Higglytown Heroes

YMA recommendation

	Approved as non-violent media
Most suitable age range: 2-4

Availability

About the program

Synopsis

The show revolves around the adventures of four friends: Eubie, Wayne, Twinkle and Kip, who are modelled on Russian nesting dolls. They seek help from members of the community when they realise that there is something they don’t understand or that they cannot do by themselves. Each show features a different “Higglytown Hero” anyone from a veterinarian to a carpenter and shows how that person uses their skills to help others.

Points to consider

Words of caution

• None

Positive aspects

• Makes a point of portraying female characters in roles traditionally occupied by men
• Includes a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds
• Reinforces safety issues related to specific occupations such as carpenters and electricians
• Gets children thinking about the different roles people play in the community and what they may like to do as adults
• Validates and appreciates common occupations and shows the important role that they play in helping a community function.

Questions to ask

• What do you think that you might like to do when you grow up?
• What kind of hero do you want to be?
• Parents are given the opportunity to talk with their children about a variety of occupations as well as to point out the positive aspects and the necessity of menial jobs such as sanitation workers or rubbish collectors. Children can imagine the world without a certain profession and can, perhaps, better appreciate the efforts of the people who perform that job.