Raising a child in the modern world is no easy feat. With an overabundance of content online, it can be difficult to know for sure what kind of programming is best for toddlers to watch. After all, at such a young age, human beings are extremely impressionable. Showing little kids the wrong type of content could leave lasting negative impacts on their minds. Therefore, it is more important than ever to find TV shows that are educational, calming, and entertaining enough to capture the attention of their audience.
Fortunately, there are some programs that consistently manage to meet all of these criteria. From old favorites like Bear in the Bear In The Big Blue House, to current hits like Bluey, there are plenty of perfect options for today’s toddlers. These shows will not only keep your child entertained, but they will make sure that they learn something at the same time; whether it be classroom knowledge, valuable life lessons, or anything in between.
10 Sesame Street
Where The Air Is Sweet
One of the longest-running children’s television shows in the world, Sesame Street premiered in 1969 and is still airing episodes to this day. The show uses puppetry (courtesy of Jim Hensen’s Muppets), animation, and live-action to bring a series of educational segments to children, always keeping a comedic, heartfelt tone.ย
- Release Date
- November 10, 1969
- Seasons
- 53
- Creator(s)
- Joan Ganz Cooney , Lloyd Morrisett , Jim Henson
There’s a reason Sesame Street has managed to stay on the air since the ’60s. This ever-popular show has been captivating (and teaching) young audiences for decades, using its fun blend of human performers and lovable puppet characters designed by Jim Henson.
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Sesame Street is the product of real attention and care from its creators, with each episode and segment being structured in a way that maximizes its ability to hold a toddler’s attention. This way, the program can convey valuable information to its audience more effectively.
Sesame Street is known for its lovable cast of characters, including beloved Muppets like Elmo and Cookie Monster, as well as its impressive catalog of celebrity guest stars. Every episode, the characters get together to learn important lessons about friendship, kindness, and everything in between. Sesame Street has even received acclaim over the years for its willingness to address more serious topics, ones typically not discussed in children’s programming. Sesame Street‘s timeless characters and educational content make it a great choice for young audiences.
9 Thomas & Friends
A Fixture In Children’s Programming For 30 Years
Thomas & Friends is a children’s television series based on The Railway Series of books by Reverend W. Awdry. The show follows the adventures of Thomas, a cheeky and lovable steam train, and his engine friends on the Island of Sodor, as they learn important lessons about friendship, teamwork, and growing up.
- Release Date
- October 9, 1984
- Seasons
- 24
- Creator(s)
- Britt Allcroft , Reverend W. Awdry , Christopher Awdry
Thomas & Friends has been a fixture in the world of children’s programming since 1984. The long-running British series follows the adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine and his colorful group of locomotive friends. The show teaches many valuable lessons about behavior and interacting with others, topics that are critically important for kids at that age.
Thomas & Friends has undergone many changes over the years in terms of its production (especially regarding its animation), but the values at the heart of it have remained consistent. The show has proven to be a fan-favorite of countless kids across multiple generations, inspiring numerous films and hugely popular toys.
The program also gives a much-appreciated nod to parents, being narrated by various popular figures over the years; Ringo Starr, George Carlin, and Pierce Brosnan, to name a few.
Toddlers are easily captivated by trains, and Thomas & Friends manages to capitalize on this fascination, using trains as a vehicle to teach them crucial messages. The program also gives a much-appreciated nod to parents, being narrated by various popular figures over the years; Ringo Starr, George Carlin, and Pierce Brosnan, to name a few.
8 Bear in the Big Blue House
A ’90s & 2000s Staple
Featuring characters created by The Jim Henson Company, Bear in the Big Blue House was a popular children’s show from the ’90s and early 2000s, which has since found a new home on Disney+. The show features a charming cast of Muppet characters living together in the titular house. Over the course of each episode, Bear, Tutter, and the rest of their friends tell stories and sing songs, all while learning how to solve their problems.
Though the stories and problems-to-be-solved change with each episode, the show relies on a very consistent structure, something toddlers have been proven to desire in the TV shows they watch. They enjoy knowing that every episode will begin with the welcome song, and end with the goodbye song. Fortunately, these songs are catchy enough that parents can certainly enjoy them too. The way Bear in the Big Blue House uses memorable songs and stories to teach its audience makes it a great option for young viewers.
7 Blue’s Clues
It’s A Clue!
Blue’s Clues is a popular children’s show which ran from 1996-2006, though it was later revived in 2019 under the name, Blue’s Clues and You! Unlike many TV shows for toddlers at the time, each episode of Blue’s Clues follows a single story from beginning to end.
Episodes typically involve the viewers and the host following a trail of paw prints left by the titular puppy Blue. At the time of its release, Blue’s Clues was somewhat revolutionary in the way that it directly encouraged audience participation.
