Babble

If your little one can't seem to keep his shoes on, you may want to introduce him to Franny's Feet . This wonderfully clever PBS show is about five-and-a-half-year-old Franny, a little girl who likes to try on footwear in her Grandpa's shoe repair shop and then wonders, "Where will my feet take me today...?" Different shoes equal different types of adventures, which take little Franny around the world, doing what kids on PBS shows do: helping people, solving problems and exploring new cultures. After each episode, there is an interactive segment in which Franny speaks directly to the viewer, asking for help with "challenges" based on the show's lessons. Franny's Feet is a great way for kids to virtually walk a mile in someone else's shoes. — Barbara Rushkoff

For fans of Dora the Explorer's cute eight-year-old cousin, Diego, there's good news: his show, which started in September 2005 on Nick, Jr. and ended in September 2006 on CBS, is back on Nick, Jr., as of last month, with twenty new episodes. Like Dora, Diego is a high-energy kid who happens to have an animal buddy hanging around all the time (Diego's pal is the cuddly Baby Jaguar). Also like Dora, Diego is bilingual — and coincidentally, also in the business of rescuing animals. Go, Diego Go! is incredibly informative, with genuine research on each animal to back up every episode (thanks to a science education consultant from the Smithsonian National Zoological Park). Click the Camera, voiced by Rosie Perez, leads Diego to animals in danger. Each show ends with Diego and his sister Alicia discussing the finer points of the animal they saved that week, which might be anything from a humpback whale to a Pygmy marmoset. Clearly, there's still room for a show that teaches kids Spanish and respect for animals, and provides work for Rosie Perez. — Barbara Rushkoff

This show has been a favorite of my daughter's from — well, if I told you, you'd be saying, "you let your daughter watch TV at what age?" Let's just say that Miffy has been around our house a long time. Let's also say that, like the theme song tells us, Miffy is a cute little bunny. The look of this show is lovely: primary colors, slow movements, little sessions of counting and "who has more" sequences. Miffy is kind and gentle and plays with her friends, who are pigs and bears. Like most of kids' television, all the animals play together, but unlike in those other shows, this doesn't feel forced. Miffy is a sweet, unobjectionable show. And if you're still on the fence about letting your toddler watch TV, there is a line of Miffy books (by Frank Bruna) that will do nicely. — Barbara Rushkoff

The show during which I most want to scream kill me is Blue's Clues, which of course has been in re-runs for more than five years and is beloved the world over. Children are untroubled by the fact that the host, a heavily made-up Steve (and in later episodes, Joe), lives in an animated house with talking furniture, food with faces and, ironically, an non-talking dog named Blue. The goal of each day is to play a game called "Blue's Clues," in which the viewer becomes an active participant. Three clues are shown via blue pawprints on surfaces in the house. Steve (or Joe) writes them down in the handy-dandy notebook and that's where your child tries to solve the puzzle.

It's pretty painful watching the ever-so-slowly revealed clues. And watching Steve dance with the neighbor cat Periwinkle or hearing the salt and pepper shakers talk in a French accent about having a baby (Cinnamon, naturally) makes me want to throw the TV through a window. But as much as I want to, I can't hate it. From the show, my daughter has learned about playing well with others, why it's good to eat healthy food, and how to count. I've started to suspect that the more irritating a show is to adults, the better and more enjoyable it is for kids. By that reckoning, on a scale of 1-10, Blue's Clues is a 50. —Barbara Rushkoff

I know Franklin is only an animated turtle on the Noggin network, but man, what a wimp.

Let me clarify. He complains. All the time. In one episode, his friend Bear becomes bus monitor. (All of his friends have names like Snail, Beaver or Rabbit, while Franklin actually has a real name, something he should remember before he bleats yet again about not being special.) Anyway, Bear becomes bus monitor and tickets his friends for various infractions. Franklin then bellyaches that he'd never do anything like that. But the next week, when he's in charge, he gives his best bro Bear a summons for snacking on the bus. Franklin explains in his annoying, high-pitched voice that "he's only doing his jooooob." Um, Franklin, maybe you want your pal Bear to eat cookies, because one day, if he gets smart, you know what? One day he is going to eat you.

Sure, the theme song is catchy, but it's best to just enjoy the opening tune and then shut it off. Works for us. — Barbara Rushkoff