Peppa Pig was directed and produced by Astley baker as the British preschool cartoon for kids. The age group that this series was made for generally falls in the pool of two to seven year old kids. There are mixed views about the show and so one cannot be completely optimistic or pessimistic about it. However, the amount of fame and awards that the cartoon was awarded with shows how it was a success. Airing its first show in 2004, they managed to be in the industry till 2016 which for sure is a long enough time span. In this article we will be looking at some aspects of Peppa Pig that shows why and why not your kid should watch this show. The aspects of the show would be taken into consideration which might go unnoticed if not viewed properly. Let’s first have a look at the pros of watching Peppa pig, not just for kids but for grown-ups too:

 

Pros:

• Simplicity:

One of the major advantages of watching the show is that it is simple. The ways that are used to describe concepts are direct and there is nothing too fancy about the way it is directed. This makes the cartoon an attraction for people who want to engage their kids in shows which are easy to understand.

• Time:

The time limit of an episode is the best decision taken by the makers of this cartoon. Five minute episodes are short, sweet and give a message. This is also beneficial for parents who do not want their children to have too much of screen time. You can also use this show as an incentive; something like if your kid will eat food properly, he/she will be allowed to watch an episode. This way, you are letting your child watch TV but at the same time, not too much.

• Language:

Here comes the part where not only our little ones, but we can also benefit from the show. Since it is a big hit, it was translated in many languages. As stated above, it is a simple cartoon and the targeted audience is children so the language is also basic. This helps beginners who are learning any other language to test their progress by watching an episode of Peppa Pig in let’s say Italian. There are a number of languages in which the show has been translated and so it really helps in learning these languages.

• For Beginners:

There are a lot of things that this cartoon covered. We want our kids to learn a lot of skills in a small age only so that they are proficient in it when they grow up. Peppa helps kids in having that sense and ability to learn new things by doing so herself or for her little brother George. For example, learning how to swim can be difficult but the confidence needed to step up is what the cartoon helps in gaining.

• For Family:

The show is about family and friends. Thus it identifies the importance of having them around as well. That is if you want to extract that value out of it. Peppa is a girl kid who has a father and a mother and off course her little brother George. She also spends time with her friends who are not just pigs. This also develops a sense of diversity that is conveyed by the show. This can help kids understand the concept that it is not necessary that you make only those friends who belong to a specific class or color. We need to be with everyone regardless of our differences.

 

Cons:

• Peppa Being Bossy:

This is a general complain of most of the parents who have watched at least some episodes of this show with their kids and observed the behavioral changes. One cannot ignore the fact that cartoons and TV shows do have an impact on the way your kid is adapting things but it cannot be completely the case. Even if there are some aspects of the show which portrays the protagonist in a way that is negative, you can sit with your child and make them learn about values that are wrong. At the end of the day, a cartoon can be close to real life but can never be completely realistic.

• Banned Episode:

This one is pretty realistic and can be identified as one of the biggest controversies that came across their way. An episode of Peppa pig was banned in Australia because it showed how the father encouraged Peppa to play with the spider. While the concept can be taken in a metaphorical way as useful it can harm your child if taken literally. The message of helping animals is what needs to be delivered but since in Australia, spiders are very dangerous and can harm a child severely, the episode was banned. This shows that if you want your kid to watch a cartoon which is that famous and probably watched by every kid, you better watch it with them. In case there is a concept that you want your kid to understand but in a different way, you can always moderate it.

• Fat Shaming:

This problem is the most repeated one and is evident in many episodes. Since the show started in 2004, the awareness about the difference between making a joke and bullying someone in the name of it was not quite obvious. It still is problematic and the writers or the director of the show could have changed it. The era that we live in do not accept this attitude of fat shaming someone and making it sound like a joke. The show targets Peppa’s father for having a large belly and what is even more problematic is the fact that Peppa fat shames her father which in any way cannot be taken in good context.

 

While there are a number of things that you need to be conscious about, Peppa Pig still manage to win people’s heart because of which it is a big hit. One should not stop their kid from watching but they should for sure site with them and invest some time in the nurturing of their children.