Throughout each episode, the host would speak directly to the camera, asking questions and inviting those watching at home to help solve various puzzles.
This unique structure was a hit with the show’s audience, as well as their parents. The show served as a type of game in which the kids could be actively involved, instead of just passively absorbing the information. Blue’s Clues truly paved the way for the future of interactive television.
6 Oswald
The Day-To-Day Adventures Of An Octopus
Though it only ran for one season (although this still includes 26 episodes and 52 total segments), Oswald is still an excellent choice for toddlers. Oswald follows the titular blue octopus on his day-to-day adventures with his friends, and his hot dog-shaped dog, Weenie. Oswald always has a very positive attitude and gets along great with those around him, making him an excellent role model for young viewers.
What makes Oswald such a great choice is its calmness. The polite characters, casual situations, and especially the soft background music all combine to give the show a very relaxing feel. In a world where so much exists to overstimulate children, it is important to have options to help them calm down. Oswald may not be the most exciting TV show, but it effectively demonstrates the value of patience and tolerance, all while maintaining an uplifting-yet-calming atmosphere.
5 Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
From The Creator Of Blue’s Clues
From the same creator as Blue’s Clues, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is a charming program that has been entertaining its youthful audience since 2012. Inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the show highlights the daily adventures of Daniel Tiger and his friends in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood helps toddlers explore their emotions, guiding them to a better understanding of why they feel the ways that they do.
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood consistently does its best to not only teach these crucial lessons to kids, but to present them in ways that ensure the kids will remember them for years to come. The show achieves this through its use of “Strategy Songs.” These are short, catchy tunes that summarize the lesson of the episode in a way that is bound to stick in the viewer’s mind for long after the end of the show. Many of these songs are available individually on the PBS Learning Media website, a helpful resource for parents.
4 Octonauts
Creature Report! Creature Report!
Since 2010, the Octonauts have been exploring the ocean and learning about the creatures that live within it. The program features a crew of animal characters (such as Barnacles the polar bear, Kwazii the cat, and Peso the penguin), each with an important job to fulfill as they travel around underseas. The quirky characters and fun adventures are perfect to keep young ones entertained from beginning to end.
Octonauts not only shows toddlers the value of working as a team, but it also teaches them plenty of neat information about the world they live in. In each episode, the characters must save the day using the fun facts they know about the ocean and its creatures.
Octonauts
inspires its viewers to become more curious individuals by showing them some of the amazing offerings of the world around them.
This means that the young viewers are learning without even realizing it, as the information is smoothly integrated into the story. Octonauts inspires its viewers to become more curious individuals by showing them some of the amazing offerings of the world around them.
3 Ms. Rachel
Available on YouTube
Ms. Rachel provides an exciting, modern spin on the idea of children’s television programming. Rather than being a typical on-the-air TV show, Ms. Rachel is framed as a web series, offering videos of various lengths which dive into a number of different subjects. The show is specifically geared toward the youngest audiences, and covers topics like speech, language, and social skills. The videos often feature interactive stories and songs with the goal of making learning as enjoyable as possible.
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2 Puffin Rock
An Irish, Educational Show
With an adorable cast of characters, Puffin Rock is a lovely Irish children’s show, now available on Netflix. The show features the various animals living on a small island near Ireland, led by Oona and Baba, a sister-and-brother pair of puffins. Puffin Rock celebrates the beauty of nature and all the animals living on Earth. Each episode shows Oona and Baba overcoming obstacles and encouraging the young viewers to overcome similar challenges in their own lives.
Puffin Rock proves to be very effective in the way it manages to convey lesson-filled stories in a minimal amount of time. Each full episode is divided into three individual stories, each only around seven minutes long. Puffin Rock is a great option for parents looking to watch some educational television with their kids, without spending too much time in front of a screen. The impressive visual style and lovable characters are bound to make Puffin Rock an enjoyable program for parents and toddlers alike.
1 Bluey
One Of The Best Children’s Shows Of All Time
The Australian children’s television program, Bluey, has skyrocketed in popularity since its initial release in 2018. The main characters of the series are a family of puppies, particularly Bluey and Bingo, a brother/sister duo who enjoy playing together and creating adventures for themselves. The series has become widely beloved by toddlers and adults alike, thanks to its consistency in including elements designed specifically for parents.
What sets Bluey apart from other children’s shows is the trust it places in its audience. Bluey manages to effectively teach valuable lessons to viewers without having to explicitly state them. Instead, the program simply shows the characters playing and learning the lessons on their own, knowing that the best way to learn is by doing. Bluey inspires its young viewers to want to play with others, and provides a model for how that can be done in a kind and respectful way.