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I used to be filled with guilt about any screen time, and applaud myself if we got through a day without “needing” the TV. Also, my dishes also never got done and I didn’t get a much-needed mental break.
Until one day, my 4-year-old drew the Nazca Lines on our driveway with sidewalk chalk. I had no idea what they were and had to Google it. Turns out, my kid was learning and retaining all sorts of stuff during his normal TV time.
So I changed my perspective. Instead of thinking of TV time as a crutch to be avoided, I started thinking of it as supplemental learning time. This piece from Brookings gives an interesting look at embedding educational content in TV, stating in part, “New research from Education Development Center (EDC) and SRI International provides a compelling example of how digital media can promote both academic and social learning for young children.”
My kids are two and five, and they each have shifted favorites depending on mood and age. I categorized our favorite shows into topics, from culture to science to problem solving.
Here’s our list of go-to favorites:
Culture, History & Geography
Molly of Denali
(PBS) Recent recipient of a Peabody Award, my preschooler has loved this show since it premiered. This is such a wholesome show that introduces concepts and cultures we haven’t seen in any other show.
Each episode incorporates a lesson on informational text. When we did a mini research project for preschool, we used tips we learned from Molly on how to do an internet search, and how to check for reputable sources. I know this sounds suuuuuper nerdy, but I promise — it’s seamlessly integrated, and the information sticks. My son has even been known to declare, “Trota, let’s eat!” before digging into lunch.
The most notable episode is Grandpa’s Drum, especially if you’re looking for a show to introduce indigenous cultures and tackle tough subjects like native boarding schools.
Online resources: The Molly of Denali website has tons of resources, including a Family Viewing Guide to use with Grandpa’s Drum episode. We’ve also found printable handouts about informational text and Alaska native values. Their Facebook page has tons of ideas to try at home, supplementing ideas from episodes.
JustinTime
(Netflix) This is a unique show that integrates more history than many other cultural shows. Justin and his shape-shifting sidekick Squidgy have a wonderfully wild imagination, traveling to all sorts of historical locations and societies. They always meet their friend Olive on their adventure, who serves as their guide to the location and culture.
The problem solving concepts are a great secondary benefit of this show. My son loves to use the jingle from one episode if we misplace something at home (“If something’s lost and it can’t be found, retrace your steps!”).
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
(PBS Kids) A simple adventure show where Xavier and his friends go back in time and meet the kid versions of famous people. It does a great job of making important people and their contributions to society memorable and easy to understand.
My son spontaneously declared one day, “We can be brave, just like the Wright Brothers!” after watching an episode of Xavier earlier that week.
Super Wings
(Netflix) This is the show that taught my kid about Nazca Lines. It’s not at the top of my list for quality writing and production, but it’s a viable option if we need to switch things up.
Each episode includes a mission for a plane to make a package delivery in new country. They include one key vocabulary word in another language and cultural information about the destination. A reasonably good option if you’re looking for something new.
Science & Nature
Octonauts
(Netflix) Each episode focuses on a specific sea creature, and incorporates environmental themes into a handful of them. Fantastic storylines, animation, and information. An absolute classic. It was my son’s favorite show from ages 2-4. He was even Captain Barnacles for Halloween one year. My youngest is now in love with our Octopod toy, and thinks he’s truly a member of the Octonauts.
Don’t miss the fantastic Octonauts movies too! Our favorite is the Caves of Sac Actun.
Storybots
(Netflix) Think of a modern Magic School Bus: A group (of cartoons, in this case) takes a deep dive into scientific exploration, immersing themselves by going straight to the source and asking tough questions to learn details. It’s a bit intense (the Storybots’ “Boss” is a little condensing and angry), fast-paced, and the concepts are fairly complicated. It has great information overall, and my preschooler has caught on to some general concepts. I’ve even learned quite a bit from the episodes.
Each episode includes a celebrity cameo when the StoryBots travel to the real world — Wanda Sykes, Whoopi Goldberg, and Snoop Dogg to name a few.
