User Reviews

The delightful "Bear in the Big Blue House" is just one of those genuine children's shows, along with "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," "Fraggle Rock," and literally anything original Sprout pulled out. The show makes usage of educational themes and wholesome family values through music, dancing, and a dash of humor.

Bear is a wonderful host who truly makes the audience feel at home - a far cry from the louder, more babyish shows of the past (like "Barney & Friends"). His friends - Tutter, Pip and Pop, Treelo, and Ojo, are wholesome, precocious, and relatable, just like real kids. At the end of each show, Bear talks to the moon, Luna, and tells her about what he and his friends did today. This is pretty soothing if you ask me, especially the song they sing.

In short, "Bear in the Big Blue House" is a show that whiny brats DESERVE to watch, given its calming nature and Bear's gentleness as a caregiver. Each episode has something that children can get a hold of, especially the relatable plotlines and the occasional pop-culture reference. I love this show, and I hope you do too.

Did this show continue till 2006? Wow. I mean, I'm not that surprised, it's just strange that it was around for that long after I moved on from it.

This was just part of the viewing roster when I was little. Bear was a very charasmatic protagonist. Paternal to the other characters but not...parental if that makes any sense. These other characters giving Bear troubles but never ones so big he could never handle them make for colorful episodes.

I remember swell songs and pleasant lessons that never turn into some lecture about morality.

Excellently puppeteered and acted, the ending song with Luna has me overflowing with nostalgia and love.

Bear in the Big Blue House isn't as great as The Muppets or Sesame Street, but it's still great regardless! Ironically, I haven't had as much history with it as I've had with numerous other preschool shows (Sesame Street, Blue's Clues, Wow Wow Wubbzy, The Wiggles, The Teletubbies, Caillou, Dora, Diego, Barney, etc.). I still like some of those shows, some I'm now neutral to, and some I now hate. I loved BITBBH when I was a little kid, but I lost interest in it and quit watching it altogether when I was 4 years old because I was starting to be scared of Bear, especially when he'd sniff the audience. I've had similar issues with little to no other preschool shows. It may be safe to say I haven't given it a chance for the longest time. Many years later, I heard good things about it on YouTube, found some of the episodes on YT shortly after that and watched them. I now like it again and regret not giving it a chance before, although Bear's sniffing still scares and intrigues me because it comes out of nowhere and surprises me, and Bear presses his nose up against the camera, even though he does it in every episode. I already knew most of what it was teaching, but whatever. Some days I watch it on Disney+. I'm so happy it's finally there!

Noel MacNeal (Bear's puppeteer and voice) has confirmed that Bear is supposed to be the anti-Barney. Some Bear fans and Barney haters have described Barney as loud and childlike and Bear as calm and fatherly, and the people involved wanted him to have a voice that wouldn't make parents want to bulge their eyes out. Noel has also described him as a "furry Mr. Rogers." Barney says, "Don't be afraid," and Bear says, "It's okay, take your time." Barney has explained that it's okay to be afraid (though I don't have a problem with the way he handled it), but Bear has handled that message in a more heartfelt and accepting way. In an episode where it's the latter's birthday, he refuses to make a big deal about it, much to his friends' confusion, but the former doesn't have a problem with those who make a big deal about his birthday. The former's perspective on his birthday can relate mostly to younger viewers (though there's nothing wrong with his view on his "big day"), but the latter's perspective on his birthday could relate mostly to older viewers, especially yours truly. Bear is better than Barney, but I'm neutral to Barney, though I understand why some people don't like him. Unlike some other preschool show hosts, Bear doesn't talk down to the audience. He acts like a kindly uncle instead of using patronizing baby talk. He handles the concept of "fake" interactivity very well and doesn't ask dumb questions (e.g., "Can you see that blue house?"). When he has a question for the audience (e.g., "What do you like to do with your friends?", "Who do you love most?", "What do you do when you're scared?", "What do you like to share with your friends and family?"), real kids appear on screen and answer it, and his pauses after questions are short and sweet. He and Ojo both have cute, teddy bear-like designs, which strengthens the show's warm tone. He's one of the most expressive and realistic muppets I've ever seen! Unlike most muppets, he can open and close his eyes, twitch his eyebrows, sleep while his face is on screen, droop his eyelids, etc. Like Barney, the show addresses some everyday aspects of life, albeit a more relatable manner, like the importance of sharing, friendship, forgiveness, potty training, discovering the world around you, good sportsmanship, the importance of brushing your teeth, and more. The tone and Bear's anti-Barney mannerisms have caused the show to be popular with kids and adults alike!

