Common Sense Note
Parents should know that there is no objectionable material in these shows per se but that they are being surrounded by commercial tie-ins for Cartoon Network, the bi-product of which is that the show encourages TV watching in our youngest children. These tie-ins argue that the show "develops humor" but really, it's sophisticated brand extension. While some of the cartoons are fun, some are dull, and some are weird, but there's nothing scary or violent.
The show is a series of shows meant for parents and children to watch together. There are the usual themes of shows for young kids: be yourself, tell the truth, ask for help when you need it. The mission of the show is to encourage a sense of humor and optimism in viewers, certainly worthwhile goals for everyone.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sarah Wenk
TICKLE U is a block of programming for pre-K kids and their parents. There are seven shows, each about 10 to 15 minutes long, that rotate through the two-hour time slot. The overarching theme of the programs is to encourage a sense of humor and optimism, two qualities which most preschoolers already have in abundance, but a little more never hurt.
The quality of the programs varies wildly. "Yoko Jakamoko Toko" is about African animals (a bird, an armadillo, and a monkey) who pretty much just say each other's names and try to make each other laugh. It's extremely silly, but the animation is lovely, and little kids will crack up at the animal antics. "Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs" features a little boy with a big imagination -- when he's curious about something, he jumps into Dino World along with his toy friends and has adventures. One amusing episode centered around Diner World, which is in Dino World, where Harry tries out life as a short order cook. "Peppa Pig" is drawn in the style of a child's drawings. The pig family (Peppa is the daughter) go on a picnic, or put Peppa's tooth under her pillow for the tooth fairy. It's short on plot but long on snorting -- children who imitate what they hear might develop a very annoying snorting habit if they watch this one. "Firehouse Tales" is reminiscent of "Thomas the Tank Engine," only not English and not focused on trains. It features Red, a young fire truck learning the ropes and getting through hard lessons with, of course, a sense of humor and optimism. "Gerald McBoing Boing" is about a boy who doesn't talk. Instead he makes noises. He boings, he bleats, he replaces the car radio when it breaks. It's the most annoying entry in Tickle U, and another chance for kids to learn that making lots of loud and obnoxious noises instead of talking is fun. "Little Robots" is utterly bizarre -- a group of robots abandoned on a scrap heap build a world for themselves with metal trees, a metal sun and moon, and funny little houses. The show stresses friendship and teamwork, but the setting is so strange that it an be disconcerting. Kids, of course, will take it in stride. "Gordon the Garden Gnome" is a cheerful little fellow with a pointy yellow hat and a pet worm named Andrew. He lives in a garden with other gnomes, a squirrel, and some slugs. Together they prune and weed and grow things, and when anything goes wrong -- Andrew's cousin Mervyn shows up and starts eating all the wood, for instance -- they work together to find a solution. It's the most cleverly written show in the block, the only one with the occasional joke aimed at parents.
In addition to the shows, Tickle U has messages that appear at the bottom of the screen throughout, conveying useful information such as "Your child loves to tell a joke and hear you laugh" and "Optimistic people relate better to other people," along with helpful statements such as "You're a pre-K parent if you wish you had stock in pudding" and "You're a pre-K parent if you see the diaper as half empty." These messages can quickly become annoying, even more so if you child asks you to read each one as it appears on the screen. Overall, though, this block of shows is mostly entertaining.
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