Parents' Guide to

Ruff-Ruff, Tweet & Dave

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Friends engage kids' learning in fun multiple-choice format.

TV Universal Kids , CBeebies Kids' Animation 2015
Ruff-Ruff, Tweet & Dave 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 1 parent review

Mike H.
Mike H. Adult
August 21, 2016
age 2+

Mostly the right message

Overall I think this is a decent show for children. However there is a portrayal of Dave the blue Panda that I strongly disagree with. The portray Ruff Ruff and Tweet and intelligent and energetic, but aside from the occasional smart moment, the show portrays Dave as a lazy, fat and unintelligent being that only thinks about eating and sleeping and someone without a brain. And the show pokes fun at Dave in every episode. Not the message I want to send to my boys. I know it's a show for very young children and they probably don't pick up on such a detail, but I feel it's still a message that could stay with children over time. Please tweak the format and the show will be much better.
1 person found this helpful.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

RUFF-RUFF, TWEET & DAVE follows three best friends -- a puppy named Ruff-Ruff, a bird named Tweet, and a panda named Dave -- as they embark on a series of adventures and learn about themselves and the world around them. From climbing mountains to understanding rhythm and tempo, these friendly characters come to realize that there's always something new to be discovered, and doing so with friends by your side makes it all the more fun. Led by their friend Hatty the Hamster, Ruff-Ruff, Tweet, and Dave also learn the value of asking questions through a series of guessing games that relate to each story.

Is It Any Good?

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

Billed as "A Multiple-Choice Adventure," Ruff-Ruff, Tweet & Dave makes a game of learning with its unique Q&A format that challenges viewers to a series of multiple-choice quizzes. For each one, Ruff-Ruff, Tweet, and Dave offer three possible answers and ask kids to choose which one they think is right by agreeing with one of the characters. It's a fun, nonthreatening way to engage kids who otherwise might be hesitant to suggest an answer, and, because the characters take turns answering incorrectly, it reminds kids that there's no harm in missing the mark now and then if you're learning along the way.

Kids will like Ruff-Ruff, Tweet & Dave's far-flung settings -- to which they travel in a whirling, twirling airborne vehicle called the Spin-Again -- and parents will love that all the travels expose kids to concepts as varied as musical pitch, emotions, number sense, and wind power, all by way of friendly characters who embrace the joy of experiencing new things.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what they learned in the day's story. Where did the characters visit today? What, if any, problems did they solve? Did working as a team help?

  • Kids: How does it feel when you make a mistake? Why is making mistakes an important part of the learning process? How do Ruff-Ruff, Tweet, and Dave react to making a mistake or stating a wrong answer?

  • If your kids use a device and the show's companion app to play along with the guessing games, do they enjoy that aspect of the show? What are some of their favorite apps or learning games? Why is it important to put limits on screen time?

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