Dragon Tales

YMA recommendation

Approved as non-violent media.

Most suitable age range:

2-7

Availability

At time of review, screening on Foxtel.

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 program

Year of production	1999-ongoing
Classification advice
Rating	G
Consumer advice lines	None
Duration	10 minutes

Other information
Country of origin	USA
Production Company	Children’s Television Workshop (CTW) , Columbia Tri Star Children’s Television, The Sesame Workshop, The Post Group 牋牋牋

Synopsis

Max and Emmy, a brother and sister, use a magic dragon scale and a special verse that transports them to Dragon Land, where they have lots of adventures with their friends, learn about life, work together to solve problems and help one another overcome obstacles.

Points to consider

Words of caution

None

Positive aspects

Looks at common things such as a new classmate's arrival, and positive things that can be done to make the transition easier for everyone
Demonstrates caring, supportive and friendly relationships
Shows that it is not silly to be afraid, that everyone is scared of something and that it is possible to overcome fears
The dragon’s teacher is Spanish and will often integrate a number of Spanish words into his conversations with students
Demonstrates creative problem solving skills and encourages kids at home to think of alternative ways to solve simple problems
Incorporates early mathematic, visual and conceptual skills such as shape sorting and recognition. Links for parents and teachers to websites with lesson plans, activities and games to help further enhance the lessons and learning objectives of the episodes.

Questions to ask

Was there another way that they could have solved that problem?
Sometimes it is hard to keep trying when you’re having trouble learning something new like ice-skating. What would have happened if Zak and Wheezie had just give up because it was difficult? What would they have missed out on? Was there any other strategy they could have tried that might have helped them?
In one of the episodes Ord was really afraid. Do you sometimes feel afraid? Ord was able to face his fear and he found out that once you get to know something it might not be so scary after all. What is something that you’re afraid of? How do you think you might be able to overcome your fear?