The Nick Jr. website lists Yo Gabba Gabba as a show designed for young children over the age of one. The purpose of the show is to teach young children basic life skills and life lessons. From the description, the show seems to be comparable to a type of Sesame Street, with a different theme and show structure. Upon receiving a copy of the first show of the 2007 Yo Gabba Gabba season, I had the chance to see this new show for myself.

The first thing I noticed about Yo Gabba Gabba is how visually pleasing the show really is. While this is what is going to attract the youngest of viewers, the messages may be something they might not understand right away. The 2-4 year old crowd will be the ones to enjoy the visual themes, the infectious songs and to fully retain the messages. While a younger child will love this show, this is going to be something they can grow with, as they age and learn more about childhood responsibility and independence.

Yo Gabba Gabba is one of those shows that parents may find to be annoying. Quite often, it is these shows that actually keep the child’s interest and allow them to retain the most information. The most annoying part of the show is the overdramatic nature of the host (which kids will absolutely love) and the infectiously repetitious songs. This is the kind of music reminiscent of shows like Barney, which are actually good for children, but drive parents crazy in the process!

The plot of the show is relatively simple. Yo Gabba Gabba is hosted by a festively dressed man with crazy, retro glasses known as DJ Lance Rock (played by Lance Robertson). DJ Lance is going to take you for a ride through your imagination. By saying the magic words, “Yo Gabba Gabba”, toy monsters, which are fun and not so scary looking, come to life. These monsters are filled with life lessons, songs, and plenty of dance moves.

The monsters on Yo Gabba Gabba include Muno, Plex, Foofa, Brobee, and Toodee. The show, which premiered on Nick Jr. on August 20, 2007 runs weekdays at 10:30 AM. This 30 minute show contains plenty of memorable songs, musical guests, and at least one dance sequence taught to the monsters by a famous person. While I believe the famous guest was brought in to entertain the parents, the kids will still love the dances they learn from this high-profile celebrity.

In the first episode of Yo Gabba Gabba, we get to meet DJ Lance Rock, who quickly brings the monsters to life (saying Yo Gabba Gabba!). The episode is entitled “Eat”. It not only teaches children about eating healthy, but also about brushing their teeth, cleaning up their messes, and how to try new foods even if you aren’t sure if you are going to like them. In between songs, there are profiles of human children who love to dance. These children seem to be 3 or 4 years old. The children also move through a retro 80s video game type of maze, which provides fillers between scenes.

The lively show is less story-oriented then something like Nick Jr.’s Backyardigans. However, it relies more on repetition and performance to get the messages across it wishes to teach its audience. Songs have moral messages such as, “It’s fun to brush your teeth” and “Try it. You’ll like it.” The music has a modern feel and interesting beat to get kids involved in the show, and not drive parents too insane. The dance moves allow kids to express themselves as they groove to the beat of the music.

In this episode, the “Dance Buddy Segment” is hosted by none other than Elijah Wood. While most kids probably will not recognize Elijah, their parents will find it entertaining to watch him teach his dance to the monsters and the kids at home. This is most definitely one of the moments thrown in to entertain parents, and it is a highlight of the show.

Yo Gabba Gabba explores many themes. The art work by artist Mark comes to life, helping children explore their imaginations. The monsters learn to clean up their messes after eating snacks. They also teach simple counting and other early learning skills. The entire show is jam packed with life and learning lessons all before DJ Lance Rock has the children join him in saying Yo Gabba Gabba a second time, as the monsters again become toys. He then proceeds to clean up his mess, putting the toys away, and the show ends.

The audio visual aspect of the show is stunning. As a parent, I would have no problem allowing my younger children to watch the show. While Yo Gabba Gabba may not appeal to an older crowd, children from 1-5 can get something from the show in a familiar format with a new and exciting storyline. The show is one you can feel confident in allowing your child to watch and not have to worry about them not learning something in the process.

Check out Yo Gabba Gabba, weekdays at 10:30 AM on Nick Jr.

Image copyrighted to Nickelodeon.

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Technorati Tags: Yo Gabba Gabba, Monsters, Nick Jr. Nickelodeon, Children

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