Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this three-hour programming block for preschoolers features live educational segments in between episodes of popular shows like Bob the Builder and Dragon Tales. The energetic hosts incorporate important skills like counting, letter recognition, and color identification into their animated dialogue, encouraging kids to chime in. They also make frequent, repetitive references to the show's Web site, which allows viewers to submit birthday greetings, weather reports, and comments. (Common Sense Media doesn't recommend Web surfing for kids under 4.)
Families can talk about the show's various themes. Kids: What was the theme of the show this week? What did you learn? Which of the songs, games, and puzzles were your favorites? What did you like about them? Parents can expand on the show's weekly themes through books, craft projects, field trips, and discussions. For example, take your kids to a local event or destination that coincides with the featured topic, and talk about what you experience. (An animal theme might inspire a trip to the zoo or an animal shelter, for instance.) For older preschoolers, the show's use of viewers' names and hometowns offers a great opportunity to pull out a map and expose kids to where these states are in relation to their own home.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Emily Ashby
THE SUNNY SIDE UP SHOW is a high-energy, three-hour programming block that combines quality kids' shows like The Berenstain Bears and Barney & Friends with exciting live segments designed to encourage preschoolers' curiosity about the world around them and their desire to master critical skills like counting, colors, and letter recognition.
The show joins Sprout's other programming blocks -- The Let's Go Show and The Good Night Show -- to round out the course of preschoolers' days, taking them from the morning through evening hours with curriculum-based entertainment they're sure to learn from and enjoy.
The hosted segments of The Sunny Side Up Show are set in a whimsical barn that's perfectly decked out for its juvenile viewers with bold colors and kiddie artwork (much of which was submitted by young fans via the show's Web site). Hosts Kevin Yamada, Kelly Vrooman, and Sean Roach, who rotate on-air duties, practically ooze enthusiasm for the featured subject of the day, warmly inviting kids to laugh, play, and learn along with them.
Each week, the show centers on a new theme, and youngsters (or "Sproutlets," as they're called by the hosts) learn about themselves and the world around them as they explore topics like animals, family, and "All About Me." Kids are repeatedly encouraged to interact with the hosts -- and their peppy puppet sidekick, Chica -- by answering questions, piecing together clues to a puzzle, and counting or reciting facts.
The fact that the show airs live enhances the hosts' abilities to both connect with and teach preschoolers as well, allowing them to reference current holidays and other events and to receive and respond to email submissions in a timely manner. From birthday greetings for young fans to weather reports from kids all over the country, the series incorporates real-life Sproutlets at every turn, even applauding do-gooders with a "Good Egg" award for extra efforts at home or school.
Mixed in with all of this educational content are abbreviated versions of kids' favorite Sprout shows. The constant back-and-forth between these episodes and the live segments allows plenty of stopping points for those who want to limit their children's TV intake -- the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend more than two hours of total screen time per day for preschoolers -- so don't be turned off by the show's three-hour "runtime."
The only sticky point is the show's reliance on its Web site for viewer submissions. Although in many ways the joint effort is a great way to get kids involved in the show, Common Sense Media doesn't recommend Web surfing for kids under 4 (plus, parents are likely to quickly tire of the hosts' constant reminders -- and kids' constant requests -- to log on and check out what's new on the site).
Other good choices for preschoolers include Pinky Dinky Doo, Oobi, and Wilbur.
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Social BehaviorThe series encourages preschoolers to learn about their world and express themselves through games, crafts, and stories. Learning is central to the show's weekly themes, and kids are exposed to preschool-level concepts like letters, numbers, days of the week, and colors. |
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CommercialismViewers are repeatedly encouraged to visit the show's Web site, SproutOnline.com, where they can create submissions for the show and play games. |
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