"Can anyone tell me what the Night Garden and Yo Gabba Gabba teaches? What are they good for?"
Since you asked, please buckle in and make yourself comfortable.
Yo Gabba Gabba is a different approach to what I think is the staid
children's programming of today. It reminds me of shows
that were on when I was a little one in the mid-late 1970s.
For some reason it channels Sesame Street segments from that time.......
This show covers several different aspects of life. It is, after all, a life lesson show.
-Each monster is different in appearance and setting, and yet they can
coexist in harmony. They are able to walk into each other's world
just as easily as you or I can walk into a different room.
Without being blatantly obvious, it shows our little ones that just
because somebody looks different because of colour, shape of features,
or even lack thereof does not mean that they are inferior. With
the internet, text messaging, Instant Messaging, while we may not be
able to walk from one world to another, it certainly feels like it (I
say while IM people from Australia)
-"There's a party in my tummy (So yummy! So yummy!)"
This is Brobee (coincedentally in the same two-tone green stripe motif
that Steve wore on Blue's Clues) having a snack.......and while he
always goes for the drink, and so called 'tasty' foods first, he always
comes around to eating the less desirable (to children) but
nutritionally superior vegetables because the foods, sadly left on the
plate, want to "go to the party too!"
What does it teach?
-Eat (or at least try) everything put in front of you.
-It is not nice to leave people out just because you do not know them. Think of others.
Dancey Dance:
Famous people appear out of nowhere because of Plex the robot and they show a simple dance.
Lesson learned: Getting up and moving is fun, and everybody does it.
Pictures with Mark Mothersbaugh
Lesson: Art.....educational in itself.
As an aside, Mark was the man behind DEVO, and several film, TV, and
video game musical scores or soundtracks. Those glasses are not
just for appearances either....without them, he is legally blind.
The man is incredibly talented, and for a minute or two when it airs,
he is showing our kids how to draw pictures! I for one am
honoured.
As our prolific poster crazybrit also said, there is a memory recall
segment at the end, as the "host " of the show, DJ Lance Rock, recaps
what was learned or done through the day via video flashback.
So, while it may not look to the casual viewer like it carries
educational value, it is done in a subtle way that does not hammer
points home to kids in blatantly obvious forms. Kids today are
growing up faster than ever, have incredible resources at their
fingertips. They're smart. Real smart. On one hand
people are arguing that this is little more than drivel to their minds,
but I present another take on it to you: Just like us, they are
sick of the constant barrage of blatant messages coming our way (which
we usually get in commercial form) and have started blocking out that
which is too obvious. This show is actually clever enough to try
to instill life values in our kids they will carry with them forever.
In The Night Garden is a BBC production. Its primary reason for
existence is a televised lullaby. If you look a little closer,
however, you can see certain educational elements in it as well.
-Again, differences in size and shape coexist in harmony. They
are also comfortable enough in themselves and those they share their
world with that they can fall asleep in their presence.
-Each character speaks a form of gibberish, but I really think it's the
accents that muddle things up more than anything. Most of the
characters are really just repeating their name over and over again,
with infliction in their voices to denote what is happening. Of
course, the narrator is there to move things along if necessary, in a
calm and soothing voice. So now in addition to people looking
differently, they are speaking a 'different language', but they can
still coexist. We're frankly doing a horrible job of that today,
and if we all survive, it may just be up to our little ones to bring
this world together. Good thing somebody is leading the way.
-Iggle Piggle is the little blue one with the red blanket. He is
the one who sails in and out to bookend each epipsode. He visits
the Night Garden and all its inhabitants each day to have
adventures. He is not afraid to see the world, even if he is shy
and timid. Have you noticed, while watching the show, that
anytime he is 'wrong' or embarrassed by how something turned out, he
falls down? That is just like out little ones, who may run off to
a corner and cry if they are upset after doing something wrong, or
embarrassed for various reasons. The narrator, however, always
comes to the rescue with a simple "Don't worry Iggle Piggle" in a
gentle tone. Iggle Piggle always stands up afterwards, relieved
and ready to keep taking on this world he is in.
Everything has its place. Everything has its time. If you
are earnestly curious as to what these shows have to offer after all
the debate in these forums over the past month, you can learn more via
wikipedia, or the pages here on treehouse.com.
Yo Gabba Gabba is a Nick Jr. show, and also has an informative site through the originating channel's website.
ITNG is shown on "Ceebees", the preschool BBC channek in the UK. While
there is not much discussion about the show on the site itself, there
was a wonderful link discussing this show posted not so long ago on
these forums which I will repeat here:
http://www.strangeharvest.com/mt/archive/the_harvest/in_the_night_ga.php
Now, if you are just looking for somebody to justify why a show you do
not like should be kept on, then you got three takers to date as I write this,
and shame on you for that. Do your own homework.....who knows,
maybe you'll actually like what you see now that it's been explained to
you.
Of course, the opinions expressed above are my own, and are worth
exactly what you paid for them, which is nothing. Of course, you
DID also ask for it......... :)
Installing and Servicing Shenanigans since 1975 :)