Parents' Guide to

The Fixies

By Natascha Crandall, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Little creatures teach STEM subjects in a fun way for kids.

TV Kids Central Educational 2010
The Fixies Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • The Fixies Series: Scene #1
  • The Fixies Series: Scene #2
  • The Fixies Series: Scene #3

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 21 parent reviews

Meta R.
Meta R. Parent of 3-year-old
March 27, 2023
age 6+

Nice stem but really bad sexism

Definitely sexism. Notice the only ones waving the sexism aside are harping on other people's reviews. Sorry, the sexism definitely exists and it's more than just portraying "the norm" for some families. Example, the reputation of the woman scientist all hinges on how well she dresses the man scientist and she literally faints when the iron gets ruined (which... in my occupation thats not my focus in the lab and shouldn't be anyone's, sorry). And no, that the mom is a dentist makes the comment about the kitchen being her office even worse. The episode about the doll explains girls play with dolls because they're inherently predisposed to and have the job of being mothers via cooking and cleaning and doing the laundry. Hockey is explicitly stated to be a boys game multiple times that girls just don't enjoy. Blondness is deemed "beauty" and it never gets addressed that's not necessarily the case. That's not even addressing the lack of diversity. The stem aspects are great and was happy to see my son watching something with such a technical aspect but then quickly became disappointed. I'll stick to Storybots I think until he's a bit older.

This title has:

Educational value
Neswulf
Neswulf Parent
March 13, 2023
age 5+

Educational as well fun. Good for 5+

The Fixies is a huge step up on some of the programs my eldest (6 years old) watches - we're forever having to restrict what she watches on YouTube because there's no moral or educational benefit. Through The Fixies however, she's actively learning whilst enjoying watching it - I know this as she'll regularly describe how things work to me, so the knowledge is sticking! Also, from an adult perspective, it's not anywhere near as irritating as some programs aimed at children young school children.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
See all 21 parent reviews

What's the Story?

That screw you find lying on the floor that goes to something but not sure what it is? That's a FIXIE! This show plays with the idea that these screws found in everyone's living quarters are actually tiny creatures that pop into and out of computers, vacuum cleaners, ovens, and more, to fix things that aren't working right. This show aims to teach viewers how things in their daily lives work. Characters explore items such as scales, mirrors, vacuums, thermometers, etc.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (21 ):
Kids say (2 ):

This animated show is both educational and entertaining from a STEAM point of view. The Fixies are engaging and humorous, with various personalities, and their adventures clearly teach viewers how things work in a fun way. The episode storylines are also entertaining and interesting to young viewers. While the episodes support a STEAM curriculum and do a fantastic job laying out the mechanics in simple, easy-to-understand ways with great visuals, there are a few issues that pull down this show's educational value. The main character does some things that should not be mimicked by viewers, such as lying to parents, playing with hairdryers, calling other characters names, and inhaling helium to change his voice, to name a few.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the technology and machinery being featured in an episode of The Fixies, and search for additional videos on the workings of those items.

  • Kids: What was the main item that was featured in the episode? Did you know how that item worked before viewing the episode? What types of things did Tom do that should not be done at home?

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.

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