The Backyardigans: Children’s Television on Nick Jr

The Backyardigans is a half hour show that can be seen on Nickelodeon during their Nick Jr. schedule. The show features five animated characters, a hippo names Tasha, a penguin named Pablo, a moose named Tyrone, and two other unidentified animals named Austin and Uniqua. Although there is speculation as to what the characters may be, nobody from the show will specify. Their point being, the characters are diverse just like in the real world and it does not matter what they are, but who they are.

The children appear to live in separate houses where the backyard is communal and very large. It is here that they go on many different adventures. Their adventures have included traveling to the heart of the jungle, racing around the world, surfing, being ghosts, and too many more to name.

The premise, of course, is the use of imagination. The theme song has a line, which states, “We’ve got the whole wide world in our yard to explore.” The show does not show them using their imaginations to create such things, like we may expect to see them in a cardboard box pretending it is a racecar. They are actually transported to the different settings. At the start of each show, they discuss where they will be going and then name off different aspects of the location and they magically sprout up in the backyard.

Each show is filled with music, and each episode has it’s own musical theme. One day they might set their adventure to jazz music and the next to polka, or hip-hop. This helps to teach children the appreciation of music. It also makes the show much more interesting.

Not every show is instilled with a moral lesson; however, few do dabble in minor themes such as manners and good sportsmanship. The show aims to teach children to use their imagination in ways they probably never thought of themselves. Few children will know anything about “the frozen north,” as it is described in one episode where the children are in search of a yeti, but after the episode they know quite a lot about what it looks like and what they might encounter if they were ever to go there themselves. The show also focuses on the importance of friendship and being a good friend. These lessons are invaluable to children.

Bottom line is that this is a great children’s show. Sure, this show doesn’t teach the alphabet or learning to count or even a little bit of Spanish, but the lessons are equally as important in shaping the minds of our children. The shows are interesting and fun to watch for children and parents alike. Yes, my husband and I both enjoy this show immensely and we have bought all the DVD’s which are available as well as every book featuring the cast. The Backyardigans is a fantastic television show for the entire family.