Our family has been a Disney Junior family for as long as I can remember. Both of my kiddos learned the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song right along with their ABCs and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. As my three year old daughter Emma has gotten more and more into princesses and all things pink and sparkly we’ve had a hard time finding a show that she can relate and really get into, until now. Disney Junior’s new animated series “Sofia the First,” specifically addresses the need for a show that caters to the younger girl audience (ages 2-7).
Last November, Disney Channel released “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess,” a prequel, if you will, to the animated series. The story follows Sofia, an ordinary young girl who becomes a princess when her mother marries a king. Adjusting to life as a princess is somewhat of a challenge for Sofia, who has some pretty big hurdles to overcome as she prepares for her first ball. Her feelings of inadequacy, a new school, a jealous stepsister, and a troublesome sorcerer all interfere with her ultimate goal of dancing her first dance as a princess with her Stepfather. With the help of a special amulet, which enables Sofia to talk with her animal friends and a visit from classic Disney princess Cinderella, she is able to dance with her Stepfather at her very first ball. We made a little event of the first show complete with cozy blankets on the couch, popcorn, and princess tiaras- Emma was hooked! I’ve got to be honest I was hooked too. We’ve, of course, watched it several times since (thank you DVR) and are very excited to see what’s next for Sofia.
This season viewers can tune in as Sofia learns some very important princess/ life lessons such as honesty, loyalty, compassion, and grace. Along the way she will be visited and helped by classic Disney princesses including Ariel, Belle, and Cinderella as she learns what it means to be a princess. Viewers may recognize and enjoy several of the voices of several characters including: Ariel Winter as Sofia, Wayne Brady as Clover, Sofia’s rabbit sidekick, and Tim Gunn as Baileywick, the castle’s royal steward. There are also some excellent guest stars lined up including Bonnie Hunt, Megan Mullally, and Eric Stonestreet.
As loyal Disney Junior watchers we could not be more excited for this new show! Be sure to tune in to see the newest Disney Channel animated series, “Sofia the First,” which airs tomorrow, January 11, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. and again at 5:30 p.m.
You can find Kendra on Twitter or on Instagram @kendrakuske
