Dora the Explorer

Dora is one of the few, if any female stars of an animated show. The problem solving, bilingualism and non-violent approach is a breath of fresh air in the blast-em-up world of children's animated shows. How could anyone argue with that?

All three of my kids and their friends aged 2 - 5, absolutely love Dora the Explorer. Dora is a five year old girl who sets out on a different adventure each episode with her friend Boots the monkey and her talking back pack. "Back Pack" has objects to assist on her journey, of which children can decide which would be the best item to use to get round different obstacles. Along the way she also encounters different characters to assist her. Some of these characters only speak Spanish so is a great way of introducing the language to infants. Educationally it is very stimulating, teaching pre-schoolers the basics in counting, colors, shapes and sizes with the introduction of Spanish. It also brings to children the understanding of different cultures. Highly recommended.

I have a 3 year old daughter who loves the show. Not every show is great, they are all repetitive however when it comes to small children that helps them to learn. Thanks to this show my daughter has developed excellent decisive skills and puzzle solving skills. While it is incredibly annoying for an adult to watch as the songs get quite aggravating however, the kids seem to just love it. Throughout the show kids are asked to find things to help them along the way. They keep it simple so that small kids get a feeling of accomplishment when they get it right. There is always a little jingle played when they complete a task which makes the kids smile. When waiting for a response from the viewer they actually wait long enough for small kids to formulate a response, unlike many other children's shows. Keep in mind when watching Dora that it is not intended for older kids nor is it intended for adults. As much as we may hate to watch it, small kids love it and do learn a lot from it.

This is a wonderful show for children. It's perfect for pre-schoolers and toddlers. The lessons are hidden in Dora's adventures and not force fed. In my opinion, one of the best parts of the show is the bilingual aspect. Characters speak both English and Spanish. My 20 month old can count to ten in both languages thanks to this show. The adventures are fun and interesting, with an emphasis on sharing, compromise, and interactivity. Catchy songs are interspersed with recurring themes. The repetition can be annoying for a parent, but it's just what young minds need to aid in learning. Unlike other "children's" shows, there in almost no reference to commercial tie-ins. Yes, there is Dora merchandise available, but they don't waste time or insult your intelligence pushing it on the show.

I kind of think it's funny how many adults there are telling people not to watch this show, hello? It's a kid's show. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and they both love this show, it drives me crazy but I let them watch it because they have learned so many words, colors, shapes, etc. And like it or not they will probably need Spanish as they grow up because America is changing. When my oldest son was just over a year old I found him counting his toys, he could go up to 11 by himself thanks to Dora, now that he's 3 he counts to 20, he know's all his colors and shapes and it's all thanks to Dora. And yea it's not realistic, do you really think any of the show's we watched as kid's were realistic. If I wanted my 1 and 3 year old's to know what would really happen when someone wanted to mug you I would have them watch csi. It's our job as parents to teach them the reality's of this world when there old enough to understand them, so idk about you but I'm going to let my toddlers enjoy telling swiper no swiping without blood and violence. Thanks.

P.S. I only gave it an 8 because it does drive me crazy, but I think it's worth it sense my kid's get to enjoy learning.