It’s been 10 years since Dora the Explorer first aired, and Nickelodeon is celebrating the landmark anniversary with a new campaign that champions school readiness for preschoolers called ‘Beyond the Backpack.’
The campaign will consist of a PSA campaign featuring actress Salma Hayek Pinault and Dora herself; a fundraising auction of limited-edition Dora backpacks, with designs by Hayek Pinault and other celebrities; financial grants; a dedicated web site with downloadable toolkits for parents and educators; and local community activities across the country.
Nickelodeon’s anniversary plans for Dora also include four prime-time TV specials; an original documentary produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen (The Kid Stays in the Picture) set to premiere in August; and new online Dora content for preschoolers and their parents. The first Dora primetime special, Swiper the Explorer, is set to air March 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Nick.
‘Dora has had a positive, and indelible impact on millions of young kids around the world since she first said ‘vamanos’ nearly ten years ago, and this Latina heroine is the perfect representative for this important new campaign to help preschoolers and their parents prepare for the big adventure of school,’ said Cyma Zarghami, president, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group.
‘Beyond the Backpack’ is a multi-year, multi-platform program that champions overall school readiness for preschoolers as they prepare for the important adventure of going to school. In partnership with The Children’s Defense Fund, National Parents Teachers Association and other experts and leaders in school readiness who will form an advisory committee, ‘Beyond the Backpack’ will help provide parents and educators with tools and resources that can help kids prepare for a well-rounded, positive school experience.