Puffin Rock
(Netflix) If I had another category, I’d label this primarily a “quiet” show. Chris O’Dowd calmly narrates Puffin Rock, a sweet little show about a family of puffins. They face normal things puffins face — gathering food, navigating life in and around the sea, and staying away from seagulls! This combines sea and land nature lessons, including the tadpoles-to-frog process, puffin diving, and hermit crab shells.
This is our go-to show if the boys need some quiet, calm TV time. My Lego- and pirate-loving preschooler will sit and watch episode after episode.
Even better, they have the most precious song in one episode that we sometimes sing in the mornings: “Let’s sing along, with all our friends, as we welcome a new day!” Repeat ad nauseum.
Emily’s Wonder Lab
(Netflix) The format is a mix of that old Zoom kids show, mixed with Bill Nye the Science Guy. Hosted by the phenomenal Emily Calandrelli (also a great follow on Instagram for lots of science info!), she guides kids through science experiments. My son loves pretending to be Emily and try out experiments.
Math
NumberBlocks
(Netflix) This show is genius. Who would have thought a show about math would work so well. Applause all around for the creators. It certainly doesn’t hold my preschooler’s attention as long as other shows, but it’s super effective for whatever time he sits through. It generally helps kids think about numbers in a new way, visualizing each number as a distinct character that represents a collection of other numbers that can be broken up (i.e. six can be six ones or two groups of three.) It’s worth adding to your TV time line-up.
Problem Solving Modeling
Note: I particularly love the brand of problem solving in the shows below because they typically encounter an existing problem and try to help. Some shows take the opposite approach, where the main characters consistently make poor decisions themselves (lookin’ at you, Thomas the Train) and then try to work out solutions. While those shows do teach valuable personal lessons, I get annoyed that the main characters are consistently making really horrible decisions.
Stinky and Dirty
(Prime) A trash truck and backhoe, best friends, encounter problems in Go City and take you through their problem solving process. It’s a true brainstorm — they come up with all sorts of crazy ideas, not shaming or criticizing any approach. They explain why each of their silly ideas won’t actually work, and then decide on the best solution to try. This encouraged my son to start drawing blueprints of his ideas on how to do things around the house.
You’ll hear some famous voices here too — Jane lynch, Andy Richter, Whoopi Goldberg and more have all voiced different characters.
Bonus: The writers are also wonderfully thoughtful about integrating literary devices and vocabulary. For instance, every time Stinky shows the contents of his trash truck, he uses alliteration and fun descriptive words. Musty mattress, rotting red apple, bumpy barrel, etc.
Treehouse Detectives
(Netflix) Each episode has a nature-related problem to solve, and the brother and sister detectives go through a rigorous clue-finding process to solve the mystery. Overall, it’s a cute show with a kind group of friends, a slow pace, and low-stakes drama. Get ready for your kid to walk around the house examining everything with a magnifying glass!
Dramatic Play
Bluey
(Disney+) The New Yorker published a terrific piece capturing why Bluey is so magical, for both kids AND adults. And Vulture published this about Bluey, calling it the best kids’ show of our time. Bluey is the one show my husband will actually request to watch and gladly join our kids on the couch.
It cannot be overstated how much delight this show brings to our family. My favorite episode is Camping.
Resources: Tons of Bluey crafts, coloring pages, recipes, and party materials on their website.
Trash Truck
(Netflix) The pace is slow, the friendships are sweet, and the adventures are wholesome. My favorite episode is Flying.
Daniel Tiger
(PBS Kids) A classic! This show models life skills for both kids and parents — I gained a ton of scripts and strategies to help me navigate tricky toddler and preschool behavior. We love the slow pace and ideas for managing emotions and interacting with people.
Doc McStuffins
(Disney) A girl helps her troupe of stuffed animals solve all sorts of toy-related maladies as the doctor, embedded imagination, problem-solving and health tips.
Music & Theater Class
Motown Magic
(Netflix) A boy and his friends use a magic paintbrush to bring characters to life. The adventures are interspersed with Motown songs that relate to the storyline.
