What's so great about Playhouse Disney channel (from a diehard CBeebies fan)?

[PukeyMummy]

Please help me to understand what's so great about the Playhouse Disney channel?

I've got a few friends, most very intelligent, who insist their kids love Playhouse Disney and won't even give CBeebies a chance.

Why would you want your kids to watch imported American-accented animations when you have the option of such good quality programming from CBeebies (in British accents!), which, after all, is paid for by our licence fee? Why would you want your kids to miss out on the joys of Justin/Mr Tumble, Chris and Pui, Mister Maker, gorgeous Sid etc? I know that much of the CBeebies content is made abroad and re-dubbed, but even so.

I admit that the usual CBeebies content can get a bit much on a wet day, but that is why we have DVDs of things like Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig and Fireman Sam. I can see why people might switch to another channel for a bit for some variety. I'm also not completely anti-American TV, and we've had lots of fun from Sesame Street/Elmo DVDs. (Or switching off the TV and doing something else, of course.)

I've tried watching Playhouse Disney before at friends' houses (we can't get it in current house on current channel package anyway) and completely failed to notice any point to the programmes other than some superficial "let's all be friends and share"-type messages.

I'm not anti-Disney (grew up being taken to watch classic Disney at the cinema, loved it) and read (new and classic) Winnie the Pooh stories with my DD, and she is aware of the classic characters such as Mickey, Donald, etc, as well as more recent films such as Toy Story and so on. But I just don't "get" why a parent would choose Playhouse Disney when, IMHO, there is something better (and British) out there. I'm already annoyed that DD sings the alphabet and sings "zee" instead of "zed" (picked up from iPhone app). Watching Disney every day won't help that.

Ooh, I feel better for getting that out of my system!

(I'm expecting some flaming responses to this but also hope some folks whose kids watch both channels to tell me what's good/bad about each.)

[LilyPickle]

Handy Manny has a very sexy voice. Reason enough in my opinion.

[IHeartKingThistle]

When DD (4)asks to watch TV, I let her if she's been good. She chooses which channel she wants to watch as part of that. At the moment more often than not she picks Playhouse Disney. I get over it. Not everything has to have a point!

And Handy Manny actually is pretty great!

[gregssausageroll]

Rich from Imagination Movers. Nuff said!

[queenofboak]

Agree with Lily

I'm not going to justify my dd's viewing choice, no ads is a plus though. I think like adults children have different preferences.

Clearly you don't watch the channel as there are British programmes too. Do resent the the implication that my choices will give dd an American accent. But since she has a speech delay i guess i won't find out for a while

[queenofboak]

@ greg i love Rich too. Have all the Imagination Movers albums, for dd, natch

[PukeyMummy]

Ok, queenofboak, sorry, clearly haven't seen it enough or paid enough attention to notice the Brit accents. My apologies!

I do, very clearly, remember as a child being confused by American words in programmes and books. And as I mentioned, my DD has picked up "zee" instead of "zed" just from an iPhone app she plays maybe once a week.

I've seen Handy Manny and had no problem with it per se.

Once DD is old enough to express a preference between channels she can choose what she wants to watch. But at the moment she seems happy with "Beebies", DVDs and iPlayer.

Does anyone watch both channels and can anyone give me an objective view of good/bad points of both?

[nicolamumof3]

DS's currently watching the Hive on playhouse, they love it! and all british accents too.

I think mine are possibly growing out of beebies at 3.5 and 5yrs tho. They also like nick jr

[FooffyShmoofer]

CBeebies - A wide variety of programmes including real people, animation, claymation and puppets ALL made with the emotional, social and cognitive development of children in mind. Colourful, bright, smiley, happy.

However, some of these programmes are clearly geared towards a slightly older age group and don't engage the younger child (Grandad in my Pocket, Gigglebiz, Space Pirates)

Playhouse Disney - see above (possibly one quarter of these have American accents)

All of which will engage any child up to the age of 6.

Neither is better or worse both just as good as.

IMHO

[PukeyMummy]

Thanks Foofy.

