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The Backyardigans

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So, I know I’m totally going to give you the idea that all my kids do is watch TV, and this is completely one hundred percent not true.

However, the TV they do watch gives me something to write about, so here it is.

Forget Lazytown (as though I could forget it—it’s my single most popular entry ever)—Sophia got bored with Lazytown because it’s been the same five episodes in rotation for the past two months. The show to watch is The Backyardigans. How much do I love this show? I am tempted to watch it when the kids aren’t around. I sing the songs as I do the dishes. There are only nine episodes so far and I have all nine on our TiVo. I force people just visiting our house to watch some of this show.

I love this show.

backyardigans.jpg

Tyrone, Tasha, Pablo, Uniqua, and Austin

The Backyardigans is a show about five friends—Tyrone the moose, Tasha the hippo, Pablo the penguin, Uniqua the ladybug, and Austin the kangaroo (actually, I’m not sure what Austin is, and he’s the Backyardigan we see the least of anyhow)—who get together every day and have some theme to their play: ghosts, Tarzan, knights and quests, Mounties, Vikings. They all take roles in their adventure that pretty well fit with their personalities. At the end, they repair to one kid’s house for snacktime.

In between, there’s singing, dancing, and general silliness. What’s extremely excellent about this show is that there’s stuff in there for grownups that’s not sneaky or salacious: it’s just on a level most kids aren’t going to find funny in the same way. For example, three Backyardigans are chasing the Yeti across the North Pole:

             TASHA
          We need kayaks to cross
          this water.

     They suddenly spy three KAYAKS on the bank of
     the river.

             TYRONE
          Well, that certainly is
          convenient.

That line cracks me up everytime.

The songs in this show are incredibly memorable. While doing the dishes I like to sing the songs the Vikings sing as their Viking ship rounds a very powerful whirlpool, “You’ve Got To Hold On Tight”:

You've got to hold on tight
Hold on tight
You've got to hold on tight
Hold on tight
You've got to hold on tight with all your Viking might.

Darin’s favorite bit is when they sing a limbo while trying to avoid the laser beams during a super-secret spy mission.

This show has reignited my love of musicals, which has been dormant for some time. (My insistence on musical-only writing music has been helped by the fact that I dug out our CD collection and ripped about 150 of them recently. Of course, I can’t find the one I’m looking for, Linie 1. Sigh.) I want to write a children’s musical, I’m so inspired by this show.

Anyhow: The Backyardigans is on Nick Jr. I highly recommend checking it out.

(Tyrone the moose is my favorite, by the way. In case you’re wondering.)

 

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Update 2/16/05: Wow, lots of comments here! This entry is listed pretty high on Google when you search for “The Backyardigans” so I’m going to assume someone from Nick Jr. has found it. (Hi there! More Backyardigans episodes, please!)

A number of people have posted asking about Backyardigans-themed birthday supplies and other merchandise. As far as I’ve been able to find on the Web, there isn’t any! It might not be licensed yet or might not have gotten to stories yet. All I can say is: Hurry it up! You’ve got lots of customers waiting. If anyone does know of legit Backyardigans stuff, let me know and I’ll put it on this page.

I found a number of Backyardigans songs on LimeWire. I don’t know where they’re from, since a few things tell me they’re not recorded right off of the show. If the production company wanted to put out a CD with each and every song from the show on it, they’d have a bestseller. I think there are plenty of parents out there who wouldn’t mind putting that music on for their kids, and I’d rather pay royalties to the songmakers!

Evidently a new bunch of episodes will start airing in a week or two. I can’t wait…and I think the kids are excited too. All I can say is, keep ’em coming! More! More!

Update 8/11/05: The Backyardigans’ eponymously named CD is now out! The Backyardigans has 19 great songs on it, although it doesn’t include my personal favorite, “You’ve got to hold on tight.” I had downloaded some of these songs from Limewire, but I’m much, much happier having the actual CD in my hot little hand now.

Update 1/28/06: Wow. This entry has 747 comments!

