The children's programming includes Nick Jr. shows for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as many shows for older kids on up to preteens. Some shows exhibit extreme cartoon violence. Ren and Stimpy routinely hammer each other in a fashion far beyond slapstick. Little Bill is an African American main character and Dora the Explorer is Hispanic. The Brothers Garcia has an all-Hispanic cast.
Several shows have girls as main characters.
Nick News with Linda Ellerbee encourages kids to learn about their world, and evaluate the information they encounter. Blue's Clues introduces preschoolers to basic math concepts and new vocabulary words in the context of a clue-finding game. Cartoons for older kids, such as Rocket Power and The Wild Thornberrys , build life lessons into the characters' adventures. Kids also like SpongeBob SquarePants , about a common household sponge living under the sea. Four preteen pals in Southern California dive into extreme sports in the popular animated series Rocket Power .