My son Justin is a certified Barney baby. Barney was the first kiddie VCD I made him watch. We got hooked the first time we laid eyes on Barney (with emphasis on “we”). Of course, mommy has to make sure Justin’s watching the right stuff. So what makes Barney an instant hit with kids?



Barney features fun and exciting characters top-billed by Barney himself with friends BJ and Baby Bop who all sing well and dance well. We also get to watch kids of different ages in the show that make watching Barney even more interesting.

I actually became an instant fan of Barney because of the easy-to-learn songs that are set in good music and some danceable tunes, too. I would often sing these songs to Justin, and he would sing with me and imitate the action that went with these songs. Justin even knows Barney’s theme song “I Love You, You Love Me” by heart.

Primarily, I think Barney was conceptualized to teach children a good number of things, such as the letters of the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, zoo animals, etc. The show also imparts good values, namely: loving one’s friends and treating them as family, sharing what one has with others, being considerate of others’ feelings, and accepting others for what they are, among others.

I think these are good enough reasons to convince parents to let their children watch Barney. What do you think?

Justin’s latest preoccupation is watching Dora the Explorer every morning on a local TV channel. This prompted his Daddy to buy him his first Dora the Explorer DVD last week. Last Friday night, I bought him his second Dora the Explorer DVD that we both watched until he fell asleep. Watching Dora the Explorer, it’s easy to see why kids adore this show. Dora the Explorer has got what it takes to make kids glued to the TV sets: interesting characters, exciting adventures, great music, and valuable lessons.

First, Dora the Explorer features an interesting set of characters complete with a protagonist, a sidekick, and a villain. The lead character is, of course, Dora, and her sidekick is Boots, the monkey. Then, there’s Swiper, the mean fox who swipes things from Dora every time he gets the chance. Other major characters include The Map who shows Dora and Boots how to get to their destination and Backpack who keeps Dora’s things, which often come in handy with each adventure.

Aside from its colorful characters, Dora the Explorer is filled with fun and stirring adventures. Dora, together with Boots, is seen either sailing in an ocean on a pirate adventure or going to the cloud castle or heading to some remote island to retrieve something or to help someone in need.

There are also specific parts of the show that are set in music, and this makes Dora the Explorer doubly interesting to watch. Of course, there’s the Dora the Explorer soundtrack. There are also songs for when Dora and Boots begin their adventure and when they complete their mission for the day. Likewise, when Dora calls on The Map and Backpack, they both respond with their standard songs: “I’m the Map…”and “Backpack, Backpack…” The melodies used in the show are all danceable tunes, too.

Finally, and most importantly, Dora the Explorer teaches kids some valuable lessons. Counting, identifying colors, singing nursery rhymes, and illustrating action words (e.g., jump, reach, crouch down) are some of the things a kid learns from the show. Dora likewise imparts the values of leadership, friendship, and teamwork to name a few. One also gets to learn basic Spanish words.

So, the next time you sit in front of the TV with your kids, try watching Dora the Explorer. The show would be a treat for sure with its colorful characters, rousing adventures, wonderful music, and great lessons. Who knows? You might even like it, for your kids, I mean.