There are a couple of Backyardigan DVDs out now, which means you don’t have to keep every episode on your TiVo any more.

The Snow Fort: Contains “The Snow Fort”, “The Yeti”, “Knights Are Brave and Strong”, and “Secret Mission”.

It’s Great To Be A Ghost: Contains “It’s Great To Be A Ghost”, “Monster Detectives”, “Key to the Nile”, and “Pirate Adventure”.

Polka Palace Party: Contains “Polka Palace Party”, “Heart of the Jungle”, “Viking Voyage”, and one I haven’t seen before — having tea in the Gobi desert. (Maybe it hasn’t aired yet?)

 
Update 1/05/09: Yowsa. I am amazed at how lively this entry still is!

In response to many (many, many) comments on here: I came up with the idea that Uniqua is a ladybug from my then-4-year-old (who’s now about to be 9, but still loves the Backyardigans). I’m in complete agreement with everyone who says that Uniqua is just that: unique. I wasn’t paying a whole bunch of attention at the time, and I went with my 4-year-old’s assessment of Uniqua’s identity, ‘kay?

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Comments

  1. As soon as my 2 year old wakes up he wants to know if the Backyardi-“friends” are on!! This show is the only way I can get my 9 month old for a nap without his brother bothering him! We love this show and he has really connected to all the makebelieve even through out the day. We really can’t wait for more episodes!!!

  2. My son LOVES this show and his Birthday Party is coming up soon and I am going crazy looking for party supplies and I can not find them any where. PLease Help me!! email me: baez822@aol.com

  3. WE LOVE THIS SHOW!!! MY 4 YEAR OLD CAN’T GET ENOUGH. HER BIRTHDAY IS THIS MONTH AND I WISH I COULD FIND THINGS TO BUY OF THE BACKYARDIGANS TO GIVE TO HER. WE NEVER MISS A SHOW.
    THANKS FOR LISTENING BECKY AND SAVANNAH.

  4. Wow! I just found it last week while I was looking for something to occupy my 13 month old’s attention for longer than two minutes. The only thing she’ll watch for any length of time is “Jeopardy” (don’t ask, I have no idea!). But she loves the Backyardigans, especially the theme song. Big, 4-tooth grin and lots of dancing.

    Great show!

  5. I am 31 and love them so much! My 2 year old dauther dances to every song. My favorite episode is about Uniqua the Pink accomplsihing tasks to be a knight. I also heard the song “Riding The Range” but have not seen the actual episode.

    I also record the show on TiVo and almost strangled my husband when he deleted a few episodes.

  6. I just the show once and i loved it cuz the theme song was the bomb!!! i love that tasha girl and uniqua!!! there all really good till this day now i watch the backyardigans!!!!

    I LOVE THE BACKYARDIGANS!!!!

  7. I only watched the bakyardigans once and i loved it, cuz there theme song is the bomb!!!! i love tasha and uniqua!!! there all the bomb!!!! till this day now i still watch the backyardigans!!!

    I LOVE THE BACKYARDIGANS!!

  8. my 20 month old son adores this show. he sings and dances to the songs. we also have all of them on tivo so he watches it all the time. i wish they would start making toys or any product line of the backyardigans.

  9. i’m 52 y/o black woman . i usually work weekends but fractured my kneecap so i’m off work till i heal. while channel surfing three weeks ago i came upon the backyardagians. the one about the yeti. i love this show!!!

  11. I am not sure if my first message went through or not but just to tell u that The backyardigans ROCK MY SOCKS!!!! i love to watch it!!! i think it is my fav. show it has taken the place of dora the exploer. i think it is so awsome that even adults watch little kids tv shows even when there kids arent around!

  12. We recorded it this morning because my 6 year old wanted her Dad to see it when he got home. It was the Tarzan one. It shows only on the weekends on Treehouse. We lived in Ontario.

  13. My seven month old loves this show and I would like to do his 1st birthday party with the Backyardigans decorations although I am unable to find any? Could you help me with this please?

