CAN WE BUILD IT ?

YES WE CAN!

So how many times do you think I've heard that catchy little ditty lately? Yup, Bumper loves singing that one.

The Parent Bloggers Network sent us a copy of the latest dvd from the Bob the Builder series: Building Bobland Bay and Bumper has given it the thumbs up.

How can I tell? Well she has requested it out of the blue, she watches it when it's on, and she sings that song with gusto. Lots of gusto. All I have to do is sing "Bob the Builder..." and she's off belting out the rest by herself.

And trust me, if Bumper doesn't like a show - she tells us loud and clear. I'm confident she enjoys this one.

So what do I think? Well I admittedly have a low tolerance when it comes to children's programs - most shows are mind-numbing to me. If I can sit through a program and not once want to get up and bang my head into the wall - it's considered fine by me. Bob the Builder is one of those "fine by me" programs.

If you aren't familiar with this show, Bob works with his Can-Do Crew in construction. They consist of talking construction equipment like Dizzy the cement mixer, Rolley the steam roller, and Lofty the crane to name a few. In this series they are putting together a new place - Bobland Bay.

The six episodes are short (<10mins - which is a major plus for me) and the themes / messages are simple, positive, and fun. The stories are based on teamwork since that is how this posse rolls (most do literally - ha!) and are delivered in a clever manner. I really like that when selecting "play all" the theme credits only roll the first time. Thank you 20th Century Fox for helping maintain my sanity.

The story lines are interesting for my little anthropologist. In the "Tumbler in the Skate Park" episode, Bumper was fascinated with the loud and obnoxious cement mixer, Tumbler. She said that Tumbler was mean and so we talked about how he made others feel when he acted that way. That was great because even if it did not register this time, I like that it interested her enough to talk about it.

The stop motion animation and the construction vehicle characters are kid-friendly cool. Each of the characters have a unique and funny little disposition. I don't know about you, but my kid always stops to examine construction equipment and construction sites - don't even get me started on her fascination with trucks and cars. The star Bob and his friend Wendy may be a bit square but imo either would make a dream boss.

So bottom-line the Building Bobland Bay dvd is joining Bumper's collection. YES IT CAN! (sorry - I couldn't resist)