Cartoon Recommendations from Moms (from Kristin)

This summer we’re doing cartoon recommendations by moms for moms (or by aunts/dads/nannies. . . just basically a grown-up who knows this is a cartoon that won’t make other grown-ups run screaming from the room).  So far we’ve heard about the wonders of Phineas and Ferb, the educational benefits of Martha Speaks, the sweetness of The Busy World of Richard Scary, the addictive songs of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, the adoption-friendly plot of Dinosaur Train, the British adorableness of Peppa Pig, the fun settings of The Backyardigans, the soothing pace of Oswald and the scientific adventures of The Wild Kratts. On with the recommendations!

Recommendation from: Kristin

The show: Shaun The Sheep

Where to find it:  Amazon Prime (used to be on Netflix, too)

Why kids love it:  This is a British stop-motion show centering around a sheep (named Shaun) who is always trying to sneak around behind the farmer’s back, sometimes with the help of the farmer’s dog and sometimes not, often in opposition to the mean pigs. There is no dialogue, just a lot of slapstick comedy, creative problem solving, silly gags. My boys crack up at the funny situations the sheep create, and how they get around the farmer!

Why moms love it:

I love that it’s very British. The farm looks like such a quintessential English farm, and that’s fun visually for me. I also love how much the show seems like classic silent comedies like Charlie Chaplin or Laurel & Hardy. It’s fun to see how the stories unfold without relying on dialogue! This makes it easier for littler guys to follow along, too – it’s one of my two year old’s favorite shows to request. There isn’t any educational content like a lot of our favorite shows, but “Shaun the Sheep” is pure fun.

Moral content:

Shaun works hard to help the flock stay out of trouble (or at least not get caught), the sheep share with each other, they sometimes help the Farmer’s dog and work together… the pigs don’t share, and aren’t very nice, but they clearly get what they deserve most of the time.

Any warnings:  

Nope! We haven’t found any problem areas at all.