There are those moments in parenthood, when you just need the kids to sit still and be quiet. In fact, this is a daily need in our house — for the sanity of my kids and myself. This is when I call upon my most favorite baby- sitter. However, I am very picky about what they can watch on Netflix and I monitor it very closely. These are influential years, and I only want the best things entering into those little brains. I want to provide you with a list of our top 10 favorite TV shows for kids, that teach good things — all to be found on instant streaming through Netflix or some with your Amazon Prime membership.
Let me take you through the TV shows on Netflix that fill these little souls with education, inspiration, good values and appropriate life skills. Some are more appealing to the younger and others to the older — but they have all watched and enjoyed each show at some point.
Each movie title is an affiliate link, which will take you to Amazon. All thanks to this wildlife adventure show, my oldest daughter became an animal enthusiast. After making her way through every episode, she was checking out wildlife books from the library and wanting to look up animals on the computer. She was sharing all sorts of fun facts about creatures of all kinds with me throughout her discoveries. It was so enjoyable to watch.
It is all very educational and fascinating, but my favorite part about this show is the relationship expressed between the brothers. So much I see on TV, especially with kid shows, is sarcasm and put-downs as humor. These brothers find a way to add humor and entertainment without any of that negativism. They encourage and support each other. I could just hug the makers of Wild Kratts.
All my kids enjoy watching this together and I feel great turning it on for them. I literally did a victory dance when this popped up on Netflix recently. We have bought some of these instructional sign language movies for kids and treasured them in our home. My 1 year old asks to watch his baby signing time every single day — with the cutest darn sign he makes for his request. We love using sign language in our home from the signs taught in these shows.
They are very entertaining and the kids are actively engaged during the whole episode. Of course, there are the numerous benefits to learning a different language and exposing our children to the variety of people in the world around them. This is a show for the whole family! I just have to be careful not to turn it on when I want my husband to be productive. This talking vegetable show is quite humorous, but that is not even the best thing about it. Pick any wonderful value you want to teach your children slow to anger, honesty, loyalty, etc.
They are mostly based on scripture stories found in the Bible, which just thrills me. My daughter gained a great love and respect for Esther after watching the VeggieTales show based on her, and then we read about her in the Bible. As far as reality game shows go, this one is a win for kids! My kids are exposed to places, careers, sights and many other things that they would never get to see otherwise. Even though it is a show filled with pre-teens and a talking dog , my little ones really love it.
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They are never inappropriate, and express a love for learning and discovery that excites my children. I have even caught them in their play participating in a challenge they have seen from this show. I LOVE it when that happens. This show drives me nuts. The repetitive songs that run through my head all day long can make me crazy — but. I cannot deny how helpful some episodes have been in my parenting attempts. Yes, the same one you watched as a kid. And now my kids talk about it all the time. It is the number one request she makes when it comes to quiet time.
It involves 3 loyal friends and their trips to the past, exploring places, culture, and landmarks — all while learning valuable life behavior skills. Its fun and educational, but not annoyingly so like other preschool movies cough. Ah, a timeless classic. This curious little monkey teaches so many good things to my kids.
Curiosity, learning, consideration for others, loyalty and love — to name a few. I especially like the little blurps they do of real life kids exploring the world around them at the end of the episodes. Brings the lessons taught by that monkey, right back home. Kids with super powers teaching my kids super skills.
This PBS show does a surprisingly good job at introducing my kids to the alphabet and reading. Any show that can do that is worth my time. Along with teaching the alphabet, I love how it shares classic storybook stories and values. Wonderful educational flick for the kids.
Netflix has probably had Sesame Street available for a long time, but it is a new discovery for us. Did you know that it appears they have every episode ever made right at your fingertips?! I can remember having to wake up really early just to catch Sesame Street as a kid on TV. I think we are all aware of all the goodness those furry monsters share with our kids, and it is great to have it all available to us on our time. Some of my kids have liked Sesame Street more than others, but if they let me choose the show this is generally the one I pick for them.
Whether they love it or not, they all seem to have their eyes and brains fixed on the screen. I know — I said But I am throwing one in for good measure. All my kids went through a Caillou phase. Let them be little! I hope you have enjoyed my suggestions and reviews and found them helpful. Are any of these titles your favorites for your kids? Did I miss any that everyone should know about? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below! If you like my reviews, you may want to read my personal experience with 6 subscription boxes for kids and a guide to choosing the best one for your child.
But rest assured, I only recommend products I use and love! My grandson loves it and has memorized some of the episodes. Kipper is a gentle soul and it is great for little ones I think. I agree with all except Calliou. I find my pre-k girl acting a lot more whiny when we watch Caillou! I was going to add Octonauts! Caillou is totally banned in our house. Whining gets you nowhere in our house! My three year old loves Calliou but, I find him terribly whiny.
