MacKid Review: DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free- Netflix Original Series

When Netflix asked us to review DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free, I jumped at the chance. A coming-of-age series focused on girls and friendship sounded like a great series to introduce into our lineup! 

I remember the first time my daughter felt alone and hurt because of a friend’s unkind words. She came home from preschool and told me that Meredith* said she was no longer her best friend and couldn’t play with her because she was now best friends with someone else. I cried inside as I watched my bright, happy little girl’s heart breaking. Having a daughter in elementary school means that I work through the “playground problems” that girls often face, and DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free gives kids some life lessons about how to make friends, how to own up to and fix mistakes, how to resolve disagreements, and how to be courageous in trying new things!

DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free follows three friends, who share adventures together and learn the power of friendship. Lucky, a gutsy 12-year-old girl, befriends a wild mustang she names Spirit. With her two best friends, Abigail and Pru, and their horses by her side, they explore a world filled with endless rides and never-ending fun. 

We invited a group of children, mostly girls ages 4-9, to view the first 2 episodes of the show and tell me what they thought. The kids were immediately excited with the opening song, and they watched, reacting to everything the characters faced:

Lucky’s hardships in feeling alone, being the subject of a mean-girl’s rumors, and facing consequences to some dangerous decisions…

Lucky learning to ride a horse for the first time…

And the 3 best friends’ adventures and fun!

​

The children watching for the first time absolutely loved the show! Describing it as “fun”, “exciting”, and “awesome”, they really identified with the main character. When I asked about how they wanted to be like Lucky, they were all excited at the possibility of one day riding horses, but they also mentioned things like standing up to a mean girl, taking care of one another, admitting when they’ve done something wrong, and forgiving friends when they hurt us. 

DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free is full of girl power! Featuring adventures with major events like flash floods and blizzards, trainer robbers and banditos, treasure hunts and secret sleepovers, executive producer Aury Wallington (“Sex in the City,” “Veronica Mars” and “Heroes”) has created a world filled strong characters who defy stereotypes and mirror positive images to young viewers.

Be sure to watch DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free when the series launches on Netflix Friday, May 5, 2017. My daughter and I are counting down the days, and we’re excited to watch together too!

​

I prescreened episodes of this show and received promotional items and compensation for the purpose of this honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 




*Names have been changed.