In honor of my daughter, Emmyleigh, and because the show ended recently, I’m deviating from the main princess line to focus on this Disney Junior Princess: Sofia. Bear in mind, Sofia the First was created for a younger audience. When I began watching this show with Emmy, she was only two years old.
Over the years, Sofia has seen many changes, but I’m going to list SIX reasons why I love her and why her show is good to watch for little girls.
- Sofia is humble. Sofia begins as just a normal girl in a modest village before her mother falls in love and marries the king. Then, she’s suddenly thrust into princess life in the palace and faced with a new lifestyle and a new family with a snobbish stepsister and an energetic stepbrother. But Sofia struggles to fill the princess mold and brings a unique and audacious attitude to the rather stringent royal lines. Whether it’s joining the Flying Horse Derby Team, a traditionally boy activity, or befriending animals, servants, and even trolls in caves under the palace, Sofia wants to challenge the norm. But she does so with grace, humility, and kindness.
- Sofia has magic. Sofia’s arrival in the palace is met with a special gift from her father. A magical amulet! The Amulet of Avalor. “With each deed performed, for better or worse, a power is granted, a blessing or curse.” This amulet provides the opportunity for Sofia to learn and grow. When she does a very good deed, the amulet grants a special power. When Sofia helps a fallen baby bird, the amulet grants her the ability to talk to animals. Sometimes, when Sofia is in a jam, the amulet calls a princess to help for a short time. It’s always a special treat to watch Sofia interact with the Classic Disney Princesses like Ariel, Belle, Snow White, and others like Mulan, Tiana, etc. Also, the magic in Sofia the First is tame and the stuff of classic fairy tales like Arabian Knights, Chronicles of Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings.
- Sofia the First is diverse. While Sofia’s kingdom of Enchancia is based on European culture, Sofia’s royal friends at her school all come from different kingdoms based on diverse cultures. Whether it’s the kingdom of Wei Ling based on China or Zander’s Middle Eastern kingdom of Tangu, the island of Hakalo aka Polynesia to Freezenburg aka the Arctic, Sofia the First exhibits other cultures and how adults and children can come together and interact despite different backgrounds.
- Sofia sees the good in others. One of Sofia’s best traits is her patience with others and ability to see the good in people despite surface value. Cedric the Sorcerer is a clumsy, nervous magician who always seems to get it wrong, but Sofia is the only one who chooses to see his value despite how all others undermine him, use him, and emotionally and verbally bully him. Sofia’s kindness and praise is the main factor in Cedric’s change. At first, his only desire is to take over the kingdom so all those who bully him will finally recognize his worth. But thanks to Sofia’s influence, he learns from his mistakes, humbles himself, and becomes the greatest magician in the kingdom, who inevitably saves Sofia’s life.
- The characters grow. Through the vast amount of episodes, so much growth happens for all the characters, especially in the final season. Amber, Sofia’s sister, arguably undergoes the most change, starting as a stuck up, know-it-all princess whose only motivation is new tiaras and gowns to learning how to be a good leader and putting others needs before her own. Sofia herself starts as a humble but kind little princess tackling only minor problems and becomes a courageous young woman chosen as a magical storyteller who is charged with giving happy endings to all sorts of stories. She also helps Princess Elena regain her thrown after its stolen by a wicked sorceress and saves the Mystic Isles: the realm where all magic comes from. In the final season, Amber joins her on this quest and we get to see the sisters work together.
- Sofia triumphs over evil. This will be a bit of a spoiler. But in the final season of Sofia, we witness Sofia growing up and taking on greater trials and villains. Sometimes, the villains are not all they seem. But in the season finale, Sofia faces down her greatest challenge yet: an ancient evil sorceress named Vor. The song clip below shows just a glimpse into how much Sofia changed and how she usurps a brave independence while maintaining her steadfast love. And it’s this love and inner light that triumphs over evil.
It’s easy to see why Sofia became the most popular Disney Junior show. With characters that grow with your children, Sofia the First will encourage little kids’ imaginations and influence them to be humble, respect others, and take a stand against evil, while recognizing the inner worth of everyone.
Favorite Line:
Vor: “You’re just a girl. This cannot be.”
Sofia. “I’m more than that, but you can’t see. I may be small and on my own, but I can feel how much I’ve grown. My will is strong. My heart is true. My love will be the end of you.”