Why VeggieTales is Great for Teaching Kids About the Bible

When it comes to integrating biblical lessons and faith-based values into kid's TV, there’s one example that stands out among the rest: VeggieTales. VeggieTales has become a classic series that has enthralled children with its fun stories, easy-to-understand lessons, and silly songs that keep kids engaged. 

With over 75 million videos sold and a heartwarming soundtrack with over 235 million streams, it’s no wonder that VeggieTales has become a mainstay in countless homes. 

Introduction to VeggieTales Bible Stories

On its surface, VeggieTales may appear to be a simple kids show about walking, talking, singing vegetables. With cute character designs and fun stories and songs, VeggieTales can seem like many other generic kids shows from the 1990s and 2000s.

VeggieTales stands apart from many kids shows in a major unique way though: By using these veggies to tell kids Bible stories and Biblical lessons. Its unique approach has helped kids learn the valuable lessons taught throughout the Bible in a way that keeps kids engaged, happy, singing, and having fun!

This method of storytelling helps keep kid's attention, uses songs and fun stories to help the lessons stick, and reimagines stories in a way that communicates the lessons in a way kids love and understand.

The end result? Kids who love learning about faith while being entertained, a dream come true for any parent hoping to instill faith-based values into their family.

Is VeggieTales Christian?

VeggieTales has had many forms and iterations over the years, and some wonder if VeggieTales is a Christian show, despite its emphasis on Bible stories.

In his book, Me, Myself, & Bob: A True Story About God, Dreams, and Talking Vegetables VeggieTales co-creator Phil Vischer discusses how his goal with VeggieTales was to teach Christian moral themes and Biblical values and lessons to kids through the animated series. 

Based on Vischer’s writing the original creators intended VeggieTales to be a Christian show.

That being said, there was a brief period of criticism during the spin-off series “VeggieTales: In the House”, where critics described the Christian themes as “superficial”. This, along with the poor reception of the new character designs, led to Netflix canceling their re-imagining of the show.

However as the show has progressed and evolved over the years, the more recent series have re-established themselves as truly faith-based Christian TV. VeggieTales has even distinguished itself as one of the most successful Christian children’s franchises of all time!

What Bible Stories are Featured in VeggieTales?

With a series spanning 20+ years and a variety of mediums and producers, the list of Bible stories featured in VeggieTales is extensive. 

Below is a list of the most prominent Bible stories featured in popular episodes of the original VeggieTales, with links to watch each one online now:

• The Little House That Stood
  • This VeggieTales episode tells the Bible story of the Parable of the Wise & Foolish Builders, and teaches kids about making good choices.

• Abe and the Amazing Promise
  • Tells the Bible story of Abraham and Sarah waiting to have the child, and teaches kids about patience.

• Are You My Neighbor?
  • Tells the Bible story of the Good Samaritan, and teaches kids about loving one’s neighbor. 

• Dave and the Giant Pickle
  • Tells the story of David and Goliath to teach kids about the little guy defeating the big guy, and teaches kids about self-esteem.

• Duke and the Great Pie War
  • This two-part episode tells the story of Ruth and the childhood of Moses and Miriam. The lesson in this VeggieTales episode is about loving one’s family.

• Esther: The Girl Who Became Queen
  • This VeggieTales episode tells the Biblical story of Esther, and teaches about courage.

• Gideon: Tuba Warrior
  • This episode retells the story of Gideon and teaches about trusting God.

• Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
  • Jonah was the first VeggieTales movie and tells the Biblical story of Jonah in the unique way only VeggieTales can. The episode teaches that God is forgiving and gives second chances, and that kids should do the same.

• Josh and the Big Wall
  • This episode tells the story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho in the Bible, and teaches kids about obedience.

• King George and the Ducky
  • This VeggieTales episode is loosely based on the Biblical story of David and Bathsheba. It teaches kids about the downsides of selfishness and greed.

• Rack, Shack, and Benny
  • This episode retells the Biblical story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and teaches kids about peer pressure.

• The Ballad of Little Joe
  • This VeggieTales episode tells the Biblical story of Joseph set in a Western theme. It teaches kids about facing and overcoming hardship.

• Moe and the Big Exit
  • This episode is the sequel to The Ballad of Little Joe, and retells the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. It teaches kids the importance of following directions.

• Where’s God When I’m Scared?
  • This VeggieTales episode is based on the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den. This episode is about helping kids handle fear in the face of overwhelming situations.

• Noah's Ark
  • This episode is a retelling of the story of Noah's Ark, and teaches kids about trusting God.

• The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's
  • This VeggieTales episode is based on the story of The Prodigal Son. The episode teaches kids that they can’t always have what they want, and about forgiveness.

Are all VeggieTales Episodes Based on the Bible?

Since the creators have said their goal in creating VeggieTales is to instill Christian and Biblical values into the show, you might think that every episode is biblically themed and has a big moral lesson at the end. 

While that is true for many VeggieTales episodes as we outlined above, it isn’t the case for them all! 

Quite a few episodes are pop-culture parodies, and feature references or reimaginings of popular media such as:

• Indiana Jones 
• Star Trek
• The Grapes of Wrath
• Frankenstein
• Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• Batman
• A Christmas Carol
• … and many more!

Is There Any Way to Get the Original VeggieTales?

While many kids love all episodes of VeggieTales, some parents have asked if there are any ways to stream the original VeggieTales online. There are a few reasons for this, but most parents are looking for an alternative to Netflix and are hoping to find the same family-friendly Biblically inspired stories that were featured in the original series. 

If that sounds like you, you’re in luck! At Yippee.tv, we have the largest collection of original VeggieTales episodes available for streaming on demand.

Yippee is the only Christian streaming service for kids that focuses on bringing kid-friendly shows like VeggieTales, exclusive YouTube content from creators like Danny Go!, and a whole lot more. 

So if you’re looking for the original Christian VeggieTales, check out Yippee.tv today and give it a try! It’s free for the first 7 days, so you can make sure your kid loves it before committing.

Target Age Group and Educational Benefits

VeggieTales does a great job of adapting Bible stories for kids in a way that’s understandable and fun for kids of all ages. 

As you may know, some Bible stories can be a bit intense for young children, and VeggieTales does a good job of reimagining those stories in a way that still gets the core moral and ethical elements across. 

In general, we think VeggieTales is probably best for young and middle-aged children who have an interest in learning, and still get a kick out of the silly songs and playful antics of our vegetable friends.

If we had to put a number on it, VeggieTales is probably best suited for children ages 4-11.

But you know your child best! If your kid is a little older or younger they might still love VeggieTales! 

Conclusion: The Value of Integrating VeggieTales with Biblical Teaching

VeggieTales has truly established itself as one of the best TV shows to teach kids about the Bible. With the dozens of Bible stories integrated into the series and re-told in a way kids understand and love, it has become a mainstay in teaching kids about the Bible. 

If you want to watch all of the episodes of VeggieTales featuring Bible stories, give Yippee.tv a try with our 7-day free trial. We know you’ll love all the lessons your kids will learn, plus you get access to dozens of other shows based in faith and vetted by Christian parents.

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Yippee TV is a family-friendly streaming service dedicated to providing safe, wholesome, and entertaining content for children. Featuring a wide array of shows, movies, and original series, Yippee TV aims to deliver positive, educational, and fun programming that parents can trust. With a focus on values-based content, Yippee TV ensures an engaging and enriching viewing experience for young audiences.