Category Archives: The Backyardigans

Super Backyardigans movie to be super

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Ty’s Toy Box Backyardigans Store. I don’t want to say too much, here, but I’m just going to go out on a limb and venture a guess that the DVD is going to be extremely super. Just so you know.

If this piques your interest, stay tuned at the Nick Jr. website, too. They’ll be rolling out a new 3-D adventure spy game based upon the movie on Friday, August 31st, and movie clips and music videos will be available there starting Monday, September 3rd.

I don’t know about you, but I think all of this is pretty super.

You really can find everyone on MySpace

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MySpace I feel incredibly old. I feel that my age is just a number… that should be closer to 99 than 30.

See that logo up there? The one that declares MySpace to be “a place for friends” and sounds so lovely? I think that is because “a place for blaring music, seizure-causing backgrounds, and many blinking graphics” was deemed a bit too verbose.

But the kids today, they’re all into MySpace. Or so I hear. (One of them said something about it, while I was hollering for them to get off my lawn.) And people of all ages are using MySpace to stay in touch or reconnect with long-lost pals.

I finally braved MySpace for a while because I discovered that many of the hot licensed characters available at Ty’s Toy Box have their own MySpace pages. Some are created by enthusiastic fans, some are backed by the productions themselves; all of them are another avenue to explore the shows you and your kids love.

Here’s a sampling of the pages I came across:

  • Lazy Town has 801 friends at last check. For some reason I find it hilarious that Mighty Mouse is amongst them.
  • Together Forever is associated with a popular Doodlebops fan site, and boasts 1005 friends. This is one of the more complete pages; there’s tons of information about the Doodlebops, pictures, videos, etc.
  • Avatar, the last Airbender has plenty of Avatar artwork and lists most of the show’s characters amongst its 714 friends. (That’s a rabbit hole of links to fall down, but what a fun way to pass some time.)
  • Strawberry Shortcake‘s page says she’d like to meet: “Any berry happy, berry fun, berry special, berry sweet, berry sporty, berry artistic, berry musical, & just plain berry berry friends.” I am berry, berry scared. (But my daughter loved it.) One of her 465 friends is Rainbow Brite, of course.
  • Backyardigans is a newer page, with only 22 friends so far, but who knows how it will evolve. Or if they’ll decide against the neon hearts background (hope springs eternal).

So, you know, this new-fangled MySpace thing… I guess it’s alright. Even though back in my day we had to just draw pictures of important things on the cave walls.

The Backyardigans: broaden your preschooler’s genre appreciation

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Most of you know, by now, that I won’t miss an opportunity to make fun of a children’s program if it’s the sort of thing that can make an adult want to stab forks into her eyes to avoid having to watch again. Even some of the shows I fully appreciate—they have good music, the characters are tolerable—have elements that don’t sit well with me. I’m not saying there’s anything bad or wrong about, say, a pirate who spends more time tickling than plundering, I’m just saying that I’m easily creeped out. Or something.

And I do occasionally have nightmares about tiny, multicolored ears that certain very! peppy! entertainers! have, but that is neither here nor there.

My point, here, is that I want you to appreciate the depth of importance in what I’m about to tell you: I love The Backyardigans. Love them. It’s a brilliant show. Little kids like it because it’s brightly-colored animals, and adults can dig it because you don’t end up listening to the same song over and over and over again. In fact, if you’re hoping to nurture a musician? Tune in for diversity. “The CGI animated characters sing and dance in a different musical genre each episode, and each character has a unique personality and a lot of style,” according to About.com.

That’s right. You won’t be subjected to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” over and over. Sometimes it’s pop music, sure. Sometimes it’s opera. Sometimes it’s reggae. It’s all sorts of things. And your kids will be enthralled by it all, and you may find yourself bopping along as well.

Check out all things Backyardigans on the NickJr. site (hint: don’t miss the interview with creator Janice Burgess), and discover a new, musical world with your little one, if you haven’t already.

Already a fan, or you’re newly converted to the appreciation of The Backyardigans? Then be sure to visit the newly launched Backyardigans Store at Ty’s Toy Box. Some of the things there are so adorable it should be illegal. And funny little creatures don’t creep me out nearly as much as technicolor humans.