The Yo Gabba Gabba!: Birthday Boogie DVD comes with four episodes of the popular, musical, and brightly colored children's educational show Yo Gabba Gabba!, each teaching about a different preschool concept. Each episode follows the same general framework, with the concept introduced to the toy monster characters through a song at the beginning; developed through other songs, cartoons, short live-action segments, and quick animated interludes; and reviewed at the end when the characters and DJ Lance Rock remember in order all of the fun things they did this day.
Preschool Video Teaching About Birthdays
In the Yo Gabba Gabba! episode Birthday, Brobee is sad because he thinks everyone has forgotten his birthday, but actually the other characters are working hard on a surprise party for him. In the first song of the episode, DJ Lance Rock and Brobee remember Brobee's past birthdays to introduce preschool viewers to the idea that each year people get one year older and that the number of candles on a birthday cake (or bowl of spaghetti or ice cream) symbolizes how old a person is. Other songs define what a birthday is and explain some of the ways people prepare a party to celebrate a birthday. During a Cool Tricks segment, kids get to see how a huge birthday cake can be mixed, baked, and decorated, and actress Melora Hardin teaches the characters and audience how to do a special birthday party dance. The Ting Tings also present a fun version of a Happy Birthday song.
Yo Gabba Gabba Episodes Teaching Preschool Concepts
In the episode Dress Up, the toy monsters explore the concept of using dress up items to play different roles and make up pretend stories. Songs and cartoons celebrate the power of funny hats or new shoes to help children play different parts, while the characters act out stories while pretending to be cowboys or heroes saving a princess from a dragon. A nice moral included with the episode is the idea that the best part about dressing up is changing back into oneself when one is done.
In the episode Talent, the characters explore the concept of what a talent is, while Brobee worries about discovering what his talent is in time for the big talent show at the end of the episode. The show presents a good cross-section of different kinds of talents, from athletic talents like ice skating or playing basketball to artistic talents like drawing or tap dancing to silly talents like being able to make one's belly roll. Preschoolers who feel that they do not have a special talent or are not good at anything in particular may be inspired by the episode's proclamation that a talent is not just what a person is good at, but also what a person likes to do.
The episode Ride introduces different ways that people can take a ride. Preschool viewers will learn the names of different things people can ride (scooters, bikes, etc.) and how fun riding a bike can be. In one cute song, Muno and Plex model how to learn to ride a skateboard (complete with safe helmets and elbow and knee pads). The Story Time segment of this episode uses imaginative, flat and stylized animation to tell a funny story about a girl racing her brother home and riding different things (bike, surfboard, bird, strange long-necked creature) to beat him there. Although some of the modes of transportation covered by this episode (bike) are more familiar and realistic than others (sea serpent), preschoolers will finish the episode with a new appreciation of the various ways people can travel from place to place.
Yo Gabba Gabba!: Birthday Boogie DVD Review
While these Yo Gabba Gabba! episodes themselves are fun and educational, the fact that this Yo Gabba Gabba! DVD comes with only four episodes and no extras may lead many parents to rent this preschool video or check it out from the library, rather than purchasing a copy. Either way, the episodes are great ways to introduce children to each preschool concept, with the birthday episode in particular providing parents with a nice teaching tool to use when preparing a child to celebrate an upcoming birthday.
Preschoolers may also enjoy other children's videos about special celebrations, such as Barney's Halloween Party or Dora Celebrates Three Kings Day!
Renee Carver - Renée Carver has an Elementary Education degree and over ten years of experience writing and editing children's educational products.
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