Is Blippi Good For Kids? A Parent’s Guide To The Show

Are you a parent of a child between the ages of 2 and 6?

Then you’ve probably heard of Blippi–or your child is already a fan! Curious about this silly-looking character in orange and blue? We’ve got you covered!

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Blippi–from the lessons your toddler can learn to the interactive Blippi shows and even some areas where the show could improve.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

What is Blippi?

Blippi started as a YouTube channel created by Stevin John, who dresses in bright orange and blue, looks super nerdy (but fun!), and visits play parks, museums, factories, race tracks, zoos, and all sorts of other exciting places.

In addition to the live-action shows, Blippi also has an animated version of the show,and  both of them are available on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and YouTube. Marketed toward kids from preschool to primary school (ages 2 to 4 or up to 6 years old), Blippi is designed to be the perfect playmate. He’s fun, energetic, curious, goofy, and most importantly, always up for an impromptu dance party!

What Can My Toddler Learn from Blippi?

There are countless lessons kids can take away from these shows, but here are the most important values Blippi emphasizes:

Curiosity and Enthusiasm for Learning

Blippi’s signature traits are his high-pitched voice and boundless energy. He never runs out of enthusiasm, whether it’s playtime, exploring, or trying something new. Blippi matches a toddler’s endless energy and encourages children to always be curious, never be afraid to ask questions, and see learning as fun. He encourages them to stay open to new experiences.

Pre-Reading Skills

 At every opportunity, Blippi points out the colors, shapes, and sounds that kids encounter in his adventures. He also seamlessly incorporates numbers and basic counting into the episodes in a way that is easy for toddlers to digest and understand.

Love for Adventure

Blippi’s adventures take him to museums, play spaces, and even significant sites like NASA. There’s even an interactive map on the Blippi website showing where he has visited!

Although toddlers outside the U.S. may not be able to go on a Blippi adventure tour, the show conveys an important message:

Adventure doesn’t always have to be as big as exploring caves or going to outer space. Sometimes, adventure is doing a little science experiment in your backyard, visiting a local fire station, or playing at the neighborhood playground. Fun and adventure awaits if you know where to find it!

Blippi Collaborations

Blippi has firmly established itself as an icon in children’s entertainment, a feat recognized by others in the industry.

Earlier this year, Blippi collaborated with Sesame Street for several episodes. He also filmed episodes at NASA to promote curiosity in science and partnered with Wimbledon to encourage kids to explore their sporty side by playing tennis.

Tennis isn’t the only sport that Blippi fans are discovering. In November, Blippi teamed up with Formula 1 for a couple of episodes introducing children to racing and giving them a peek at the exciting world of motorsports.

The Blippi Brand

Blippi is now more than just a character on a children's show. Today, Blippi has an extensive range of merchandise, including:

• Toys (fire trucks, blocks, plushies)
• Books
• Apparel and Costumes

Blippi songs from the show are available on YouTube, and to create more Blippi content, other actors besides Stevin John now portray Blippi. The character also goes on world tours (including to the Philippines) and performs in live shows, such as Blippi the Musical and Blippi: Join the Band Tour.

Blippi Is Everywhere!

Blippi Live Shows

Earlier this year, Blippi visited the Philippines during the Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour, where he was joined by his best friend Meeka for two fun-filled days of singing, funny antics, and educational acts.

But Blippi live shows are more than just concerts. They’re an opportunity for: 

• Kids to sing, dance, and learn together
• Parents to connect with other parents
• Children to socialize and make new friends

As of now, there’s no news of a Philippine stop for the Blippi: Join the Band Tour, which focuses on rhythm, musical instruments, and music education.

Criticism of Blippi

If you do a quick Google search for Blippi, you’ll quickly find that some parents aren’t huge fans of the brand. Many admit they dislike it for reasons they can’t quite explain, but here are some common criticisms:

Lack of Actual Children

Unlike shows like Bluey, Paw Patrol, or Sesame Street, which feature children (either animated or live-action), Blippi’s live-action episodes mostly show him exploring museums, parks, and playgrounds alone–sometimes joined by Meeka, who is also an adult.

For kids, seeing other children on screen is an important part of learning about friendships and community. There was something magical about discovering that one of the cast members of Barney is also named Hannah, or that Cookie Monster was in my favorite shade of blue and just as clumsy and cookie-obsessed as me. When kids don’t see themselves reflected in TV characters or when a show rarely includes other kids, the episodes can feel isolating. 

Lack of Emotional Intelligence and Social Connection

In line with the previous point, Blippi rarely touches on lessons about empathy or social connection. Since there are hardly any other children cast members, Blippi can’t teach children how to be brave, be a good friend, help others, handle difficult emotions like sadness, anger, and pain, or connect with others. Young children have complex feelings that can be difficult for them to recognize and express, and mostly have no idea how to deal with them yet, since they are still learning the basics of communicating with others.

Emotional intelligence should be a core pillar of any preschool-targeted show, yet it’s almost entirely absent from this successful children’s brand that is worth millions.

Decentering Nature

While a few Blippi episodes focus on nature–such as one about apples and another about elephants–the show often prioritizes commercialization over nature education.

For instance, in an episode about apples, instead of visiting an apple orchard and talking to farmers and learning about the life cycle of an apple or the different kinds, Blippi goes to an apple “factory” to learn about how apples are harvested, sorted, stickered, stored, and sent to groceries to be sold.

This narrative of commercialization and detachment from nature feels off for a children’s show that could have used the opportunity to instill a love of nature and empathy for the farmers who grow our food.

And that’s all we have for Blippi!

Have you seen the show? Are your kids fans too? How about you? What’s your take on Blippi?

Read here to read about Blippi actor Stevin John’s first son.