By T.K. Wilson
It’s a tall order to make a list of the greatest Kids TV. We’ve had kids-specific television since the 1950s, after all, and it’s hard to narrow such a large span of time down to a few paragraphs. It’s even harder to narrow that down to age groups since kids are ready for different things at different ages. What scares one kid will delight another, what bores one child will be another kid’s favorite show. That makes it the parent’s job to decide for their kid, and I am here to help. The following shows are available from various streaming outlets including YouTube, Tubi, and Pluto TV, not to mention the Internet Archive. I’m focusing mainly on cartoons, puppet shows, and live action hybrids, as those were my favorites as a child.
Pre-School-Kindergarten:
Little Bear- Based on the books by Elsie Homelund, the quiet adventures of a small bear and his friends.
Rupert (1991)- The more fantastical adventures of another small bear.
Magic Adventures of Mumfie- A special little elephant and his friends wander their mysterious world.
New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh- A more Americanized Pooh Bear and his friends learn about friendship and other important concepts.
Moomin (1990)- A lovable troll teaches resilience and ingenuity in a magical valley.
Muppet Babies (1984)- You want your kids to grow up smart? Make them watch this show, plenty of fun for grown ups too!
Bluey- Believe the hype!
Shining Time Station- Stop motion animation compliments live action as Thomas the Tank Engine teaches kids timeless lessons.
PB and J Otter- A trio of otter siblings learn how to navigate child life with other animal children.
Allegra’s Window- A quiet puppet show, an alternative to Sesame Street with more life lessons and less repetitive propaganda.
The Animal Show With Stinky and Jake- A puppet show (produced by Jim Henson Productions) that teaches about all kinds of animals, talk show style! (Some info might be outdated)
Rollie Pollie Ollie- Based on the book by William Joyce, a small robot learns and plays with his family.
Maggie and the Ferocious Beast- Maggie uses her imagination to visit the Ferocious Beast (who is anything but!) in Nowhereland.
Babar- Prince Babar learns to be a king and teaches great lessons on leadership.
Lamb Chop’s Play Along- Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse, and Hush Puppy learn to sing, play and share.
Rimba’s Island- A group of brightly colored animals learn to be selfless and kind.
Kingdom Adventure- An obscure Christian fantasy puppet show about Hobbit-like creatures learning to live in light of the imminent renewal of their kingdom by the Great Prince. It’s a simple allegory that may bore parents, and has some scary imagery.
Kindergarten-2nd Grade: (All of the above plus the following)
EARLY seasons of Arthur- EARLY seasons of Arthur teach life lessons about getting along, literacy, and imagination.
Really Wild Animals- A kid’s first documentary series, full of wonderful images and information about animals. (Might have some outdated info.)
Madeline- The bravest girl in France has adventures fantastic and mundane.
Fraggle Rock (1983)- A tuneful exploration of peace and cooperation.
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends- The classic stories of Beatrix Potter committed to the medium of animation.
The following Barbie movies have no agenda, no propaganda, (other than believe in yourself), and are often better morals-wise than modern Disney!
Barbie in the Nutcracker
Barbie As Rapunzel
Barbie of Swan Lake
Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus
Barbie: Fairytopia
SuperFriends (original)- DC Comics most popular heroes save the day from villains and natural disasters.
1980s Transformers- The noble Autobots battle the cruel Decepticons to protect humanity.
Phineas and Ferb- A pair of brothers make the most of every day of summer.
3rd-5th Grade: (In descending order of intensity)
CyberChase- Teaches math at a level kids can understand with visual aids. Heck even helped ME in college!
Rocket Power- Four friends have fun trying extreme sports.
The Weekenders- A spirited group of kids explore the pitfalls of growing up with wit and humor.
Hey Arnold! (Preview- Bad attitudes, bullying, tough topics)- A boy in the big city navigates child life with the help of his friends and his kooky grandparents.
Nickelodeon’s Doug (NOT DISNEY’S DOUG, Disney ruined the series. )- A young cartoonist learns about life in middle school.
Fillmore!- Basically a G rated Law and Order show, a boy named Fillmore and his autistic-coded goth friend Ingrid solve mysteries at their school.
Aladdin the Series (Preview- Scary imagery)- Aladdin’s adventures continue in this rollicking adventure show.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic- Six young ponies learn what growing up means in the land of Equestria.
The Adventures of Tintin- (Preview: violence, alcohol) A brave young reporter fights gangsters and injustice with his fists and morals.
Redwall- Woodland creatures battle evil in this three season show.
Ronja The Robber’s Daughter
Beast Wars (Preview: Violence, minor suggestive content)- The descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons battle on prehistoric earth.
Disney’s Gargoyles (Preview: Violence, mystic content, suggestive content)- Noble heroes protect New York City from mystic threats.
The Justice League (Preview: Violence)- DC’s Finest fight to keep the world safe from supervillains.
Batman: The Animated Series (Preview: Scary imagery and stories)- Batman dispenses justice in the gritty world of Gotham City.
Superman: The Animated Series (Preview: Scary imagery and stories, suggestive content)- Superman brings truth and justice to Metropolis in his own unique way.
Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys (Preview: Mild suggestive content)- A loving parody of classic sci-fi, with just as much fun for grown ups as for kids!
LogoSophia Magazine 