Just launched: free lifetime premium for the first 1,000 members to activate their account.

Log in Start free

I Am George Washington

Good

Recommended age Unlock

Co-watching from age 4

Balanced

Exact score locked

Watch on

PBS Kids

Save

I Am George Washington

See the exact scores

The review is yours to read. Create a free account to reveal the exact SlowScreen score and every pillar score.

Create free account

This program is well-balanced. It remains mostly easy to follow and process. It is a good fit for the recommended age. The pacing is fast. Images follow each other quickly, leaving little time to pause and take in what is happening. The sound is soft and supportive. The visuals are calm and well-organized.

One clear question carries the whole story: how does Yadina become a good leader. Events build in order, from her over-the-top first attempt with the whistle, to meeting young George Washington, to watching how he guides his group, and finally leading her own friends. Cause and effect are easy to follow, such as the upside-down map sending the troop right back where they started. A child can track what happens and why from beginning to end, and the historical facts arrive in small, digestible pieces.

The tone stays warm and supportive from start to finish. When Yadina yells too much or reads the map upside down, no one blames her; Xavier and George reassure her with lines like 'it was just a mistake' and 'I believe in you, all of you.' George models a calm, encouraging way of treating a team, asking politely and cheering people on instead of barking orders. Small worries, like a dropped bucket of worms or a false 'tiger' alarm, are settled quickly and kindly.

Yadina sets her own goal of becoming a leader and keeps trying even after things go wrong. She learns mostly by watching George take care of his group rather than reasoning everything out on her own, so part of the growth comes through imitation. Still, her mistakes are shown honestly, including the over-yelling and the upside-down map, and she adjusts and tries again. Each character is given a real job to do, which lets everyone contribute something useful to the hike.

The dialogue is clear and purposeful, explaining ideas like what makes a good leader and sharing real facts about George Washington, Virginia, and Mount Rushmore. Sentences are complete and well formed, and harder words such as 'allergic,' 'poison ivy,' and 'president' appear in a context a six-year-old can follow. Most lines carry actual information or instruction rather than empty noise, with only the occasional 'wow' or 'yay.' The narration ties the history back to the children's own lives.

The episode connects to real life through recognizable situations: a group hike, reading a map, taking turns, and looking out for one another. The central lesson, that a leader takes care of their team by being polite, helpful, and encouraging, is easy to carry into a child's own playground or classroom. The time-travel frame is imaginary, but at this age that device sits comfortably alongside the real history and social skills it delivers. George's bond with his older brother adds a familiar family example.

More information

The returning trio at the heart of the series, Xavier, his sister Yadina and his friend Brad, show a clear mix of skin tones and a balance of girls and boys. They travel back to meet George Washington and his older brother as children in colonial Virginia, so the historical figures are white while the present-day cast carries the diversity. Responsibilities are shared out among the children, and the leadership lesson is framed in gender-inclusive language. The breadth stays mostly within childhood, with few adults on screen and little variation in family forms or body types.

This episode lives mostly in a world children recognise: a hiking troop, a fishing trip, map reading, and the everyday challenge of learning to lead a group. The one imaginative layer is a museum that lets Xavier, Yadina and Brad travel back to meet young George Washington in 1743 Virginia, and that device follows steady, easy-to-follow rules. There is no villain anywhere; the only tension comes from Yadina doubting herself and reading a map upside down, which the group fixes together with kindness. For a child of this age the blend of light time-travel and grounded history sits comfortably.

This episode is easy company for a co-viewing parent. The story carries a real arc, with Yadina learning that leading means taking care of her team, and the storybook animation and clean sound make it pleasant on the eyes and ears. Most of what is here speaks to children rather than adults, so the main reward for a parent is the historical thread around George Washington rather than layered jokes. The few irritants, a repeated whistle and one loud stretch, are brief and quickly settled.

Themes

History

Central

The children travel back to 1743 Virginia to meet a young George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Leadership

Central

The entire story is about Yadina figuring out what makes 'a great leader' for her troop hike.

Trying new things

Yadina has never led before ('I haven't ever been a leader before') and nervously learns the confidence to take on the new role, then proudly leads her friends.

Learning to work together

George gives each child a job and says 'everyone has a job, mine is to take care of my team.'

Learning from mistakes

Recurring

Yadina over-yells and reads the map upside down, then learns and tries again.

Time travel

Recurring

The secret museum sends the friends through time to meet a historical figure.

Kindness

The lesson is that a good leader 'takes care of his team' by being polite, helpful and cheering people on, which Yadina applies to her group.

Activities

Hiking

The troop sets out to hike to a fishing hole, lining up and following the leader.

Map reading

George shows that 'when the symbol is at the top the map is right side up.'

Time travel

The friends spin through a glowing time portal to reach 1743 Virginia.

Fishing

The group carries fishing gear and a bucket of worms toward the fishing hole.

Emotions

Determination

Yadina insists she wants to be 'a great leader just like you' and keeps trying.

Disappointment

Yadina drops the map and whistle and says 'Oh I failed you George Washington.'

Joy

The team celebrates building a mini Mount Rushmore at the end with 'great job team.'

