Want personalized picks that fit your family?
Set preferences to see our top age-appropriate picks for your kids.
Wheel of Fortune
Common Sense says
- Syndicated
- Game Shows
- 1983
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this fun, long-running game show -- in which contestants solve word puzzles for cash and other major prizes -- is mild and very family-friendly (about the only potentially iffy thing is the low-cut dresses that hostess Vanna White sometimes wears). Prizes are sponsored by major companies like American Airlines, Whirlpool appliances, and others, and contestants are very excited to win them.
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
What's the story?
On popular game show WHEEL OF FORTUNE, contestants compete for major cash and prizes by solving word puzzles. The show, which is hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, requires players to guess at the correct letters to fill in the blanks representing a word or phrase. Before they choose a consonant or buy a vowel, they must spin a giant roulette-like wheel to determine how much money (or which prizes) they can play for. An unlucky spin can also lead to lost turns and/or automatic bankruptcy. The player who successfully solves each puzzle wins the round and the cash and prizes that he or she collected along the way. At the end of the show, the person with the most winnings gets a chance to play a bonus round for an additional prize.
Is it any good?
This popular game show is the modern version of the original Wheel of Fortune series that aired from 1975-1981. Despite some minor changes -- including replacing the original manual word puzzle board with an electronic one -- the overall show has remained much the same. Despite contestants' efforts to win as much money and as many prizes as possible, the series does require a bit of intellect (as well as guesswork) in order to solve the puzzles. As a result, it offers an entertaining way for families to work on their word-building skills.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about game shows. What makes some more popular than others? How do people get chosen to be on them?
Are there game shows that your family likes to watch? What makes them fun?
TV details
- Premiere date: September 19, 1983
- Cast: Pat Sajak, Vanna White
- Network: Syndicated
- Genre: Game Shows
- TV rating: TV-G
For kids who love puzzles
Our editors recommend
Top advice and articles
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.