Bob the Builder

Review

Common Sense Media says

Irresistible for fans of the show; ads aren't too obnoxious.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this site has advertising (which is clearly labeled) and Bob the Builder products are promoted throughout. But for young fans of Bob the Builder it offers a good balance of passive entertainment and interactive learning, as well as episode clips.

  • Positive messages3
    Lots of socially positive projects, such as building a recycling center, wind farm, and community playground.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism3
    There are icons on the top of each page that represent other PBS shows, like Thomas the Tank Engine and Agelina Ballerina. Clicking on any of these characters takes you to their respective Web sites. On every page there is an advertisment for a "free download" trial of Bob the Builder's newest CD-ROM game. These ads are clearly labeled as an "advertisment." Promos that are less clearly marked can be found within the site under the "Meet the Team" department, where you can scroll through a list of products and get information on a slew of products, everything from underwear to the Bob the Builder Live Show.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

Can we fix it? That's the familiar question posed by the world famous claymation construction worker Bob on his self-titled web site, BOB THE BUILDER. The site follows the same look and feel of the show, allowing little builders to complete virtual construction projects, watch videos of both Bob the Builder episodes and live-action construction clips, color, play games, and read stories.

Is it any good?

 

For fans of Bob and his gang, this site is definitely bookmark-worthy. There's enough variety to keep busy builders happy, while
not overwhelming novice users with loads of online bells and whistles. Although it would have been nice to keep the product promotions reserved just to designated banner ads, the site isn't as bad of an ad offender as some, and most ads seem to be for Bob the Builder products.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about what types of media they think are important, and what the right balance of media time vs. family time is. Read Tips for a Healthy Media Diet.

This review was written by Jacqueline Rupp
Parent of 11 year old
August 28, 2009
AGE
4
 
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This review was written by Jacqueline Rupp
Genre:Educational
This review was written by Jacqueline Rupp

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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