Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a programme shown often on Disney Junior, supported by a wide variety of toys and a well developed website.

Foccussing on the 'sensational six' of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto, a strong core team, the series aims to solve a series of problems using a variety of tools and asking for audience help along the way. There is often counting or reading, shape or colour matching, and there is at least one dedicated to the problem of perspective, which is a common theme of children's programmes as it's difficult to grasp.

Along the way we meet a supporting cast who return often enough to be familiar to regular viewers, again usually Disney favourites such as the Chipmunks Chip and Dale.

So what's different about these cartoons than the old Mickey Mouse cartoons? Well, firstly, the characters are all a little younger. They're not portrayed as toddlers, but definitely as children rather than adults with romantic involvelment or even children. Goofy's son never appears, and would be thoroughly out of place if he did. Secondly, the aim to involve the children in answering how to solve the problems or which tool to use.

My daughter's been watching about 18 months now she's three, and she loves to get up and dance or to reply with the solution, it really helps her to think. Sometimes she will pick out the characters names in other situations (or even just 'd for Donald' when she's reading a book) and she'll count along or pick out colours.

She loves it still, and as she gets more involved intellectually with the series, she'll get more out of it, not less. I can see this being interesting for a couple of years yet, so it's a long lasting pleasure.