Parents' Guide to

Ask the Storybots

By Natascha Crandall, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Kids' big questions get answered by friendly, funny bots.

TV Netflix Kids' Animation 2016
Ask the Storybots 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 4+

Based on 42 parent reviews

For Y.
For Y. Adult
April 24, 2023
age 5+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much swearing
Salexa
Salexa Parent of 5-year-old
March 29, 2022
age 5+

Not as squeaky clean as it makes out

Noisy, angry, sometimes scary and even violent (despite the ratings). I find the energy of this to be quite negative and the pursuit of true information is often obfuscated in order to spin out the episode so that real learning is frustrated. And meanwhile the story isn’t so great either. Wish my child didn’t like it so much! Netflix kids content is pretty poor. Not to mention the hazing reference mentioned in another review.
See all 42 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In ASK THE STORYBOTS, five interesting creatures who live inside a computer are tasked with the job of answering a real kid's big question, such as "What makes night happen?" or "Why is the sky blue?" Together, they explore all areas of the world and ask many creatures along the way for help, before discovering the answer. Once the answer's in, the Storybots report back to their boss, then share their newfound information with the curious kid. Each scene in the show is visually distinct, with characters appearing in 2D and 3D animation, in Claymation, as puppets, and in live action.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (42):
Kids say (8):

The animated show is both educational and entertaining in every scene yet is visually appealing as well as humorous enough to make both children and parents laugh out loud. While the premise of Ask the Storybots is to answer a child's question, the antics that the characters get themselves into are very funny, and each episode always has an educational twist without being obvious. For instance, when trying to find out how airplanes fly, viewers will learn how green screens are used to make it look like superheroes fly, that penguins can't fly, and how the bald eagle represents America, but these facts are cleverly communicated through great comedic writing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the answer to the big question, but parents also can point out the not-so-obvious things that were suggested in Ask the Storybots, such as how hummingbirds sound like they hum and how the sun never really goes away the way it seems to.

  • Kids: What would you like to ask the Storybots? How do you find answers to your big questions? What else did you learn in the episode that you never knew before?

  • How do the characters in Ask the Storybots demonstrate perseverance, curiosity, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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