My DD is 2.6 at the moment and CBeebies seems to cater to her quite well at the moment. She does often ask me to watch a DVD when 'Grandpa in my pocket' comes on, so I agree with what you said. But when the CBeebies controller was on here for a chat recently she was bombarded by parents of older kids asking for more programmes for them...guess they can't win!

My friends' kids are roughly the same age as DD or younger so IMHO it's the parent's viewing choice not the kids.

It did rile me recently when one of them said "oh wouldn't it be great if we had a programme like we had when we were kids showing kids from around the world and different cultures" and I really had to bite my tongue hard as I replied "umm, CBeebies has programmes like that". I suppose that was what provoked this thread.

[FooffyShmoofer]

There is no doubt that CBeebies covers myriad of subject matter. You aren't really wanting for anything and it looks like lots of brand new programmes are starting.

My DD is 2.5 and loves both channels (although that makes it sound like thats all she does!).

She currently loves a cute little programme called The Hive and it's only 5 min ute episodes so its not on long enough for her to be bored.

Saying that, she has a 9 yr old brother and loves Horrible Histories so there's no accounting for what will appeal to them.

[Magna]

gregs I am so with you on that one - what is it about the man

[StickyProblem]

oh god how can anyone like Rich? It's got to be Scott and his lovely shiny hair!!

Imagination Movers is FAB - problem solving, original music, very nice young men, what's not to like?

Handy Manny is also great, teamwork, problem solving, talking tools....

Also Little Einsteins, somewhat loathsome, but it does bring in rhythmic clapping and classical music...although it's not a patch on Wonder Pets...

Also Disney has no ads, which you are used to with CBeebies but it's a real treat for us Nick Jr people.

[Hardandsleazy]

It's not quite as good as Cbeebies- agree the hive is good as is little einsteins, jungle junction and the ever popular mickey mouse clubhouse. I went off it a bit when they introduced rubbish singing presenters

[PukeyMummy]

Thanks for the further comments folks.

I suppose where I struggle is that the CBeebies agenda is so obvious, it's like a school timetable. For example:

Nina & the Neurons = science
Numberjacks = maths
Alphablocks = letters
Mighty Mites = exercise
I Can Cook = food and cooking
Mister Maker = art and creativity
Let's Celebrate = cultures and celebrations from around the world

Then of course there is a mix of programming for entertainment and the messages of teamwork, friendship, etc.

Is that also the case with Playhouse Disney? Sorry again for my ignorance but I haven't been able to work this out by myself (hence the thread).

[anonnyme]

I'm with gregs & Magna

Rich has just got something about him

Never going to happen though, he's married with 5 kids

[FooffyShmoofer]

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Maths, problem Solving. (also friendship, kindness, fairness,tolerance)

Handy Manny - All the above ( the handy manny voice guy was on Wizards of Waverly Place on Friday - YUM

Little Einsteins - Music, Rythmn, Problem solving, Art.

To be honest the programmes on PD seem to address human interaction and emotion on the whole. Scenarios that would assist children dealing with other humans (adult and child) in real life situations.

Mover Rich fan over here too

[Magna]

NOOOOO anonnyme

[elphabadefiesgravity]

Ds has outgrown Playhouse Disney now but he loved Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einsteins (as a musician I also thought was great)

Nick Jr fuelled his Thomas obsession.

We have now moved onto Cartoon Network as neverending Star Wars The Clone Wars

[anonnyme]

Apparently Mover Smitty is a fireman though

[LilyPickle]

Going completely off both channels, Super Why on Nick Jr is a fantastic programme to help reading skill.


Oh and Rich from Imagination Movers? Eeeew no. I don't like any of the presenters on PD either - mind you, I do have a bit of a crush on Andy from CBeebies

[queenofboak]

I was had a very erotic bizarre dream about all the Imagination Movers. In my defence i was on medication at the time.

[queenofboak]

once not was

[StarlightPrincess]

My 4 year old DS won't even entertain the idea of CBeebies since we got Sky- he is an out and Playhouse Disney boy. He says CBeebies is 'for babies' apparently! I think Imagination Movers is a fantastic programme, my nearly 2 year old DD loves it, and they both love Special Agent Oso and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

He loves The Hive- it's his new favourite!