M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. For parents that brings back memories of the Mickey Mouse Club and the Mouseketeers, but today it means The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Playhouse Disney. Long gone is the live variety show featuring real kids, and in its place is a 3D animated show for preschoolers featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and the rest of the gang, including Pete.

The half hour television show heavily focuses on problem solving. At the start of each episode, before Mickey and his friends start to work out the problem presented in each show, they have to go to the Mousekedoer to get their Mouseketools.  They include a variety of miscellaneous things they will need in order to find a solution to the problem — whether it be helping Goofy with his magic show, saving BooBoo Chicken from the Giant of the beanstalk, or waking up an enchanted sleeping Minnie.

There are anywhere between three and seven tools that are loaded onto “Toodles,” a quirky little mouse ears robot that follows the gang around to be called when they need one of the tools. The characters also address the concept of cause and effect. One of the characters will suggest a tool, like a stick of glue to bathe a puppy, and Toodles will show the gang what would have happened if they would have used the glue instead of the soap. There is always a mystery Mouseketool, so if none of the featured “tools” are any help, then it is time for the gang to call for the mystery one with a lot of fireworks and fanfare.

Along with the problem solving of matching what Mouseketool item is needed to fix which situation, the show also addresses shapes, colors, counting, patterns, and size comparisons. I think it’s great to have shows that kids find entertaining and also teach them something as well. I give this show two thumbs up.