Bear's gentleness and the show's soothing nature are a couple of its best aspects. Bear settles his friends' arguments and handles their habits in an understanding, laid-back, and non-threatening manner. For example, there's an episode where Bear's new skunk cuckoo clock ticks, wakes up Tutter, and scares him, and Tutter later takes the clock apart to understand it better. That helped him get over his fear of the clock. Bear was confused at first, but he didn't have a problem with that because he fully understood Tutter's feelings about the clock. Later in the same episode, he (Bear) says, "The more you know about something, the less you'll be afraid of it." True, but I feel like that's not always the case. Another example of Bear's warm attitude is shown in another episode, where a big wind causes a tree to fall on the local library and destroy it, and Ojo is afraid she'll never get to go to the library again. Bear holds her in his arms, says the whole Woodland Valley will be working together to fix the library, and sings about meaning no harm. This warms my heart a lot! Sometimes the people around those who are worried about those kinds of things may struggle to understand or accept their feelings, but I can't say the same about Bear. Trust me, I've been in a situation like that before. I have some very unusual interests, disinterests, and fears, and some more common ones too. Sometimes Bear's friends unintentionally give him troubles, but none that are so big or too much for him to handle. Like Winnie the Pooh, he is very cheerful, easygoing, and doesn't ever get angry, yet he's not always happy. If we could all be more like Bear, the world would be a better place to live in! I heard the series has been popular with children who have/had special needs, mainly autistic ones, due to its calming nature and Bear's gentleness as a caregiver. Coincidentally, I've had autism ever since I was born. Bear and Luna's duet at the end of every episode (The Goodbye Song) is so quiet, pretty, and emotional that it always makes me feel the need to cry (more about it later).

Another one of the best things about the show is its music. Unlike various other musical shows, it contains a wide variety of different music genres, like jazz, rock, hip hop, blues, and more. The jazz songs give it a nostalgic feeling/tone and could give parents and grandparents who grew up with jazz a reason to watch it. There are a couple of songs where Bear scat sings, and his vocals make them electric! Some of the songs tell life lessons or inspiring messages and give them uniqueness that a conversation about them lacks. Pip and Pop's song "Otter Love" is a great example, and it's my favorite Pip and Pop moment of all. It explains the importance of love and says you can never get enough love; I can't argue with that! It's a banger, has a hip hop-like beat and smooth, cool, and calming backup vocals by Bear (I don't know how else to describe his vocals). He sings some lyrics that are often sung in old, nostalgic songs ("Uh huh," "Oh yeah," etc.). My favorite Bear song is Bear's signature song/dance, The Bear Cha Cha Cha. It is one of the most iconic and most easily remembered songs, and one of the only Bear songs I remembered long after I stopped watching the show for a while. It goes hard and is sure to get people up and dancing! You don't have to be a kid or a bear to dance along and enjoy it. Our title character has the coolest and most energetic dance moves I've ever seen a muppet do, especially when he does the Bear Cha Cha Cha! The Goodbye Song is one of the least sad goodbye songs I've ever heard because it says goodbyes aren't (always) so bad; Bear and Luna will be waiting for you before you to "come back" to the Big Blue House, and they'll see you again soon. If Bear taught us one thing, it's how to properly say goodbye. In various episodes, there's cheerful music from The Book of Pooh in scenes with no singing or dancing. That is part of what caused me to regain my interest in Bear and reminded me that it was more optimistic, upbeat, and not as creepy and dull as I remembered.

