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Prototype This!

(Rated TV-G, Reality TV, Starring Zoz Brooks, Joe Grand, Mike North, Where to watch: Discovery Channel, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    High-tech inventions will wow curious families.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Experts combine their scientific knowledge and imagination to solve a new problem in each episode. The series shows the scientific process in action, demonstrating how innovators theorize, experiment, and gather information from mistakes to reach a conclusion.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    No violence, but cast members sometimes get bumped and bruised during test runs.

  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Prototype This!

Parents need to know that the experts featured in this series use knowledge and imagination to come up with solutions to problems like the hazards of road rage. There's plenty of worthwhile educational material here -- as well as inspiration for budding inventors. The subject matter is too advanced for littler kids, but tweens and up will be fascinated.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about inventing. Does this series inspire you to solve a problem through an invention? What would you create? What tools and technology would you use? How do you think your invention would change people's lives? How do problems create opportunities? Families can also discuss the sciences. What scientific specialties were represented in this show? How did the experts put their knowledge to use on this problem? What aspects of science interest you?
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