The Bubble Guppies are a cute bunch of mermaids and mermen (mer-children?), and one mer-puppy, who fill each school day with fun lessons and adventures under the guidance of their teacher, Mr. Grouper.
In just over 20 minutes, each episode follows a particular pattern. The kids find something interesting on their way to school and when they get to school they tell Mr. Grouper about it. They spend the rest of their school day learning more about that topic through imaginative play, music, activities and a field trip.
There are always two songs, the second of which encourages viewers to get up and move (a trait I appreciate). There is always a small problem to solve, for which the Bubble Guppies ask the viewers to help choose the answer—it might be matching shapes, recognizing patterns or identifying objects. The Bubble Guppies finish their school day with a field trip to get a better look at whatever they have been learning about.
Some of the topics explored by the Bubble Guppies are the library, fire engines, losing a tooth and the circus.
Bubble Guppies is a fun and educational choice for preschoolers. The stories are depicted in clean animation and vibrant colors. The music is usually catchy. The characters are often smiling or laughing, and they make learning look fun.
Bubble Guppies airs on Nick Jr., a subsidiary of Nickelodeon. If you want to continue with some real-world fun after the episode is over, visit Nick Jr.’s website, where you can find related activities. They have developed a nice reservoir of games, printables (e.g., mazes, puzzles and number-tracing pages, to name a few) and craft ideas (like making Bubble Guppies bag puppets).
Even better, find your own ways to learn more about the topic you just watched with your grandchildren. Research it online, go to the library to find a few children’s books on the same topic or pull out toys that fit the theme.
S.M. Hutchins is mom to a curious toddler and full-time stepmom to a teenager. She is a writer and copyeditor perpetually seeking the mystery, magic and wonder in everyday life. See more from S.M. Hutchins at www.livewonderstruck.com.