The best children’s shows, with a blend of fun and educational programming…
Obviously, we all wish we were perfect enough parents that we didn’t have to “occasionally” plop our child in front of a screen. Maybe you’re one of those perfect parents. You should probably leave because the tips in this column and all of my others probably aren’t for you. But maybe you’re here for the same reason people watch trashy TV: So they can claim moral / personal superiority over another person or group of persons. In that case, stick around and I’ll hand you a foie-gras-goose portion of superiority if you read enough.
In any event, there are times when it’s appropriate to allow a child to watch a show and this article will provide opinions on shows that I watch with my 5 year old. I’ll provide each selection a rating on (All ratings out of 5):
- Quality of content / Production Value
- Educational Value
- How much I hate the show
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles
Bluey (Disney) – This is a FANTASTIC show, centered around a family of anthropomorphic dogs, living in what seems to be Australia, in a world where the dogs live human-like lives in the absence of humans. Pretty straightforward right? I want to be clear that I’m not saying this is a great children’s show, no, this is a fantastic show, even when compared to shows made for people with fully developed brains. The thoughtfulness behind each episode – inclusive of the themes that have threads for both adults and children and the excellent writing – is unique amongst children’s programs. Also top notch is the production value and music.
Now, if there’s a negative about this show (and this is a stretch), it’s how much Bluey’s Dad, Bingo, will make you feel like a terrible father. He is ALWAYS up for playing incredibly imaginative games with his children. These games are much better than anything you’ve thought of and not once does he say “oh look there’s this football game on, take my phone while I watch just like all of it.” Maybe he’s supposed to be inspirational? I’m not actually looking for inspiration at this moment but if I were this talking dog-man would be a great place to start.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 5
- Educational Value – 2
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 0
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 5
Creature Cases (Netflix) – I’m also a fan of this one as it’s quasi-educational, even for me, as you follow two animal detectives – a fox and a snow leopard – as they solve an animal related case. There’s always some obscure animal that’s behind the missing something-or-other, so I walk away with as many facts as my daughter. The absolute star of the show is Peggy Scratch, who is the chicken director of the league of detectives. She delivers a bunch of memorable lines and is also a skilled bowler (of course).
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 4
- Educational Value – 3
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 0
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 3
Octonauts (Netflix) – From the creators of Creature Cases, you’ve got a band of seafaring animals helping out other animals with their aquatic issues. Children and adults love animals that act like humans. Pig riding skateboard, dog in people’s clothing, gorilla smoking, the list goes on and on and the tradition is continued with these furry Jacque Costeaus. This one is also quasi-educational as the viewer learns about a different aquatic creature in each show.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 3
- Educational Value – 3
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 0
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 2
Cocomelon (Netflix) – I don’t know how still gets on my TV. I’m sure you know about this one and I cannot stand hearing the songs or seeing that happy family that must be on drugs to have smiles plastered on their face through year after year of singing nursery rhymes.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 3
- Educational Value – 2
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 50
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 1
“Good Night Oppy” (Amazon Prime) – This is going to sound fake, but this is a very emotional documentary about two rovers that were sent to Mars to find evidence of Mars’ capability to support life. You follow rovers Spirit and Opportunity as they’re built, launched and traverse the Martian surface. My daughter absolutely loved it and asked 1578 questions. And if you try to tell me you didn’t get a little misty at the end I’ll call you a liar and we aren’t friends anymore.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 5
- Educational Value – 5
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 0
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 4
The famous selfie from Mars…
Blaze & The Monster Machines (Nickelodeon / YouTube / Amazon Prime) – It is a show about a group of talking monster trucks, one of which named Blaze, who has befriended and is driven by a boy named A.J. It is also STEM focused and has a ton of songs that hit on topics like momentum, inertia, deduction, mass, friction and are catchy enough that they will be sung in your shower. There’s a particular focus on engineering and how certain complex machines work.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 3
- Educational Value – 4
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 1
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 4
StoryBots & Associated StoryBots Programs (Netflix) -Tiny robots living inside a computer teach children answers to questions that your 5 year old is already asking you, like ‘Where do planets come from?” and “What happens when you flush the toilet?” There are quite a few celebrities cameos and the songs are fantastic. They’ve been successful enough I just found at least 4 spin-off shows on Netflix, so there’s a mountain of StoryBots content to explore.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 5
- Educational Value – 4
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 0
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 2
PJ Masks (Netflix) – 3 seemingly normal kids fight crime, but only at night. I can’t quite tell if the do the crime fighting in a dream (doesn’t seem right) or if they sneak out of their homes for hours at a time at night, but I can’t get over the premise. Maybe that’s a dumb reason for hating a show for 4 year olds, but that’s where I’m at. They also never really solve any interesting crimes or stop any interesting villains. And why aren’t they tried in the morning? They’ve been up all night and they’re bright eyed and bushy tailed in school. MAKE SOME SENSE!
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 3
- Educational Value – 1
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 4
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 2
Cory Carson (Netflix) – More in the anthropomorphic theme, with an adorable family of cars living in a world where the cars fill the people niche. Less educational than several of the shows about but this show is big on lessons, with threads for both kids and adults.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 4
- Educational Value – 1
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 0
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 5
Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Disney+) – This show takes you through life as an animal AND a zoo keeper at Disney’s Animal Kingdom amusement and wildlife park. As you’d expect with a Disney show, the production value is really high and your kids (and you!) will learn a ton about all kinds of animals. The zookeepers might love these animals more than I love my children, which leads to some funny scenes. There are also some wonderfully edited animal surgery scenes that make appear to be life and death when, in fact, an ingrown toenail is being removed.
- The Verdict:
- Quality of content / Production Value – 5
- Educational Value – 4
- Is This an Annoying Show for Adults? – 1
- Je ne sa quoi / Intangibles – 2
Well that’s my list? What are you family favorites? I’m not the only one to consider this topic, so here are some other’s opinions:
Chris Jordan