Dora the Explorer

Developed specifically with an eye toward getting TV-watching kids off the couch and involved in their entertainment, Dora the Explorer takes pride in modeling a new kind of children's show. Dora's appeal is manifold: she speaks Spanish and English, which makes her a hero to bilingual kids everywhere. And she's an intrepid, curious world resident who gets herself into scrapes and is forced to problem-solve in every episode (with the help of her animal buddies) in order to extricate herself. Of course, kids probably should learn to problem-solve in their own lives rather than watching a cartoon character do it on TV, but these are quibbles. Dora has grabbed many a little girl's heart, and if your English-speaking toddler shouts "Vamanos!" to you the next time you're heading to the park, you know who to thank.