Team Umizoomi speeds back to DVD in Team Umizoomi: Animal Heroes. This Nick Jr. show is great for preschoolers as it introduces math concepts as well as offering up some fun adventures. The four episodes on this DVD are:
Purple Monkey Mission
Buster The Lost Dog
Cuckoo bears
Animal School House
The show is 20-some minutes long, essentially a half hour, so these aren’t segments but full episodes. The DVD clocks in at just over 90 minutes.
At first I didn’t care too much for the show, but as I got to know it better, the more I liked it. My 5 year old immediately took to it when the show first aired a couple of years ago. He still enjoys it.
The first episode has the gang helping the zoo’s newest addition get to the right place. And yes, it is a purple monkey. It’s a kids’ show – realism isn’t exactly the main concern. Next up there’s a lost dog to be found (and this can lead to a number of conversations with your youngster about pets). Then there are the clock bears and while it’s a solid episode, I felt like this was almost misrepresentative of the theme. Finally some farm animals have gotten off the farm and into a schoolhouse, and it’s up to Team Umizoomi to save the day. Or at least help put the animals back where they belong.
It’s nice to have a show that is actually educational and not simply ABCs. That’s a great thing and all, but math concepts are important. Your preschooler won’t be doing algebraic equations by kindergarten, but they might be able to recognize a trapezoid, recognize patterns easier, etc.
No special features on the disc, which is sort of a disappointment. An insert sheet in the DVD case has kids counting the ducks or finding the pattern in fish. This will take all of about 5 minutes and then it’s done. Still, if you’re looking for something different but still educational, Nick Jr.’s Team Umizoomi is a solid effort, and this animal themed DVD release should satisfy.