Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cute toys' silly adventures fun but serve as one big ad.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Shopkins: Chef Club
What's the Story?
In SHOPKINS: CHEF CLUB, the three central human characters, Jessicake, Donatina, and Bubbleisha, assemble teams of their little Shopkin grocery-item buddies, including Kookie Cookie, Libby Lips, Cheeky Chocolate, and Miss Sprinkles, to join the local cooking academy, the Chef Club. Peppermint, the Club's leader, wants each team to create four fantastical recipes (including Upside Down Ruby Huby Soup and Spaghetti-and-Meatballs with Popcorn) to become members. Not all the Shopkins are comfortable in a kitchen, so chaos is unavoidable. Despite exploding spaghetti sauce, a fuddy-duddy gum-gum tree, a daring cookie rescue, and a monumental cleanup job, the Shopkins work together to make their club membership a reality. Peppermint proves to be right all along -- cooking is an adventure, and it's best when friends do it together.
Is It Any Good?
Commercially motivated cuteness teamed with everyday products assures that most kids will respond to another toy brand, another invasion of "collectibles," and another routine cartoon. What 4- or 5-year-old wouldn't laugh at exploding spaghetti sauce, characters based on snacks, sweets, and makeup, and a kitchen covered wall to wall with spilled food? It's surprising that given an opportunity to provide some simple truths about healthy eating and smart consumerism for even the youngest kids, this brand mainly focuses on what kids already love but is not always best for them. With its colorful silliness, generic music, and a little obvious messaging, Shopkins: Chef Club is harmless (except for the very young who aren't ready for one-inch-by-one-inch dolls) but unremarkable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the fact that Peppermint's goal for the Chef Club was to promote friendship in Shopkins: Chef Club. Did she succeed in her goal? What is the purpose of a club?
How does a company benefit when they release certain dolls or toys for a limited amount of time, labeling them "rare," "ultra rare," or "special edition"?
What did Bubbleisha learn about getting compliments from others? There are rewards received both from doing a job well and getting thanked for it. Which is most important to you? Why?
How is this movie designed to make you want to buy things?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 25, 2016
- Cast : Erika Harlacher , Marieve Herington , David Lodge
- Director : Raymond McGrath
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Baking , Competition , Cooking , Friendship , Sports
- Run time : 44 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 9, 2025
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