Big Crazy Family Adventure
Common Sense says
- Travel Channel
- Reality TV
- 2015
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Big Crazy Family Adventure is a family-friendly reality show that documents the international travels of a family with small kids. There's some social drinking (beer, wine, local alcoholic beverages) as well as some mildly tense moments when things don't go according to plan, but overall the series is upbeat and full of positive messages about family, travel, and finding different ways to explore the world.
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What's the story?
BIG CRAZY FAMILY ADVENTURE is a reality show that features former guide and travel writer Bruce Kirby as he sets out with his family on an adventure of a lifetime. Cameras follow as he travels with his wife, Christine, and their sons, 7-year-old Bodi and 3-year-old Taj, on a three-month journey from British Columbia to Ladakh, India, without boarding a single airplane. With the help of family, friends, travel agents, and special favors, they make their way by canoe, train, cargo ship, taxi, and beast of burden to a remote Himalayan monastery. It isn't an easy journey but one that promises to teach them lots of exciting lessons about the world.
Is it any good?
The series honestly documents the wonderful triumphs and frustrating trials that come from embarking on an international trek with small children that is long, non-luxurious, and full of unexpected twists, including delays, unexpected border "fines," and illness. It also highlights the additional challenges that arise when one kid has special needs. But, throughout it all, the Kirbys underscore the importance of making the most of each experience and appreciating the lessons they offer about the world and the different cultures of those who live in it.
Though details are shared about locales and the people they meet on each leg of the trip, much of the show focuses on how the Kirbys function as a family while continuously adapting to new environments and situations. It also reveals how they're able to unplug from, and let go of, the things that are most familiar to them and find new and unique ways to explore and have fun. It's a trip we may not all be able to take but one that reminds us that the journey is often more rewarding than the destination.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about travel. Why do so many people find it so appealing? What are the benefits of it? Are their any drawbacks? Could you travel the way the Kirby family does? Are there any places you would like to travel to? How would you like to get there?
What are some of the ways people make a living from traveling? How do people make a career out of it? Is it something you would like to do someday?
TV details
- Premiere date: June 28, 2015
- Cast: Bruce Kirby, Christine Kirby, Bodi Kirby
- Network: Travel Channel
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-G
- Available on: Streaming
- Last updated: November 13, 2019
Our editors recommend
For kids who love travel
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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.
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