Kid scientist can see real dinos in fun educational series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
none
No violence, but some of the dinosaurs come across as menacing with sharp teeth, long claws, and loud roars. The fact that some larger ones eat smaller ones (and even babies) is discussed.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
The series comes on the heels of its predecessor, Dino Dan.
Positive Messages
a lot
Education is driven by passion and interests. Science is fun and exciting. When faced with a challenge, use what you know -- and critical thinking skills -- to come up with a solution.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Dana is smart and curious, and she's able to draw comparisons between what she learns of dinosaur behavior and the problems she has to solve in her own experiences. She also makes the best of every situation and never lets a learning opportunity go to waste. Her older sister is infinitely patient with her, and they have a friendly relationship. Dana's family is diverse and includes a very involved dad.
Educational Value
a lot
The show is an excellent primer of basic knowledge about dinosaurs like what they looked like, how and what they ate, how they protected themselves from predators, etc. There's general knowledge (some dinosaurs were scaly and others had feathers) and traits specific to individual dinosaur types. For kids who already know a lot about the topic, the show offers CGI re-creations of many different dinosaurs.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dino Dana is a continuation of the series Dino Dan. But this time a young female paleontologist acquires a special field guide that allows her to see dinosaurs in her everyday life. The show's blend of its live-action setting and the CGI animation that brings the dinosaurs to life will appeal to the imaginations of preschoolers, who see Dana learn by observing the creatures' behavior and applying what she discovers to a problem she's facing. Kids will learn dinosaurs' names, as well as pick up information on their general appearance, eating habits, defense mechanisms, and more. Also noteworthy is Dana's close relationship with her older sister.
It's not easy to find a POC female-led kids show that doesn't involve princesses and romance. This show does everything right! From the blended family, to Dana's practical clothing with lots of pockets to hold her gear, to her excitement and curiosity to investigate all things dinosaur, and her willingness to get dirty, this show addresses so many things that other shows are not willing to touch. They don't white-wash Dana's uncle and aunt (Ravi and Anjali) by naming them, for example, Robert and Angela. They make tomato sauce with their Italian grandmother and use spicy peppers in Indian dishes with Uncle Ravi. Dana's step-dad (who she just calls dad) is a nurse who crochets. Dana's mom is a vet who handles boa constrictors with no fear. In the Dino Dana movie Dana's sister faces a tough decision on deciding whether to live with her separated mother or father. (It is so important for kids to see all kinds of families represented on screen other than the traditional nuclear family!) I could go on and on about all these little details that make the show so relatable and realistic. They never detract from Dana's dino experiments and only serve to add layers of realism to her adventures.
My now 3 1/2 year old son loves Dino Dana! He loves the dinosaur experiments she performs, he loves her awesome backpack with dinosaur outfits and he loves watching and learning about all the dinosaurs she encounters. He’s been watching this show for about a year now and while some of the more nuanced emotions of 9yr old Dana and her sister Saara allude him, he comes back to it for the dinosaurs and the fun scenarios that Dana imagines herself into.
As a parent, I love this show because it’s educational and it gives my son an amazing role model- Dana is kind and sharing, fun and funny, and curious and smart- she also happens to be a girl protagonist. I love it!
What's the Story?
Nine-year-old DINO DANA (Michaela Luci) loves everything about dinosaurs, and she's hard-pressed to find a book she hasn't read on the subject. So when a clerk at the library offers her his own Dino Field Guide to peruse, she can hardly believe her luck. Imagine her surprise when she discovers that not only does it challenge her to learn more about dinosaurs, but it also allows her to see them walking around her own neighborhood! Now Dana can use what she observes about the dinosaurs' behavior to answer her questions about them and to help her solve problems that come up in her own experiences.
Just like Dino Dan before it, this combination live-action/CGI presentation will delight young dinosaur enthusiasts. The prehistoric creatures come to life in full color and size in and around Dana's home and community, dodging traffic on the roads and navigating the bookshelves at the local library but only visible to her. While the concept feels hokey to adults (Really? No one else sees that T. rex lumbering down the street?), preschoolers will eagerly overlook these kinds of logistical questions.
Dino Dana also does well in passing the baton from previous paleontologist-in-training Dan to a female scientist with all the know-how and enthusiasm of her predecessor. She's a great ambassador for girls in STEM learning and in the broader theme of following your passion in life. What's more, she enjoys a positive relationship with her older sister, Saara (Saara Chaudry), who encourages her interests.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about science. Kids: Are you fascinated by dinosaurs like Dana is? What other science subjects interest you? How does studying science help us understand the world around us?
How does Dana apply what she learns about dinosaurs to problems in her life? Why is it important to learn lessons from our experiences? When have you done so? How does this help us become a better problem solver in the future?
Dana is surrounded by people who foster her interests. Who encourages you to follow your dreams? Where do you find inspiration and information about the subjects that interest you? Do you have role models, either in general or in those specific fields?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
