The TV shows we watch and our opinions of them

This post is actually a response comment I wrote on Mary's site - Owlhaven earlier today. Her hosting company didn't like me today so I had to post it here - it was too good to be lost in cyberland. She was asking about what shows we recommended for preschoolers.


Zoboomafoo - my 3.5 (boy) & 6 yr (girl) old enjoy the Kratt brothers and even watch their adult animal adventures that were on Natl Geographic channel. Animal appreciation taught by two humans, a puppet lemur and assorted real animals.

Blues Clues - tops with both kids and there are years worth of episodes. Early learning (shapes, sounds, numbers, letters, associations) for preschoolers and kindergartners; live action Steve or Joe and the rest is animated. DD likes Blues Room but DS does not, that's more about Blue having fun rather than learning new things.

Diego is a yes but Dora is a no! - The Swiper character on Dora is always caught being bad and shows no remorse whereas the BoBo brothers from Diego don't really mean any harm. Diego teaches about animals and their environments. Both are fully animated shows and throw in a few Spanish words for show.

Sesame Street is a no - I realize that they are trying to 'accurately demonstrate the way that real kids talk' but I want my kids to enunciate like me not like another 3 year old. The 6 yr old likes it but it bores the 3.5 yr old. I would rather they continue the old show The Electric Company.

The Wiggles - we love them and even purchased the live concert video. Absolutely 100% wholesome and fun! All live action humans who play 'brothers' and their friends. Music and dancing, the men that came up with the Wiggles (the guys who play them) met while studying preschool education in college.

My 6 yr old enjoys the Backyardigans more than my 3.5 yr old - he gets scared by the storyline occasionally. Music, games and the wild stories/adventures that 5 animated friends imagine while playing in their connected backyards.

Miss Spider's Sunnypatch - some of the characters scare my 3.5 yr old but it does have good teachings. A cartoon version of your family; 2 spiders have many kids - a dragonfly, a bed bug, a flying beetle, and 5 various spiders and they learn life lessons.

The 3.5 yr old enjoys The Upside Down Show but the 6 yr old isn't as into it. Goofy fun with two live action humans using your imagination and a pretend remote control.

Everyone in our house loves Peep, grownups included! DH used to watch it at night on the TiVo after the kids went to bed and we have to save all new episodes for him. Animated tale of 3 bird friends exploring the Big Wide World that exists in the neighborhood park that they live in. It's narrated by Joan Cussack.

Between the Lions is a puppet acted book and reading and literature appreciation show. It scares my 3.5 yr old but the 6 yr old is ok with it.

All of the assorted Steve Irwin (Croc Hunter) shows are greatly enjoyed by my kids - there is no snarkiness when real animals and the people who love them are involved! His love of animals and his family and friends make him an example of a true hero.

The whole family adores Charlie and Lola, an animated tale of 2 British children and their life together! Lola is funny and Charlie loves her.

Veggie Tales have good morals (it is a Christian animated production) but every episode has portions that cause my 3.5 yr old to run out of the room in fear.

Many of the cooking shows are enjoyed by both of my kids - Simply Ming and Everyday Food and Rachel Ray. They learn how to cook without burning themselves on my stove and the hosts are very kind people with kids of their own.

There is a PBS show called The Biscuit Brothers but it may not be available in your area. It's live action with humans and kids that teaches music appreciation to kids aged 3 to 9.

Both kids really like Higglytown Heroes and I enjoy it too - it's an animated show where they are all nesting dolls and it shows that EVERYONE'S job is important to society.

Wow Wow Wubbzy - animated creature and his 2 friends live in Wuzzleburg and encounter childhood emotions. Both of my kids love the show.

Little Einsteins - Animated music and art appreciation. Both kids like this but sometimes DS gets scared. I don't like that they use the same dozen works of music over and over instead of introducing other works.

Johnny and the Sprites - Live action and 'muppets' teach about getting along with others. Johnny is a broadway actor and a muppeteer so there is music too. Both kids are fans.

Handy Manny - Bob the Builder for the Hispanic crowd, we all prefer Manny here. Animated show teaching good citizenship.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Typical Disney animation fare teaching good citizenship. Kind of bores the 6 yr old and Pete scares the 3.5 yr old.

Pinky Dinky Do - Animated show with a big sister helping her little brother with little kid dilemmas by making up demonstrative stories. I don't like it, DD does and DS could care less.

Wonder Pets - The kids like this paper collage-animation show but I don't like the way that the animals speak (again the enunciation thing) and I feel that it just repeats lessons learned in Higglytown Heroes.

All of these shows with the exception of the Steve Irwin shows and some of the cooking shows are on channels that are free of commercial interruption during the show.