Dot & the Kangaroo

YMA recommendation

	Approved as non-violent media, with caution. Accidental harm; Predatory animal behaviour; Distressing scenes.
Most suitable age range: 5-7

Availability

Many items on the list of non-violent media may be available for either purchase or hire. Click here for some ideas of where to look for them.

About the movie

Synopsis

Dot, a young girl,  wanders off into the bush and gets lost. A friendly kangaroo, who has recently lost her joey, looks after Dot and helps her find her way home. Along the way they meet many bush animals and watch some Aboriginal men having a corroboree.

Points to consider

Words of caution

Accidental harm includes:

• Dot falls down a hill and lands on a tree stump hurting herself
• the kangaroo tries to jump across a gap and lands against the mountain.
  

Predatory animal behaviour includes:

• a kookaburra kills and eats a snake that is crawling over Dot
• dingoes chase and attack the kangaroo, who fights back but is left injured.
  

Scary scenes include:

• Dot is lost and frightened by the bush sounds
• a mythical bunyip is shown looking like a ghostly monster
• the Aborigines are doing a ‘kangaroo dance’ in which they ‘re-enact’ the spearing of a kangaroo, which is actually a man dressed in a kangaroo skin.

Positive aspects

• promotes kindness and compassion
• helps children learn about native Australian animals.

Questions to ask

• Should Dot have wondered off into the bush by herself?
• Should she have followed the bandicoot and left the trail?
• Would a child really be able to survive for several days in the bush by his/herself?