Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

This is our son's favorite show, and the only one that will hold his attention for more than 12 seconds! He got a Daniel Tiger for his 1st Birthday and I was so glad to have found it, Daniel is his "best friend!". I love the little songs that have more meaning than rhyme and the lessons in the show along with the story lines. I loved Mr. Rogers neighborhood as a kid, and although this is a very different, more modern show, I am pleased to see the good moral underlining and joy that this show brings to him while still keeping true to the same themes. PLEASE KEEP MAKING SEASONS!!! Nothing else holds a candle to this in our baby's eyes and I can feel good as a mom about what he's watching and learning. I really love seeing something of quality in children's T.V. and this certainly fits the bill.

I'm just an old fan of Mr. Rogers, so I wanted to see how his legacy was being cared for, and I think the show does a very nice job. Far better then other kids' shows. Nothing could ever equal Fred Rogers, but at least the lessons and empathy he taught us are still being taught here.

The characters are adorable; they all have their own stories and personality quirks. Every kid can find at least one character to identify with. The show is also extremely inclusive. Race, disability, adversity, different guardians/home life, and other topics are handled delicately and instructively. Santomero has done a wonderful job coordinating with experts to send the right messages in a way kids can understand.

The Daniel imagination sequences are fun to watch. (I wish I'd had this when I was a kid!). Some of the songs are so good they should be award-winning, but a few are kind of bad. It's difficult to create rhyming lyrics for the vocabulary of a four-year-old, so they tend to recycle a lot of lyrics across episodes that don't make much sense in context. But to be fair, so does every other musical kids' show, and I doubt the kids really notice. But the best part is that every lesson has a memorable tune, which a lot of parents sing to their children to remind them; ex: "Grown-ups come back". That's a great thing. And when they get it right, some of the harmonies are just beautiful.

Some people don't like that the show occasionally shows the kids getting mad. But I think that's a good thing. They are allowed to feel their feelings, and then learn how to redirect that anger into something better..

Annoyances? Not many. One thing that bugs me is when they have Tigey sing. He has this tinny/creepy electronic voice that just sounds terrible. PBS also tends to show episodes back to back with a different Prince Wednesday actor who sounds very different, which might be confusing. Also, some of the adults also occasionally come off as a bit 1950s sanctimonious, but I guess that's necessary for the format.

All in all, a wonderful show.

Without a doubt it's a great program it's what sesame street used to be with lots of music and memorable jingles to help kids learn. From potty training, to dealing with anger, to dealing with feelings arising with a newborn on the way, Daniel Tiger tackles a lot of things other newer shows don't reach. There's even a show about voting and what it is for. This show is worth watching especially if your child likes music. My youngest loves the music and jingles she often dances to the music.

I urge any parent with an upcoming doctor's appointment to watch the episode where Daniel Tiger has to get a shot. It might ease anxiety for your child when going to the doctor and for parents too.

If your potty training your child I urge you to watch the episodes about going potty and repeating jingles about using the bathroom. It worked for my oldest daughter maybe it can work for your child too.

The tantrums episode wasn't a good show, but it should not discourage you from watching the other almost 60 episodes available to watch. Netflix dropped it recently, why I have no idea, but you can view all episodes via YouTube, PBS kids and Amazon. Daniel Tiger Is Great Program!

My 2-year old grandson LOVES this show! He is rarely still but will sit through entire episodes of Daniel Tiger, responding to questions, singing along, and giving me "Ugga- mugga" kisses. He even has a "Tigey" he sleeps with. This morning we watched the crayon factory episode and when the characters received their yellow crayons from Lady Elaine, he jumped up to get his. My daughter didn't understand why there are such short random songs thrown in, so I had her watch Mr. Rogers on YouTube to show her that he did the same thing. The brevity and repetition of two-line songs of encouragement or learning are wonderful mechanisms by which children can remember. They aren't always very tuneful, but they are perfect for our 2-yr. old. And after all, he is the target audience, not those of us who watched and loved Mr. Rogers on his original show. I find this pseudo- reincarnation delightful and filled with learning opportunities for young children.

As a mother of a toddler who loves this show, I have to write a good review for it. The shows (and the songs) have helped her learn to use the potty and to share. Yes, that's right, my daughter was potty trained by 2 and I credit this show, in part. There are lots of great lesson that have helped her navigate life and play with friends. And as she grows older, we revisit shows that have lessons relevant to her life. I don't mind watching the shows repeatedly too. The songs do stick in your head, but now we make up our own songs for all sorts of things.

I grew up watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, but my memory of it is fuzzy. So, I am not upset about the changes.