 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Animal Mechanicals
- The Hub
- Genre: Kids' Animation
Common Sense Media says
Characters' friendly adventures hold good messages for tots.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that preschoolers will love this colorful, upbeat series about a group of friends who team up to help others, and they’ll benefit from the show’s great messages about self-awareness, problem-solving, and having a positive attitude. The characters often make mistakes in their adventures, but each error teaches them a lesson and helps them attack the challenge in a more productive way. The animals put their individual skills to work when their friends are in a jam, which offers positive lessons about the importance of self-respect and appreciating your own talents.
What's the story?
In ANIMAL MECHANICALS, Rex (voiced by Jim Fowler), Unicorn (Leah Ostry), Komodo (Shannon Lynch), Mouse (Abigail Gordon), and Sasquatch (Ian MacDougall) join forces when trouble knocks for one of their neighbors. Each day presents a new challenge for the friends when Island Owl (Lenore Zann) shows them who needs help and they set off to lend a hand. Unfortunately, their adventures usually include some missteps, which compound their obstacles, but when they put their heads together and activate their individual super skills, there’s no challenge that these go-getters can’t handle.
Is it any good?
Preschoolers will delight in this energetic series that’s set in a colorful world made of blocks, tracks, and cogs. The fact that every part of the Animal Mechanicals land can be disassembled and reconstructed is reflective of one of the show’s most positive themes: Mistakes happen to everyone, but with some patience and ingenuity, we can learn from them and start over again. The characters’ adventures are full of pitfalls, but it’s their positive attitude and ability to work through the challenges as a team that will stick with kids.
Alongside these lessons about cooperation are some equally satisfying ones about self-awareness, and these unique characters are great models of respect and self-esteem. Not only do they all look vastly different from one another, but they also have individualized skills like strength, flight, and speed that save the day at different points throughout the stories. Sure, kids can’t boast the same transformational abilities as Rex, Sasquatch, and the rest of the gang, but with parents’ encouragement, they can start to identify their own special talents and discover how they can put them to good use.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the challenges the characters face. Who was in trouble in the story? How did the animals try to help? What mistakes did they make? Did they learn any lessons from their mistakes? When have you learned important lessons from a mistake you’ve made?
Kids: What are your special skills and talents? How do you work to improve or practice these skills? How do you put them to good use?
Kids: How do you define a hero? Who are some of your heroes? Why do you look up to them?
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Kid, 8 years old
June 11, 2011
AGE
the best
its the best show
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Kid, 11 years old
January 8, 2011
AGE
This show is...LAME! I mean the characters don't ake sense. The plot stinks. Come on! I mean little kids will like it but, it's just dumb. Nothing more, nothing less.
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| Topics: | adventures, friendship, wild animals |
| TV rating: | TV-Y |
| Network: | The Hub |
| Cast: | Jim Fowler, Leah Ostry, Shannon Lynch |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
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