (blonde girl), and Rocket, their sentient rocket ship. Each child has a special skill they bring to the team. Leo likes to conduct music, and therefore he's also mostly in charge of the group. June likes to dance, and as such she wears a tutu and ballet slippers. Quincy likes to play instruments. Annie likes to sing. According to the Wikipedia Page, each of the characters is named after someone famous in a similar field: Leo after the famous composer Leopold Stokowski, June after famous choreographer June Taylor, Quincy after famous musician and composer Quincy Jones, and Annie after famous Jazz singer Anni Rossi.
The plot of the show is usually the same in that they are given some sort of mission to complete at the beginning (winning a race, saving an animal, helping a friend, etc.). The music piece is integrated in a number of ways, while the art piece(s) generally show up in the background. Children are encouraged to participate by clapping, dancing, patting their laps, singing, and answering questions. They are also introduced to music terms such as piano, pianissimo, allegro, and so on.
This program, while no longer being made new, plays on the Disney Junior block of the Disney Channel. Disney is a subscription channel, so cable or satellite will be required, please check your local listings for times and channels. There are also lots of Little Einstein DVDs and toys on the market to extend your child's experience.
As for age appeal, the characters on the show range in age from 5-8, but I would guess the appeal wouldn't last much past second or third grade for most kids. Since there is nice classical music, younger children would probably like it, especially since they are encouraged to dance and sing along with the characters. Normally, with something with so much music, I would recommend it for even infant exposure, but the characters do tend to shout a bit in this program, so it might startle a baby who is getting into the groove of the calm classical music.
What your child learns:
Music: Instruments, classical music, famous composers, music terms, singing, tempo and time, rhythm, reading music notes.
Art: Famous artists, famous artwork, colors, shapes.
Mathematics: Counting, fractions (counting time and tempo in music), simple addition and subtraction.
As a parent watching, you might get bored with the pauses the characters take to allow your child to answer their questions. The plots are simplistic, for obvious reasons, but it won't give you much to enjoy other than watching your child participate.
Overall, it's a neat concept for a kids show. However, it's simplicity and niche subject were what caused it to be cancelled. Your child may or may not mesh with the program, but it's worth a try to expose them to some culture that they otherwise won't see from children's television.
My first post by reader request! Yo Gabba Gabba... I don't even really know where to start. Parents on Yo Gabba Gabba can be divided into two categories: "Love it" (for whatever reason), and "Hate it because it's a toddler acid trip". Now, for me, I think the 70's "H.R. Pufnstuf" was way worse on the latter claim. This is just the 2000's version of that. Really. People in big costumes singing songs in styles popular in the day. It's that simple. I'll admit, initially, I was in the "this is too weird and it creeps me out" category, but after I gave it a chance (with prodding from an awesome set of parent friends of mine, they know who they are), I learned to love it. I'm a huge fan of DJ Lance now.
If you've never seen this show before, let me introduce you to the cast of characters. First, DJ Lance Rock, the guy in the orange furry hat. He's the emcee of Gabba Land. That boom box he carries also houses the figures of the five other critters, who come to life with his imagination. (Stay with me here, I promise, I'm not smoking anything!) The intro song introduces each characters... Muno, "He's tall and friendly" (who you may recognize from those car commercials where the kid's toys borrow the SUV), Foofa "She's pink and happy", Brobee, "The little green one", Toodee "She likes to have fun" (interjection: she's the blue cat thing... I think she gets the short end of the stick as far as the song goes), Plex "A magic robot". Easy enough. Still with me? Okay, good. Take another sip of coffee.The characters reside in "Gabba Land" and each have their own realm. Well, except for Plex. He has a charging station in between Foofa's and Brobee's realms.
Muno---------Foofa---------Brobee--------Toodie
The best part of Yo Gabba Gabba is definitely the guest stars. There are some regulars, and then a list dozens of celebrities long for the "Dancey-Dance" portion. The regulars include Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh, who teaches kids to draw random things that then animate themselves to life, Biz Markie, who does "Biz's beat of the day" and teaches kids a fun beat-box noise, and Jack McBrayer who often appears with Paul Scheer to tell the "Knock-knock joke of the day". Jack Black and Weird Al Yankovic have both had entire episodes. Amy Sedaris (of "Strangers With Candy" fame) was the tooth fairy for Muno in an episode. Other notable guests for "Dancey-Dance" segments have been Andy Sandberg, Rachael Dratch, Melora Hardin (Jan on The Office), Tony Hawk (who cheated and didn't actually dance at all, but skateboarded... a bone of contention for me), and Sarah Silverman, among others. There are also musical guests for the "Super Music Friend Show" portion, where DJ Lance gives the Gabba crew a giant TV to play a song, and they all dance around to it in between snippets of a YGG special music video. Musical guests include (but are not limited to!) The Shins (see the Super Music link above!), The Aquabats, Weezer (dressed as large bugs), The Ting Tings, and The Roots. Needless to say, all of this involvement is more for the parents, and it really does make the show way more awesome.
The show jumps around in small segments, between little stories with the YGG gang learning a lesson about being patient, cleaning up or sharing, musical interludes, segments I've already mentioned, and fun 8-bit animations featuring real kids who "like to dance!" (think original Nintendo or even Atari). There are also segments such as "Cool Tricks", where a real kid shows off a fun hidden talent like playing the piano, doing a hula, or even just balancing a spoon on their nose. The whole thing is wrapped up with DJ Lance reviewing what was done on the show that day, and then dancing to a remix of all the songs they sang.