And in turn, have noticed her picking that up a lot more, lately. My favorite show for her to watch, though, is Little Einsteins. I agree, the list was great sans Calliou — he is to whiny for me to even listen to as background noise! This is a great list, though I disagree with Calliou. We actually banned the show because my kids became increasingly whiny when they were watching it. I second or third Octonauts. Netflix has also started running Little Einsteins. Ya know, I can totally see what you mean about Calliou.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting for me! There are so many shows out there that glorify bad behavior. I have a 3 year old who is in love with octonauts.. Fortunately, Little Einsteins has given us an Octonauts repreave! It is a crime against the innocence if childhood. How do they call themselves in the business of kids shows! The Leapfrog videos had my daughter recognizing letters and numbers before she was 2! Learned a few new ideas from your list! Daniel Tiger, sadly, has caused us a few issues, too…like introducing fear of the dark when that had not been an issue for us before.
But the songs and parental responses on the show are super helpful! Basically, we watch PBS mostly, and an occasional movie. Yes my husband saw that episode with our 3yr old one day. He was very upset. Our boy definitely does Not need any encouragement in tantrums. It is now banned from our house. Also banned is Cat in the Hat, pbs cartoon. It had an episode encouraging dancing with rattling snakes because they just want to find a friend.
Whats wrong with snakes? Rattle Snakes are actually quite shy. I do apologize, but I cannot stand the bad rep snakes get. Are wonderful and fascinating in their own way. You have got to be joking. My kids 6,4,2,and 3 months that watch videos love Super Why. I tried a Magic Schoolbus one and while it was interesting it seemed really fast paced to me similar to that horrible yellow sponge show.
Their favorites are Mighty Machines highly recommend checking it out, they are some awesome shows and really teach real life stuff — how a semi is built, how cars are recycled, snow plows, deep sea machines, etc. I swear they really helped my kids learn their alphabet sounds with very little effort from me. They thought the show was a treat and it taught them too.
Thank you for this list! We have found Netflix to be great for having lots of kid friendly documentaries. Around age 4, we moved our kids away from the animated shows and focused them on the documentaries. I am amazed at the facts my kids have now because of these type of shows. I love the list! Daniel Tiger is also an extention of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, which is also a great show! That one is not allowed. For the same reasons as mentioned above. My kids also love the leapfrog series and mother goose club. Mother goose club is all nursery rhymes. We used signing DVDs for my second son when he was speech delayed..
The videos gave us a new way to communicate with him. All in all a great list! I use TV during the day for quiet time. I have 4 kids between 4. And you made my day when I saw babysigning time is available!! I look forward to browsing through the rest of your site and getting a little more inspiration! Lisa wiggles and whimsy. Glad I could offer some inspiration. I often get stuck creating those images as well.
Best of luck to you! He has a severe sensory disorder with an overlap of autism so noises from some shows will freak him out or have him giggling like crazy, sometimes both. He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse because of the music and colors.
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Glad so many people are bigging up Octonauts!!! Makes us Brits very happy! But what to pick? I like the Willoughbys. You have to love a book that by page 2 says, "The Willoughby parents frequently forgot that they had children and became quite irritable when they were reminded of it. Tea With the Black Dragon, R. MacAvoy 10 — 1 point. Piggle-Wiggle books, all of them. I actually was asked to leave the school library once in 4th grade because I was laughing so hard.
The best ones are the ones that rely on natural processes for the "cure", such as the Fighter-Quarrelers Cure and the Selfishness Cure, not the ones with magic powders and stuff. They get the ideas across without laying on the morality with a trowel. This is another choice that is straight from my childhood, along with happy memories of family read-alouds.
P-W off the shelf and read chapters aloud to a book club of th graders and they begged for more. Some things are eternal. P-W recently — what a howl! But the poetic images from this book haunted me as a child—I read and reread it. I just knew that there was something very compelling about the story. The missing diamond in a donut is a classic!
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The Cassons, in my humble opinion, are such a family. The characters are irresistible. Dialogue is snappy, intelligent and filled with wit. Oh, it was hard to choose between this and Beauty, but my tween self would insist on this book making my list. A Wedding for Wiglaf? England, WWII, abused child, crusty old man with a heart of gold — what more could you want? Can you tell I like funny books? But gentle ones with a message.
Five of my top ten are humorous.
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I was intrigued with the thought of making REAL money as a kid. Although I loved the Anne books with all my heart, I loved black-haired Emily and even hoped that she might, in fact, be Asian. It is quite a feat to handle potentially harsh subject matter and present it to a newly emerging reader.
No one does this better than Morpurgo. Something about the combination of lions, long lost love, and WWII really hits home for me. What a perfect opening— boy runs away from cold English Boarding house and stumbles into a ghost story. This is the kind of book that you never want to put down. The great writing allows me to disappear into the story until the end when I re-emerge with a sigh.