The series provides social skills, jokes, songs (like I said), and quirky characters, which makes it fun to watch! There's Bear of course, the imaginative and inquisitive Ojo, the worrisome Tutter, the playful and funny Pip and Pop, the bouncy Treelo, and the old and wise Luna. They make it fun to watch! Speaking of Tutter, he is one of my favorite characters alongside Bear. I find him relatable because his feelings of unease are similar to mine. We both have unusual fears and frustrations (e.g., Tutter was scared of Bear's skunk clock at first and I'm scared of the puppets from LazyTown). He has had struggles/worries that children commonly have. For example, before he started school, he tried to learn how to read and write, but he couldn't, and he was worried that he had too much to learn in so little time. Bear set him straight and said he didn't have to know all those skills before starting school because we go to school to learn those things. Tutter reminds me of Piglet from Winnie the Pooh because they're both easily frightened and smaller than most of their friends. His voice sounds like Toad from Mario Bros and Pinocchio from Shrek. The scenes where he screams and quietly ends his lines with "Thank you Bear!" are funny! Bear has some funny one-liners, like "I'm curious. Were you Cha Cha Chaing?"

The Big Blue House set looks very cool! It's so big and roomy. The swing in the living room looks fun and relaxing to sit on. The yard has plenty of trees, logs, and a pond nearby, and it resembles a forest, which is fitting because most of the characters are forest animals. The Big Blue House sounds fun to visit and to live at too! I don't know how else to describe the set.

Overall, Bear in the Big Blue House is an educational, entertaining, funny, sweet, and engaging show! I consider it a good part of my childhood, despite the bad memories I had with it. If you're looking for a show for you and your kid(s) to enjoy together, this is it! I don't have any kids, but if I'll have any someday, I'll definitely introduce them to Bear!

I have a confession to make : I'm 16 and I loved this show, been watching it since i was 10 (much too old for this kind of show)Of course it's a kiddy show so there's no exciting plot lines and i already know most of what it's teaching. But It's so entertaining, the songs, the characters. I loved bear, he's so huggable and adorable. Tudder's hilarious so are pip and pop. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the scenes and going 'awwww' at others. The way they teach, it makes it easy for the younger kids to catch it, with songs, examples, stories etc. And they teach the more important things: like sharing, forgiving, being a good friend, good sportsmanship, discovering the world around you etc. this is one show!! It's not boring for the older audience too, it's funny and witty. Overall, this is an excellent show for the young and the young at heart.

Bear in the Big Blue House has been a part of my childhood for as long as I can remember, and I have fond memories of watching it with my family. I would give it a 7 out of 10 stars. The show has a warm and cozy feel, with its charming characters and catchy songs that I still hum. What I appreciate about the show is the way it encourages children to use their imaginations and teaches them valuable life lessons in a gentle and fun way. The show is also great for helping children learn about different animals and their habitats. However, as an adult, some of the episodes can be repetitive and slow-paced. Nevertheless, it's still an excellent show for children, and I recommend it to parents looking for wholesome, educational entertainment for their kids. Overall, Bear in the Big Blue House will always hold a special place in my heart.

I can't say enough good things about this show. It is the only children's program that consistently addresses the everyday aspects of life, such as potty training, cleaning the house, bathing, brushing one's teeth, going to school, etc. The amazing thing is how it's all done in the most entertaining way with fun songs and lots of dancing -- not an easy thing to do well. My kids absolutely love it when Bear feels the Cha Cha Cha coming on! The entire cast is extremely talented. I never hear them talking down to children as I do on many other shows. The segment with Luna is wonderful to open children's minds to contemplation -- it is so soothing.

