The Land Before Time

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Lovable dinosaur friends return in TV series.
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.

Find out more

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

Find out more

Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this animated series -- inspired by the popular movie series of the same name -- shows kids that the bonds of friendship go deeper than appearance, ability, or, in this case, species. Despite their differences, the characters appreciate one another for who they are and often combine their individual strengths to conquer adversity. Very young viewers may be frightened by some aggressive predators who roar and snap at smaller animals, but older kids will enjoy the group's adventures and benefit from the show's positive messages.

  • The friends hail from many different species, and they learn to work together and rely on one another's strengths to overcome obstacles. Lessons in friendship, dependability, patience, and being true to yourself are central to the plot.
  • Aggressive dinosaurs roar menacingly, lunge and snap at smaller animals, and smash rock and walls in their way. Earthquakes, falling rocks, and waterfalls often put the young characters in danger.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

Nearly two decades (and many sequels) after the original Land Before Time movie, curious, level-headed longneck dinosaur Littlefoot (voiced by Cody Arens) and his prehistoric pals return in this animated series that promotes strength of character, dependability, self-respect, and friendship. Littleneck's band of young dinosaurs includes nervous pterodactyl Petrie (Jeff Bennett); stubborn triceratops Cera (Anndi McAfee); sensitive parasaurolophus Ducky (Aria Curzon); gentle stegosaurus Spike (Rob Paulsen); jovial T. rex Chomper (Max Burkholder), and feathered oviraptor Ruby (Meghan Strange). Life in the Great Valley is as good as it gets for the friends. They've always got each other to lean on when they get in a jam, and there is always something fun to do -- as long as they keep their distance from villainous T. rex Red Claw (Peter Sepenuk), who terrorizes the leaf-eating dinosaurs living in the Mysterious Beyond.


Is it any good?

 

The Land Before Time franchise owes its tremendous staying power to lovable characters who ably mix positive messages about self-esteem, friendship, and teamwork with adventurous spirits. In one segment, for example, Ducky is insecure about being so small compared to his friends. Turning to Ruby for help, he's reminded that others' perception of him depends on how he sees himself: "If you can think big, you can talk big, too," she says.

Kids will revel in the prehistoric pals' antics, but very young viewers may be frightened by some of the menacing predators who smash walls and snap at the smaller dinosaurs.


Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

Families can talk about friendship. How do the characters show their friends that they care about them? Do they ever disagree? How do they resolve their differences? Kids: Who are your friends? What do you like about them? How do you show your feelings about them? How do you feel if they hurt your feelings? Families can also talk about teamwork. How do Littlefoot and his friends work together to get themselves out of trouble? Kids: When have you been part of a team? How do teammates support each other? What special abilities do you bring to a team?


This review was written by Emily Ashby
Kid, 12 years old
March 17, 2010
 
it is now on TV Land
children under the age of 13 try to handle bad things, from the age of 13 thru age 18 it's fun 2 not doo ba things adults over the age of 18, they may find happiness, and i don't think The Land Before Time is appropriate for chuldren under 16.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
March 17, 2010
 
it is now on TV Land
children under the age of 13 try to handle bad things, from the age of 13 thru age 18 it's fun 2 not doo ba things adults over the age of 18, they may find happiness, and i don't think The Land Before Time is appropriate for chuldren under 16.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 11 years old
March 17, 2010
 
it is now on TV Land
children under the age of 13 try to handle bad things, from the age of 13 thru age 18 it's fun 2 not doo ba things adults over the age of 18, they may find happiness, and i don't think The Land Before Time is appropriate for chuldren under 16.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 12 years old
March 17, 2010
 
it is now on TV Land
children under the age of 13 try to handle bad things, from the age of 13 thru age 18 it's fun 2 not doo ba things adults over the age of 18, they may find happiness, and i don't think The Land Before Time is appropriate for chuldren under 16.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
March 17, 2010
 
it is now on TV Land
children under the age of 13 try to handle bad things, from the age of 13 thru age 18 it's fun 2 not doo ba things adults over the age of 18, they may find happiness, and i don't think The Land Before Time is appropriate for chuldren under 16.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 11 years old
March 17, 2010
 
it is now on TV Land
children under the age of 13 try to handle bad things, from the age of 13 thru age 18 it's fun 2 not doo ba things adults over the age of 18, they may find happiness, and i don't think The Land Before Time is appropriate for chuldren under 16.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 15 years old
April 2, 2010
 
They had a SERIES??
WHOA! They had a series?! When!? I wanna see it!

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
 
A good show
I good show for kids and families! I actually LOVE that show. With some good songs like Above the Mysterious Above! and I Feel So Happy! Great morals too. Like The Mysterious Tooth Crisis. It teaches kids when they loose their teeth, they won't "fall to pieces" Ducky doesnt sound like herself in the movies, get used to that! Those who like this show will also like Futurama if you are a good Past and Future Fan

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
February 19, 2009
 
Terrible rehash of a fairly good 80's cartoon.
I don't mind that The Land Before Time has gone franchise, but having seen this cartoon, I'm a little disheartened by the direction it has taken. The messages feel a little forced. I wouldn't push my children to watch this drivel, as I would prefer to engage my children on these issues myself.

Flag as inappropriate 

This review was written by Emily Ashby
This review was written by Emily Ashby
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
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.

 

vote now

Will you see The Land Before Time?


Already seen it? What do you think?

 

Been There? Tell us about it