My youngest is now six years old, but that doesn’t mean she won’t sit and watch Dora, Go Diego Go! or Yo Gabba Gabba in an instant. That doesn’t mean she won’t laugh with SpongeBob on a daily basis. Are you kidding? She, and her eight year old sister still love watching Nick Jr. and Nickelodeon shows every day.

As a mother of two young girls; I can honestly say that I love Nick Jr and Nickelodeon (24/7). I enjoy knowing that my girls can learn from their favorite shows. I love that they laugh and sing along with Yo Gabba Gabba and Dora the Explorer. I love that they find SpongeBob to be the silliest sponge on earth. I especially love that they find Diego to be an explorer (and an “outdoorsman” just like their daddy).

This Valentine’s Day; give your toddler or preschooler a gift they could really learn from. Give them a DVD from one of their favorite Nickelodeon/Nick JR characters. It’s a gift I know they’ll be truly thankful for.

I received four DVD’s to review with my girls. We just made a marathon of it this past weekend and I couldn’t even begin to tell you how much fun it was.They learned a lot of great songs and had a ton of laughs as they watched some of their favorite episodes from Dora, Diego and Yo Gabba Gabba. After all that learning, they sat and enjoyed a little silly humor with their favorite Sponge- SpongeBob.  I received a few “thumbs up” motions during their favorite episodes as well as a ton of hugs-n-kisses from their “I’m the best mommy ever” raves. Boy I love being me!!!!

Below; you’ll find a list of 4 great DVD’s that will not only bring joy to your child, but will also help them continue learning as they laugh and sing along with their favorite characters.

Yo Gabba Gabba: Birthday Boogie

Brobee thinks everyone has forgotten about his birthday and sings about his past birthdays with DJ Lance. Then, Brobee gets surprised by a big birthday party! He counts the candles to find out how old he is.

Episodes Include:  

Birthday Dress Up Talent Ride

Runtime: 96 minutes

Genre: Children’s, Animated, TV, Educational

Street Date: February 2, 2010

DVD SRP: $16.99

For Yo Gabba Gabba! games, printables, activities and more; please visit www.nickjr.com

Ever since Yo Gabba Gabba aired on Nick JR; I, and my girls, have been a big fan. It’s a quirky, yet educational show that I know my kids are learning from. When it comes to teaching our kids about manners, behavior and attitude- you can count on DJ Lance and the gang to help steer your little ones in the right direction! Ditto on the songs- they’ve got just the catch to their tunes. Even after you’ve watched the show and put it away- someone’s bound to have a rhythm stuck in their head.

Dora The Explorer: Let’s Explore! Dora’s greatest Adventures

DVD episodes:

Lost Map Hide and go Seek Journey to the Purple Planet Rescue, Rescue, Rescue! Star catcher Star Mountain Boots to the Rescue Swiper The Explorer

Special Features include:

“Explore Dora’s World!” Game

For Dora games, printables, activities and more; please visit www.nickjr.com

Runtime: 198 Minutes

Genre: Children’s, Animated, TV, Educational

Street Date: February 2, 2010

DVD SRP: $16.99

Dora is another favorite in our house (and my sister’s house, from what I’ve heard) so it goes without saying; it’s a must-have video. Dora is the reason my girls know a second language. To this day- my girls can count to 10, sing songs and speak random words in Spanish…Thank You Dora!!!

Go Diego Go! Lion Cub Rescue

It’s a big cat adventure! when Diego, Baby Jaguar and Daddy Lion head out to Lion Cub’s party. they discover some little lions in trouble. with Diego and Daddy Lion’s help, we save a Baby Lion stuck on a broken branch, we use our lion claws to rip cousin Lion out of an animal trap and we find Sister Lion who’s hiding in the tall grass. This adventure, plus three additional episodes, adds up to over an hour and a half of Diego Fun!!!

Episodes Include:

Welcome Home, Lion Cub Diego’s Ringed Seal Rescue Diego Reunites Hippo & Oxpecker Diego’s Orangutan Rescue

Runtime: 100 minutes

Genre: Children’s, Animated, TV, Educational

Street Date: January 26, 2010

DVD SRP: $16.99

For Diego games, printables, activities and more; please visit www.nickjr.com

Yes- it’s true, you can’t love Dora without loving her cousin Diego! too. He’s an explorer that will teach kids all about the animals and the world around us. My girls really enjoy watching Diego and, as with Dora, Diego is continuously teaching my girls sound identification, matching, physical motion and visual skills while teaching them the Spanish language! Go Diego Go!!!

SpongeBob SquarePants: Viking-sized Adventure

Join SpongeBob and his pals as they go on a Viking-sized adventure, weather a storm, fill in for super heroes (Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy) and meet Mr. Krab’s grandpappy the pirate. Guest stars include Dennis Quad and Ian McShane!

Episodes include:

Dear Vikings Ditchin’ Pineapple Fever Chum caverns Grandpappy the Pirate Cephalopod Lodge shuffleboarding Professor Squidward

Runtime: Approximately 88 Minutes

Special Features: Animation Art Gallery; Storyboard Panels & Character Art

Genre: Children’s, Animated, TV, Educational

Street Date: January 26, 2010

DVD SRP: $16.99

For SpongeBob games and more; please visit www.nick.com

Okay, okay- by default, you know I’m going to say this video is a must-have, but that’s because I FLIP for SpongeBob. My girls are just as excited about adding another SB SP video to their collection. We love the quirkiness and all the chaos SpongeBob gets himself into- it’s kind of like a day in the Baker home (LOL). Though the genre for SpongeBob falls under “educational”, I don’t know; I guess it could be considered “educational”, hmmm.

I do, however, know that we all love it here! He keeps us laughing and that, sometimes, is all that matters, right? It’s good, simple, amusing humor!

So there you have it; my thoughts on some cute, educationally fun videos to put together in a nice canvas tote (that can be used later for a toy box) for Valentine’s Day. The kids will love it and you’ll get to enjoy knowing that they’re learning while having fun; it’s a win-win situation!

Let me just add that when you give the gift of learning to a child, you’re the real winner!

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 About Nickelodeon:

   Nickelodeon, now in its 30th year; is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the US and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 99 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than 15 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

About Paramount Home Entertainment:

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Paramount Famous Productions, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks animation Home Entertainment.