The Ruff Ruffman Show
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What parents need to know
Parents need to know that The Ruff Ruffman Show is an animated short-form series that introduces kids to scientific concepts and methods in humorous, engaging ways. In each episode, Ruff and his human friends ponder a question using skills like sorting, categorizing, and measuring, then they form a conclusion based on what they learned. Concepts like making a hypothesis and using quantifiable data are presented in ways that young grade-schoolers can understand, and all of the experiments and hands-on projects can be done easily at home. This funny, fascinating show is a great pick for parents and kids to enjoy together.
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What's the story?
Canine TV host Ruff Ruffman (voiced by Jim Conroy) returns to the screen in THE RUFF RUFFMAN SHOW, a science-based series in which he and his human friends solve problems and answer questions through inquiry and experimentation. Along with his animal assistants, Chet and Blossom (Conroy again), Ruff identifies a challenge or query of the day -- anything from finding material strong enough for a rhino leash to building an obstacle course for a hamster -- and collaborates with kid helpers via video chat to solve it.
Is it any good?
Ruff is his same silly, slightly neurotic self in this delightful, engaging cartoon that's packed with learning potential for young kids. Each episode shows him going about his day only to be stumped by a question that doesn't have an easy answer. Rather than pass it by, Ruff jumps at the chance to investigate, test, and question it some more until he arrives at a conclusion that works. Often that means the process of trial and error (and error and error), but he and his kid helpers stick with it to the end.
Parents will love The Ruff Ruffman Show for the creative way it teaches kids solid science concepts and processes at youngsters' learning level. Kids will love it because Ruff is a hilarious host with a treasury of stories about his past escapades and comical insights he's never shy to share. The end result is an exceptional series that's as educational as it is entertaining and a fantastic starting point for kids' exposure to scientific methods.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how Ruff and his friends devise experiments and other testing methods to answer their questions in The Ruff Ruffman Show. What do they hope to learn from them? Do their methods always yield conclusive answers?
Why is being curious a good character strength? Do you ever hesitate to ask questions when you want to know more about something? What science concepts interest you the most?
How do we use science in our regular lives? In what ways does technology make things easier for us? What inventions or advances would you like to see in the future?
TV details
- Premiere date: September 26, 2017
- Cast: Jim Conroy
- Network: PBS Kids. Online
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Science and Nature
- Character Strengths: Curiosity, Perseverance
- TV rating: NR
- Available on: Streaming
- Last updated: February 18, 2020
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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.
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