Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo

YMA recommendation

	Approved as non-violent media, with caution. Unhealthy foods; Slapstick comedy
Most suitable age range: 2-7 (although very young children will require adult assistance)

Availability

About the game

Synopsis

The mighty little car, Putt-Putt, embarks on a quest to recover several missing baby zoo animals so that the newly-built zoo may open to the public and the animal families can be reunited.

Points to consider

Words of caution

• The game contains a small amount of slapstick humour that children under the age of 8 can find confusing or disturbing. 
• The game features unhealthy foods and highlights fat (courtesy of one of the programmers, the Fat Man). 

Positive aspects

• educational content includes animal facts introduced at various points throughout.
• encourages problem solving and kindness to others

Questions to ask

• Children under the age of eight can sometimes be confused or disturbed by slapstick comedy.  Parents may wish to ask, “Do you think that would hurt if it happened in real life/to you/someone you know?”

• Parents may wish to discuss the negative impact of a diet of fatty and sugary foods on their children’s weight and oral health.  Several initiatives are available to support parents seeking to make positive changes to their child’s diet such as “Keep your children out of the firing line”; a project by Young Media Australia to raise parental awareness of television food advertising.