Ready, Steady, Wiggle!
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Aussie entertainers get kids moving with catchy songs.
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Ready, Steady, Wiggle!
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What's the Story?
READY, STEADY, WIGGLE! features a mostly new generation of harmonious entertainers for preschoolers. Joining original band member Anthony (Anthony Field) are Simon (Simon Pryce), Emma (Emma Watkins), and Lachy (Lachlan Gillespie), plus fan favorites Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog, and Henry the Octopus. The show intersperses music videos and skits designed to teach kids and get them moving to the band's popular songs.
Is It Any Good?
This Wiggles incarnation is as energetic and engaging as the original was, spelling good news for a whole new group of preschoolers. The songs are simple, repetitive, and undeniably catchy and generally a mix of new ones and golden oldies from the Wiggles archives. The addition of a female cast member is a welcome change to the previously all-male band as well.
Even though Ready, Steady, Wiggle!'s focus is on singing, dancing, and silly costumes and skits, there is some learning to be had at the Wiggles' direction. The stories encourage characteristics such as empathy, curiosity, and helpfulness, and the characters are very comfortable in their own skins. The songs often incorporate colors, shapes, and other basic skills, and the group's cooperative mentality reminds kids that differences can be a good thing within a team setting. Other content is more direct in how it teaches, as with segments such as "Anthony's Alphabet," which helps with letter recognition and sounds.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the band's music. Do your preschoolers like the songs? Which are their favorites? How does listening to music inspire them to move and dance?
Parents can help reinforce what was learned in this episode. What was the letter of the day? What sound(s) does it make? What did the characters learn in the story? How can you apply a similar lesson in what you do?
How can you tell that all the Wiggles like who they are and what makes them unique? How does brining their unique personalities to the group make it better? What do your kids like most about themselves?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 11, 2013
- Cast: Anthony Field, Simon Pryce, Lachlan Gillespie, Emma Watkins
- Network: Hulu
- Genre: Kids Musical TV
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Music and Sing-Along, Numbers and Letters
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-G
- Last updated: September 20, 2019
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