Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that the series' gross-out factor might be disturbing for some very young kids -- one host eats raw seal, a cockroach's head is cut off to demonstrate its ability to continue to live and move without it, etc. There can also be apparent violence in demonstrations: for example, showing how police teams disarm a hostage taker or how martial arts movies are made. Although it's made clear that these are just demonstrations, they could be confusing to young viewers. Episode descriptions might help you determine whether a particular episode will work for the whole family.
Families with kindergartners and younger grade-schoolers are especially likely to find plenty to talk about here. Most episodes offer a behind-the-scenes look at something kids may have already been curious about -- like a gator farm or a big city sewer system -- and talking it over will deepen a child's understanding of what they've seen. Other episodes show the teen hosts trying extreme sports and activities from jet cars to skydiving in a wind tunnel. Would you want to try that? Why (or why not)?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: KJ Dell'Antonia
POPULAR MECHANICS FOR KIDS isn't always exactly what you'd expect from a show with this title. Sometimes it explores the inner workings of sewer systems, roller coasters, and space travel. Other episodes look more like reality adventure TV, with the teen hosts experiencing a traditional Inuit feast (with plenty of gross-out items -- including raw seal -- on the menu) or wrestling alligators. Either way, it makes for good family viewing, but it isn't always the educational experience it purports to be.
The teen hosts (the roster has included Jay Baruchel, Vanessa Lengies, Tyler Kyte, and 24's Elisha Cuthbert) are the conduit to each experience for the viewer. They try things out, ask questions, and sometimes provide the explanation for or talk about what they've learned. An adult (Charles Powell) sometimes pops up to offer suggestions on how to build something or have a similar experience at home -- where and how to find insects to look at, for example.
The program is perfect for middle graders. Younger viewers will enjoy it, too, but may have questions they need you to answer and may need to be reminded that what's happening is just a demonstration (police breaking down a door, for example). For kids that age, it's best to watch with them -- or at least be nearby.
Kids who enjoy Popular Mechanics for Kids should also like Get Out There! and Dragonfly TV.
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ViolenceOccasional simulated violence, for demonstration purposes -- like how cops break a door down, or how karate movies are made. Some gross-out segments, too (eating raw seal, cutting the head off of a cockroach). Nothing is ever gratuitous; it all has a purpose. |
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Social BehaviorPromotes curiosity and learning, but it's not always strictly educational. |
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