Kid Spideys solve crimes in action series for preschool set.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
While it's super-softened for the preschool crowd, characters are put in peril and there's lots of action. Villains throw things but no one gets hit or hurt. Villains get "webbed," wrapped in webs and incapacitated.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Cynical viewers might see this as a way to get even younger kids interested in the vast Marvel franchise, which has a lot of merchandise to purchase.
Positive Messages
some
Teamwork, communication, and perseverance are the big ones here as the Spidey team works together to nab villains and solve problems.
Positive Role Models
some
The Spidey team is diverse, including Miles as an Afro-Latinx kid,and incidental neighborhood characters are also from different backgrounds. Sometimes the Spideys bicker but they always come back together for the greater good (and ice cream treats from Aunt May!).
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends is a preschool series about kid versions of three different Spider-People (Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Miles Morales -- aka Spidey, Ghost Spider, and Spin). Confused yet? Don't worry. It's really all about three friends gathering clues to solve crimes using both extra-special Spidey technology and non-superhero skills, like working together and developing patience. Villains are ever-present, like Doc Ock and Rhino, but the Spideys are lucky to have the help of some other Marvel Universe buddies like Black Panther (who shows up to bring vibranium to the local museum). While it's super-softened for the preschool crowd, characters are in peril, and there's lots of action. Villains throw things, but no one gets hit or hurt. Villains also get "webbed," wrapped in webs and incapacitated. The whole "Marvel Babies" concept may be a little odd for parents, and more cynical viewers might see the show as a way to get even younger kids interested in the vast, lucrative Marvel franchise. But overall the show is charming, well-paced, and a solid choice for younger siblings who aren't ready for the movies or more mature cartoons.
Theme song is good (my child loved it) animation is only average, citizens animation is horrible, main characters are fine. I could expect a little more effort and budged for a spiderman franchise.
My worst complaint is about Iron-man and kids relationship. 3 kids meet a grown up men in an apartment without their parents know anything about this adult (swimming pool, dinner, games) Come on, someone in Disney doesn't think it is not a correct education message to kids?
Apart of that serie is ok, my child like a lot it, not expected a lot of educational values here, and villains are properly bad people and want to hurt other people.
This is a slick Disney animated show that helps sell Marvel merchandise. It’s way too stimulating for toddlers. The villains do not face any consequences and return again and again. Good guys and bad guys seem to break rules as they see fit.
What's the Story?
Peter Parker (Benjamin Valic), Gwen Stacy (Lily Sanfelippo), and Miles Morales (Jakari Fraser) are friends. They like hanging out together, doing fun things like eating ice cream and playing video games, but they've also got a secret: they're superheroes known as the Spidey Team, aka MARVEL'S SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS. Together they keep their city safe from criminals like Doc Ock and Rhino, always making it home to Aunt May just in the nick of time.
This series aimed at preschoolers is cute, action-packed, and a little weird. Working from the multiverse concept set forth in the animated films starring Miles Morales, Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends posits that three versions of Spider-Men work together in the same timeline; also, they're little kids. Parents may scoff at the unexplained premise, but young viewers won't care as long as they get to see their favorite Marvel characters in a relatively age-appropriate vehicle. The messages aren't too bad, either (beyond the overarching issue of pushing Marvel characters to the youngest possible audience) -- Black Panther praises the Spideys for being a great team, and calls out the need for patience. Problem solving skills are promoted, and the team is always working toward the greater good, just like their grown-up counterparts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about superheroes. Why do you think they are such a popular type of character? Would you like to be a superhero? What would be fun about it? What would be less fun?
How does the Spidey Team use teamwork to help achieve their goals? Why do you think teamwork is an important character strength?
Have you ever had to solve a mystery (even a small one, like where you left your sweater or water bottle)? What steps did you take to figure it out?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
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.
By Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
