Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Magic, mischief, and lessons for young tweens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Wizards of Waverly Place
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 51 parent reviews
Parents say the show strikes a balance between humor and more mature themes, making it more suitable for older kids, particularly those aged 9 and up. While it offers positive messages about family and responsibility, some worry about the portrayal of its main character as a less-than-ideal role model, particularly regarding her attitude and behavior towards authority, which could influence younger viewers negatively.
- age appropriateness
- humor balance
- mixed role models
- family themes
- viewer concerns
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 206 kid reviews
Kids say the show is entertaining and nostalgic, often praising its humor and character dynamics, especially the sibling relationships. However, many adults express concern about the main character's influence, citing her as a poor role model for children due to her disrespectful behavior and reliance on magic for shortcuts, which overshadows any lessons learned throughout the series.
- role model concerns
- humor and entertainment
- sibling dynamics
- nostalgic appeal
- character behavior
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
To casual observers, Justin (David Henrie), Alex (Selena Gomez), and Max Russo (Jake T. Austin) are typical siblings, living in Manhattan with their parents, Jerry (David DeLuise) and Theresa (Maria Canals Barrera). In truth, the siblings are anything but ordinary: They inherited powers from their dad's side of the family and are actually wizards in training, learning the ins and outs of their magical craft. But despite Jerry's best intentions, their focus often strays from his careful instruction when they realize their powers can be used for more entertaining endeavors. As their magical powers strengthen, Justin, Alex, and Max must learn to control them -- and identify appropriate times for their use -- or run the risk of losing them altogether.
Is It Any Good?
WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE is full of standard Disney TV fare: a nuclear family headed by two devoted (if often outwitted) parents, tweens and teens with woes that young viewers will easily relate to (a snobby rival who lives to embarrass a teen girl, for example), and squeaky-clean content. There's little here to worry parents of the show's target tween audience; while there's often some mild misbehaving of some sort going on, in the end, important lessons are learned and consequences are faced.
If you're looking for a worry-free series to transition your young tween into the next stage of entertainment, Wizards of Waverly Place might be right up your alley. But don't be surprised if older tweens -- who will easily see through the predictable storylines -- find the package a bit hokey.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how siblings relate to each other. Kids: Do you think the characters' relationships are realistic? If you have siblings, how are the show's characters similar to you and your brothers and sisters? How are they different?
Is it ever difficult to get along with siblings? Why? What do you do then?
Do you think you would be closer to your family if you all shared a secret like the young wizards in the show do?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 12, 2007
- Cast : David Henrie , Jake T. Austin , Selena Gomez
- Network : Disney Channel
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Book Characters , Friendship
- TV rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : December 11, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate