Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exceptional preschool series celebrates kindness, teamwork.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
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Santiago of the Seas
What's the Story?
In SANTIAGO OF THE SEAS, Isla Encanto gets a new pirate protector when 8-year-old Santiago (voiced by Kevin Chacon) discovers the buried treasure of the island's legendary swashbuckler and inherits his magic compass. Together with his crew––his musical cousin, Tomás (Justice Quiroz), and their mermaid friend, Lorelai (Alyssa Cheatham)––Santiago takes the helm of the powerful ship, El Bravo, and follows the compass to find treasure and to help those in need. But when nemeses like Bonnie Bones (Kyndra Sanchez) come around, it takes every bit of the team's smarts to spoil her nasty plans for the peaceful island and its residents.
Is It Any Good?
Adventure on the high seas got a lot more fun when these friends stepped into their swashbuckling gig. With little touches of magic to keep things really interesting in Santiago of the Seas, Santiago and shipmates Lorelei and Tomás use their fearlessness and compassion wherever the fates take them, finding big and small ways to help those they encounter. As Santiago is inspired by brave and true pirates who came before him, he lets their example guide him to be a good person as well.
Santiago of the Seas incorporates many aspects of Latin American and Caribbean culture in its fantastical setting and characterizations, but none more so than when it comes to elements of the Spanish language. The characters often alternate between using Spanish and English, sticking to the latter for most conversations but including some common Spanish words and phrases, which are often heard several times in an episode for emphasis. It's a seamless bilingual transition that exposes preschoolers to Spanish through useful terms that are easily learned in the context of this vibrant, well-rounded series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Santiago and his friends work together to solve problems in Santiago of the Seas. How does cooperation make the task easier? What are some of the challenges in working with other people toward a common goal?
Santiago is driven by compassion and a desire to help others. What work do you see done in your community that achieves this same thing? How does it feel to do something nice for someone else? How does doing so help you?
Kids: Are Santiago and his crew mates friendly pirates? Have you seen other shows or read stories about pirates who aren't so friendly? What does that say about the importance of getting to know someone before judging him?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 9, 2020
- Cast : Kevin Chacon , Justice Quiroz , Alyssa Cheatham
- Network : Nickelodeon
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Mermaids ) , Adventures , Pirates , Animals ( Ocean Creatures , Sharks ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Awards : Common Sense Selection , Emmy - Emmy Award Nominee
- Last updated : August 3, 2026
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