My children, now 3 and 1, have adored this show since they were old enough to hold their heads up and it's one of the few programs that I actually enjoy myself as there is a subtle humor that adults can appreciate. Most importantly, however, this is a show that actually teaches kids about real life while entertaining them and opening their imaginations. My personal favorite of all the current kids shows, and objectively speaking, one of the three best kids shows on TV. Also, the pacing is great and it does not contribute to the short attention span syndrome like so many other kids shows.

I was 5 when this started airing on weekday mornings, and I cannot count the number of times I was enthralled when watching this programme. At 17, I still love it. Bear in the Big Blue House is a rarity, and is absolutely perfect for kids to wake up to. The puppetry is first rate so colourful and convincing, the characters are endearing(I have always loved Tutter and Pip and Pop), the songs are tuneful and fun and the stories are nice. Also, this programme successfully teaches simple lessons that adults will definitely appreciate, and Bear even talks into the camera so I always get the feeling that I am being invited into this wonderful big blue house, and that is exactly what I want to feel. I have mentioned the songs, but I have to say the title theme is something that kids will definitely have in their heads, as it is in my head constantly. Same with the theme tunes to Darkwing Duck and Pingu. Bear's duet with the moon is lovely, and speaking of Bear he is an amazing character, so warm and loving you can easily relate to him. In conclusion, a rare weekday morning gem. 10/10 Bethany Cox

They don't make classic gems like this anymore which is probably why children today are as messed up as a crack addict.

Bear in the Big Blue House is a great show start to finish. The goodbye song puts me to sleep and i love it.

BITBBH provides social skills, jokes, songs and qurkey characters for entertainment.

An absolute adorable show.

For readers that think I have slowly started to crumble into a world of watching television for the sake of seeing colourful images moving, I must clarify that I came to The Bear a year ago as part of helping out some friends. A young family stayed with me in my house and they included two children of about 2 and 3 years old. Each morning as I was eating breakfast, the children would be merrily watching the Bear on channel 5 and joining in with his fun. So, from their critical point of view the show certainly appears to have worked – but they cannot type so damn them and damn their opinions.

Watching it as an adult I must admit that it is a good product that has the strengths of the genre but has none of the major weaknesses that you would associate with something like Barney. Bear is actually quite a warm character and he has a bit of personality behind him rather than just churning out phrases and corny clichés. The fact that the other characters are pretty good also helps as, although they are cute of course, they are not so sickly that I ever feared becoming diabetic from just watching it. It has a nice warm feel to it and Bear approaches the audience like a kindly Uncle rather than doing patronising baby talk. It isn't quite Sesame Street but it has more of that feel than the dreaded dinosaur. The characters all look good and are well delivered (although Shadow as an idea is just plain creepy if you ask me) and the voice work matches it all well.

Overall this is an enjoyable show for pre-school kids that can be watched by adults without getting annoying in the way that some others do. Like I said, not Sesame Street but effective nonetheless.

This is my 2-year-old's favorite show, hands down. It is also the one show that will hold my 6-month-old son's attention for very long. I don't know what he enjoys about the show, but he always gets a big grin on his face when he sees Bear.

This show teaches a lot more than just colors and shapes, Bear talks about sharing, taking turns, being clean and more. He is sweet without being sappy, the songs are memorable and fun without being annoying and the rest of the characters are peppy without being hyper. Most of all, I LOVE how kind everyone is to each other, how all the characters are polite, respectful and say please and thank you. Too many children's programs are leaning towards sassy, sarcastic characters who look down on and disrespect everyone else.

This is a show that my husband and I will sit down and watch with our kids. I even look forward to the "Shadow" stories because they usually make me laugh. And I admit that we spend a lot of time trying to figure out how the giant Bear puppet works! :)

Good job Bear. 5 stars from this happy mom!! * * * * *

I have an almost 3 year old son, and we've been watching Bear for just over 18 months together. It's a fantastic show which he really loves. He already knows all the words for both the Hello and Goodbye songs (which is pretty impressive for a 3 year old!).

