Handy Manny

There is a new Disney animated series called Handy Manny, which debuted on September 16, 2006, on the Disney Channel it is geared for the preschool age child.

It features Wilmer Valderrama(from That 70’s Show) as Handy Manny who is a bilingual handyman who lives in Sheetrock Hills who has his own Repair shop. Each episode starts with Handy Manny’s telephone ringing with a new job for him and his tools to do. Once he hangs up the telephone he starts by singing “Hop up Jump in” which teaches you how to count to eight in Spanish. Once at the job there is always a lesson to be learned. The popular lessons are getting along with others, lending a helping hand and always trying one’s best and valuable messages about friendship, your community and working together.

The creators have made Handy Manny a hard working repair man, who is polite and eager to please. He is also very patient with he tools having them try to figure out what is wrong and how they are going to fix the problem. He also teaches his tools one new Spanish word an episode.

The tools that Handy Manny uses are Pat the clumsy hammer, Tuner who is a grouchy flathead screwdriver, Felipe an overzealous Phillips screwdriver, Dusty a saw who looks after everyone, Stretch the perfectionist tape measure, Rusty a wretch who is afraid of his own shadow and Squeeze who is a little on the curious side pair of pliers.

There are other regular characters that Handy Manny visits in every episode Kelly who owns the hardware stores who the tools love. Mr Lopart who is the Handy Manny’s neighbor who owns a candy store who thinks he is a bit of a know it all, but when he tries to fix something without Manny’s help always has a problem either he puts it together upside down or it falls apart on him.

I watch this show every morning with my 19 month son even though he does not know that he is learning new things or moral values he still enjoys watching. Sometimes he even gets his own tools and sits down and tries to fix something.