At this point in 2020, we are looking for anything uplifting to watch with the family [1]. And while there are oodles of kid-friendly, feel-good movies to pick from on various streaming services [2], there's something so delightfully wholesome about Izzy Bee's Koala World. Centreed on 11-year-old Izzy Bee — an Australian animal lover whose mom, Ali, happens to be a vet — viewers get a bird's eye view of what goes into rehabilitating koala bears throughout eight short episodes.
Whether she's searching the beach for eucalyptus leaves (koala bears' favourite food!) or releasing one of her furry friends back into the forest, there's so much kids can learn about what it truly takes to care for wild animals. Plus, there's no way you can hold back a smile while watching Izzy's gaggle of adorable fluff balls crawl all over her or play with her hair.
Not so sure you should queue up this heartwarming show with the family? Read ahead to learn all the reasons why Izzy Bee's Koala World is a must-watch.
Izzy Bee's Koala World teaches kids about empathy.
Instilling a sense of empathy in kids is more important now than ever, and Izzy Bee's Koala World illustrates just how important this quality is in real-time. Because Izzy and Ali specifically rehabilitate koala bears, they're often sick or injured when they come through the doors. In many instances, the animal was found struggling on the ground alone or sick from green ant bites.
Throughout the episodes, we see Izzy do everything in her power to nurse the koala bears back to health, no questions asked. Izzy's sense of compassion sets a good example for children. After all, rescuing helpless animals is clearly hard work, but extremely rewarding in the end.
Izzy Bee's Koala World shows how hard it is to care for animals.
Of course, having pets is incredibly rewarding. However, no one said taking care of animals was easy, and the rehab centre is no exception!
Throughout the series, we see Izzy gathering food for the koalas, cleaning out their cages, and supporting them through their medical procedures. There are also several scenes that show her waking up in the middle of the night to check on her temporary roommates, proving that the dog or cat your kids keep begging for requires a lot of work!
Moreover, Izzy is aware that every koala they rescue needs to be rereleased back into the wild. Incredibly mature for her age, we don't see her argue with her mom about permanently adopting them. This teaches kids a valuable lesson about fostering animals: the more pets you find forever homes for, the more animals you can help in the long-run.
Izzy Bee's Koala World Shows the importance of being passionate.
If the show makes one thing clear, it's that a little passion can go a long way. When Izzy's not in school, she's constantly thinking about how to help koalas, whether she's testing out trees to climb or trying to get one of her residents to drink milk. Always eager to come to a pragmatic solution, there's no denying that Izzy is one driven 11-year-old. Discussing what your kids are passionate about might inspire them to double-down on their favourite hobbies.
Izzy Bee's Koala World is easy for kids to understand.
Narrated by Izzy herself, the show is easy to understand and will definitely keep mini animal lovers' attention. While Izzy can certainly teach kids a thing or two about zoology and the importance of being environmentally conscious, it's not overly scientific or complicated in the least. The bottom line: Izzy Bee's Koala World is eight episodes of kid-friendly koala bliss!