Blue's Clues - Blau und schlau

Blues Clues is a fun little educational show which covers many areas of interest. In some shows mathematical concepts, such as shapes and relative weights are covered. Others introduce concepts in art and music, or general skills, like determining the proper order in which to do things in a step by step process. Still others emphasize behavioral issues: responsibly caring for pets, dealing with fears, frustration, and frustrating individuals, to name a few.

Steve, the sole live action individual in the show, is a warm, non-threatening individual who manages to project a gentle enthusiasm without sounding sappy and saccharine. I was sorry to read that Steve Burns intends to leave the show, but can understand it for myself. There must be some point where one would want to throttle someone if forced to sing "We just got a letter!" one more time.

Even as a teenager, I enjoy this show. My little sister adores it, and the educational value is high. It gives children a chance to feel good about themselves while learning something, and as the same show is replayed for a week, children get maximum benefits. The characters are good and cute, along with Steve. He is a cute little guy, and a positive influence for children. Kids feel like they can identify with him. Unlike many other children's shows, this possesses some actual value, and kids adore it. It is good enough for even me to watch with my little sister on weekdays when I do not have school.

Blues Clues is quite popular with toddlers and preschoolers in the U.S. The show has a "host", more like a main character (originally Steve Burns, who was very good, now "Joe" Donovan Bratton) who introduces a scenario and leads the viewers through a sort of "scavenger hunt". The hunt is guided by hints from talking things in the house (e.g. slippery soap, tickety tock and the salt, pepper paprika family), with the targets of the search marked by the girl puppy, "Blue", using paw prints (hence Blue's Clues).

The secret to the show in my opinion is that it has a nice formula, and more importantly the host treats the audience in an engaging manner and are NOT condescending (I think a lot of shows talk down to kids and they can pick up on it). Steve retired from the show (they told the audience he was "Going to College") and his brother Joe was going to take over. Steve was especially good at dealing with the audience (many adults secretly enjoy the show, Steve is pretty good), but his recent replacement by Joe seems to have gone well and I think Joe may do well (although I still like Steve a bit better, Steve had more practice).

Take an adorable twenty-something guy, a computer animated blue puppy, add a dash of spices (Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper and Paprika to be specific), throw in your favorite preschooler and you have the perfect recipe for a delightful Nick Jr show. "Blue's Clues," and the format in which it is shown, are simply ingenious. In the show, Steve (the adorable twenty-something guy I mentioned earlier) is the only live action character in an animated world. Every episode, his dog, Blue, has something that she wants to tell Steve, and in order to do this, she goes around the house leaving blue paw prints on clues. While trying to find the clues, Steve often stops to help his friends (Slippery Soap, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper, Paprika, Shovel and Pail, the Felt Friends and various others) with some dilemma they may be having (shapes, colors, what doesn't belong, etc). At the end of the show, Steve asks the children's help to figure out what Blue is trying to tell him. There are various songs that remain the same from episode to episode. The songs are simple enough for the child that I babysit to sing and dance along with. Each week, the same episode of `Blue's Clues' is shown for five days. The thought process behind this is that the more times a child sees something, the more they pick up from it and the better that they feel about themselves for having learned something. I have seen this plan succeed. On Monday, the four-year-old that I baby-sit asks me what the answers are. I dumb myself down as Steve does on the show in order for the little boy to learn the answers. On Tuesday, he's a little more vocal because he learned some things the day before. On Wednesday, he's interacting with Steve and Blue for a good portion of show. By Thursday, he has everything figured out and answers them easily. On Friday, he's a pro at it and answers the questions before Steve can even get them out of his mouth. `Blue's Clues' is a pleasant and welcome change from other television shows. It is totally interactive and because Steve relies on the kids help to figure things out, it makes them feel like good. Not to mention, it's 25 straight minutes where I don't have to worry about what the child is watching because I feel safe letting him watch "Blue's Clues".

Wow! This is a really cute, fun, entertaining, and educational show. I said that because I watch this on Nickelodeon and Noggin with my 16-month-old nephew from time to time. It's hard to say which show on Nickelodeon and Noggin is the best. Still it's really cute, fun, entertaining, and educational. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that the people at Nickelodeon and Noggin really know how to reach a toddler's developing mind. Now, in conclusion, if you have children, nieces, or nephews, I strongly recommend this really cute, fun, entertaining, and educational show. I guarantee you that they will enjoy it.