Parents' Guide to PAW Patrol

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Common Sense Media Review

Emily Ashby By Emily Ashby , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 3+

Cute pups rescue neighbors in friendly cartoon.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 3+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 5+

Based on 74 parent reviews

Parents say that the show, while entertaining for young viewers, has sparked controversy over its appropriateness due to perceived violent content, lack of educational value, and troubling themes surrounding competition and criminal behavior. Many reviewers appreciate the positive messages about teamwork and community, but express concerns over frightening elements and the promotion of bad behavior, leading to a mixed reception among parents regarding its suitability for children.

  • violence concerns
  • educational value low
  • positive messages present
  • teamwork emphasis
  • frightening elements
Summarized with AI

age 4+

Based on 60 kid reviews

Kids say this TV show is enjoyable for young viewers, with many praising its colorful animation and themes of teamwork and community service. However, some critics argue that it lacks educational value and perpetuates negative stereotypes, while also commenting on its over-commercialization and sometimes unrealistic scenarios.

  • fun for kids
  • teamwork emphasis
  • lacks educational value
  • negative stereotypes
  • over-commercialized
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

PAW PATROL is the story of six rescue pups who respond to the call when their neighbors need help. Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Rubble, Zuma, Skye, and later Everest (all voiced by multiple actors), are as brave as they come, and each has a specific job to do when an emergency strikes. Leading the charge is their human friend, Ryder, who sounds the alarm through his handheld communicator to assemble the team at headquarters so they can make a plan and execute a rescue.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 74 ):
Kids say ( 60 ):

It's all paws on deck when something's amiss in Adventure Bay, and the team at the heart of this cute, energetic series is always up to the challenge. Whether the trouble calls for Rubble's digging skills or Chase's keen sense of smell, there's nothing to fear with PAW Patrol on the case. But there's much more to these stories than cute puppies playing heroes; the show's reminders about caring for others and being brave in the face of danger are spot-on for the target preschool audience.

Perhaps the show's best attribute is how it demonstrates the value of thoughtful problem-solving. Do the pups jump into action so quickly that they're trying to outdo each other with their own versions of a rescue? No, they don't. Do they squabble among themselves over whose role in the rescue is the most important? Nope. Instead, they take a moment to collect their thoughts, identify the skills best suited to the job, and support one another's efforts. Kids may not be scaling tall buildings to rescue a neighbor anytime soon, but these same skills can help them tackle smaller stuff like cleaning up messes or resolving disagreements with siblings.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the rewards of showing kindness to others, like the characters do in PAW Patrol . How does it make you feel when you lift someone else's spirits or lend a hand? Have you ever been the one to need help? How did someone help you?

  • Families can talk about the importance of showing kindness to others, like the characters do in PAW Patrol. How does it make you feel when you lift someone else's spirits or lend a hand? Have you ever been the one to need help? How did someone help you?

  • Kids: What special qualities or skills do you have that you can use for the good of others? What can you do in your community or neighborhood to help others?

  • How do the characters in PAW Patrol demonstrate courage and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

TV Details

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

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