Building with "The Bob"

"The Bob." It's the term our family uses when referring to the beloved Bob the Builder. Seth was a devout fan until his fellow kindergarteners turned him into a Star Wars fanatic.

So when given a chance to review Bob the Builder's newest dvd -- Bob the Builder On Site: Roads and Bridges, I was all over it. I figured this would be the ultimate test. Would the self-proclaimed "big kid" still be interested in what he now deems as a "baby show?"

The answer? Oh yeah, baby!

Testing came at a most opportune time at Casa Midwestern Mommy. Seth woke at 2 .m. a few nights ago in a coughing fit, sputtering and gagging. After giving him some medicine, we laid in bed watching this new dvd, waiting for the meds to "kick in." The show mesermized him. He was able to relax, which meant, better breathing. (Yeay for Bob! Yeay for portable DVD players!) I turned off the show once the meds were working. (There was much protesting as a result.)

The next morning, first thing, he asked if he could finish watching the dvd. Again, the movie captivated him. And he's been asking to watch it every day since.

This dvd combines the world of Bob the Builder with the real world. You get to watch footage of actual graders, diggers, concrete trucks and construction workers in motion while building roads and bridges. Little boys who love their vehicles will love, love, LOVE this video. Methinks even girly-girls will enjoy watching. As a parent, I found it delightfully entertaining and soothing.

This may sound really wierd but... You remember as a kid, getting a stomach virus so vile you couldn't watch tv because the food commercials would turn your stomach? Or there'd be some shaky, fast moving camera angles? Or even a promo for some type of hospital drama (of course always including blood or grisly scenes)? You were dreadfully queasy. You just wanted some type of diversion to pass the time but you'd end up turning off the tv because you couldn't deal with it all. (There is a point to this, stay with me...)

This video? While great for well kids, is perfect for sick kids too. Bob's voice is soothing yet enthusiastic. The subject matter is interesting to most kids and there aren't any fast moving scenes or shaky camera angles. And as most parents know, it is always a good idea to have at least one movie on hand that won't anger the upset stomach of a vomiting kid.

The only thing I wasn't completely thrilled with was the amount of repetition incorporated throughout. While some repetition of the building method is nice and aides in learning, I found myself thinking, "Ok already! I get it!" (But Seth didn't seem to notice, so what do I know?)

But all in all, kudos to the creative team behind this effort. Great execution on a wonderful idea.

This review was written on behalf of Parent Bloggers Network.