Raising Pingu: age rating and what parents of kids 4–7 should know
Pingu is rated TV-PG, meaning parental guidance suggested, on the Apple TV US store page, with no content descriptors shown; Prime Video's US listing, as indexed by search, shows TV-Y, so we show the stricter rating. The UK's BBFC rated Pingu U and called it particularly suitable for preschool children. Common Sense Media, an independent nonprofit, lists it for ages 3 and up, with no violence or language. The characters speak an invented penguin language, not real words.
Pingu at a glance
- –Official rating above age 7
Apple TV: TV-PG (pos 2); BBFC: U - –Violence in rating descriptors
No descriptors listed with TV-PG - –Scary content in rating descriptors
No descriptors listed with TV-PG - –Bad language in rating descriptors
No descriptors listed with TV-PG - –Sexual content, drugs, or alcohol in rating descriptors
No descriptors listed with TV-PG - –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 | Swiss stop-motion series about a penguin family at the South Pole, with no real words |
|---|---|
| US (TV rating) | TV-PG (parental guidance suggested) on the Apple TV US page, no descriptors shown; Prime Video lists episodes TV-Y, per the US listing as indexed by search source |
| UK (BBFC) | U (universal) — particularly suitable for preschool children source |
| Common Sense Media | 3+ (an independent nonprofit's age guidance) |
| Pingu in the City | Computer-animated spin-off made in Japan for NHK, 2017–2019, per Wikipedia source |
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 Pingu?
Short answer: A stop-motion series from Switzerland about a young penguin and his family at the South Pole.
Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann co-created it; it aired on Swiss TV from 1990 to 2000, and HIT Entertainment made two more series for the UK's CBeebies from 2003 to 2006, according to Wikipedia. The characters speak "Pinguish," a made-up penguin language, which Common Sense Media notes is incomprehensible to viewers. Pingu's signature honk is often written "Noot noot!"
Pingu age rating: what's in it
Short answer: TV-PG on Apple TV in the US, U in the UK, and Common Sense Media says 3+.
- US: TV-PG on Apple TV, no descriptors shown; TV-Y on Prime Video, per its US listing as indexed by search.
- UK (BBFC): U, particularly suitable for preschool children.
- Common Sense Media: 3+.
Common Sense Media lists no violence, language, sex or drinking. It says Pingu and his seal friend Robbie are constantly getting into trouble and squabbling, usually learning their lesson by the end, and that plots may be hard for the youngest viewers to follow.
Why Pingu has two US ratings
Short answer: Different US services list it differently, and we show the stricter one.
Apple TV's US page rates the series TV-PG without content descriptors. Prime Video's episode listings show TV-Y, according to search results we could read. When official sources disagree, this directory uses the stricter rating.
The habit kids may copy: acting up again
Pingu often gets into mischief, learns his lesson, and then acts up again in the next episode.
Try tonight: think before the fun idea
When your child has a big "fun" idea, like sliding down the stairs, pause together. Ask: "What could happen next? Is there a better way?" Let them choose. In our program, this is the lesson "Wisdom": thinking before deciding.
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 Pingu rated?
TV-PG on the Apple TV US page, TV-Y on Prime Video's episode listings, and U in the UK.
What age is Pingu for?
Common Sense Media lists Pingu for ages 3 and up, and the BBFC calls it particularly suitable for preschool children.
What language does Pingu speak?
None. The characters speak an invented penguin language, often called Pinguish.
What is Pingu in the City?
A computer-animated spin-off made in Japan for NHK, which aired from 2017 to 2019, according to Wikipedia.
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