Dora, Dora, Dora, the Explorer!

So in my “Herald-Dispatch” column today, I’m not sure I made it clear that I had actually spoken with the voice of Dora the Explorer, 14-year-old Caitlin Sanchez.

Maybe that’s because I was subconsciously afraid to admit that I giggled like a schoolgirl when she called me by name in her Dora voice…

You can read my interview with Caitlin here.

There’s no doubt that this weekend is a big one for Dora as Saturday marks the 10th anniversary of her first adventure—which, by the way, was getting a baby bluebird home to its mother. Nickelodeon is marking the occasion Sunday by airing “Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure,” an hour-long special (which is already available on DVD), in which Dora and Boots try to find their way out of a magic storybook so they can get home for Dora’s birthday party. But they have to watch out for a witch, played by Rosie Perez. John Leguizamo and Hector Elizondo also guest star.

The special finds a clever way to celebrate Dora’s anniversary by having Dora “remember her friends” to help her get out of the book. That lets us see some of the many friends Dora has met along the way in her 10 years.

After the special, it’s the adorable 12-minute documentary, “Dora: The Girl Heard ‘Round the World” that gives you insight into how “Dora” is made. Especially interesting is the discussion about the long pauses Dora takes. I’ve always wondered if kids really respond to them and the answer is yes, as you’ll see in the documentary.

“Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure” airs Sunday, August 15th at 8 p.m., followed by “Dora: The Girl Heard ‘Round the World” at 9 p.m. on Nickelodeon…

In the meantime, here are some other interesting facts about Dora from the fine folks at Nickelodeon:

The first Spanish word Dora taught was azul, which means blue…

Every episode of “Dora the Explorer” is screened by at least 75 preschoolers before it airs on TV…

Approximately 300 people work on “Dora” and it takes over a year to produce a single episode of the show…

“Dora” can be seen in 151 markets and is heard in 30 languages. Dora teaches Spanish in the U.S., UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, but teaches English in every other market around the world.

The number three is the show’s “magic number.” According to Chris Gifford, creator and executive producer, “Preschoolers can digest and remember information in threes. There are three locations on the Map, and we say, ‘Swiper, no swiping’ three times”…

Dora’s teaching goes beyond the TV show as parents can go to http://www.dorabeyondthebackpack.com/ for access to resources and learning activities to help their children prepare for school…

Photo Credit: Nickelodeon. Copyright Viacom International. All Rights Reserved.