Choosing great -- and safe -- streaming content for kids isn't easy, especially this time of year. But, we went on the hunt for some worthy offerings.
With school back in session, the kindergarten and grade-school set are showing off backpacks and chatting about their favorite fictional characters. Soon we’re having conversations at home with our 4- and 6-year-olds that, yes, other families have different standards than we do.
Now, my wife and I do our research – parental reviews from varied sources like Plugged In, Movieguide and this site. Even then, we’ve bailed after letting the kids try a show.
My son loves Hot Wheels, but producers sure can’t bring those cars to screen without problematic content or attitudes. For now, we’ll skip Blippi and pass on Ninjago and all but classic Ninja Turtles stuff.
Wary of screentime, we’re more likely to push them off the couch and go ride bikes to end the day. But, with shorter daylight, occasionally, a new series or franchise gets a chance. It brings us to the wild world of streaming services, which keep getting more costly.
A few faith-based streamers have spent years trying to become a real competitor, with Pure Flix, Angel Studios, and Minno as standouts. A new service, Wonder Project, premieres soon as an add-on to Prime Video. And Prime itself has become a hub of quality family titles, especially by partnering with The Chosen producers.
Still, most families with kids will tell you Disney+ remains the powerhouse, with its deep library of classic films (even if you have to be wary of more recent additions). And Netflix is the market leader in streaming for good reason, with consistent new releases (again, it's a broad menu, with things that will and definitely won't suit your tastes).
We tried out these four series recently, read on for how it panned out.
A colorful explosion of children’s TV tropes, internet culture, and countless cats, Gabby’s Dollhouse translates the YouTube phenomenon of “unboxing” videos to a series format. “Instead of unboxing a toy or a product, what if we unbox a story?” said series co-creator Jennifer Twomey in an interview.
Each episode starts with effervescent Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner) talking directly to camera, ala Mister Rogers or YouTube shows like Caitie’s Classroom. Then a new toy, craft, or accessory shows up in her desk mailbox, which prompts her to want to share it with friends in her dollhouse.
The show transforms to animation as Gabby shrinks down to a few inches and enters her multi-room dollhouse.
Gabby interacts with cat characters, often crafting or baking in a step-by-step process. The creators borrow from their past preschool hits Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Blue’s Clues for this faster-paced show. Lessons are innocuous, often about sharing or self-expression (“Live in the meow”).
But, similar to Paw Patrol, this franchise is engineered to sell products, so be ready to say no to a mountain of branded plastic stuff.
Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie, produced by DreamWorks Animation, has also just been released in theaters, by Universal Pictures. Reviews from Christian sites are generally positive, while expressing some concern over the franchise's magical elements.
From Common Sense Media:
This energetic live-action movie delivers exactly what fans of the popular TV series would expect: a lively blend of animation and sing-alongs overflowing with irresistibly cute kitty characters. ... the movie ultimately succeeds as a spirited, inventive, and participation-driven romp for kids—if perhaps one best enjoyed in moderation.
Despite our fast-runner son chatting up Sonic for a couple of years, my wife and I had avoided the franchise. We’d seen enough trailers of the blue-blur alien to assume Sonic often has a know-it-all talkback attitude.
But, upon previewing the films, my wife was surprised to find the story is grounded in themes of self-sacrifice and family.
Bridging the gap between Paw Patrol and the Marvel films, Sonic and its sequels, centered on a trio of three “brother” aliens adopted by a couple, are squarely aimed at grade-school boys.
In the first film, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) finds a family on Earth and banishes evil Dr. Robotnik, a.k.a. “Egg Man,” (Jim Carrey) to another planet. But Carrey finds a way back in the sequel, which expands the alien cast to include Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba).
The third entry pivots from action-comedy to a more dramatic story with tangible stakes, as kids see how, for decades, a government agency locked away a Sonic-like alien named Shadow (Keanu Reeves). The backstory, involving a little girl and Robotnik’s grandfather, also played by Carrey, is touching, though a higher level of peril for kids to process.
Ultimately, Sonic 3 elevates the franchise formula -- an action scene about every 20 minutes, themes of brotherly love and teamwork to sacrifice for others, with some rude humor and a stray word or two we wouldn’t want repeated. (We’re learning about that.)
For all the competitors in streaming, Disney continues to invest the most in films and TV for young ones, hewing to tried-and-true franchise formulas to keep kids coming back. Among recent releases like a revival of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and a Lego Disney Princess special comes Iron Man and His Awesome Friends, an under-age 8 intro to the Marvel universe.
With a snappy theme song and trio of heroes similar to Spidey and His Amazing Friends, young Tony Stark is joined by Riri Williams/Ironheart, a version of Hulk named Amadeus who also has an iron suit, and robot companion Vision.
The heroes cycle through encounters with sneaky villains like Swarm and Ultron, besting them within 12 minutes or so to complete the formula.
When American tweens have seen it all, it’s a challenge for any studio -- let alone faith-based -- to reach them. But Angel Studios has taken some big swings to appeal to tweens, like Sketch.
Following their mission to “amplify light” in entertainment, one ambitious Angel bet has been anime-style series Gabriel and the Guardians -– a creative interpretation of spiritual warriors from the biblical texts of Genesis, Ezekiel, and Revelation.
It’s TV-PG, but best suited for ages 8 and up.
Forget any Sunday school ideas with this series, which is multi-layered and more akin to Tolkien fantasy (read: not a direct allegory). From brutal fight scenes to its centuries of history and unique story logic to digest, action-packed Gabriel stands up well next to popular hits like Castlevania and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
In fact, the animation studio that produced X-Men ‘97 and Invincible brings to life Gabriel and the Guardians, which features top voice talent including Johnny Yong Bosch (Power Rangers), Matt Lanter (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Cristina Valenzuela (Miraculous), and James Arnold Taylor (TMNT).
Check out the pilot free online or the Angel app with more episodes coming.
Image: DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures
Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on faith and culture for several media outlets. He and his family live in central Florida.
'Broken Mary': Documenting Ex-DJ Kevin Matthews' Unlikely Redemption Tale
Faith & Family News: 'Chosen Adventures'; 'Guillermo & Will'; 'Bau' Film
FNC's Benjamin Hall: Fortitude & Faith After a Frontline Injury
Keep up with Family Theater Productions on our website, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.