Dora the Explorer Grows Up

Nickelodeon's Dora Goes Straight from Preschool to Preteen

Mar 19, 2009 Sara McGrath

Dora the Explorer is getting a fashionable makeover, a move to the big city, and group of new friends.

The Dora whom fans know and love is a spunky, adventurous preschooler who speaks both Spanish and English. She repeats phrases often to help young viewers keep up as they follow Dora, Boots the Monkey, Map, and Backpack along on simple three-step journeys. Each episode introduces children to aspects of Central or South American culture.

Parents of young "Dora the Explorer" fans praise the show for providing their children with a thoughtful, curious, and adventursome role model. They worry about potential changes their children will encounter with the new older version of Dora, what will become of the other familiar characters on the show, and how these changes will affect Dora's youngest fans.

Age Creep

According to CommonSenseMedia.org, the phenomenon known as "age creep" is not a new trend. It is described as the disconnect between the age of the child targeted and the product marketed, i.e., when a toy for a PG-13 rated movie is marketed to small children. In the case of Dora the Explorer, her preschool-aged fans will naturally be drawn to the new Dora, regardless of whether or not she is age-appropriate.

According to Nickelodeon and toy maker Mattel, the new "tweenage," preteen, Dora's makeover will include a new fashionable look and a move to the big city. Concerned parents want to know: Will the preteen Dora continue to provide an adventurous role model for young girls or will she become a fashion-focused stereotype?

What to Expect from the New Dora

  1. Tween Dora will not replace the "Dora the Explorer" cartoon. She will be released as an interactive doll (with a USB port to online story lines) targeted at five- to eight-year-old girls.
  2. The new Dora is designed to look about ten years old with longer hair, but no make-up.
  3. The new Dora will have four new friends with whom to solve mysteries related to the environment, wildlife, and school, while doing charitable work in the community. Boots, Backpack, Map, and the rest of Dora's familiar friends will not make the transition with her.

According to Nickelodeon and Mattel, the new preteen Dora will continue to provide a wholesome and adventurous role model who inspires curiosity and creativity. Girls who may have lost interest in Dora when they reached kindergarten age can continue their adventures with the new mystery-solving Dora and her new friends. If tweenaged Dora succeeds as a character, perhaps her fans may one day share in the cultural treat of a coming-of-age quinceañera ceremony to celebrate Dora's fifteenth birthday.

The copyright of the article Dora the Explorer Grows Up in Children’s TV is owned by Sara McGrath. Permission to republish Dora the Explorer Grows Up in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Dora the Explorer, gracey
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Comments

May 25, 2009 2:48 PM
Guest :
i think the new dora is cool cause i'am 7 years old
Sep 11, 2009 6:23 PM
Guest :
the new dora is cute and SO not sexy (i mean come on up until now her belly finally gotton covored lmao)i love all of the new friends dora's gonna get in the show. i'm fifteen and i think this will get ME watching the show again (even if it has the same 'common scence' concept to it) :DDD
Sep 11, 2009 7:40 PM
Guest :
NO BOOTS!!!!!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sep 12, 2009 10:11 PM
Guest :
im 12 and i think that dora is going to be a slutish figure
Xy
Sep 26, 2009 10:01 AM
Guest :
dora to me looks about 7 or 8 not 9 or 10.I am ten and she does not look like me or have cute style.Nor is she sexy.I am mad,i was looking for a dora i would like.Not this one.
Oct 7, 2009 7:02 PM
Guest :
I don't see much of a problem with Dora growing up. It's realistic at least. A ten year old solving mysteries is a little more believable than a seven year old exploring and going on adventures crossing jungles, alligator ponds, and high towers. There's no reason for people to be angry about this yet. I think everyone should give it a chance, and if it proves to be inappropriate, then the complaining may begin.
Oct 22, 2009 5:56 AM
Guest :
i like the big picture of dora the expolrer and where is boots i did not see him with dora the explorer
Oct 22, 2009 5:57 AM
Guest :
I LIKE THE BIG PICTURE OF DORA THE EXPLORER.
Nov 3, 2009 4:06 PM
Guest :
i like the idea of Dora growing up, now her fans can grow up with her. The only thing is BOOTS. You can't have Dora without boots. That's like the cat in the hat without thing one and thing two; Miley without Lilly; Cory without Raven; and dare I say it: Zack and Cody without Mosby!
Nov 7, 2009 7:56 PM
Guest :
no i dont want boots to not be in the movie im going to miss him please nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo thats inposipole that cant be cause the new dora is sooooooooooooooooo cutea with naiya emma kate alona
Nov 28, 2009 8:10 PM
Guest :
aw man! no Boots or Backpack?! :(
Nov 30, 2009 12:25 PM
Guest :
While I am not against the idea of Dora growing up (since it allows her fans to grow up with her)...I think that it is a little messed up that she will be leaving all of her old friends behind. The charm of the old show was that she went on her explorations with her friend Boots, and a cast of creative cute characters. I understand they are probably just trying to make the show more 'realistic', but hey...the Scooby-Doo gang solves mysteries with a talking dog...why can't Dora and her new friends solve them with a talking monkey? Also I am curious if they are going to keep with the feel that the show is a 'computer game'...or if Dora is magically going to be a real individual living in the city.
12 Comments