The music in the show is excellent as well. Im a guitarist and love listening to the different songs. I even try to learn a few to play to him when we're away on holidays.

I've recommended this to so many families with young children, and all of them have commented on how much their kids like it. Even the older kids get a kick out of it.

About the only thing I find annoying in the show is the voices of some of the characters. But it's for kids, and they love it.

Great effort! 10/10.

Although I like to poke fun at this show, I must admit it has several pleasant qualities that make it a wonderful show. It's mainly for children not yet "graduated" into shows for older kids. It has a "Mr. Rogers" type of quality in that Bear talks to the children watching and sort of invites them in to play with all of his friends in the big blue house. It can teach things such as being nice to others, even if they do something you might not like. I recommend this show for children aged up to about 7 or 8 years. This show can be a nice show for a young family looking for something enjoyable to watch with their children. It's neither too violent nor too babyish and can be a nice way to pass an afternoon before naptime.

Bear In The Big Blue House never failed to entertain me over and over as a youngster. At times I would even watch it while eating breakfast. Each episode focuses on a particular theme such as using the senses, the seasons, and even toilet training. In fact, I think that if it wasn't for the "potty" episode I would still be in diapers (I was fairly stubborn on the issue). Bear acts like a father/older brother figure to Tutter the mouse, Ojo the small bear, Treelo the lemur, and Pip and Pop the twin otters. There are also two other regular characters called Shadow (the outline of a little girl with pigtails) and Luna (the moon). Ray (the sun) also makes occasional appearances. All of these great characters have really appealing designs. Bear is a mix of brown and orange, Ojo is red, Treelo is green with blue ears and tail, Tutter is blue, and Pip and Pop are purple. As a kid and an adult I'm always enchanted by this literal rainbow of characters and I think any young child would be. If I had to pick a favourite it would be Treelo. Another thing that I absolutely adore is the songs, especially the "bear chachacha". This is a show every child should see.

My kids were the wrong age for this, but my 21st century grandsons were not! I have heard it is coming back, which is wonderful as I have a great grandson now.

Rather than saccharine stories that try to pound messages and fables into the young, Bear in the Big Blue House provides charm, humor and hidden lessons. Noel MacNeal is fantastic as Bear, providing warmth, and companionship, with a side course of gentle education! Can't wait to share it with my GGS!!

If you can, take time to watch the original episodes, and see the talent in them. Noel will be reprising his original character... So be on the lookout for one of the best puppeteers around today.

This show is by far one of the best Henson projects to date. My daughter and I watch the show together every day... it's just the cutest! The characters are adorable, lovable, and too funny! Our house tradition is for every guest to sit and watch the Potty Time episode with us... Tutter Mouse is such a riot, he always leaves my company in stitches. As with most children's shows, there is that whole "educational value" to it all, but the entertainment factor has exceeded all of my expectations for a show in it's class. I highly recommend this show for kids of all ages (even moms and dads!)!

I used to watch this with my 3 youngest, who are now, 22, 18 and 16. They loved it back then. Now I'm watching it with my grandson, who is loving it too. He was premature by 3 months, so by corrected age is only 2 months. When he is getting upset we put it on and he looks straight at it, it calms him down hearing bear talking. He smiles away at it. It's so nice to be able to share it with not just my children, who learned a lot from it, but now also my grandson. It isn't just a mindless cartoon, it's educational, so it's beneficial to children. The characters are all great and how things are explained, is easy for children to understand.

Perfectly lovely. I watched this with a 2 year old girl I was nanny for, and found MYSELF enjoying it. My husband and I are looking forward to watching it along with our first child. I like that it is personal, and sweet. It teaches empathy, I love that. It is the only program I am looking forward for him to see. I have been disappointed by many of the programs around geared toward younger viewers.

