Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that there is nothing objectionable in this show. That said, while the series is primarily about the can-do attitude that Bob and his building crew demonstrate while facing tough assignments, some of the adult details won't interest preschoolers. How much do 3-year-olds want to know about "paperwork" and "raising money"? Not all episodes are abstract in this manner, but enough stress to "get things done" colors the program to make adults feel a little guilty for sitting in front of the tube with their little one. Should the compulsion to fix big jobs be given to youngest viewers who haven't yet ventured into the real world?
Families can talk about the challenges Bob and his crew face. How did Bob come up with the right solution? Could he have completed the job without the others' help? Why is it important to cooperate?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Joly Herman
For the youngest fixer-upper, BOB THE BUILDER has all kinds of ideas. Sometimes Bob's wife Wendy has to repair a water pipe in the local library, or Bob needs to make a new shed for a neighbor. All of the trucks and machines pitch in with enthusiasm, chiming in ahead of their task the mantra: "Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!"
This is fine and good. But where are the children in this series? The trucks seem to have childlike voices, but they answer only to the instruction of their foreman. Adults dominate this program in a way that seems at odds with the target audience. Are young children really interested in the bureaucracy of wallpapering the library and raising money for the art center? Should they be?
The most effective aspect of Bob the Builder is the characters' ability to identify a problem, make a plan that aims to solve it, and then delegate the crew to get the job done. On the other hand, this type of organizational structuring would be more suitable for viewers over the age of 5, who have been exposed to the dynamics of a large group and who understand the need for order. The youngest viewers should really learn basics like vocabulary and counting before they're asked to consider the complex problems simplified in this program.
Yes, the animated trucks are fun to watch, and the gracious nature of Bob and his un-stereotypically handy wife are indeed decent role models, but making the assumption that this program should replace the fun of actually playing with actual toy trucks in the actual backyard would be a mistake. So try this: Give the 3-year-old viewers the trucks and sand for building, and observe the situations that they create to see whether they think like adults, or are still children after all.
Bob fans might also like Thomas and Friends and Higglytown Heroes.
Rate It!
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Social BehaviorWendy, Bob's wife, is just as handy as Bob is. Plus the cast is a multi-cultural group. |
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CommercialismAnyone who's walked through a preschool in the past five years has seen Bob the Builder's logo on everything from lunchboxes to pajamas. |
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