Dragon Tales

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Curious kids and dragons take flight.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the main characters seem to live most of their lives in Dragon Land, spending very little time in the real world with their family. Some parents may see this near-constant escape from reality as off the mark in an educational series. Otherwise, there's not much to object to; this is a positive, entertaining show that mirrors some of the real-life issues preschoolers face. It's worth noting that the show's creators intend it to be paired with other educational media such as online activities and books.

  • Emmy, Max, and their dragon friends help each other learn and grow. The animated cast is diverse, with characters of different genders, races, species, and abilities.
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

Six-year-old Emmy (voiced by Andrea Libman) and 4-year-old Max (Danny McKinnon) have discovered a way to magically transport themselves to Dragon Land using a dragon's scale. Anytime they want, these lucky kids can go see their colorful dragon friends Quetzal (Eli Gabay), Ord (Ty Olsson), Cassie (Chantal Strand), Zak (Jason Michas), and Wheezie (Kathleen Barr). They have many adventures in Dragon Land and meet all kinds of other creatures.


Is it any good?

 

DRAGON TALES intends to positively impact a child's growth and development by encouraging a love of learning and helping children problem-solve and work through the challenges of growing up. The kids and dragons embark on different adventures and attend the School in the Sky, all while learning how to face their fears and handle new situations. The fun, nurturing, and sometimes challenging atmosphere of Dragon Land is a lot like preschool.

Episodes feature situations that preschoolers are likely to face themselves. In one show, Max was on his own in Dragon Land for the first time while his big sister was at camp. He missed her very much and wished she wasn't missing the fun, but then he got the idea to send her some pictures, which made him feel closer to her. This was a good episode for siblings facing being on their own for the first time. Other episodes have shown characters learning the importance of taking turns, coping with losing a beloved blanket, and believing in yourself when you lack confidence.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the situations Emmy and Max face in each episode. What would you do in their position? Which dragon is your favorite? Why? What would you want to do if you could go to Dragon Land?


This review was written by Betsy Wallace
Teen, 18 years old
June 17, 2011
 
Great, childhood memories... (Ignore Landshark)
Why all the hate? Dragon Tales does not have bad animation, as some people say. It's just the style of animating and, if you can't handle it, butt off. Perhaps, people are a bit too demanding and spoiled, and expect some well-done, Avatar-quality show. Listen. What other people say doesn't matter. I think this is a grade A show and deserves more praise. If anything, it's much better than your annoying, fast-paced Yo Gabba Gabba. This show is much better than that. Much of the latest baby shows have lost their touch, and become dreadful and annoying. Dragon Tales, however, seems more viewer-friendly and actually tries to entertain the child. As a '90s kid, this show really grew on me, as did Teletubbies (believe it or not), Sagwa, Arthur, Sesame Street, Caillou, Between the Lions, Cyberchase, etc. Just to name a few of the shows I watched on PBS Kids. If you want a taste of the older PBS (not the newer, suckish one), I highly recommend this show.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
cute...
My four year old absolutely adores this show, it's his favorite. While it isn't MY favorite children's show on PBS because it isn't very interactive I never find my son bringing or saying anything he learned on the show I object to. The animation is pretty, the songs are entertaining and my son looks forward to watching it while I make dinner every night.

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Parent of 19 year old
October 7, 2009
 
a great show for kids ages 2-7
this show is great for kids 2-7. it teaches kids great lessons about never giving up and beilieving in yourself. plus the storys are fun and full of adventure

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Teen, 15 years old
September 29, 2011
 
Perfect Kiddy Show
This is one of the best shows for a toddler.Although i dont watch the shows on disney junior and nick jr anymore,i still watch this.

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Parent
April 9, 2008
 

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Ok, but Ord is a whiner
My son directly picked up "It's too hard!" and "I can't!" from the whiny character Ord. We don't watch the show anymore.

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Kid, 12 years old
October 24, 2010
 
Unlike to watch it at 2nd grade all the time. I'm in 5th grade stopped watching it on 8/31/10.
i love all baby shows at 0 or 1 years of age.

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Teen, 15 years old
October 5, 2010
 
A cute show for kids. It's not innapropriate but kids undemr four may not understand what's going on.

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Kid, 12 years old
August 3, 2010
 
Good for all ages but a bad, bad show.
I've always disliked this show.

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This review was written by Betsy Wallace
This review was written by Betsy Wallace
 

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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