Parents' Guide to CoComelon

Toddlers and young preschoolers will love these music videos because they are such a close reflection of their lives. CoComelon shows the main character JJ doing regular toddler things like spending time with family, taking a nap, and learning things at preschool. The songs themselves are slow and simple enough that young kids can actually understand the lyrics and learn things from them. Many of the songs also do a great job modeling positive behavior like helping friends or caring for animals, and many also help kids name emotions like fear or sadness.

Overall, these are songs that young kids love, but there are a few inconsistencies with CoComelon. The characters appear to be about 1 year old, but are shown doing things in school like cutting with scissors, or playing tug-of-war. They also babble like babies most of the time, but will break into full sentences randomly. The show has scenes that depict responsible father figures (dad teaches kids how to throw a ball and fix things). Boys imagine their future roles as firefighters and construction workers on career day. Girls express their interests in becoming all sorts of professionals: chefs, performers, athletes, police officers, etc. The kids at school are racially diverse, though JJ and his family are White. Also, the hourlong format may be difficult for parents who limit screen time, as there's not a natural stopping point in the episode and young kids may have a hard time turning the songs off.