Parents' Guide to

Kipper

By Audrey Shapiro, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Adventurous puppy tales for preschoolers.

TV Sprout Kids' Animation 1997
Kipper Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 2+

Based on 21 parent reviews

Kapuku
Kapuku Parent of 3 and 3-year-old
April 16, 2011
age 2+

The best toddler show ever

Love love LOVE kipper! It's the absolutely perfect show for young kids. All episodes are positive and upbeat. There are no serious disagreements between characters, no bad attitudes or language like "stupid" or "dumb", and absolutely no physical violence like pushing or hitting. Best of all, the episodes are calm, quiet and relaxed, a godsend when so many toddler shows are loud, busy and overproduced to seemingly encourage attention disorders. My boys worship kipper and I couldn't be happier that it's their favorite show.

This title has:

Too much violence
Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
And P.
And P. Adult
May 21, 2023
age 2+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 21 parent reviews

What's the Story?

KIPPER introduces preschoolers to the world of a lovable, curious talking dog and his animal friends. Together they learn life lessons, go exploring, and work through conflicts. Based on the award-winning children's books by Mick Inkpen, Kipper's main character (voiced by Martin Clunes) is an earnest friend who has a lot in common with his optimistic, inquisitive preschool viewers. Kipper's two best pals are Tiger and Pig (both voiced by Chris Lang), who often accompany him on outings. Tiger is a worldly, sometimes-sneaky grey schnauzer who loves to try new gadgets and play little tricks while testing the boundaries of friendship. The nasal-voiced Pig is naïve but a loyal friend. Rounding out the group is Pig's baby cousin, Arnold, who doesn't say much but tags along as they explore the world around them.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (21 ):
Kids say (10 ):

Like the Kipper books, the series encourages creative thinking and reinforces preschool lessons about distinguishing right from wrong, cooperation, friendship, kindness, and courtesy toward others. Bottom line? Kipper is a keeper. Kipper's charming storylines are enjoyable and easy for preschoolers to follow, and the lessons the characters learn in each episode are simple and relatable.

The show's British-accented dialogue includes a sprinkling of English words and phrases that kids might not have heard before ("right then" instead of "OK," "sweet" instead of "candy," and so on). The unfamiliar expressions might be a bit of a barrier for the youngest viewers, but the upside is that they give American audiences a little something extra to learn.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it means to be a friend and how the animals interact with one another to resolve their differences. Why is Tiger sometimes tricky? Does the way the animals talk sound "funny"? Why? This might be a good opportunity to discuss the meaning of potentially unfamiliar words and phrases from other countries.

TV Details

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