The new Dora the Explorer DVD Super Babies' Dream Adventure is scheduled to hit the stores on May 26th, 2009. My children were lucky enough to receive an advanced copy to review.
Dora has always been a big hit in our house, but ever since her twin brother and sister were introduced to the show, it has been more popular than ever. The fact that the twins are one boy and one girl just like ours makes it a very relatable storyline for my 5yr old son. In addition to "Super Babies' Dream Adventure" this DVD also includes the following episodes . . . "Dora Helps the Birthday Wizzle", "Pirate Treasure Hunt", and "Benny's Treasure".
What I thought about this DVD as a parent:
1) As with most of the Dora the Explorer episodes on Nick Jr, I especially like that the show uses repetition to teach memorization of multiple items and introduces my children to a second language.
2) I like how Dora speaks directly to the audience and encourages children to develop logic and problem-solving skills.
3) I think it is clever how the show uses a cursor and clicking to show the answers to questions posed to the audience. This is fitting for this age of computer savvy preschoolers.
4) In these particular four episodes, I like the lessons presented, such as number ordering, wishes can really come true, learning about rules, listening, and how one person's trash is another person's treasure.
What my 3 children thought about this DVD:
1) My 2.5 year old son enjoyed the music in the show, but he especially perked up when he heard the familiar "Twinkle Twinkle" song. He just swayed from side to side with a big smile on his face.
2) My 2.5 year old son also had a blast putting his arms outward and pretending to fly like the Super Babies.
3) My 2.5 year old daughter enjoyed the Super Babies episode the most because, as you can see, they have been part of her entourage since Santa left them under the tree this past Christmas.
4) My 5 year old son still enjoys this show even though it is no longer challenging for him. He actually likes being correct about all the answers. Who can blame him?
Whether your child has been a long-time fan of the Dora the Explorer show or if this will be his or her first experience with Dora, I think this DVD will be a big hit. With universal themes like dreaming, birthdays, pirates, and treasure how can you miss?