Hello!

Join Login

Article Dora Turns 25: Five Timeless Lessons For Today’s Kids

By

15 Comment

She’s the bright-eyed, backpack-wearing adventurer who’s spent the last 25 years inspiring preschoolers to be curious, brave, and ready for anything. With Dora marking her 25th anniversary (incredible!) it’s the perfect time to celebrate the lessons she’s taught generations of kids with two new Dora toys: the Dora Adventure Backpack and Sing & Explore Dora.

Of course Dora isn’t going anywhere – with a brand-new range of toys launching to help a whole new generation of kids grow into curious, confident little explorers. Whether your child is heading off on an imaginary jungle trek or brushing up on their Spanish, Dora’s world is packed with opportunities to learn through play.

Here are five valuable life lessons Dora teaches kids – and the new Spin Master toys bringing those lessons to life at home for a whole new generation.

5 Life Lessons Dora Teaches Our Kids

Lesson 1: Positivity
No matter how tricky the map looks or how many obstacles pop up along the way, Dora never gives up. She’s the queen of can-do, always tackling challenges with a smile (and maybe a little help from her friends). That kind of optimism is powerful for kids – it shows them that frustration isn’t a full stop, just a bump in the road.

And just like in the show, the new Dora Adventure Backpack is ready for anything, and looks just like Dora’s! With moving eyes and mouth, plus a real map, compass, and binoculars, it’s ideal for dress-up, pretend quests or just keeping the adventure going after screen time ends.

Lesson 2: Problem-Solving
Dora’s not afraid to ask, “What should we do next?” She encourages kids to think critically, make decisions, and figure things out as they go. It’s an easy, playful way to help young kids build early problem-solving skills without the pressure of having to know what they’re doing. Dora teaches them it’s ok to learn along the way, even if you make a mistake.

Lesson 3: Inclusivity
Dora’s world is big, colourful, and welcoming. Her stories are filled with different characters, cultures, and experiences and she always leads with kindness. For Aussie kids growing up in a diverse world, Dora’s message is clear: being inclusive makes every adventure better.

Lesson 4: Curiosity
You don’t need a jungle to go exploring. Dora teaches kids that curiosity starts with asking questions and noticing the world around them, even if it’s just the local park or your backyard. She reminds kids that every day can be an adventure.

It’s another reason we love the Dora Adventure Backpack. It sparks curiosity and a sense of adventure, with its retractable, double-sided map and plenty of room to store everything needed to explore!

Lesson 5: Love of Language
Dora’s bilingual magic has introduced millions of preschoolers to their first Spanish words. But more than that, she celebrates the joy of learning something new … especially language. Early exposure to different sounds and vocabulary helps build confidence and brainpower in little learners.

The new Sing & Explore Dora doll is not only full of detail that will surprise and delight kids, by squeezing her belly you’ll hear music and bilingual phrases, keeping the learning going well beyond episodes of Dora.

Learning through play is a tangible way to extend the lessons of Dora, and thankfully there’s no need to climb a mountain or sail a river to get your hands on these two new toys. You can grab the Sing & Explore Dora and Dora Adventure Backpack from your local Big W now.

This new collection is the perfect way to celebrate Dora’s 25th birthday. Let the exploring begin!

Share this

Comments

  • I thought no way and then I did the math and my kids are adults now so although they didnt have any Dora toys the youngest one did watch the show for a short while. Its amazing how some shows just keep on going as they are so well done.

    Reply

  • Wow I can’t believe she’s 25, seems like only yesterday

    Reply

  • learning through play is so very important for children and it is really important that parents allow there kids to take the time to experiment and play with toys. This allows them to be creative. I love that Dora is still around after so many years, she is great for kids to play with.

    Reply

  • I didn’t mind Dora, but my kids just never really connected with her. They’d watch the odd show and they were happy to read some picture books, but for whatever reason she was just not a favorite. Which is fine, kids don’t have to like every popular show. I was on the fence about her.

    Reply

  • Learning through play is really so important and we have always encouraged learning through play. We have always encouraged the children with reading books and watching shows that have characters that are strong and full of adventure. The world is an incredible place and deserves to be embraced and explored.

    Reply

  • I must say those years have gone by very fast- I remember my niece and nephews watching Dora. It was not my favourite show to watch with them, I found it a bit over the top and repetitive. But hey, it’s better than the mind rot (literally) that kids are watching these days!

    Reply

  • Well that went by in a blur! It’s hard to believe. I love this new Dora doll, she has a very cute image and childlike, normal shape. The show has a lot to teach kids and generally has a good guideline. The voices can grate on me after a while but all in all I’m for it.

    Reply

  • Wow, how quickly the years go by. I remember my daughter watching Dora The Explorer when she was about five or six years old.

    Reply

  • You do a great job in outlining all the positive lessons Dora has spread to different generations ! The language of love, inclusion, positivity, problem solving and curiosity are all beautiful skills to encourage and instill in our children. Dora’s problem solving skill of what should we do next is a great lesson for all; young and old and so is allowing mistakes and space for learning

    Reply

  • Oh wow, I didn’t know that Dora is still so popular ! Back when my now twenty-one and nearly twenty year old were still young they watched Dora and Diego a lot and I still have a significant collection of Dvd’s. However my two younger kids never really were into Dora or Diego and I haven’t seen it on the television either

    Reply

  • Dora making it this long has truely been a testament to how incredible she is and what a positive role model she is to children including my own. I love that she is billingual and incorporates that throughout her challenges as she goes on adventures. My kids have felt a sense of inclusiveness being billingual themselves and it has definitely helped their love of learning not just their own home language but others too!

    Reply

  • Cant believe Dora is 25 years I have lots of her books that I read to the granddaughter and she absolutley loves me reading her these books. She will absolutely love playing with Sing & Explore Dora and Dora Adventure Backpack. Would love to win this for her and to see the excitement on her face.

    Reply

  • No way Dora is 25! Lol way to make me feel old!
    This look so cute will have to check out for my niece

    Reply

  • Omg! How is Dora 25?! My eldest daughter just turned 20 and I remember watching Dora with her! I’m so glad she’s still going strong and bringing positivity to today’s young ones!
    In a world that can get very difficult at times more positivity is exactly what we need! Go Dora!!

    Reply

  • Time and the years really do fly by so very quickly! Twenty five is a huge milestone to achieve and Dora is a fabulous character. Sparking a sense of adventure and fun in young children is so very important, A curiosity and willingness to learn new things should always be encouraged.

    Reply
Post a comment

To post a review/comment please join us or login so we can allocate your points.

Join Login

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join