In the classroom, everyone finds ways to use their imagination, like Tina's pretend tea party. The kids look up at the clouds and start to see shapes, which Tina imagines a tasty rain.Ĭoincidentally, a thunderstorm begins after they finish singing. She wishes to see Barney (who is "the royal dinosaur") and later makes him king.īarney explains that imagination can turn things into other things.
Min becomes the "Queen of Make Believe" and Michael, Shawn and Tina become castle staff. 7 (Complete Episode) Part 1 to 2 for Original Aired.According to the story line, "Barney and the rest of the kids show Kathy that a family that loves you is always big enough."Ĭlearly, the warm-and-fuzzy factor is high in "Barney & Friends," and that's just fine, particularly when you know that it won't be long before the kids leave Barney behind for a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.īut it's also hard to believe that "Barney" will have the same staying power for its young viewers - and certainly not for parents - as does "Sesame Street."īut by all means let your kids watch Barney. In the "My Family's Just Right for Me" episode, for instance, Kathy (newcomer Lauren Elizabeth King) worries about an upcoming "Family Night" event because her family consists of a mother and grandmother. In that respect, it's fair to say "Barney & Friends" touches the appropriate bases, offering plenty of practical, project-oriented learning suggestions and a review segment at the end of each show.įuture episodes cover a range of subjects: from safety, nutrition and the environment to family. The show's educational goals, according to the producers, "focus on the development of the whole child" including "cognitive, social, emotional and physical areas of development."
One child finds a string and, with a little manipulation, creates a baton, a fishing rod, a telescope. " Then it's time for the Barney Bag (which gets its own song) and another test of the children's imaginations. Later, when these clouds produce rain and thunder (a lesson within the lesson), Barney ushers everyone inside for a tea party and a chorus of "I'm a little teapot, short and stout. In the "Queen of Make Believe" opener, for example, Barney and his charges turn their attention to the clouds in the sky, which, with a little help from their imaginations (and the show's art department) take on different shapes and forms.
#Barney min teapot series
In the series' first of 30 episodes, co-produced by CPTV and the Lyons Group of Allen, Texas, which created the "Barney" videos, Min is crowned the "Queen of Make Believe," leading the kids to a series of imaginative games and exercises.īarney, depending on the show and subject, plays teacher and pet, leader and follower, friend and surrogate grown-up. In any case, it's hard to argue with the show's basic structure, which uses singing and dancing (primarily to classic Jack-and-Jill type tunes) with basic instruction in many areas, from the arts and sciences to pro-social behavior. But a few of them look as though they're already planning their careers with their agents. According to the producers, none of the children will be featured in every episode, giving each actor and character time to develop and go to school.