Wonder Pets: animated teamwork for all ages

Wonder Pets is a relatively new, delightful cartoon series that I recommend for everyone, especially those in the 2 to 6 year old crowd. Three “pets” go on adventures around the planet to save animals caught in troublesome predicaments. The stories are told operetta style, with the characters (Linny, Tuck and Ming Ming) singing throughout.

In addition to being fun and entertaining, Wonder Pets creator Josh Selig built in a consistent lesson for children, namely teamwork. Selig, and his colleague Brown Johnson, explain their strategy in this NYTimes article.

“It was very deliberate on our part that the Wonder Pets not have any superpowers or special skills,” Mr. Selig said. “They can’t lift heavy objects. They can’t see through walls. But they rely on teamwork to save a young animal in distress. That is the message: through teamwork, you can achieve amazing things.”

Ms. Johnson added: “Little kids are undeniably self-absorbed. One of the things we all need to learn as we emerge in the world is how to get along with other people. Putting the concept of teamwork at the forefront puts a really positive spin on the idea of getting along with others.”

Whether you have a youngster in the house or only those young-at-heart, set your DVR to tape an episode or two of Wonder Pets. You won’t be disappointed!

Technorati: Wonder Pets, cartoons, pre-school, teamwork, Josh Selig, Brown Johnson