Go, Diego, Go!

A show that teaches toddlers about animals while being fun is a real gem, and we still use it years after it ended. My only issue with it is the use of "magic", taken from the Dora show. I would much rather see technology as a solution provider instead.

In my Dora review, I defended Dora and said how it's supposed to be slow so the young toddler can pick up what it is, I am not defending something like count to 8 going on for 6 minutes of screen time but I can defend it for the most part. This show on the other hand, is exactly like Dora, but the messages in my opinion, are not nearly as good. They say 'You should look after animals and be kind to all' which I completely agree with, BUT, the thing is there are dangerous animals like a Grizzly Bear and a Jaguar that can RIP you up to pieces but this show portray them as friendly and helpful.

I know the message is well meaning and I do agree with the concept with it. But it's not something you should watch. Thankfully, Diego is more competent in the actual Dora show.

I hate to tear down something that tries to be positive, but this show has some serious problems. First of all, everyone has already gone over how unoriginal the show is, how it's just Dora for boys. That is no big deal, though. My issue with this program is the message it sends kids:

Baby wild animals are friendly and adorable and they NEED YOUR HELP.

We live in Alaska, where coming across bears is a very real possibility. All I can picture is Diego finding a baby bear:

DIEGO: Oh, look, a baby bear! He needs our help! BABY JAGUAR: Rowr! DIEGO: Look, here comes Mama Bear. She wants to give us a thank-you hug! You're welcome, Mama BeaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Teach kids respect for nature and love of animals, that's great. But they need to learn that wild animals are wild and should be left alone. After one episode, we never watched this show again and never will.

"Go, Diego, Go!" was obviously intended to be a show that was better-suited for boys than "Dora the Explorer." My 2-year old son tolerated Dora for about a three-week stint, then abandoned her. (Thank God. That show is insufferable.) But he is a devoted Diego fan, despite the fact that they've only had about eight different episodes to spread out over their first four weeks. He doesn't care.

Unlike Dora, who just stares into space for five minutes while you look for Strawberry Mountain like she's brain-damaged, Diego does smart, intricate things like identify animals by their individual cries and their paw prints. The other good thing is that, by focusing on South American animals, it teaches kids that there's more to nature than just cows, pigs, and chickens. It's a wonderful start to getting kids to realize that there's a bigger world out there.

My final thought? It's one of the few shows on Nick that I can actually sit through, so that's pretty good.

My daughter loves both Diego and Dora but she definitely prefers Diego. Although Diego is a spin off of Dora, the show is good and my daughter learned so much about animals. She is 3.5y-o and she knows a lot more than the children of her age. We watch the show in French - teaching English words - and my daughter loves it. With Dora, my daughter is getting a little bit fed up. I think she has seen it all and therefore prefers diego. However, I think both shows are important and involve the kids. I recommend Dora and Diego to all parents and children who do not want their children to be couch potatoes.I think that a show involving children both physically and mentally is a must see TV.