Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt - Desert Disaster (S3E6)
The Fix-It Force is stranded in the middle of a desert, miles from home, with no food or water. Building a glider is the best bet back to Blunderburg!
| Runtime (min) | 14 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2020-09-22 |
| Genres | Animation, Kids |
| TV Rating | TV-Y |
| Network(s) | Netflix |
Storyline
In this episode, the Fix-It Force finds themselves in a dire predicament when they become stranded in the middle of a vast desert, far from the familiar streets of Blunderburg. With no immediate access to food or water, Chico Bon Bon and his team must rely on their problem-solving skills and resourcefulness to survive and find a way home. The harsh desert environment presents unique challenges that test the crew's ingenuity and teamwork.
Recognizing that walking back would be impractical and dangerous given the distance and conditions, the team decides that building a glider offers their best chance of returning safely to Blunderburg. Using whatever materials and tools they have on hand, Chico and his friends work together to design and construct a flying device capable of carrying them across the desert landscape. The episode showcases the engineering process as the Fix-It Force transforms their emergency situation into an opportunity for creative problem-solving.
What kids learn
This episode teaches children valuable lessons about staying calm and thinking clearly during emergency situations. When faced with being stranded without essential resources, Chico and his team demonstrate how panic can be replaced with methodical problem-solving. Young viewers learn that even in scary or uncomfortable circumstances, using your knowledge and working together can help you find solutions to seemingly impossible problems.
The episode also reinforces important STEM concepts related to engineering and physics. As the Fix-It Force designs and builds their glider, children are exposed to basic principles of aerodynamics, weight distribution, and structural integrity. They see how planning, testing, and adjusting designs are all part of the engineering process, encouraging a growth mindset where initial failures are simply steps toward success.
Additionally, the story emphasizes the importance of resourcefulness and creative thinking. Children learn that you can solve problems using the materials and tools you already have, rather than waiting for perfect conditions or resources. The episode models how teamwork, where each member contributes their unique skills and ideas, leads to better outcomes than working alone, especially when facing difficult challenges.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the desert survival scenario too scary for young children? | The episode presents the stranded situation in a way that emphasizes problem-solving rather than danger or fear. While the Fix-It Force acknowledges the seriousness of having no food or water, the tone remains upbeat and solution-focused throughout. The team immediately shifts into building mode rather than dwelling on the peril, which keeps the content age-appropriate for preschool and early elementary audiences. The colorful animation and Chico's positive attitude help maintain a reassuring atmosphere even during the challenge. |
| Does this episode teach realistic survival skills or just cartoon solutions? | The episode focuses on engineering creativity and teamwork rather than actual wilderness survival techniques. Building a glider to escape the desert is an imaginative, cartoon-appropriate solution that serves the show's STEM education goals rather than teaching practical survival skills like finding water or shelter. Parents should view this as an opportunity to discuss real versus pretend solutions, and perhaps explore what actual desert survival might involve if they want to extend the learning beyond the episode's fantastical approach. |
| What engineering concepts does the glider-building demonstrate? | The construction of the glider introduces children to basic aerodynamics, including how wings create lift and how weight affects flight. The episode shows the design process from planning through execution, demonstrating how engineers must consider multiple factors like materials, structure, and function. Young viewers see that building something complex requires testing and potentially making adjustments. These foundational concepts help children understand that engineering is about creative problem-solving using scientific principles, making abstract STEM ideas concrete and accessible. |
| How does this episode reinforce the show's teamwork themes? | Throughout the desert challenge, each member of the Fix-It Force contributes their unique skills and perspectives to the glider project. The episode demonstrates that complex problems are solved more effectively when people collaborate and share ideas rather than working independently. Children see characters listening to each other, building on suggestions, and supporting one another through the difficult situation. This reinforces the message that asking for help and working together are strengths, not weaknesses, particularly when facing unfamiliar or challenging circumstances. |
| Should I be concerned about my child trying to build flying devices after watching? | The cartoon context makes it clear that this is imaginative play rather than something to replicate at home. However, the episode can inspire safe, supervised building projects using age-appropriate materials like cardboard, paper, and tape. Parents can channel their child's enthusiasm into constructing non-flying models or simple gliders designed for short, safe flights. This transforms screen time into hands-on learning while maintaining safety. Discussing the difference between cartoon physics and real-world limitations helps children develop critical thinking about media content. |
Writing
Directing
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | It's time for Blunderburg's annual Underwear Parade — but the mayor's royal undies won't stay up! Can the Fix-It Force restore their elasticity? |
