It has been awhile since we've sat down to watch a DVD. Sure, the kids have their old TiVo'ed favorites on the television, but I haven't introduced any new shows to them other than those they have found on their own (curses that the Cat discovered Sponge-Bob!) We've been busy with end-of-school things and grandparent-visits and other away-from-the-TV things.

Last week when we drove to Santa Cruz I finally had the opportunity to stick in a new DVD. With the kids captive in the back seat, it was a perfect chance to introduce them to something new. In this case, it was the Raggs Kids' Club Band. Although Raggs has been a live-action show for awhile, it didn't launch as a TV show in the US until recently. (It is from Australia.) The distribution of the show increased in February 2008 and it is shown on PBS. The Raggs Live Dance Party is also on tour, a safe-bet for a fun afternoon, although unfortunately they aren't coming my way. Their 2001 Raggs Kids Club Band "Pawsuuup!" Tour DVD, apparently won several awards according to Wikipedia.

At the moment, the Raggs website is going through a revision; I've found a few funny mistakes that will no doubt be corrected prior to the official re-launch this September. But the show itself is polished.

I recognize the characters and know I've seen pieces of the show here and there, but until recently it wasn't a show for which we've seen full episodes.

The kids enjoyed the stuffed animals that the Raggs-folks sent us along with the DVD and Dance Party CD. (Thanks Lindsey!) They played with the animals in the "way-back" of the van while they watched the DVD, occasionally telling their grandparents in the row ahead of them "Bend to the side, please!" At the next stop, the kids asked to switch places with their grandparents. Suddenly the appeal of the "way-back" was trumped by their desire to see Raggs clearly.

I ended up having to replay the DVD several times, and now What's The Dealio has been stuck in my head for days. The target-audience for the show is 3-6, but the Cat - who is 7 - really enjoyed it. Although he is called "the Cat," he has a real thing for dogs as well, so a troupe of singing dogs is right up his alley.

The show includes clubhouse-scenes (where a problem-solving topic is introduced) as well as concert scenes (in front of an actual audience) and clips of real kids: both q&a and action-shots set to music.

Initially I was a bit surprised by the format since the topic jumps around a bit. For example, in the episode "Who Am I?" Razzles' friends try to pick out an appropriate birthday present for her. The characters chose things that were special to them, but B. Maxx explained to each that while their selections were very nice, they weren't appropriate for who Razzles is. This is a very important social-skills lesson, one that the Cat still has to learn, so I smiled when I saw this topic unfold. But then after B. Maxx explains that they must discover who Razzles is, the show jumps to the live-action song (which has no direct connection to the problem that needs to be solved.) I understand the idea of keeping the youngsters' attention, but will they remember the first segment after the song?

Fortunately, the characters reiterate the problem, and do so again after a live-action-kids segment. As it turns out, the various segments end up being fun because there are so many things that will appeal to different kids. The real kids' answers are wacky and are bound to resonate with viewers. Spliggle, for example, is in agreement with one little boy "Sam," who declares that he is going to be a pirate when he grows up. "Aaaarrrr!" says Splig. Dumpster the cat, who provides questions to the real kids, is hilarious with his comments.

The varied interests and talents of each member of the Raggs Kids Club Band emphasizes that each kid is similarly free to have different interests than another kid, and that their talents will differ, too.

Raggs is definitely a fun show, and I imagine the in-person concert would be high-energy. If they will be in your area, check it out; otherwise, check your local PBS listings to see Raggs on television!

PS: Shortly after returning home, the boys caught an episode of Raggs on television. They have since asked to add it to their TiVoed shows.