Ridley Jones is a "Yes" for Kids, but May Leave Parents Wanting.

Premise

Ridley Jones is a little girl who lives in The Museum of Natural History. At night, the museum comes alive and Ridley, along with her magical buddies, is tasked with guarding the treasures and keeping the Museum’s secret safe.

The show is created by Chris Nee who is also behind Doc McStuffins and Vampirina. The styles are very similar, and you can see hints of both shows in this new series.

Is it Fluffy or Educational?

It’s pretty fluffy under the guise of education. But what did we learn? Not much! We can, however, assure you that it might ignite curiosity and excitement for learning, which might inspire additional trips to the museum!

Who is the Audience?

This is for your preschool-aged children and your younger primary school kids. Think, 6 years old and younger.

What Will Kids Like About it?

Music, talking animals, flashy scenes. It checks the boxes of what a “fun, safe, kid’s show” would be. This is why Chris Nee keeps getting new shows. She knows how to make sugary content.

Will Parents Like it?

Maybe, but we were bored. It might be a matter of taste. the music felt unnecessary, the jokes weren’t very funny, and the morals were obvious to the extent that they were literally recited. It’s written for children, but might not be enjoyable to parents.

Some might wonder if kid’s shows are meant to appeal to parents in this way, and maybe that isn’t the goal. But, if you’re looking for something to watch with your kid that the whole family can enjoy, we recommend Bluey.

The Positives

The show has Representation of LGBTQ and single-parent families. As someone who was a single parent for many years, Kara discussed how important this was, not only for Michael, but for herself. It also has a non-binary character, which is a groundbreaking depiction in children’s television.

Where the show is lacking in actual facts about history and science, it makes up for with it’s heart. It teaches emotional maturity and problem-solving. It has positive messages of responsibility and of being a good friend. It also addresses internal conflict between social responsibility and one’s own desires throughout the show, whether it’s Ridley’s desire to be a hero for the museum and also remain loyal to her friends, or Ridley’s mom struggling to let her child take on additional responsibilities. It sends many moral messages, and gives the characters depth and layers that we appreciated and could see ourselves talking about with our children.

Potentially Problematic or Unappealing

As important as the messages were, they were, at times, given in a way that felt kind of corny, at times. But, again, this is coming from a parent perspective and won’t bother children.

There’s a missed opportunity to teach more about history and science without losing the plot of the show.

Final Verdict

Kara is an enthusiastic yes while Laura was more indifferent.

Additional Topics of Conversation

Kara discusses the weight of all the hats we wear as humans and gives tips on how to ease the burden. Some include forgiving yourself and asking for help. This is so hard for many of us as we shoulder the weight of our responsibility and place so much of our own value on getting it all done ourselves. Laura and Kara also discuss the idea of the “Mental Load” and how it can wear on the person carrying it.

Laura also goes wheels off and talks about animal rights in space exploration. She points to an article about the first dog in space and how it did not end well.