Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Eager preschoolers' curiosity yields learning opportunities.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Elinor Wonders Why
What's the Story?
In ELINOR WONDERS WHY, a curious preschooler and her friends learn about the world around them by exploring, experiencing, and asking questions about the things they don't know. Elinor (voiced by Markeda McKay) is a young rabbit with an insatiable appetite for discovery, and her best friends, Olive (Maria Nash) and Ari (Wyatt White), eagerly accompany her on her adventures. By expressing their curiosity and speaking up when they don't understand something, Elinor and her friends help viewers learn about science and nature along with them.
Is It Any Good?
Elinor is the quintessential preschooler: excitable, full of questions, and determined to get them answered. Happily, she's also not annoying in her persistence, so Elinor Wonders Why is a pleasant watch from start to finish. Elinor's enthusiasm reminds preschoolers that curiosity pays off and that there's no educational substitute for firsthand experience.
Elinor's other reliable resources are the adults in her community who step up to help the kids learn. This communicates two things to the show's young audience: that adults are trustworthy role models and that helpers of all kinds are important to the overall function of a community. As Elinor and her friends learn about tangible science concepts, they're also reminded of these more subtle but equally worthwhile life lessons.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the concepts that inspire Elinor and her friends' curiosity. How do they identify and articulate what they don't know so they can learn? What did you learn from watching their adventures in Elinor Wonders Why?
How do the adults in the characters' community act as role models? Does their willingness to do so invite the kids' curiosity and questions?
What does Elinor Wonders Why say about a community and its members function? Is every person's role in it equally important? When have community helpers had a positive impact on you?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 7, 2020
- Cast : Wyatt White , Markeda McKay , Maria Nash
- Network : PBS Kids
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Friendship , STEM
- Character Strengths : Curiosity
- TV rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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