INSPIRATION: The bright technicolour and alt-rock ditties of Yo Gabba Gabba!, a Nick Jr. preschool cult hit that airs weekly on Treehouse TV. Celebrating dance, music and lo-fi life-sized puppets, Yo Gabba Gabba! features pop-culture allusions of which Babble.com alterna-parents would approve, such as Mark’s Magic Pictures with Mark Mothersbaugh and Biz Markie–led beat-boxing lessons. Judging by the recently released first season DVD (Yo Gabba Gabba!: The Dancey Dance Bunch), the iTunes-only album and a second season filled with guests like Amy Sedaris and Jack Black, this may be the next Pee-wee’s Playhouse (or Electric Company).
Hip-hop DJ Lance Rock hosts Yo Gabba Gabba! and he likes to dance! He also wears an orange jumpsuit and faux bearskin hat with Cazal glasses. His friends — four monsters and a robot — are toys he keeps in an old-school boom box that comes alive. Kids’ mock turtleneck, $22. Snug as a Bug (3022 Dundas W., 416-534-6881, www.snugasabug.com). Jaime Galindo “You are not my toy” Lego necklace, $80. Delphic (706 Queen W., 416-603-3334).
Toodee is a very curious cat-dragon. She likes to dance, too, especially during the Super Music Friends Show, where The Ting Tings play “Happy Birthday” or 30-person pop outfit I’m From Barcelona sing about how it’s wrong to be mean to people because they look different. Kid Robot (www.kidrobot.com) Toodee toy, $30. Magic Pony (694 Queen W., 416-861-1684, www.magic-pony.com).
See? Yo Gabba Gabba! is so much fun! Entire episodes are devoted to off-kilter themes (robots! teeth! weather!) with catchy jams — like “Party in My Tummy,” which encourages kids to eat their veggies and has even inspired a B’More remix by New York’s Ursula 1000. “KALAS” 18-piece cutlery set, $1.99.
IKEA (15 Provost, 416-222-4532,
www.ikea.com).