Channing and I recently put on our fancy pants to attend a special screening of the new Amazon Video original animated series called Stinky and Dirty. And let me tell you, it’s perfect for preschoolers! The show is based on the popular “I Stink!” book series written by Kate and Jim McMullen.
The preview went down at a luxe launch party at The Grove in LA and Channing and I had a blast. We watched two episodes of the show and were then treated to fabulous Stinky and Dirty food, music and activities.
Chan went right for the dump trucks and started playing. I went right for the tiny hot dogs, and s’mores. #Priorities
But the real star of the afternoon was the show itself. Stinky and Dirty takes you along on the adventures of best friends and unlikely heroes, Stinky the garbage truck and Dirty the backhoe loader. These adorable characters are voice by Jaden Betts (Doc McStuffins) as Stinky and Jacob Guenther (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as Dirty.
We laughed a lot during the show because it’s really clever and sweet. But there’s more to it. The kids will actually learn while they watch the show! There’s some great stuff packed into this stinky show like:
- Problem Solving. When faced with a problem, Stinky and Dirty run through different scenarios and weigh each possible solution. There’s even a wonderful section in each show that maps out the scenarios and likely outcomes so it’s more clear to the viewer. It’s not just solving the problem for the kids, it shows you how they reached their conclusion.
- Teamwork. Stinky and Dirty, along with the cast of colorful characters in the town of Go City, all work together to solve a problem. It reinforces the idea that working together makes problem solving more manageable.
- Resourceful. These two are resourceful! I mean, we’re talking about a garbage truck and a backhoe loader here. They don’t have arms and legs, so they have to get creative and use what they do have to get out of sticky situations. Some people might call it “thinking outside the box”. Whatever you call it, it’s a skill every kid should learn.
- Play. Stinky and Dirty aren’t afraid to play! Experts have said for years that learning through play is essential for child development and this is a great example of two friends who know how to play.
- Failure. In their quest to solve a problem, the friends often fail and have to try again. And that’s okay! Kids learn when they fail at something and it motivates them to try again.
You might also notice some of the characters in Go City sound familiar. That’s because celebs like Whoopi Goldberg, Jane Lynch, Andy Richter, Joan Cusack and Wallace Shawn all voiced characters for the show.
One cool fact parents will love, the series has a structured curriculum that was developed by Dr. Alice Wilder and author Jessica Lahey. Jessica’s book is called “The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed” and the curriculum in the show is based on it.
It also features original music by Daniel Bern, and was written and developed for Amazon by Guy Toubes.
Overall we had a wonderful time at the Stinky and Dirty party. Channing may have accidentally taken a toy garbage truck home. Okay, she stole it. But I figure if she got that excited about the show after just 2 episodes, imagine how much more excited she’ll be to practice problem solving and teamwork once we binge watch them all.
Stinky and Dirty will be available to Amazon Prime members in its entirety on Sept. 2nd.
