The Backyardigans - TV-Y
TV Rating: TV-Y
Network: Nickelodeon Cast: Jonah Bobo, Zach Tyler, Jordan Coleman
Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation
Available on: 
DVDDownload
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that, since young children love repetition, this show might be fun for them. But for viewers older than about 5 or 6, the show's simplicity may not be quite as inspiring. And although the show's characters use their imaginations to create adventures, there's not much interaction with the audience to encourage them to do the same.
Families can talk about and imagine their own adventures. Where would kids like to go if they could travel anywhere in the world? Who would they meet there, and what would they do?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sarah Wenk
THE BACKYARDIGANS are a group of animated animal friends (and one pink alien) who reside in a suburban neighborhood and have imaginary adventures in the backyard.
Although there's nothing wrong with that premise -- particularly when it comes to encouraging the use of imagination -- the series isn't as exciting as some other shows for preschoolers. The computer animation can feel a bit flat, and the stories progress very slowly, with lots of repetition (fun for kids, not as much for adults).
The show includes a lot of music, since the adventurers sing about their undertakings, which also errs on the repetitive side (again, fun for kids). The stories are simple -- in one, for example, the animal friends, in the guise of Mounties and Ski Patrol members, explored the snowy wastes looking for people to protect; in another, as a group of secret agents, they snuck into a museum to restore the "mystery bone" to its rightful owner.
As the characters begin their play, the scene changes from the bucolic suburbs to whatever environment they're imagining. Young children will enjoy the predictability and repetition of these adventures, but older kids and parents aren't likely to be as enthralled.
A similar-themed option for this age group is The Wonder Pets.
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