  14. Both my daughter and I love the Backyardigans. We were able to get the cd from a free Magazine offer and it has been a road trip staple for months and every morning as I’m driving to preschool. I’m 36 and wake up early Saturday mornings to watch it on cbs since I don’t have cable. Its the best show since Little Bill!

  15. Riding the range, riding the range
    Let’s go
    Riding the range
    Yahoo!
    -and when I saw them do the bankhead bounce while riding their horses, i was hooked!

    I am 25 and my son and I love the Backyardigans!

  18. My children love the Backyardigans! Especially my 23 month old. He stays glued to the television and laughs outloud at the characters. He gets into everything when I’m not looking, but when this show is on I know the house is safe from destruction! I am looking for some party plates and napkins and I can’t find them anywhere. Anybody else had any luck?

  19. My daughter and I watched it first. Then my husband started watching. We sing the songs. I wish there was a DVD and CD of their songs. My daughter would love to listen to it in car. And I wouldn’t mind either.

  20. AARRRR! My one year old son and I love the Backyardigans especially the Pirates episode.

    I wondering why they sometimes leave Tasha and ofen Austin out of their fun? It’s probably just a bit cheaper to animate 4 character than 5.

    Great musical fun for kids and grown ups with a sense of humor.

  21. i have a 2 year old daughter who love the yardigans. i wish there were a dvd to buy. my daughter wants to watch all the time. please come out with something soon.

  22. I LOVE THE BACKYARDIGANS. I run to the tv to watch it every day at 11:00 and 1:00. I am 21 years old and I have a 13 month old son Angel. I think I love the show more than he does. I need a CD where can I get one if anyone knows please email me nicenpretty01@netscape.net

  23. I really love this show i look at it more than my 3 year old……….. and i love the singing

  25. my 18 month old twins and i LOVE the backyardigans! it is the only show we watch besides sesame street, and it truly is my favorite. i am glad to know i am not alone in that the other day the boys went down for their nap early – and i still watched the backyardigans all by myself!!!! 🙂

    my favorite scene is when the others inform princess tasha that the nile is empty – and she tells them to “fill it up.” LOL.

    backyardigans are the BEST!

  26. My son loves this show and wants this theme for his 4th birthday party that is coming up. I doubt they sell party goods with this theme. Does anyone know for sure? Please email me if you have any information.

  27. Does anybody know where i can purchase the Backyardigans cd. THis is the coolest show ever and my favorite song is “A Pirate says Argh.”

  28. My niece loves the show. She’s only 2 1/2 and she knows all the songs. She has seen all 10 episodes. She has even gotten my husband (her uncle) watching them too.

  30. I love the Backyardigans. I watch it all the time and I’m sixteen years old. Some things never change I guess.

    Does anyone know where I can find lyrics to the song… it’s the one where they’re marching in the woods (and later they get into the lake with a large leaf and float away). The one episode where they sing “We’re Tarzans! We’re Tarzans!”, but not that song. The one after (or maybe before). Pablo after every verse sings something like …”going round in circles.” It’s the episode where they’re trying to find the worms home. HELP!

  31. My 2 year old no longer wants to watch The Wiggles, Blues Clues or Dora…it’s always The Backyardigans! We have all the episodes on TIVO and she asks to watch them all the time. She dances and sings along. Kudos to the writers of the show!

  32. I LOVE THE BACKYARDIGANS!!!! I am a college student, and my schedule this semester allows me in my room at 11 and 1, so I am able to watch the Backyardigans. My favorite episode so far is the secret agent mission. The characters are so cute. I am an elementary education major, and I think this show is great for children. (And adults enjoy it too!) Thanks for bringing these five adorable characters into my life. I LOVE THE BACKYARDIGANS!!!! (When is the DVD coming out with these episodes? I want that!)

  33. My daughter jusg watched the Backyardigans last week while she was home sick with the flu. She cried that night asking to see it again, being 3 she did not understand the concept of time. I am desperately looking for DVD’s or CD’s or something, I love them as well. They are awesome, if anyone knows where I can get DVD’s or CD’s of the Backyardigans please e-mail me the information. Thanks.

