Parents' Guide to

Bet on Your Baby

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Parents beg babies to perform to win college cash.

TV ABC Game Shows 2013
Bet on Your Baby Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 3+

Based on 1 parent review

gmagpanKS
gmagpanKS Adult
June 1, 2013
age 3+

Thumbs up from gma and gpa n KS

a very nice family show for a saturday night. My whole family near and far just love the show.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

BET ON YOUR BABY is a game show that has parents betting on how well they can can predict their babies' unpredictable behavior in hopes of adding to their college funds. Each episode features five babies playing backstage while host Melissa Peterman introduces a challenge. One parent must go backstage and take their baby into playroom called the Baby Dome and encourage him/her to follow instructions for things like twirling in circles, stacking cookies, and/or holding on to a beach ball for one minute without letting go. The other parent must bet on whether or not the child will actually complete the task in a specified amount of time. If s/he bets correctly, $5,000 in college tuition money is awarded to the child. At the end of the show, all the parents return to play the College Round for a chance to win up to a $50,000 college scholarship for their baby.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

Bet on Your Baby combines cute baby antics and game show suspense to create some entertaining moments. Most of the fun comes from watching the kids doing their own thing as the parents encourage and/or even beg them to do the things that will help them win. Adding to the fray is Peterman's humor, which is showcased in-between rounds as she spends a little one-on-one time with each of that episode's featured babies.

Much is made about the fact that the children think they are on a spectacular playdate, and that they aren't exposed to anything that is harmful and/or intimidating during the show. However, there is something a little odd about having parents trying to manipulate their children to do something for money, even if it is for a good cause. But if you can get past this, the show offers some funny moments that are mild enough for audiences of all ages.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about game shows. Why do people appear on them? Is it just for the chance to win money and prizes? To have fun? To have some moments in the spotlight? Can a game show ever go too far?

  • What is the difference between showing off a child and exploiting them for entertainment or money? Even though the parents featured on this game show are trying to win money for their children's future education, is it appropriate to manipulate their children's behavior in front of a camera in order to get the cash? Or is this just something done in good fun?

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.

See all recommended tv lists

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