Common Sense Media Review
By Jinny Gudmundsen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids explore activities with Boohbahs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
What's It About?
Boohbah is a PBS Kids TV show for preschoolers developed by the creators of Teletubbies. It stars five animated blobs of energy that thrive on the laughter of children, and encourages kids to move, dance, and explore. THE BOOHBAH ZONE offers nine activities in which kids interact with the Boohbah characters to explore spatial relationships, matching, patterns, art, music, and exercise.
Many activities are open-ended: Kids paint with Boohball energy trails, influence the way the Boohbahs exercise, or play with patterns to create wrapping paper. There is very little talking in this software -- kids explore and experience instead of being directed how to play. Kids can play in English, Spanish, and French, and the game comes with a 28-inch round play mat that mimics the one used on TV. The software also comes with two sets of cards that teach movement games away from the computer.
Is It Any Good?
Some children respond well to this open-ended environment, while others find it boring. Parents may need to encourage kids to get up and copy the movements of the Boohbahs, because otherwise some of the activities are passive watching. If your children like the Boohbah television show, then they will probably be interested in this software. Similar open-ended interactive activities can be found free on the Boohbah Web site at www.pbskids.org/boohbah.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about which activities they enjoy. How does this game compare to the Boohbah TV show?
Game Details
- Platforms : Windows , Mac
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Brighter Minds Media
- Release date : February 4, 2005
- Genre : Preschool
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : June 23, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate