WISE Score
Gorgeous, gentle, and actually smart—it’s the rare preschool movie that won’t make you want to claw your eyes out.
This is a winner. If you’re tired of the flashing lights and screaming characters of mainstream toddler TV, Puffin Rock: New Friends is your sanctuary.
It manages to be educational about nature and climate without being preachy, and it treats its young audience with a level of respect you don't often see. It’s essentially a long, beautiful hug in movie form.
Don't expect high-octane action—this is a slow burn that rewards attention and curiosity.
Perfect for the 2-to-6 crowd. While older siblings might find it a bit slow, it's the gold standard for early childhood viewing that doesn't feel like brain rot.
It maintains the show's signature gentle pacing and focus on community. It models how to handle mistakes and welcome outsiders without the frantic energy of typical modern animation.
The world-building is rooted in real ecology but presented with a magical, storybook aesthetic that encourages kids to look at the natural world with more curiosity.
Extremely safe. No violence, no language, and no scary villains. The only 'threat' is a storm and a missing egg, which are handled with care.
Teaches empathy, environmental awareness, and the social complexities of joining a new group. It’s high-EQ content that respects the intelligence of toddlers.
If you’ve spent any time in the trenches of modern preschool programming, you know the specific, vibrating exhaustion that comes from high-contrast neon characters screaming over synth-pop. Puffin Rock: New Friends is the antidote. It’s a feature-length extension of the series that feels less like a "movie event" and more like a rainy afternoon spent with a very high-quality picture book.
Every toddler show has its "teachable moment" character, but the introduction of Isabelle—a new puffin who joins the group—has sparked a bit of a debate among parents. In the film, she makes a genuinely bad choice: she loses an egg and lets someone else take the fall for it.
On some corners of the internet, parents have flagged this as a dealbreaker because the apology feels too light. I disagree. Life with a four-year-old is a constant cycle of low-stakes lies and social blunders. Seeing a character navigate the shame of a mistake without being banished to a dark forest for the rest of the runtime feels honest. It’s a great entry point for talking about why we lie when we’re scared, rather than just wagging a finger at the screen.
This is arguably the strongest contender for a child’s very first feature-film experience. If you’re looking for more options in this lane, our Best Movies for 2-3 Year Olds: 2026 Toddler Guide covers the heavy hitters, but Puffin Rock holds a unique spot because of its pacing.
The stakes are real—there’s a storm coming and a missing egg—but the movie never resorts to the frantic, "the-world-is-ending" energy of a Disney climax. The tension is handled with a softness that respects a toddler's emotional limit. If your kid is sensitive to loud noises or fast cuts, this is your safest bet.
The "parent tax" is the amount of boredom you have to endure to keep your kid happy. Usually, it’s high. Here, it’s remarkably low. The watercolor aesthetic is genuinely beautiful to look at, and the narration by Chris O'Dowd provides a dry, observational wit that feels like it’s meant for us, not them.
The songs are the only place where the movie hits a bit of a mid note. They’re sweet, and "Have No Fear" is a decent enough earworm, but they sometimes feel like they’re stalling the plot rather than moving it forward. It’s a minor gripe in a movie that otherwise treats its audience like they have a functioning brain.
While the show is about nature, the movie is secretly about displacement. New animals arrive on the island because their old homes are no longer safe. It’s a heavy concept, but by framing it through the lens of making new friends, it becomes digestible. It’s the rare piece of media that manages to be "about something" without feeling like a lecture. You can put this on, go make a coffee, and not worry about what kind of weird consumerist habits or frantic energy your kid is absorbing while you're gone.
Get a personalized guide on any topic
