Common Sense Media Review
Child beauty pageant series sends iffy messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Based on 62 kid reviews
Kids say that while some find the show entertaining and a guilty pleasure, many express serious concerns about the negative messages it sends to young girls about beauty and self-worth. The heavy makeup, revealing outfits, and pressure from parents raise alarms about the well-being of the children involved and suggest that such pageants may border on child abuse.
- negative messages
- child exploitation
- parental pressure
- inappropriate content
- guilty pleasure
- entertainment value
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
TODDLERS & TIARAS is a documentary-style look at the world of child beauty pageants. With limited subtitles identifying just the place and who's speaking, the stories are told by the children, parents, coaches, and the occasional judge. Each episode focuses on a different pageant, and follows a handful of contestants as they perfect their clothes, hair, make-up, and routines to create the perfect pageant look. Once at the venue, the contestants take the stage and try to demonstrate the poise, grace, and beauty necessary to take the title, cash, and the big crown. After it's all over both the children and their parents offer their thoughts about their overall experience, and the plans they have for the next one.
Is It Any Good?
The controversial series offers a behind-the-scenes look into what children's beauty pageants are like and what contestants have to do in order to have a competitive edge, including gluing on fake eyelashes, wearing dresses worth thousands of dollars, and endlessly practicing beauty walks and professionally choreographed routines. It also highlights some of the parents' over-the-top behavior as they prepare their children for each pageant and guide them during the competition.
Thanks to some of the children's revealing and/or over-sexualized costumes (worn with their parents' approval), the show has received its fair share of criticism. The messages it sends about the importance of physical beauty is pretty questionable, too. Some folks will find what they see to be exploitative, while others will find it voyeuristically entertaining. Either way, think carefully about the messages that kids might take away from watching.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about beauty pageants, particularly those featuring young children. What standards of beauty are they based on? How do you think participating in (or just watching) these competitions impacts kids?
Families can also discuss how it changes a reality/documentary show when there's no narrator explaining what's going on. Does it make a difference when a show is told in the voices of the participants? Does that make a difference in your opinion of the pageants?
Why do parents agree to participate in this show? What do they stand to gain or lose?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 27, 2009
- Network : TLC
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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