Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this animated series from the U.K. is cute and colorful, and there's no questionable content. Whether or not it grabs your preschooler's attention will depend on your child's age and sophistication: The stop-motion animation is subpar, giving the characters very stiff facial expressions, so some kids may not find them particularly engaging or endearing.
Families can talk about organic gardening and composting. Why is it important for people to grow things organically and have a compost? What is the benefit for both people and our environment? Are you more likely to try those things because you saw them on TV? Why or why not?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Larisa Wiseman
Vibrantly colored stop-motion animated series FIFI AND THE FLOWERTOTS follows the adventures of a flighty little flower named Fifi Forget-Me-Not (voiced by Jane Horrocks) who loves gardening and spending time with her friends, all of whom are either insects, plants, or other flowers. Fifi is environmentally conscious -- she grows her fruits, vegetables, and flowers organically and uses a compost-powered mower (named Mo). She can be a bit forgetful at times, but her best pal, Fuzzbuzz the bee, is always around to jog her memory -- as well as give her a hand with the garden, play games, and help solve problems. All the inhabitants of Flowertot Garden are committed to making this fanciful place a happy, comfortable community.
If you're looking for the next great thing in stop-motion animation, this isn't it; the clay figures are rather stiff in their movements and facial expressions, so it's hard to be really engaged by them (even in a troublesome situation, some of them still look like they have a smile stuck on their face, which may confuse little kids). Also, there's so much going on in each episode that younger viewers may have a hard time following the action. But the colorful characters and the situations they deal with are fairly imaginative, and the storylines are intended to teach good lessons like teamwork and looking out for one another. And how many other preschooler programs can you name that address organic gardening and composting?
Preschooler-aged fans may also like other stop-motion fare like Bob the Builder (from the same creator as Fifi) and JoJo's Circus.
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Social BehaviorCharacters work together to solve problems (although in one episode, two characters actually cause the problem and don't clearly acknowledge having made a mistake). Promotes positive lessons regarding teamwork and looking out for one another. The environmentally conscious Fifi practices organic gardening and composting. |
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