Don't Change, Dora!
When word got out that Dora the Explorer would grow into a tween, parents everywhere worried she’d turn moody, get a My Space page and spend her free time texting instead of exploring. Nick/MTVN Kids and Family Group pres Cyma Zarghami tells us not to worry.
“The Dora preschool character that audiences know and love is not going away, or changing at all,” she told us via email. “Nickelodeon will continue to feature the Dora the Explorer preschool TV show as it exists today, and Fisher-Price will continue with its collection of toys inspired by the original character."
Instead, Mattel is developing a doll line that will feature a more mature, hipper Dora. Drawings of the new Dora have drawn the ire of some parents, with some complaining that the lovable preschooler looks more like a Bratz doll. Zarghami defended the choice to allow Mattel to age the character, saying that Nick learned from parents that there are many preschool doll choices, but few age-appropriate dolls for girls 5-8.
“What is being developed by Mattel is a new age-appropriate doll line that takes all of the great core attributes of Dora’s DNA—the love of adventure and learning, the empowerment and self-esteem—and applied that to a doll that matches play patterns of girls ages 5-8,” she said. “The reason for creating this new Dora line is to offer an alternative to moms who want their daughters to stay little girls, a little longer.”
The “Dora’s Explorer Girls” brand will only be online, not TV. It will bring 4 new girlfriends together to make a difference in the community, with her adventures expanding into the world of solving mysteries that have pro-social themes, such as volunteerism and water conservation.