The kind of book I can stay up all night reading! The sweetest Cinderella story. She would have swooned. Good parental character as well. One of my Newbery favorites. The sequels are fine, but this one is the best. A fantasy classic by one of the first authors to place the magic in the everyday world. I want to say The Enchanted Castle, but I think this will get more votes. I love this old, but still delightful book. After all these years it is funny, with believable sibling relationships.
This and Alice in Wonderland are the real ancestors of my favorite genre the funny fantasy novel. The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbit 10 — 1 point Again, I prefer The Railway Children, but I saw the movie first and have never really sorted them out in my mind and I doubt that any children like it at all, and the phoenix is a pleasure, and Nesbitt should be included. Funny and subversive as well. Great action with pirates, first love, and strange creatures — K. Public School, Sarnia, ON. A visionary fantasy novel that reads like historical fiction with page-turning adventure — brilliant.
My all-time favourite annual read-aloud about a diminutive bat with a big spirit — K. When I am a celebrity and have my own ALA READ poster, I will hold Hounds of the Morrigan, a rollicking humorous adventure that takes place in modern day and faraway Ireland, and manages to incorporate a host of Irish legends into one narrative.
The READ posters are a great vehicle for showcasing a favorite book that needs more recognition the visual equivalent of a book talk , which is why I get cranky when celebrities display books by Jane Austen, Dr. I love Junie B. Jones with the funny writing, the made-up words, the feeling of childhood in every blessed page. A brief but tremendously well-written novel. Proof that any topic can be made interesting in the hands of a master storyteller — Brenda Ferber. Wheeze is so incredibly real, so honest, and, amazingly enough, so is Caroline.
The mark of a classic is a book that can span the ages, and that you can get something different out of, each time you read it. And once as an adult, where I cringed at the parents treatment of Louise and hoped I could be a better parent. I could probably read it again later and get something else from it. And I probably will, too.
I loved this book as a child, and the story stayed with me for decades. Even more delightful, this is one of the books where the magic translated to a new generation- my daughter loved it as much as I did. This is a bit haunting- not quite as light hearted as some of my other picks- that depth?
Why investigate, of course! Tom goes to the first floor and opens the back door, only to find himself faced with a garden, and not the alleyway that exists there by day. I have had such a huge girl-crush on Blossom Culp since I was Coolest heroine that not enough people know about EVER. The Ramona Quimby of this generation. I read the first chapter to all my third grade classes and these books are also frequent fliers off my shelves!
One of the things I love about my job as a school librarian is that no day is ever boring. The story reminds me so much of some of the kids I teach. Their intentions are good but the results can be disastrous. Another feel, good, laugh out loud book, we can never have too many of those. Rambunctious and precocious, Clementine is also incredibly generous. What I love best about this series is that though she gets into scrapes, a they come from a place of good intentions, and b her parents understand her — they love her and care about her and so when she gets into trouble, they are there to help her figure it out.
Oh, and Christopher Heron, one of the most swoon-worthy fictional lads this side of Shakespeare. Revolutionary War adventures, a modern-day orphaned young woman who learns family history through the family ghosts, and a darned good code! I bet I read The Sherwood Ring at least 8 times in middle school, it was that good! Little known outside of the Mid-West, Gene Stratton Porter was a great writer of strong-willed, intelligent often female characters, and a tremendous naturalist.
I learned more about being outdoors, and about trials and tribulations of human nature, from her books than anywhere else. I love the way the lessons about love and responsibility are leavened with puns and humor. The Picts and the Martyrs: An epic story and the best coming-of-age book I know. I love the steampunk, I love the silliness of the hover hogs, and the swashbuckling and all the rest, dearly.
A rousing tale it was. Funny, sardonic, ironic, parodical and great social commentary. And a really great heroes all kids can look up to in both Tip and J. Perhaps my favorite middle grade book to appear in the past few years. Rarely have I laughed so hard J. We loved the cat, loved Gratuity, loved everything about this book.
One of the most satisfying middle reader books ever written. A brilliant combination of text and illustrations, Christ Riddell has introduced an energetic new heroine. Half the text of the story can be found in the detailed illustrations. The color palette of black, white, and one other color make the illustrations charming and easy to examine for the little tidbits Riddell hides in them. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters 1 1 1 2 2 6 — 53 points. The ending is moving. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan 2 3 4 4 5 8 8 — 43 points. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan 2 4 4 4 5 7 9 — 42 points.
The idea of having not only a tree house to hang out in, but one on a private island? Add in the mystery about who is hunting the family, and I was so hooked. Another mystery that has stuck with me through the years. Held up as an adult reader, too. Read this every Christmas. You can have your Polar Express. This book does that in spades. I read it every Christmas. I started that tradition back when I was in college.
