Approved for All Ages

Scout and the Gumboot Kids

A group of children explore the wonders of nature by solving mysteries proposed by Scout the mouse. Mixing live action and stop-motion animation, Scout & The Gumboot Kids bridges the family room and the world of the outdoors through curiosity, music, and mindfulness.
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Dove Review

This delightful series comes in five-minute bite-sized portions, which all pack a punch! The focus is the symbiosis of humans and nature, and is specifically geared toward children. The episodes cleverly teach simple lessons through a game of discovery and captivating visuals that leave the viewer feeling the intrinsic connection with nature.

Each vignette begins with a stop-motion rendition of an adorable and meticulously tailored mouse named Scout who sits on a tree branch with binoculars around his neck acting as a nature “scout.” He challenges the boys and girls in the show—and by extension, the viewer—to solve a riddle through a series of three clues about some kind of phenomenon in nature. The title of each episode begins with “The Case….” as in “The Case of the Vanishing Caterpillar,” for instance. Scout will recite the clues, one at a time, and the children will be shown running or walking in a group, often in slow motion in an attempt to discover the riddle behind the clue, and put the pieces together; there is always a lesson to be learned. When they have put all three clues together, they are always able to guess the outcome. In the “Caterpillar” episode, Scout questions what happened to his friend the caterpillar. The clues are Twig, Chrysalis, and Wings, and the outcome is, of course, that the caterpillar has morphed into a butterfly. Likewise, “The Case of the Growing Bird Feeder” focuses on how sunflowers produce seeds that both birds and humans eat. The lesson, as always, is that the earth miraculously provides for us.

The photography is absolutely gorgeous in this series, which always portrays the children exploring and playing in nature. Each episode ends with a “mindful moment” that extrapolates what has been learned; for instance, metamorphosis, to a larger extent, means “change can be beautiful and graceful.” Then there is a song about the topic that is catchy, folksy, and relevant that helps close out the short show. The final scenes are always of the children connecting with nature in some way while Scout bids farewell until next time.

Words such as “blessing” and “miracle” are used in relation to the wonder of nature, which suggests a creator who has bestowed a gift upon us that we should not only feel connected to, but should also respect and cherish. Scout & the Gumboot Kids is uniquely instructional and enchanting, worthy of attention from all generations.

We are proud to award this series the Dove-Approved Seal for All Ages.

Dove Rating Details

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Faith

No overt Christian messages, but suggestions that nature is a miracle and a blessing

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Integrity

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Nudity

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Other

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