Little Bear: age rating and what parents of kids 4–7 should know
Little Bear is rated TV-Y, meaning designed for all children, on the Apple TV US page for Maurice Sendak's Little Bear, and the MPA rated The Little Bear Movie (2001) G. The UK's BBFC rated its releases U, with no material likely to offend or harm. Common Sense Media, an independent nonprofit, lists the series for ages 3 and up and calls it gentle and family-oriented, with no violence, language, sex or drinking.
Little Bear at a glance
- –Official rating above age 7
Apple TV: TV-Y; BBFC: U - –Violence in rating descriptors
No descriptors in TV-Y or BBFC U - –Scary content in rating descriptors
No descriptors in TV-Y or BBFC U - –Bad language in rating descriptors
No descriptors in TV-Y or BBFC U - –Sexual content, drugs, or alcohol in rating descriptors
No descriptors in TV-Y or BBFC U - –Rated 12 or higher in the UK or Germany
BBFC: U
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count. Rating reasons marked mild, very mild, or brief don't count.
| Type | Canadian animated series (1995–2001) based on the Little Bear books |
|---|---|
| US (TV rating) | TV-Y (designed for all children) on the Apple TV US page for Maurice Sendak's Little Bear; 5 seasons listed source |
| US (MPA) | G (general audiences) for The Little Bear Movie (2001) source |
| UK (BBFC) | U (universal) — no material likely to offend or harm source |
| Common Sense Media | 3+ (an independent nonprofit's age guidance) |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is Little Bear?
Short answer: A gentle animated series about a young bear, his mother and his forest friends.
Nelvana made it with Canada's CBC and Nickelodeon, based on the books by Else Holmelund Minarik with pictures by Maurice Sendak. In the US, it premiered on Nick Jr. on November 6, 1995, and the last episode aired on June 1, 2001, according to Wikipedia. The first episode on Apple TV includes "What Will Little Bear Wear?" and "Little Bear Goes to the Moon."
Little Bear age rating: what's in it
Short answer: TV-Y in the US, U in the UK, and Common Sense Media says 3+.
- US: TV-Y on Apple TV; The Little Bear Movie is G.
- UK (BBFC): U, no material likely to offend or harm.
- Common Sense Media: 3+.
Common Sense Media lists no violence, language, sex, drinking or products. It describes the series as gentle and family-oriented, with a slow pace, sparse educational content, and characters who share and play well together and spend their time in nature.
The habit kids may copy: pretend play
Little Bear turns ordinary days into games, like a trip to the moon.
Try tonight: what's already here
Go to a window or step outside for two minutes. Take turns naming one thing you can see, hear and smell. Say: "Look, all this is already here." In our program, this is the lesson "Enough": noticing what's already here.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What is Little Bear rated?
TV-Y on the Apple TV US page and U in the UK. The Little Bear Movie (2001) is rated G.
What age is Little Bear for?
There's no age limit on TV-Y. Common Sense Media lists the series for ages 3 and up.
Who made Little Bear?
Nelvana, with Canada's CBC and Nickelodeon, based on the books by Else Holmelund Minarik illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
When did Little Bear air?
In the US, from November 6, 1995, to June 1, 2001, on Nick Jr., according to Wikipedia.
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