| 1 | 2 | Famous piano man Elkin John is performing a concert high atop Blunderburg Tower. There's just one problem: His instrument won't fit in the elevator. |
| 1 | 3 | Bridge-eating beetles are keeping pizza delivery man Mr. McFluster from getting his pie across the canyon to a hungry customer. Can air pressure help? |
| 1 | 4 | The high-tech refrigerator that the Fix-It Force built for their neighbor transforms when she pushes the wrong button. Now it's a robot on the loose! |
| 1 | 5 | Captain Squirrelbeard is delivering a cupcake to his sea monster friend when his ship gets stuck on dry land. Can Chico's crew get him moving again? |
| 1 | 6 | While the Fix-It Force is babysitting Elkin John's dog, Bernie, the puppy wriggles out of his leash and disappears! Now the friends need to find him. |
| 1 | 7 | The Pizzarito is the hottest new snack in Blunderburg, but the Lemurettis can't make them fast enough. Time to engineer a solution — with automation! |
| 1 | 8 | Neil and Nell Ostrich are having a baby! But can the Fix-It Force come up with a way to get the egg to the hospital before it hatches? |
| 1 | 9 | Rainbow Thunder is facing off against Stormcloud Lightning to see who the best pancake flipper is. But to win, she'll need the ultimate spatula. |
| 1 | 10 | Thanks to a cold, Clark can't go to Blunderburg Station to watch the Choo-Choo Express roll in. Can his friends find a way to bring the train to him? |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | In the wake of a massive burp-quake, the Fix-It Force uses a super-sticky glue to repair broken things all over town. But it works a little too well! |
| 2 | 2 | Mayor Murphy made a sandwich so special that she locked it away ... and lost the key. Can Chico's crew use pattern logic to crack the code? |
| 2 | 3 | The Fix-It Force works together to get Mrs. Coleslaw's toaster out of a deep hole using springy energy — and pinball wizardry. |
| 2 | 4 | Herb the Hermit Crab is extra crabby because his morning cup of cocoa is cold. But what's the best way to heat it back up again? |
| 2 | 5 | Garden Gobblers are eating up all of the mayor's carrots, and soon there won't be any more left! Can the power of suction save the day? |
| 2 | 6 | Mrs. Coleslaw calls Chico and his crew to her house, where a talking rug is the first clue in a major mechanical mystery. Time to solve it! |
| 2 | 7 | The team builds a Super Sock Sorting Machine to tame a mountain of missing socks and return the lost items to their rightful owners. |
| 2 | 8 | The mayor's mechanical gardening gnomes are burning coal — and spewing smoke everywhere. Can the Fix-It Force find a clean energy source to fuel them? |
| 2 | 9 | When a mysterious "Night Tear-er" wreaks havoc in Blunderburg, Mrs. Coleslaw tags along to help Team Chico track down the culprit. |
| 2 | 10 | The Lemurettis' restaurant is on top of Mount Parmesan, making it im-pasta-ble for any customers to get up there. But everyone's hungry for a solution! |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | When Mrs. Coleslaw and other Blunderfolk get stuck to a gigantic goo monster, Chico tries to get through the goo to save them with his special spray. |
| 3 | 2 | "Dancing with the Seals" is in town, and Mrs. Coleslaw needs the Fix-It Force to make her shoes that can grip and slip to keep up with her dance moves. |
| 3 | 3 | When she’s piñata wrestling, Tiny becomes the invincible Macho Mouse! But can the Fix-It Force help her in a match against the durable Piñata of Doom? |
| 3 | 4 | Captain Squirrelbeard’s loud treasure gong is keeping everyone awake, sending the Fix-It Force on a search for ways to soundproof the town. |
| 3 | 5 | To help Clark win the Elephant Ninja Warrior Race, the Fix-It Force engineers a pendulum to swing him through a too-tall wall at the finish line. |
| 3 | 6 | The Fix-It Force is stranded in the middle of a desert, miles from home, with no food or water. Building a glider is the best bet back to Blunderburg! |
| 3 | 7 | Rainbow’s nephew Ricky Pig is pretty stinky since he refuses to take baths, so Chico's crew designs the ultimate stunt course to finally get him clean. |
| 3 | 8 | Blunderburg’s new fix-it robot is causing problems instead of solving them! Can Chico's team step in to stop the bot from making more of a mess in town? |
| 3 | 9 | Mount Fudgey is about to erupt chocolate pudding everywhere unless the Fix-It Force can create a pipe system to funnel the flow and avoid disaster! |
| 3 | 10 | The Yum Yums from Planet Zum Zum love toast, so Chico and friends teach these aliens how to make it before they blast off with the town’s total supply. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | The Fix-It Force must find a monster-sized serving of ice cream before a giant creature destroys Blunderburg seeking all the scoops she can get. |
| 4 | 2 | A swarm of tree-gobbling beetles threatens Blunderburg! But Chico and friends realize their favorite pastime, Sprinkle Ball, just might save them all. |
| 4 | 3 | Chico always aces his tool belt test. Will the chain reaction of accidents all around him break his concentration — and his winning streak? |
| 4 | 4 | Skateboarders will make a mess of City Hall before Mr. McFluster’s once-a-year inspection — unless Chico's crew can build a park with a radical ramp. |
| 4 | 5 | No street cart is safe when Mrs. Coleslaw blindly slips into the driver’s seat of Tool Force One. Only Chico's makeshift parachute can slow her down! |
| 4 | 6 | Book-loving burglars are nabbing anything they can read in the treehouse. Can the Fix-It Force re-engineer a device to track them down? |
| 4 | 7 | They’ve lost all power in Blunderburg Tower! Without a battery with a big-enough charge, Chico and Co. need to find a new way to generate electricity. |
| 4 | 8 | Popsicles are the perfect treat to beat the heat. But used sticks littered around town are causing problems, so Chico must find ways to repurpose them. |
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