Parents' Guide to

Poppy Cat

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Lovable book character brings delightful adventures to TV.

TV Sprout Kids' Animation 2011
Poppy Cat Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 2+

Based on 3 parent reviews

AlcyoneSong
AlcyoneSong Parent
December 3, 2017
age 2+

Quiet show good for winding down

I encounter Poppy Cat nearly ten years ago in the UK, as the children I looked after had several of the books. The simplistic art, bold colors, and gentle characters were good for entertaining toddlers, but I would say the cut off age for the books is probably age 4. The cartoon is gentle and seems to give the characters a bit more depth, at least as much as can be given in a show designed for preschoolers. The problems the characters encounter focus on developing imagination, and social skills. This is not a show that has a teaching focus like Nina’s World or Daniel Tiger, instead it’s messages are in the context of a story similar to Maisy the Mouse.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
AuntieRants
AuntieRants Adult
July 1, 2017
age 2+

Wonderful kids show to entertain and delight

This show is unique, entertaining, appropriate, and fun! I live with my 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12 year old nieces and nephews, and the ones 5 and under always sit around the TV when the shows come on. There is no violence, no annoying voices or songs, positive role models (both female and male), and no inappropriate potty humor jokes (rare in children's cartoons nowadays). Poppy Cat leads her group of friends on adventures through a young child's eyes. Egburt (the antagonist) is a bit annoying and rude, but isn't scary or too mean. Another thing is that Poppy Cat is relatively gender neutral. While Alma the bunny is pink and girly, Poppy Cat is a female but she wears gender-neutral clothing. This show is best for children 2-6 (after that it might bore kids), but I still find myself watching it today.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

POPPY CAT is an animated series based on books of the same name by Lara Jones. The stories center on a feline named Poppy Cat (voiced by Joanna Page) and his menagerie of friends, all of whom travel to far-off places to see and learn about the world. Poppy Cat's adventures are introduced by his human, a young girl named Lara, who starts out each episode by reading a story to her faithful kitty before Poppy Cat and his friends take center stage and set off on grand journeys via hot air balloons, pirate ships, and the like.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Everything about this whimsical short-form series beckons to preschoolers, from the simple animation style to the characters' inherent curiosity, and tots are sure to want to come along for the ride when Poppy Cat and his friends are at the helm. There's no adventure too big -- or small -- for this bunch, and their travels teach them important lessons about relating to others, solving problems, and talking about their feelings. The characters do a very good job of showing (not just telling) kids that even though we're all different, we can still find enough common ground to build a friendship and work together.

Perhaps the best aspect of this show is that it introduces youngsters to a lovable set of characters who can come alive for them in the pages of Jones' books, as well, giving parents a great reason to cuddle up with their kiddies for some reading after the TV's turned off. With a running time of around 10 minutes per episode, there's ample opportunity to work in both to the routine.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Poppy Cat's adventures. What prompted the characters to set off on a journey? How did they travel? Whom did they meet? Did they find what they were looking for? What did they learn from the experience?

  • Kids: How are Poppy Cat and his friends different from each other? Do these differences ever cause problems or misunderstandings? How is diversity a good thing among friends? How are you and your friends different?

  • Have you read any of the Poppy Cat books? Which are your favorites? Do the characters' animated selves stay true to how they seem in the books? What, if any, changes do you notice between the stories and the series? What other books would you like to see as TV shows?

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 suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

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