Disclosure: I participated in this program on behalf of The Fred Rogers Company and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
“It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor, Would you be mine? Could you be mine?” That song still rings in my head as the Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood show was a big part of my childhood. Back then tv shows for kids were few and far between and Mr. Roger’s was a show that I was sad my own kids couldn’t grow up watching. Then Daniel Tiger appeared in September 2012 and before I watched it, I wondered “Could a cartoon really replace Mr. Rogers’s?”
Well Daniel Tiger’s Neighboorhood is a wholesome show that even though its animated it still has the Mr. Roger’s feel to it. Just watching the opening scene you can see the comparisons. Both shows open up with the characters putting on a signature red sweater and shoes. There is also miniature models from Mr. Roger’s Land of Make Believe seen in the background of Daniel Tiger.
From the music to the wholesome characters to the lessons for kids, there is nothing I don’t like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood as a mom, and fortunately my kids love it as well. There is a lot of thought behind each of the episodes as well, including the producers taking the script into a preschool audience of 2-4 year olds to make sure they understand and grasp the concepts and stories. I think that is amazing that a shows producers are willing to go the extra step to see that their show really is valuable for preschoolers. Sometimes I watch kids shows and wonder if my kids actually understand the lessons, sometimes the lessons are pushed aside for laughs. Don’t get me wrong I don’t think all shows need to be educational, but I’d prefer my kids to watch mostly ones that are.
I got the chance to check out an interview with some prominent people in the Daniel Tiger world and here is what they had to say.
What made you choose to go with an animated program instead of a live recorded version like the original Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood?
Angela: When I met Fred Rogers, I was so amazed that he was the same person that I thought he would be as a preschooler! He is a caring and wonderful person and the idea of finding someone like a Fred Rogers was impossible! He is someone who is born and not someone we can go and hire. We (the creators) were all on the same page and wanted to honor his legacy, take his approach to socio and emotional curriculum and put it into a creative animated program.
Did you consider using puppets?
Angela: We chose to go straight to animation for the emotional aspect. With animation you can see stories played out in multiple different ways. You can show emotions, faces and expressions and even show what characters are thinking. We want it to be show that you can turn the sound off and still be able to tell what Daniel is feeling. A lot of the models are handmade and then put into the computer. All of those aspects are just a nod to the original show.
How does high definition play into?
Angela: We want to create a world that you feel like you can jump into! High definition is just another way to get the kids to feel like they are participating in the show and a part of that world.
How does the music play a role in the show?
Angela: Music is a huge part of what we do! If you are a Fred fan, you know he was a musician. We wanted to take another step in that direction. We research strategies for songs that have a handle that are easy to grasp and hold on to for parents to use as tools to teach their children. Music is a very interval part and something we think about early on!
What do you hope kids will gain from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood?
Angela: I think one thing is believing in yourself, self esteem and thinking about yourself and other people’s feelings. Knowing how to express and talk about your feelings is something that Fred Rogers wanted to instill in kids and we hope that the kids will get better and better at this from watching the show.
Do toys help increase emotional awareness?
Roberta: Toys are materials that children use to express their feelings. Sometimes a child will have the toy character speaking how they feel, because they have difficulty expressing how they are feeling. Having children be able to play out various emotional themes from the program in these miniature forms is a helpful way to remember how to respond to feelings. For instance, they can play out the feelings that Daniel showed on the program and even control the outcome later when they are playing with the toys.
Fred always said, “When feelings were mentionable, they were also more manageable.” When we talk about feelings, they won’t have such power over us. When children are afraid, happy or disappointed—all of those feelings can be managed through children’s play.
What educational components are taken into account when making the toys?
Roberta: We think about problem solving, planning, socio and emotional developments for kids when creating the show and toys. Some of the toys can be used for different purposes so children can make up different storylines for the toys whether it’s in a spaceship or a tree house. Also, language development is critical at this age and the toys do encourage conversation. I would hope they would also encourage the conversation between adults and children.
How do you seek feedback when developing future toys?
Chris: We are always open to suggestions and gathering feedback! We are always listening to the public whether it’s through social media or through them contacting us.
Is there a DVD with all of the episodes on them?
Chris: There is not currently a DVD with all of the episodes, but there is a DVD exclusively available at Toys ‘R’ Us called “Welcome to the Neighborhood” that includes the pilot episodes and “The Very Special Neighbor Day” episode.
We will be releasing two DVDs early next year. One of them is themed “Life’s Little Lessons” and the second DVD is about “Daniel’s Big Feelings” which includes episodes where Daniel tackles some larger feelings of life including empathy and frustration.
Have you done any research on the educational impact of kids watching Daniel Tiger?
Angela: We have not yet, however we have been getting a lot of calls from universities, as this is something they would love to study. We hopefully will be able to conduct the research soon and have results to report!
To go in line with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, there are some fun new toys coming out that are sure to please any Daniel Tiger fan. With pretend play being especially important during the preschool years, these new toys are designed to inspire creativity and imagination.
The new toys include:
I love when I can buy toys that go along with shows my kids watch. I think it helps them associate with the characters and act out parts of the show, hence inspiring creativity! I know there will be some Daniel Tiger toys under our Christmas tree this year! Its nice too to have a toy that is actually appropriate for preschoolers as well!
CHECK IT OUT: Tune into the Daniel Tiger’s Neigborhood show on your local PBS station and find the new toys exclusively at Toys ‘R’ Us.
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