I can't do this post without some video fun... here is my favorite song from Yo Gabba Gabba, where Muno raps about why he likes bugs so much (sorry for the poor quality, it's the best I could find that was able to be embedded):
Come on, that song is hardcore awesome. Admit it.
Yo Gabba Gabba plays on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. at various times throughout the day and night. Both channels are only available by subscription to a cable or satellite provider, please check local listings. There are also tons of CDs, DVDs, and toys to expand your YGG experience. And recently, there has been a world wide live tour (attended and very highly spoken of by a friend of mine in Australia at the Sydney Opera House)!
Age appeal is pretty broad ranging, in my opinion. The music is fun for all ages, child and adult alike. The lessons might be best suited to preschool, kindergarten, or elementary school kids, but the coolness factor lasts long beyond those years. There are also fun tunes and bright happy colors for the younger viewers. My son enjoyed it from quite a young age.
What your child learns:
Social and Emotional Development: Emotions, patience, sharing, kindness, caring for the earth, empathy, cultivating friendships, eating healthy, jokes, hidden talents.
Mathematics: Patterns, counting, colors, shapes.
Music and Dance: Different kinds of music, dance moves, fun in movement, singing, different kinds of instruments, beat patterns.
Pre-Reading Skills: Story telling, remembering what happened in a story, reading encouragement.
As a parent watching, there are tons of things to get you interested, including your favorite bands and celebrities. If you grew up in the 80's or 90's, there is also a bit nostalgia factor between the 8-bit animation and random references like Plex playing a keytar. The voices might be a little annoying (Muno is kind of high pitched, and Brobee and Toodie are kind of whiny), but there is so much more to like than just the basic five characters. I implore you to give it a chance. Yes, it's weird for a kids show, but remember that kids like weird. Take it for what it's worth and I bet you'll really like it.
In fact, here's the official Yo Gabba Gabba YouTube channel... go and waste some time watching the awesome :) You can tell your co-workers that you're just listening to your iPod. Our little secret.
Today we're going to check out "Ni-Hao, Kai Lan!", or as I like to call it, Chinese Dora. Kai Lan is another animated young girl, this time of Asian decent, who has anthropomorphic animal friends: Rintoo the tiger, Hoho the little white monkey, Tolee the panda-obsessed koala, and Lulu the rhino who flies around by a balloon tied to her horn (not pictured). Kai Lan lives with her grandfather, Yeye (which I'm guessing means Grandpa in Chinese). There is no mention of her parents. Kai Lan's format is similar to that of Dora the Explorer in that it has the character pause and ask your child for a response several times throughout the program, as well as repetitive catchy songs.
Kai Lan has a focus on Chinese language lessons. I'm not a huge fan of how they teach the Chinese. As an adult, it's hard for me to figure out what they're actually even trying to say. Dora at least says "(Spanish word) means (English equivalent)" or "the Spanish word for (thing) is (word)", so you at least have a chance to figure out some equivalencies. Kai Lan doesn't offer quite the same courtesy. There are sometimes whole sentences spoken in Chinese, and we the viewer are left to guess what was said. I've learned quite a bit of Spanish from the likes of Dora and Handy Manny, but as far as Chinese goes from Kai Lan, all I've picked up really is how to say hi ("ni-hao", it's in the title), the color red (sounds like "hong-suh"), how to say thank you (sounds like "shay shay"), how to say listen ("ting"), and numbers 1-3 ("Ee", "are", "sun"). If that's all a college-educated adult can pick up, I can only imagine how confusing the show is to someone who is still trying to get his head around saying words that start with S in his own native language.
There is also a big focus on emotions in this program. Kai Lan's friends tend to have problems dealing with their emotions, and usually it's a lesson from either Yeye or their little ant friends that helps them figure out (clap clap clap) what to do. (It's a song in the show, in case you were wondering.) Now this part, I like. Toddlers and preschoolers, heck, even adults, all have hard times realizing what their emotions are and how to deal with them. Sadness, anger, jealousy, etc. are all dealt with in easy to understand ways. They also focus on teaching about helping, sharing, and cleaning up after yourself.
Ni-Hao Kai Lan is shown on Nick and Nick Jr. channels, which are cable and satellite subscription channels only. Check your local listings for times and channels. There are also lots of Kai Lan DVDs, toys, and books available for purchase.
Kai Lan's appeal may be rather limited to toddlers and preschoolers. The animation is bright and happy, so easy for the younger crowd to be interested in, and there are catchy tunes to sing and clap along with. I think Kindergarteners may enjoy the program for the Chinese lessons, but only minimally for the actual story lines.
What your child learns:
Cultural Education: Chinese language and culture, including festivals and celebrations.
Social and Emotional Development: Caring for friends, dealing with emotions, empathy, taking care of your planet and toys, sharing, helping.
Mathematics: Counting in both English and Chinese, putting things in order, patterns, shapes, colors.
Music: Singing, clapping, rhythm games.
Pre-Reading Skills: Rhyming, remembering story details.
As a parent watching, there's not going to be much that is enjoyable for you. The characters are kind of shrill and "yell-y", similar to Dora. The Chinese is hard to catch on to. There is no parental role model other than Yeye, and even he is only present sparingly. The language is simplistic, and the stories are clearly aimed at the youngest viewers. You're going to be bored and probably annoyed with this program. I know I am. Of course, that usually means my son adores the program, and Kai Lan is no exception to this rule. He loves shouting answers at the television when they're requested of him, and clapping along to the songs. Plus, I think he's starting to develop a thing for foreign chicks. At least it has some educational value, otherwise I'd probably not let him watch it. It's up there on the "hokey, fake" scale. Good luck.
