The Ruff Ruffman Show
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Wacky canine host teaches kids about science concepts.
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The Ruff Ruffman Show
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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
- Last updated: February 18, 2020
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