I saw this show the first time because of my nephew and niece, twins aged 3.

From the first time I saw it, I loved it.

Basically, all you need to know is: It is made by Jim Henson Company. I mean, when I was a kid, I loved Sesame Street and I loved the Muppet Show. Now I am 25, and I really like this show, too. And, unlike many other kids tv (Pokemon, Teletubbies), even as an adult you can watch the show, without going insane.

In my eyes, it is the perfect Kids TV. When the Bear talks towards the camera, the kids really get involved in the show. You can't go wrong with that show.

I've watched BITBBH quite a few times with my 3 and 6 year old. Although it's my 3 year old who enjoys it the most. I find the story lines well conceived and the dialogue between the characters always on a positive side(no insults at each other under the guise of humor).

The thing I most enjoy with this show has been the musical numbers. I remember in particular a song that Bear did on "finding a lost thing." This stands out because Noel McNeal, who plays Bear can really belt out a tune. I find myself watching the show with my kids just to hear him sing songs.

But at the same time I feel good that this show also contains a strong emphasis on teaching children worthwhile life lessons on subjects like being a good friend, potty training, conquering fears and asking for help.

I recommend watching this show because it's easy as an adult to handle watching this at the same time as my kids do and me gives plenty of opportunities to share comments with them as the story lessons unfold.

This is the most wonderful show for children of any age. Bear actually talks to the screen, and my 15 month old thinks that Bear is talking to him. It is a great show, with 5 other main characters beside Bear. There is Treelo, a lemur, Tutter the mouse, Pip and Pop are both otters and Luna is the moon. A truly creative show all around.

My neice was a huge fan of Bear, and when I had my daughter I was glad to see that it was still on TV. Since my daughter was around 7 months old, she has adored Bear. She can actually sit through an entire episode without fussing or moving. The characters excite her (especially Tutter and Bear), and the gentle nature that Bear uses to interact with the viewers is superb. It can't help but foster respect for other people, and self confidence in the kids who watch it. The lessons are range from cleaning house to using the potty, to the different seasons. Each subject is treated with the same gravitas, and the opinions and thoughts of kids are nurtured and reinforced.

As an adult who watched his fair share of kids shows growing up (I was nurtured on a diet of Captain Kangaroo, Mister Rogers, Sesame Street and Electric Company), this is the best show I have seen for kids in a long time. Bear is a modern day Captain Kangaroo, the sidekicks are wacky, the lessons are important, and the kids are talked to, not talked at or talked down to.

My children love this show!(2 & 1 years old) They get a thrill watching this show. I enjoy this show also. It is much better then those 'Teletubbies'. You can understand everything that is said.

Way to go Brian Henson!!!! Good job!!! Your dad would be proud of you. My favorite characters on this show has to be Pip and Pop. They are so funny.

I haven't seen such good television shows since Sesame Street and The Electric Company!!!!

It still has the distinctively twisted Muppet humor. The music is great and very catchy. I never would have been able to get my toddler's teeth brushed without "Brush Brush Bree". I'm terribly sorry if the adults without their own kids can't hack it, but it beats out Barney, The Comfy Couch, and all the other tripe posing as quality children's TV. Yes, you've got the Disney touch, but still. I would watch this any day of the week, and have, over and over and over. And I must say, to paraphrase Sideshow Bob, it never made me want to vomit. At one point, I had my son's uncles (all into middle age) watching it with him, and they loved it. This from a bunch of manly, beer drinkin', football watchin' guys. And my marine corps bred husband loves it too.

Outstanding show for pre-schoolers done by Henson Productions. Definite alternative to the saccharine sweet purple dinosaur and other kids shows today. Live action puppets/muppets...Sort of a muppet show directed towards pre-schoolers teaching them what they need to know. First show that I have ever seen that tackled potty training, and did so with very good taste, compassion, and information.