StoryBots: Answer Time - Time and Distance (S2E12)
Bing races to ask runner Speedy Lightning a question about finding the fastest route for Ms. Pizza Delivery Lady. Jessica Alba guest-stars.
| Runtime (min) | 23 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2023-07-10 |
| Genres | Kids, Animation |
| TV Rating | TV-Y |
| Network(s) | Netflix |
Storyline
In this episode, Bing receives a question from Ms. Pizza Delivery Lady, who needs help finding the fastest route to deliver her pizzas on time. Determined to get expert advice, Bing sets out to ask champion runner Speedy Lightning, voiced by guest star Jessica Alba, about speed and efficiency. The race is on as Bing navigates the challenge of catching up with someone who is literally built for speed.
The episode explores concepts of time and distance through the StoryBots' signature blend of animation, humor, and educational content. As Bing pursues his mission to help Ms. Pizza Delivery Lady, young viewers are introduced to ideas about measuring distance, calculating travel time, and understanding what makes one route faster than another. The StoryBots use visual demonstrations and playful scenarios to make these mathematical concepts accessible and engaging for preschool and early elementary audiences.
What kids learn
Children learn foundational concepts about time and distance through this episode's central problem-solving mission. The storyline introduces young viewers to the idea that different routes can take different amounts of time, and that factors like distance and speed affect how quickly someone can reach a destination. These are early mathematical thinking skills that help children begin to understand measurement and comparison in practical, real-world contexts.
The episode also reinforces persistence and resourcefulness as Bing works to track down Speedy Lightning and get the information he needs to help someone else. Children see that asking questions and seeking expert advice are valuable problem-solving strategies. The character of Ms. Pizza Delivery Lady provides a relatable example of how understanding time and distance matters in everyday jobs and responsibilities.
Additionally, the episode encourages curiosity about how things work in the world around them. By framing math concepts within a story about helping a community member do her job better, children learn that math is not abstract but deeply connected to real-life challenges and solutions.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What math concepts does this episode teach? | This episode introduces time and distance as related concepts, helping children understand that how far you travel and how fast you go both affect how long a trip takes. The storyline uses Ms. Pizza Delivery Lady's route-finding challenge to demonstrate comparison, measurement, and the practical application of these ideas. The StoryBots present these concepts through visual examples and narrative context rather than abstract lessons, making them accessible for preschool and early elementary learners. |
| Is the guest appearance by Jessica Alba prominent in the episode? | Jessica Alba voices Speedy Lightning, the champion runner whom Bing seeks out for advice. While the character plays a meaningful role in answering the central question about speed and routes, the episode remains focused on the StoryBots and their educational mission. Guest voices in StoryBots episodes typically enhance the story without overshadowing the core learning objectives or the main characters children know and love. |
| Will my child understand the difference between time and distance after watching? | The episode plants seeds of understanding that parents can nurture through follow-up conversation and real-world examples. Young children may not fully grasp the relationship between time and distance from one viewing, but the episode provides a memorable, concrete scenario they can reference. Talking about your own trips, comparing how long different routes take, or timing walks around the neighborhood can reinforce what the episode introduces. |
| Does this episode work for children who aren't interested in math? | Yes. The episode wraps math concepts inside an adventure story with humor, colorful animation, and a relatable problem to solve. Children engage with Bing's quest to help Ms. Pizza Delivery Lady rather than sitting through a lesson. The StoryBots format is designed to make learning feel like entertainment, so even children who don't think they like math can absorb these ideas through the narrative and characters. |
| Are there opportunities to extend the learning after the episode ends? | Absolutely. Parents can ask children to help plan the fastest route for errands, time how long it takes to walk to different rooms in the house, or compare distances using steps or toy cars. Drawing simple maps and talking about which path is shorter or faster builds on the episode's lessons. Even discussing why delivery drivers need to think about time and distance connects screen time to real-world problem-solving. |
Writing
Directing
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Something's not adding up for Giuseppe the pizza guy, but Beep totally knows how to help — multiplication! Danny DeVito guest-stars. |
| 1 | 2 | When a cat burglar has a question about keys, Boop goes to Security Hardware Headquarters to unlock the answer. Zooey Deschanel guest-stars. |
| 1 | 3 | How does glue work? Mr. Wonderful can't start his show until Bang gets to the bottom of this sticky question. Common guest-stars. |
| 1 | 4 | To build a sandcastle, a royal architect wants to know where sand comes from. It's up to Bo to get to the nitty gritty. Sophie Turner guest-stars. |
| 1 | 5 | Mr. Awesome Ultra Guy is curious about budgets, so Bing pays a visit to the bank. Kevin Smith guest-stars. |
| 1 | 6 | When a secret agent asks the StoryBots about lasers, Bang shoots the question to a photon named Frans. Anne Hathaway guest-stars. |
| 1 | 7 | Ms. Mushroom wants to learn how to taste better. To find out more, Bo goes to see her favorite band, the Taste Buds. Chrissy Teigen guest-stars. |
| 1 | 8 | Boop visits the Chemical Department to answer a burning question for Mr. Super Snowy Icy Cone Guy: How is ice made? Patton Oswalt guest-stars. |
| 1 | 9 | Bing takes a spin to the Department of Bodily Functions to help Mr. Karate Guy understand why people get dizzy. Gabriel Iglesias guest-stars. |
| 1 | 10 | A lost tourist wants to know how GPS works, so Beep travels to Old Willy's map to learn more. Craig Robinson guest-stars. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Cosmic Caller thinks he found an alien code, but something's not adding up. Bing talks to Alabama Smith to figure things out. Rainn Wilson guest-stars. |
| 2 | 2 | Before his big show, the Great Bubblini is bursting to know how bubbles form. Bang heads to the laundromat to find out. Josh Gad guest-stars. |
| 2 | 3 | When Disco Delilah asks how many tiles she'll need for her dance floor, Beep steps up to learn more about area. Wendi McLendon-Covey guest-stars. |
| 2 | 4 | Bo explores why the moon seems to change shape to help Ms. Astronaut Lady safely land her spaceship. Scarlett Johansson guest-stars. |
| 2 | 5 | Ms. Firefighter has a burning question about taxes, so Boop visits the Department of Government and Stuff. Gabrielle Union guest-stars. |
| 2 | 6 | Beep takes a spin with documentarian Chase Weathers to answer Mr. Cow's question about how tornadoes form. Joe Lo Truglio guest-stars. |
| 2 | 7 | Where does glass come from? Mr. Castaway can't make windows for his house until Bo cracks this question. Steve Buscemi guest-stars. |
| 2 | 8 | After Ms. Cafeteria Worker Lady's refrigerator stops working, Bing visits the Refrigadome to learn more about cooling. Kristen Bell guest-stars. |
| 2 | 9 | Boop travels to the Archive Department to help the all-knowing Socradamus with a fundamental question: What is stuff made of? Simu Liu guest-stars. |
| 2 | 10 | When Ms. Clown gets an offer to invest in e-Digital-Clown-Circus-World.com, Bang pays a visit to a TV show about stocks. Julie Bowen guest-stars. |
| 2 | 11 | Bo looks into how the internet works after an office worker named Stacy accidentally sends a silly video to his boss. Trevor Noah guest-stars. |
| 2 | 12 | Bing races to ask runner Speedy Lightning a question about finding the fastest route for Ms. Pizza Delivery Lady. Jessica Alba guest-stars. |
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