Common Sense Media Review
By Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Delightful, fast-paced special a treat for the whole family.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas
What's the Story?
Shaun the Sheep: Flight Before Christmas is a holiday special about Shaun, a sheep, and his adventures trying to retrieve his missing son. Curiously exploring the farmer's house, Shaun's son accidentally gets taken away inside of a gift box and is driven away by The Farmer, who, oblivious as usual, just wants to make it to the local holiday market. The sheep must find a way to get him home and out of the clutches of a cute but chaotic human kid.
Is It Any Good?
As usual for an Aardman (Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep) production, this dialogue-free treat is filled with creative delights, gorgeous stop-motion animation, and oodles of delightful details. There are also some funny modern twists, like when the farmer's online cooking video starts buffering (causing him to add salt about 30 times); smartphones and a Roomba-type vacuum also play roles. This short but fast-paced special is the perfect whole-family (even teens will find themselves charmed by it!) holiday viewing experience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about animation and its different styles. Do you know how a stop-motion movie is made? How is it different than other types of animation?
How do the sheep show teamwork and bravery in their quest to find Shaun's son? Why do you think these are important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 3, 2021
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Animals
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : December 25, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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