BeatBugs
(Netflix) It’s like A Bugs Life, with Beatles Music. It’s fun!
Julie’s Green Room
(Netflix) Julie Andrews (!!) works with a group of puppets to put on a show.
No-Dialogue Silly Shows
We have a couple shows that consist of mindless, slap-stick comedy with hilarious antics but no spoken words. My son ends up in fits of giggles at shows like Oscar’s Oasis or Shaun the Sheep (both on Netflix). We don’t watch them often, but it’s they are fun options to try.
BONUS: THEME SONG LYRICS!
My son always tries to sing the songs and we often had trouble finding lyrics published online. For our own record, we watched all the intros with captions on and recorded the lyrics. Hope this helps someone else!
Molly of Denali theme song lyrics:
Hey everyone, it’s me, Molly! Molly of Denali. Let’s go! She’s Molly of Denali. By plane or sled or snowshoe, she is ready to explore. From Kaktovik down to Juneau, always wanting to learn more. Yeah! Together with her best friend, Tooey, always by her side. And Trini! Discovering the outdoors on adventures day and night. Come along with Molly, Molly, through fields of fireweed. Come along with Molly, Molly, from tundra to the sea. Mahsi’choo — let’s go! Molly of Denali. Yeah! She’s Molly of Denali. Come on, let’s go. Molly of Denali. She’s Molly of Denali.
Octonauts theme song lyrics:
Octonauts, to your stations! Barnacles! Kwazii! Peso! [music montage with show clips] Explore! Rescue Protect! Octonauts!
Treehouse Detectives theme song lyrics:
We always use the clues. And we follow the facts. We figure out what’s true. There’s nothing we can’t do. Treehouse Detectives, making their discovery. Treehouse Detectives, solving every mystery.
Storybots theme song lyrics:
Storybots, livin’ inside computer parts. The Storybots. Helping kids get super smart. They love to learn (love to learn.) And adore adventure (woo hoo). And answering questions is their business and pleasure. There’s a whole department whose only task is to answer anything we ask. So let’s see if Team 341B can solve another mystery. The Storybots. Meet Beep, and Bing, Bang, Boop and Bo. Just ask them what you wanna know. Just ask the StoryBots.
And when they get a stumper that demands investigation, it’s to the outer world on a hunt for information. StoryBots. Got a question? Got lots? If something’s got you baffled, worry not. Just ask the StoryBots. Just ask the StoryBots. Boop.
Stinky and Dirty theme song lyrics:
Stinky and Dirty, it’s all I want to be. Stinky and Dirty, my best friend and me. They sometimes lose, they sometimes win. In the dirt and the trash they try again. Stinky and Dirty. The Stinky and Dirty Show! Vroom.
JustinTime theme song lyrics:
Oh, let’s go! Looking for adventure. Lots of fun along the way. We’re gonna have a good time. Everybody! One, two, ready, set, let’s go! Justin! Olive! Squidgy! Oooh, let’s go! Come along. We’re gonna find adventure. Hurray! Around the world. Together we’re Justin Time. Let’s go!
NumberBlocks theme song lyrics:
One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Numberblocks! Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten! Numberblocks! One, and another One is Two, and another one is me, that’s Three! Five, Four, Three, Two, One. It’s time for some number fun. You can count on us, we’re the Numberblocks.
Puffin Rock theme song lyrics:
Come and play on our little island. If you look you’ll see. We’ll be here come rain or shine. In the sky or the deep blue ocean. On the beach or meadow. Always fun come rain or shine. Puffin Rock. Baba Boo!
Dragon Rescue Riders theme song lyrics:
Everybody needs a hero, someone to save the day. We’ve got a wing to ride on, we are the bold and brave. Look to the skies and you will find us. High above the world, racing through the sky. High above the world, we rescue and we ride. There’s nothing we can’t do. Together we can’t lose. We’re high above the world. (P.S. This is often our 20 second hand-washing song!)
