Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gentle, sweet series aimed at very young preschoolers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 2+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say this show features adorable characters and bright colors, making it a charming choice for toddlers, though many reviewers express concerns about the confusing language and surreal elements that some find disturbing. While it has its fans who appreciate its cuteness and peaceful setting, others criticize the nonsensical dialogue and sometimes suggest inappropriate content, leading to mixed feelings about its suitability for children.
- cute characters
- inappropriate content
- confusing language
- surreal elements
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
IN THE NIGHT GARDEN is a British preschool series that centers on the colorful inhabitants of a fantastical forest. Each episode opens with a scene of a young child being lulled to sleep -- setting the scene for its soothing tone -- which leads into a visit to the garden where Makka Pakka (Justyn Towler), Igglepiggle (Nick Kellington), and Upsy Daisy (Rebecca Hyland) live and play among friends like the pint-sized Pontipines and the jovial Tombliboos. As the characters have very limited vocabulary (most of their speech is toddler-like babbling), their movements are narrated by Derek Jacobi.
Is It Any Good?
Parents surely will notice that this mild show bears strong resemblance to another British series that cast bright, costumed characters, and in fact In the Night Garden is produced by two of the creators of Teletubbies. The show emphasizes friendly, loving relationships, and its soothing tone ensures that it will bring preschoolers down from their naturally frantic pace.
This is intended to be a bedtime show that will relax kids for a restful night's sleep, but the use of any TV show in this capacity is iffy at best. What's more, the show's decidedly juvenile characters and scenarios ensure it's probably best suited for toddlers or young preschoolers, which then raises the weighty issue of when it's appropriate to allow very young kids to watch TV at all.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about these unusual characters. Kids: Do you like Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka, Igglepiggle, and their friends? Which are your favorites? How are they alike or different from the types of characters you see in other shows?
Kids: How does the characters' lack of linguistic skills affect your ability to understand their actions? How does the narrator help you? What clues can you take from the characters' movements or expressions to understand what they're thinking?
Kids: How do the characters show that they are friends? What kinds of things do they do for each other to be helpful or friendly? How do you help your friends?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 19, 2007
- Cast : Derek Jacobi , Nick Kellington , Rebecca Hyland
- Networks : Discovery Family Channel , CBeebies
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Puppets
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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