Movies, TV shows about inner beauty

It can still be hard to find TV shows and movies with a range of body types represented and an emphasis on skills, smarts and character instead of appearance, but it’s worth the effort.

Entertainment media have a huge impact on children’s social, emotional and physical development. So exposing them to media that reflect positive body image shows them it’s what’s inside that counts.

Here are some recommendations:

TV

Earth to Luna!, age 4+ Bubbly Luna is full of questions and runs her own experiments to satisfy her curiosity. Doc McStuffins, age 4+ Animated 6-year-old is kind and caring, but it’s her problem-solving that saves the day, and she’s well on her way to following in her physician mother’s footsteps. Annedroids, age 5+ Anne is an inventor and engineer who creates robots and is always tinkering. Unlike many other ’tween TV characters, Anne eschews fashion and wears overalls, which make perfect sense for her type of play.

Xploration Outer Space, age 6+

This show promotes STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning, and its female host challenges gender stereotypes typically associated with the subject of astronautics.

Terry the Tomboy, age 8+ A show about a girl who salivates over grilled meat, favors flannel because it’s comfortable, and isn’t afraid to be seen with dried pie on her face? No body-image issues here.

MOVIES

Anne of Green Gables (several versions, starting in 1934), age 7+

Anne’s story is a celebration of friendship, imagination, creativity, hope and finding family in unexpected places. Spirited Away, age 9+ An edgy animated portrayal of what a young girl needs to do to grow up and take responsibility for more than herself. 23 Blast, age 10+ An inspiring true tale about a blind football player.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, age 11+

A tale of four high school girls who stay in touch by way of a pair of jeans that magically fits all their different body sizes perfectly.