Pride

Yadina beams that 'maybe my face will be on Mount Rushmore someday too.'

Behaviour

Encouraging

George 'always cheers people on' and Xavier tells Yadina 'you can do this.'

Helping

The group helps George catch the dropped bucket and pick the worms back up.

Perseverance

After failing, Yadina keeps leading and the airplane racer says 'I never give up.'

Apologising

Yadina says 'I'm sorry' and George replies 'I should have shown you before.'

Social lessons

Supportive leadership

George leads 'instead of giving us orders he asked politely, helped us and cheered us on.'

Teamwork

Each friend is given a role, lookout, map-holder, gear-carrier, to reach the goal together.

Role models

George says he learns leadership from his older brother Lawrence who 'takes care of his team.'

Responsibility

George explains 'everyone has a job, mine is to take care of my team.'

Light flashes

Contains rapid flashing that may affect photosensitive viewers.

Xavier, Yadina, and Brad use a secret museum to travel back to 1743 Virginia, where Yadina hopes a young George Washington can teach her to be a good leader for her troop hike. Watching George guide his group politely, helpfully, and with encouragement, and after a few mistakes with her whistle and an upside-down map, Yadina learns that a leader takes care of their team. Back home she confidently leads her friends to build a mini Mount Rushmore. The episode closes with a short segment about a character racing in the Wright brothers' first airplane.

Season 1

5 episodes

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

I am Johann Sebastian Bach

recommended age co-watching from 4

Xavier wants to play his recorder well enough to shine at the school concert, so he and his friends Brad and Yadina use their secret museum to travel back to 1692 Germany. There they meet a young Johann Sebastian Bach, who shows them how he writes music, learns how his organ works, and practices the same song again and again. The children return home with Bach's lesson that getting better takes hard work and practice, and Xavier performs at the concert. A short hide-and-seek scene in the museum's dinosaur exhibit closes the episode.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

I Am Marie Curie

recommended age co-watching from 4

Xavier, Yadina and Brad use their secret museum to travel back to Poland in 1884 and meet Marie Curie as a young girl. Yadina is sad she is too young for the Butterfly Club, and Marie learns she cannot attend the university because she is a girl. The friends visit a secret Flying University for girls, and Marie later builds her own lab and discovers a new glowing material. Back home Yadina starts her own junior butterfly club open to everyone, and a short hide-and-seek scene in the dinosaur exhibit closes the file.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

I am Mary Shelley

recommended age co-watching from 4

Xavier needs to tell a spooky campfire story at the museum sleepover but only thinks up silly ideas. With his sister Yadina and friend Brad, he travels through the Secret Museum to England in 1805 to meet author Mary Shelley, who shows them how to use imagination and tell stories their own way. Xavier returns to the campfire and tells a story that is both spooky and silly, about a ghost that tickles toes. A short closing story-time segment follows, in which Bradman and Furby find a secret garden to help a butterfly regain her colors.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

I Am Harry Houdini

recommended age co-watching from 4

Brad is nervous about spending his first whole night in the museum, so Xavier and Yadina take him through the Secret Museum back to 1881 Wisconsin to meet young Harry Houdini. Houdini wants to become a brave performer like a fearless tightrope walker, and learns to take a slow, deep breath to calm himself before doing something scary. The friends bring the technique home and Brad uses it to settle his fear and stay the night. A short bonus story about Bradman and Furby and a secret garden follows before the credits.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

I Am George Washington

recommended age co-watching from 4

Xavier, Yadina, and Brad use a secret museum to travel back to 1743 Virginia, where Yadina hopes a young George Washington can teach her to be a good leader for her troop hike. Watching George guide his group politely, helpfully, and with encouragement, and after a few mistakes with her whistle and an upside-down map, Yadina learns that a leader takes care of their team. Back home she confidently leads her friends to build a mini Mount Rushmore. The episode closes with a short segment about a character racing in the Wright brothers' first airplane.

Related media

Other series that fit this age group

Molly of Denali

Molly of Denali

recommended age co-watching from 2

Molly of Denali follows an Alaska Native girl and her friends solving everyday mysteries in a small Alaskan village. Its warm, curious tone suits young children, teaching them to find answers and solve problems.

Craig of the Creek

Craig of the Creek

recommended age co-watching from 4

Craig of the Creek follows Craig and his friends exploring a wooded neighborhood creek full of kid-run games and imagined adventures. The tone is adventurous and gentle, aimed at early schoolchildren, teaching friendship and problem-solving.

Stillwater

Stillwater

recommended age co-watching from 2

Stillwater follows three siblings and their wise panda neighbour, whose calm stories help them face everyday ups and downs. The tone is gentle and reflective, aimed at young children, with emotional learning throughout.

Pinecone & Pony

Pinecone & Pony

recommended age co-watching from 4

Pinecone & Pony follows a tough young warrior girl and her pony through quests in a colourful fantasy world. The tone is warm and funny, for early-school children, teaching honesty and self-acceptance.

Explore more

From this series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

By age 6 years

By platform PBS Kids

Just launched: free lifetime premium for the first 1,000 members to activate their account.

Create your account

We use functional cookies and Google Analytics to improve our site. Learn more