Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog! (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)

Member Name: thehonesttruth

Product:	Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Date:	12/11/09 (46 review reads)
Rating:

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Disadvantages: -

This is another one of those shows that I sometimes end up forced to watch when I let my daughter have her Tv time . This shows on Playhouse Disney, a channel primarily aimed at pre-school age children. My daughter is six, so a little older than the shows target audience but not by too much .

The show is pretty simple - it features all the old favourite Disney characters - Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Pluto and Goofy as main characters, with other slightly lesser known characters making guest appearances .

Each show centres on a problem that must be solved , and the team work together to solve these problems using a small selection of tools (Mousekatools) at their disposal - the tools range from things like spanners and hammers, to specifically shaped keys that open certain doors , and I think this element is educational without being overly so - using basic skills such as counting, rhyming, shape and colour matching and of course object recognition .

The show encourages participation by occasionally asking a question of the viewer, then pausing to allow them to answer . For example, 'Which shape fits in this hole?'. After a short pause, it will then give you the answer, saying 'If you said the star, you were right, well done!'. I do think this is a nice idea, as it encourages children to pay attention rather than just stare blindly at the screen .

The show itself is very colourful, bright, and cleanly designed, and I think the simple block colours are very attractive and attention grabbing . It's some pretty smooth computer animation , and some inventive sets, such as the clubhouse itself, a colourful building in the shape of Mickeys Head .. The show also features some catchy music and songs , (some performed by They Might Be Giants) including the Hot Dog song at the end of each show .

I like the way the show includes the viewer in the problem solving using a variety of skills - teamwork, listening and remembering, counting, colour recognition, shape recognition, and fitting appropriate uses to objects. It is slightly educational, but not in such a way that a child would be overwhelmed with too much information . I like the amount of praise it directs at the child watching too, helping them to feel good when they get it right .

My daughter loves it . I personally tend to tune it out most of the time, since I find the songs and voices a little irritating, but I can recognise that it is a well made and useful childrens show .

4 stars

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