Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

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Parents' Guide to

Albert & Junior

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Talking smart phone answers gentle preschool puzzlers.

TV BabyFirst Kids' Animation 2014
Albert & Junior Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 3+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Brandee H.
Brandee H. Parent
June 1, 2018
age 2+

Even I’m learning

Albert had a traditional childlike look at things (It’s raining because the sky is crying). Junior explains what’s going on and even answering questions. Dinosaurs, airplanes, a fever, whales, counting, the ABCs, brushing teeth. They talk about a lot. I never learned in school why we get a fever when sick, or how airplanes work. So I kind of like the show too. I think it’s a great little cartoon that has teaching qualities.
Corymom
Corymom Adult
March 8, 2016
age 3+

Pre-school animated tv show to prepare your child for school

Albert is a young 3 year old boy who has lots of questions and sounds very grown up to everyone. Albert is a 3 year old boy pre-schooler and junior is some kind of large phone or tablet. Albert loves to ask his buddy junior questions such as how do planes work, why do we go to school? And junior explains how things work or why we need them by showing out basic pictures and scenes. As toddlers or preschoolers get a little bit older they love to know everything! Albert & junior is a new tv show animated at preschoolers teaching things that your toddler or preschooler may ask you. Preschoolers and toddlers love to explore the world and ask people questions! One thing is baby first tv may have gone too far this time. The tv channel is animated at very young children under 4 years of age, Albert & junior may be the most grown up shows for little ones, and younger children may not understand until about 3 years old, the maximum age for the channel.
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What's the Story?

ALBERT & JUNIOR follows the gentle adventures of Albert, a quizzical three-year-old, and Junior, a talking smart device. In each five-minute episode, Albert wonders something: Why do we need to brush our teeth, anyway? How do bees make honey? Why do I need to learn to read and write? Junior then takes Albert on a tour of the answer, with bright graphics illustrating difficult concepts like vitamins or how plaque can cause cavities. Sometimes Albert grumbles about having to go to bed, or eat his vegetables. But Junior usually convinces him that going along with what Mom wants him to do is exactly the right plan.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Slow-moving, mild, and quite charming, this show manages to introduce a few scientific concepts in a way that preschoolers will understand and relate to. Above all, it understands that three-year-olds want to know why. Why do we have to do things the way we're doing them? Why does this or that matter? The choice of subject matter is savvy and perfect for the age: answering lots of why questions, for example, why it rains, or why planes can fly but humans can't. Junior can be a bit of a scold -- we got it, Junior! Vegetables are important! -- but the animation goes on pleasant flights of fancy: "When two carrots dance the tango," Junior emotes over images of carrots having a passionate dance, "they become a glass of yummy carrot juice!" Cute. Preschoolers will think so too, and there's nothing here to alarm or scare them, making this a solid bet for curious young ones.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Junior is. A smart phone? A tablet? Why is he alive and talking?

  • Albert's mother sometimes appears on the show. On many cartoon shows, mothers and fathers are absent or referred to but unseen. Why?

  • How would this show be different if Albert and Junior were animals? Robots? Two people?

TV Details

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