I remember my 4th or 5th grade teacher reading it to us. They lied and stole and smoked cigars even the girls …. The Wall and the Wing Laura Ruby: Makes for a great read-aloud. Suspense, weirdness, and plenty of humor. I loved it, the girls loved it, we suggested it to an adult friend who reads a lot of kids and YA, she loved it.
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Love it for the first sentence. Love it just as much for the last. Nobody else writes like Rylant. Remains one of the funniest books I have ever read. Plus it is a great story, and, hey, international. Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John 8 — 3 points. This was my favorite book as a kid. I must have read it a hundred times. It has a great plot, delicious flawed characters, plus a spunky heroine and one of the best first lines ever! I believe I learned about this book from your blog, Betsy. I now adore it, and recommend it whenever possible. At the Barbary Asylum for Female Orphans, eleven-year-old Maud is adopted by three spinster sisters moonlighting as mediums who take her home and reveal to her the role she will play in their seances.
To think that there is an actual historical basis for this title is…well, shameful. White spluttering in the dust. Knopf Books for Young Readers. New York, stands-the-test-of time, magic happens, great illustrations! Please let this make the top ! This book needs a renaissance!
The most charming book about a bug ever. This is a book, but it is already my favorite for the year. Is this the first ever fat camp book? Kudos to Kimmel Smith for tackling childhood obesity before it became the latest movie-of-the week topic. Elephant Run by Roland Smith 3 — 8 points. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket 2 5 5 — 21 points. The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket 6 6 7 — 14 points. The moment when the Baudelaires discover where the secret passage leads is one of those major Twilight Zone moments where the world turns upside down and all the blood rushes to your head in terrifying clarity — kind of like the freeze frame at the end of the Thriller video where MJ flashes his crazy monster eyes!
No one I know has ever heard of it. Rocked my ten-year-old world. I loved many of her books as a kid, but this one is less dark and more joyful than most, and my kids love it, too. My husband remembered it from his childhood, and our first copy in the house since read to shreds was purchased as a surprise for him, after he reminisced about a terrific book about a kid with wings. The best part about this book, and all the others in the series, is that I never remembered the solutions to the mysteries, so I could re-read them over and over.
This is something I still enjoy about mysteries!
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Best book in the world for reluctant readers. Like our lovely poll-taker, this is my favorite series out there right now. But how to pick the best one? I had to go back to my notes from library school, in which I wrote, "Springer just keeps getting better, and this entry is possibly the best of the series so far: Kennedy Library , Vallejo , CA.
Another family I could have moved in with. This was my go-to book when I was sick. Comfort food for the imagination. The most memorable reading experience of my childhood was listening to my father read and reread Dominic to me and my brother once or twice a year for a couple of years. The novel is truly more than the sum of its perfect parts. The language, the adventure and humor all work for me. As elements and motifs from his other works appear in the story, my students race to make astute connections which leave me awestruck. In my mind a perfect chapter book is one which grows richer with each additional reading.
Dominic exemplifies this more than any other piece of literature I have ever encountered. My favorite adventure book as a boy which I re-read each year for many years — David Ziegler. Stormchaser by Paul Stewart 2 9 — 11 points. For getting reluctant kids to keep reading. I loved this book when I was a kid because it was such a terrific reworking of The Secret Garden. I used to want to be "discovered" as the next, next Mary Lennox. Timothy of the Cay by Theodore Taylor 5 — 6 points.
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The Giant Horse of Oz. Reilly and Lee, Back off, Princess Bride. Basil in Mexico by Eve Titus 7 — 4 points. As delightful as the Julie Andrews movie adaptation is, there are four Mary Poppins novels that just scream to be read! One of the original "everyday magic" sort of books. When I first read this one, I was reading it aloud to my sons.
My older son had suggested us reading The Thief, so when the sequel came out, we wanted to read it aloud together. I confess that I was not able to stand it — after my boys went to bed, I sat there and finished the book! And that happened more than once! A book worth reading over and over again to see how all the plot threads intertwine. What makes a hero, or a leader?
What does love really mean, and loyalty? All this and an adventure, too! As for the characters, they are rounded and real, with Gen leading the pack as a marvelously sly, cantankerous, vain, yet ultimately kind Trickster King, a new hero for a new millenium. Kate Coombs at Book Aunt http: Although the Eugenides series is my current obsessive series, the one I fear I may die before I get to the end, I realize that it is much too subtle and complex for the average middle-grade reader. I really think those you with ARCs of 4 are just plain cruel to flaunt your riches on Goodreads in front of us peasants Outside of Grandma Dowdel there is no other character I love more than Eugenides.
I actually believe they would be very good friends. Can you imagine the high jinks the two of them could pull off?