Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Funny feline makes learning fun for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 14 parent reviews
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say the show offers a mix of opinions, with some praising it for being educational and fun for younger children, while others strongly criticize it for poor character development, questionable themes, and a lack of real educational value. Common complaints include the show's portrayal of parental neglect, the cat's creepy behavior, and the quality of animation and music detracting from the original charm of the beloved books.
- educational value
- character development
- animation quality
- parental themes
- age appropriateness
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Dr. Seuss' famous feline sets aside his mischievous ways to teach kids about science, nature, and the thrill of exploring the world around them in THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT. In each story, the Cat (voiced by Martin Short) and his human friends Nick (Jacob Ewaniuk, later Deandray Hamilton) and Sally (Alexa Torrington/Halle Nunes) identify a science-related question and start following clues to find an answer. Of course, their travels aren't without unexpected twists and turns, especially when Thing 1 and Thing 2 (both voiced by Rob Tinkler) tag along for the ride.
Is It Any Good?
Science class has never been as much fun for kids as it is with the Cat in the Hat leading the charge—he makes it a joy to learn. With his guidance, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That introduces kids to concepts like migration, animal classification, and nocturnal behavior, and the characters approach the discovery process with enthusiasm as they piece together clues that lead them to answers.
The great news is that kids will be so absorbed by the Cat's adventurous spirit and gadgets—including a shrinkamadoodle and bigamabooble that let the characters change size to better explore the smallest nook and cranny—that they won't even mind that they're watching educational TV.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they learned from The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That. Kids: What did you learn about nature, animals, and space? Are there other things you're curious about?
How do the characters show curiosity and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
What topics are you interested in? What books, games, TV shows, and other resources do you like to learn from?
Have you heard of The Cat in the Hat before? Have you read books, played games, or watched movies or TV shows featuring this character? How does this series compare?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 7, 2010
- Cast : Martin Short , Rob Tinkler
- Network : PBS Kids
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : STEM ( Nature ) , Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Curiosity , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 22, 2026
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