Masha and the Bear

by Shamla Naleer

Masha and the Bear

Recommended age: 3-5 years

Access through: Youtube and the official website

Positives: Simple language and entertaining

The series, which is accessible on youtube and the official website, is based on Russian folklore that narrates the adventures of two main characters, a hyperactive little girl named Masha and a big-hearted Bear who seems to love calm and quietness. The animations surely draw the attention of the kids, but what keeps them glued to their screens throughout the episodes aren't just the lively characters, but also the storyline. The storylines seem to move fast just like the hyperactive characteristic of Masha. The facial expressions of the characters and the movement of objects seem to speak for themselves. These kinds of productions are sure to draw the attention of kids of all ages. The soundtracks (especially the lullaby in episode 62) are catchy and add to the lively nature of the animated series.

Although kids can be captivated by the antics of Masha, the bear, and the other characters, there was more than one instance where I felt concerned. I found the characters to be cute and entertaining, most of the comedy was the characters annoying or being mean to each other in different ways. The character, Masha often misbehaves and the bear seems to put up with the behaviour. This might encourage such behaviour among kids who watch it. The characters are always at play, pranking each other and sometimes getting violent too. As entertainment, it can seem harmless, but constantly exposing kids to content like these could influence their behavioural conduct negatively. As the play practices seen on screen may not be entertained by parents in Sri Lankan households, it could normalize the behaviour of being annoying and mean in an attempt to appear cute and playful. However, the screen time could also turn into quality conversation time between parents and kids. Parents could talk to their kids about how Masha's behaviour could cause them trouble in real life and how Masha could have prevented getting into trouble in the first place.

Masha, who looks and acts like a 3-4-year-old, sounds much older. I was confused as to whether it was the English voiceover or the dialogues used so I looked up the original Russian version and came to a conclusion that it was both the voiceover and the dialogues that made the little girl lose her charm.

Besides the concern of the series negatively impacting the behaviour of kids, it seems to be a good source for kids to learn English. Masha doesn’t have many dialogues but when she does speak, her sentences are quite short and simple. However, Masha speaks with an American accent which might not be familiar to all children.

If I were to rate this series on a scale of one to five, I would give this only a rating of two. It’s an entertaining show; however, I wouldn’t recommend a kid over 2 years old watching this show. A toddler wouldn’t try and imitate what Masha or her friends do, but older kids might try a prank or two which may or may not end up badly. If your kids above 2 years watch the show, it would be good to talk to them about Masha's behaviour. Although this series is recommended for kids who are 3-5 years, I believe even older kids would enjoy watching the show while also being able to learn English. If you are someone who is looking forward to learning the Russian language, the original version would be a perfect source to learn simple sentences and help you carry out everyday conversations. Both the English and Russian versions - with more than 80 episodes - are available for free on the official website and YouTube.