Shopkins: Chef Club

Our children are really into Shopkins -- the toys and the Chef Club Game.

The children (as well as us as parents) were extremely disappointed in the plot and overall production of the Shopkins characters. The idea seemed promising -- a cooking competition (like other live reality cooking competitions) among the Shopkins characters, using the ingredients, which are the smaller characters themselves. It just didn't meet their expectations in so many ways. We found the cross-dressing of the gum-gum tree disturbing (the characters dress a male tree as a woman -- with lipstick, eye-shadow, and nail-polish to get fruit from his tree) -- an unnecessary political plug targeting children. "Bubble Shea" has some very disturbing insecurities -- self-centeredness, competitiveness, and even causes another character (the cookie) to do wrong. Although it resolves itself, it seems like an over-emphasis on her moral vices, rather than any redeeming qualities -- not something we care to put in front of younger children, since they learn through imitation, rather than the higher cognitive abilities and moral processing of older children.

Our daughter liked this movie because of the fun and silly characters, bright colors and eye catching animation. However, as parents, this movie was abhorrent. It promoted materialism with its strong emphasis on acquiring material goods. It displayed characters placating the vanity, selfishness, and social neediness of others rather than addressing the characters' need for constant reassurance in a healthy manner. There are no lessons to be gleaned and the morals presented do not align with the strength of character most parents wish to instill in their children. We will not be allowing our children to watch any more Shopkins shows or movies due this shallowness.