Parents' Guide to

Frances: Bedtime for Frances

By Nancy Davis Kho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Great lessons and cute stories for preschoolers.

Movie NR 2009 46 minutes
Frances: Bedtime for Frances Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 3+

Based on 4 parent reviews

ingodslove@hotmail.com
[email protected] Parent of 2 and 5-year-old
April 14, 2011
age 3+

I cant recommend it.

My kids (2,4) learned bad behaviors from watching this movie. They started stalling before bed and claiming that there were scary things in their room when they hadnt previously thought of that. Also, Frances is demanding and rude sometimes and this goes uncorrected by her parents. I don;t let my kids get away with stuff like that. Yes, I agree that some of the movie possibly helps little ones learn how to deal with common childhood problems, but for us, it just caused more problems. The music and graphics are cute and colorful and my kids really like to watch it.
yip95
yip95 Parent of 4-year-old
March 25, 2011
age 4+
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on characters from the books by Lillian and Russell Hoban, FRANCES: BEDTIME FOR FRANCES bundles up three episodes from the animated children's series created by Jim Henson Productions. All center on a lovable girl badger named Frances who has a younger sister named Gloria and a best friend named Albert. In the first story, Frances' excitement about a Family Day at Lizardland is dashed when Gloria gets sick. The second story sees Frances helping her mom get ready for a piano recital by decorating cupcakes for her fellow students, and struggling with jealousy and self control in the process. The final tale is one all parents will recognize, as Frances delays bedtime by using her very rich imagination.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (1):

This gentle and funny collection is sure to entertain and educate its target audience of preschoolers. Frances is not perfect, but with her non-stop singing, dancing, and genuinely warm heart she's a heroine that kids will root for. The dilemmas she faces in this DVD are wisely chosen; they're lessons that all kids struggle with during the preschool years. Frances' technique of sneaking off to have some "Me Myself" time when faced with a problem is one that parents may try to emulate for children learning to control their impulses and emotions.

The animation is lovely, utilizing state-of-the-art digital puppetry courtesy of the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a groundbreaking technology that allows performers to puppeteer and voice digital characters in real time. Frances' ongoing sing-song as she works out her problems and choices is nicely set to classical music pieces, reinforcing a little musical education along the way.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Family Day is a big deal for Frances and how she's disappointed when plans go awry. What is your favorite thing to do on a Family Day? When Frances needs some time to think about the right decision to make, she takes "Me Myself" time under the dining room table or her covers. How do you find that quiet time so you can listen to yourself think?

Movie Details

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