Editor’s note: This monthly series, “5 Family-Friendly Things,” spotlights five family-friendly entertainment choices on film, DVDs, streaming or television.
I deleted Disney+ from my television the other day — much to the consternation of my nine-year-old daughter.
She enjoys shows about ponies and princesses. Unfortunately, though, her eyes (and thumb) recently stumbled upon a program that boasted kid-friendly cover artwork but included unbiblical, adult-centric themes.
“So … what can I watch?” she asked in a tone that assumed there was no reasonable answer.
“Minno,” I replied.
A week later, she hadn’t complained.
Minno is a relatively new streaming service, launched by a Christian in 2019, that includes something the major mainstream streaming platforms can’t offer: 100% family-friendly content informed by a biblical worldview. There’s no coarse language, and no violence or sexuality.
Since it was created by Christians, the content also includes positive messages.
With a targeted age of preschool-through-elementary, it’s one of the best family-friendly streaming platforms on the market — especially for Christian households with children.
It’s like a Bible-centric Disney+ and includes a mixture of classic and original content, like “VeggieTales,” “What’s in the Bible,” “Friends and Heroes,” “Micah’s Super Vlog,” “Cocoa Talk” and “Jungle Beat.”
Minno CEO and co-founder Erick Goss — a former Amazon executive — said his goal in launching the platform was to give parents streaming tools to facilitate discipleship and Bible-focused conversation.
“Most of the time you feel compromised when someone’s watching a subscription service like Netflix or Disney+,” Goss told me. “And Minno is a place where you can feel at home. … We really want to look at ourselves as a partner for Christian parents.”
Before a program enters the Minno lineup, Goss said, it passes a 32-point checklist. Every title must be “theologically appropriate,” offer “good production values” and be entertaining.
This means the “cheesy” factor on Minno is — thankfully — low.
“Our perspective is: Everything that’s Christian isn’t good,” Goss said.
If you’re looking for content that is not only biblical but also excellent, Goss’ words may be music to your ears.
Visit GoMinno.com.
Also worth watching:
Journey with Jesus (theaters) — Tony Evans and his two daughters — Chrystal Evans Hurst and Priscilla Shirer — retrace the earthly steps of Jesus while visiting historical sites throughout Israel. It’s a gripping film that’s educational and inspiring. It will be in theaters for three nights: Nov. 15-17. Visit JourneyWithJesusMovie.com.
Sabina (theaters) — A dramatic retelling of the story of Sabina Wurmbrand, who converted from Judaism to Christianity and risked her life to share the gospel throughout Germany — including with Nazi soldiers. It’s rated PG-13 for thematic content, some disturbing images and violence. It will be in theaters for three nights: Nov. 8-10. Visit SabinaMovie.com.
Among the Stars (Disney+) — A six-part series that follows NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy as he embarks on a trip to the International Space Station. The documentary was filmed over two years and is capped by Cassidy’s trip to space, which took place in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rated TV-PG.
Paw Patrol: The Movie (DVD, on-demand) — A young boy named Ryder leads his team of search-and-rescue dogs to save Adventure City from their nemesis, Humdinger, who is now the mayor. It’s one of the most kid-friendly movies you’ll ever watch, and is already streaming on-demand. Rated G.
