Those of you who have heard of “Dora the Explorer” may have also heard of “Go, Diego, Go!” Diego just happens to be the eight-year-old cousin of Dora and a nature expert who can talk to animals. The premise of “Go, Diego, Go!” is similar to that of “Dora the Explorer.” However, instead of traveling to complete certain tasks, Diego rescues stranded animals. Dora often appears in episodes of “Diego.”
At the beginning of each episode, Diego gets a call at his Animal Rescue Center in the rainforest. Along with the help of Diego’s older sister Alicia and his pet Baby Jaguar, Diego finds the location of the animal in trouble and goes on his rescue mission. Other characters include a camera named Click whose specialty is locating lost animals. Much like in “Dora,” there are some mischievous animals that follow Diego. The Bobo Brothers, a pair of spider monkeys, are bound to try and get in Diego’s way. Rescue Pack is almost Diego’s version of Dora’s Backpack, except that Rescue Pack can transform into any kind of transportation to help Diego get to the stranded animal. Like Dora, Diego also speaks English and Spanish. Of course, this gives the children watching a chance to learn some Spanish words here and there. Even the music of Latin America is prevalent in this children’s series.
The entire show takes place in Latin America; therefore, all of the animals featured in “Go, Diego, Go!” are native to that region of the world. Species names and natural habitats of the animals that Diego rescues are described, along with its physical appearance. This gives children the opportunity to learn about different animals, particularly those in the rainforest.
“Go, Diego, Go!” is an excellent educational resource for your pre-schooler. Not only will s/he be able to pick up some Spanish and learn about different animals, but s/he will learn critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills.
For more information about “Go, Diego, Go!” please visit NickJr.com.
“Go, Diego, Go!” can be seen on Nick Jr. (Nickelodeon) and NOGGIN. Check your local listings for times.