What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this cartoon series for young
children is filled with positive messages about kindness,
respect for others, honesty, and responsibility. Preschoolers
will easily relate to the troubles that Olly and his friends
face, and they'll benefit from seeing how communication helps
the group resolve problems and improve their social behavior.
In some scenes, predatory sea creatures like sharp-toothed
barracudas chase the little subs, but overall the tone is light
and shouldn't frighten youngsters.
Families can talk about responsibility and doing a job well. What jobs do Olly, Beth, and Skid do for Diver Doug? How do they use their individual talents to get the jobs done? What might happen if they didn't do their work? Why is it important to do what we're asked to do? Kids: What responsibilities do you have? What would happen if you didn't live up to them? Families can also discuss the issues raised by the show -- including honesty, forgiveness, and self-confidence -- and relate the stories to kids' own experiences.
Common Sense Media Review
DIVE OLLY DIVE follows the oceanic escapades of Olly (voiced
by Robbie E. Harrison), a young submarine-in-training who works
under the direction of Diver Doug (Gibson Nolte) at the Special
Underwater Research Facility -- SURF for short. Olly and his
best friend, Beth (Allisyn Arm), help Diver Doug maintain the
ocean floor for the creatures and watercraft that call it home.
When they're not on the job, the subs head off for adventure in
their underwater wonderland with friends like transport vehicle
Skid (Julie McGregor) and Brandt (Shane Withington), a hermit
crab who aspires to be a pirate.
This engaging series is sure to delight preschoolers with its colorful characters and crisp animation, which will help open kids' eyes to the world's diversity and perhaps pique their curiosity to learn more about the real-life versions of the characters. Kids will easily relate to the issues that Olly and his friends face in their relationships with each other and their underwater exploration, and they're well served by the strong positive messages about values like helpfulness, respect, cooperation, and honesty.
Very sensitive youngsters may need a little reassurance during scenes in which predatory creatures chase or intimidate the little subs, but overall there's nothing to worry about in sharing this vibrant, enjoyable series with your preschoolers.
For more kid-friendly underwater fun, try Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid . Other great choices with good messages for this age group include Little Bear and Bear in the Big Blue House .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