  34. My 4 yr old loves them. I live up north in Canada and I cannot find anything for him. He asks all the time when I am going to buy him something. I wish that the powers that be could have thought of these things before they came out with such an amazing show. Hopefully, soon will we be able to buy things.

  35. OMG!!! OMG!!! I am like a big baby!! I litaraly watch the Backyardigans with my 2 year old sister we know all the lyrics to the theme song!!!! I watch it soo much omg i love the backyardigans except the only episode I saw that had Austin was the key to the nile but all the other ones contain Tyron- Pablo- Uniqua-and tasha i love them so much and my favorite episode is The key to the nile and snow fort and omg i just love them so much i downloaded the theme song and many other on BEARSHARE!!!!!! OMG iwould do anything to play one of the charecters – BACKYARDIGANS I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!~*

  36. love them
    i am a really big baby i watch them with my sister i am in love with the backyardigans but cant find lyrics for anything !!!!!!!!!!!! i wish i could play any charecter on the backyradigans b/c the children love backyardigans so the would rele b loving me and i just love the backyardigans!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  37. i dont like the backyardigans. its a cute show but my sister plays it over and over and the song gets stuck in my head. the song annoys me!!

    jen..

  38. I have all the songs from the shows….just email me and we will make sure you get them….you will need winmx

  39. OMG!!! JEN i dont play the song over and over again and they are not anoyying

    KIM, JEN’s SIS

  40. I absolutly love the backyardigans. And like most of the people out here I think I love them more than my son does. I am always trying to sing the songs but I need the lyrics. Where I am the backyardigans only come on on the weekends. THAT SUCKS!!!!!

  41. What is going on? I NEED this show on DVD. Nick Jr. needs to cancel Blues Clues. Maybe if they had more shows you wouldn’t have to sing the same songs over and over again. I vote for more episodes.

  42. I’m in college, and by far, this is my favorite show on tv. I make sure I can watch it at 1 everday, it amuses me to no end.

  43. i haven’t been able to catch the show, but my husband and two year old love it. It’s on at 1PM in our area. We’re trying to find dvds.

  45. My daughter is 2 and LOVES the backyardigans. I have searched for DVDs or other parefinalia (sp?)….i guess they JUST came out….?

    if anyone knows anything on how i can get ahold of STUFF, PLEASE email me!

    Its just too cute to pass up!

    thx…alana

  46. This is one of the cutest shows I’ve seen in a long time. My son loves watching their adventures! He really gets into “Ridin’ the Range” & even dances when he hears it. I hope they have a CD/DVD out soon, they really are good TV for kids of all ages.

  47. We Love this show my grandaughter is having her first birthday party and we wanted this to be her theme, but there was nothing on them. Please Nick jr.show them some more and make them as popular as Dora the Explorer. :A South Texas Grandma

  48. My husband, our almost one year old daughter and I LOVE the backyardigans! My favorite is Uniqua. I love the Ski Patrol episode. I like it when she sings “if your cold we’ll kiss your face” and when they are outside the fort thet has the world’s biggest snowball and they are all singing someones outside, someones inside. I love it. My husband loves the Pirate episode and Pablo is his favorite. We like the pirate song too, pirate toast and jelly -too funny. The baby cries when it goes to the break after the intro. We need more episodes.

    Ski Patrol to the rescue!

  49. My husband discovered the Backyardigans with our 1 yr old son this last November and we were instantly hooked. Thank goodness for Tivo, our little boy just loves the theme song as well as the other music. We find ourselves watching the show long after our little boy has lost interest. That has to be the best cartoon show on is a very long long time. Kudos to the creation team for providing parents of small children quality entertainment that doesn’t drive you crazy in the mean time.

  50. I’m 20 years old, in graduate school, and am fully obsessed with the Backyardigans. I have no shame in admitting this. I’ve started taping the shows (no Tivo here) becuase I was tempted to skip class to watch it. The choreography is so great! And yes, I might secretly practice some of the moves in my room…