A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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Educational Value
a lot
Excellent presentation of numbers, counting, and other early math concepts.
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Positive Messages
some
Numberblocks teach young kids that math is fun.
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Positive Role Models
a little
Characters are kind to one another, and they're clearly enthusiastic about learning and teaching new concepts.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Numberblocks is a series of short videos that teach preschool math concepts like numbers, counting, and more. There's no iffy content, and it's great for kids as young as toddlers. Older preschool-aged kids who already have a solid grasp of numbers and counting may be bored.
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Numberblocks
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- Parents say (16)
- Kids say (12)
age 3+
Based on 16 parent reviews
chelster Parent of 2 and 6-year-old
May 17, 2022
age 2+
Amazing show that sparked a love of numbers in our son
I absolutely love this show. My 5 year old could count to ten with occasional mistakes, but showed little interest in written numbers and math concepts until watching this show. Nearly a year later at 6, and he's counting and writing numbers up to 100 and beyond not because he's asked but because he wants to. He's also got a pretty good conceptual understanding of addition and multiplication (5 tens is 50 for example). He actually developed the concepts before getting the rote counting down which I think is really awesome. When he counts aloud, it's not because he's memorized a bunch of words in order. It's because he really knows what each means.He's a very strong-willed kid and usually learns only when he's passionate. So this show was perfect for him. He'd been obsessed with lego for since he was 2.5 years old, and I thought written academics might be a bit uninteresting for him by comparison. Fortunately I was wrong, and thanks to this show math and numbers have really started to click for him. He's been in Montesorri schools where written academics have not been pushed at all. So almost everything he knows on a written level (I'm sure the Montessori materials and his years of lego led to some intuitive understanding) is thanks to the spark this show created in him (and patient parents who have answered many many math questions over the last year!).
k.deva_314 Adult
October 29, 2021
age 2+
A great show for all ages and covers a lot more than just counting
My family came across this a year ago and it's quickly become a crowd-favourite! The youngest (3) is deaf and has Down's Syndrome but she adores the show regardless. The characters are all very energetic and while some of them can show some so-so behaviour, the other characters always reprimand them kindly about it, teaching good manners and enforcing good behaviour. There are so many themes with each episode and they're very short and sweet. We didn't expect much going into it, but they do an excellent job of working in narrative, music, and creative thinking. Once you get past the first two seasons, they don't just focus on counting, addition, and multiplication, but they add multiplication, division, even squares, cubes, and roots, comparisons, patterns, both complex and simple, and all in a fun and easy format to learn. They also repeat concepts in new ways and reaffirm what's already been taught, finding ways to incorporate the new and the old.Our 6-year-old is learning things that he normally struggles with in school and it's much such a difference for him. Our 13-year-old and 16-year-old, and even I are totally hooked and actually enjoy watching with the little ones. All too often you'll hear someone in the house humming or singing the songs from the show. The Treasure of Hexagon Island special (on their YouTube Channel) is by far our favourite, but there are plenty of episodes on Netflix (Canada).
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What's the Story?
NUMBERBLOCKS is a series of five-minute videos that each teach a different preschool math concept. The main characters are talking versions of the unit blocks ubiquitous in preschool classrooms, and each number is a different character. Some of the episodes are mini stories, others are music videos, and others are a straightforward explanation of a math concept. Throughout the multiple seasons, Numberblocks goes through many early math skills like counting, number recognition, beginning addition and subtraction, odds and evens, and more.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (16):
Kids say (12):
This series is fantastically educational. Numberblocks does a superb job of helping preschoolers understand what numbers actually mean. Since each character is made out of unit blocks, they're great visual representations of what a numeral represents. The first season establishes the basics (number 1, number 2, etc.), and from there more advanced concepts are introduced.
But will preschoolers enjoy watching it? By and large, yes. The Numberblocks are cute, and it's really fun to watch the Numberblocks change value -- when blocks are added or subtracted the Numberblocks change colors and turn into whole new characters. Because the Numberblocks are personified, it feels more like entertainment and less like a boring instructional video. However, the storylines are pretty variable between episodes. Some episodes feel like a plot line has been hastily slapped onto the math concept, and so some older preschoolers may be less into those episodes. Overall though, these bite-sized episodes are great for preschoolers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about educational play. Do you have blocks at home? How can you practice the concepts you watched in Numberblocks?
Reinforce early math concepts throughout your daily routine. Count how many stuffed animals you have, then how many you have when you add one or take away one. Point out numbers on grocery packages, the microwave timer, or in magazines. There's math everywhere once you start to look!
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 23, 2017
- Networks: Netflix, CBeebies
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: STEM, Numbers and Letters
- TV rating: TV-Y
- Last updated: May 25, 2024
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