Raising Stoics

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.

Help your child handle big feelings. A 12-week program for kids 5–6: 20 minutes, twice a week.
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Little Bear at a glance

0 flags6
Risk flags0 of 6Official age rating: TV-Y (Apple TV US store: TV-Y)
  • –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.

TypeCanadian 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 Media3+ (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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Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "Enough": noticing what's already here.

See the program All games and shows