Bob the Builder (PBS)

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!"

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 back yard 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.