As a parent, keeping track of every show your child watches is hard. Between laptops, tablets, and smartphones, kids have access to way too much content. If you want to reign it in and give your children age-appropriate options that pass the parental test, these are the best cartoons for kids to stream now and always.
Shows for the younger crowd
These shows would be good for kids in the earlier school-age range.
Recommended Videos
Bluey (2018)
3 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Kids, Comedy
Stars
Dave McCormack, Melanie Zanetti
Created by
Joe Brumm
Watch on Disney+
We’ll get the most obvious out of the way first. Bluey isn’t only excellent watching for the kids, but parents will also have all the feels. The mini episodes are perfect for a quick TV fix or to finish that one task you could get done if you had 5 minutes. The show Bluey follows a cartoon family of Blue Heeler dogs, specifically the child Bluey, as she sucks us in with her high energy and constant antics.
Peppa Pig (2004)
8 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Kids
Stars
John Sparkes, Lily Snowden-Fine, Morwenna Banks
Created by
Neville Astley, Mark Baker
Watch on Netflix
Similar in nature to Bluey, Peppa Pig is about a rambunctious pig named Peppa, her brother, her parents, and other farm animals that live in town having daily adventures. There’s plenty of laughter, but also a great dive into emotions and how to interact with others.
True and the Rainbow Kingdom (2017)
5 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Kids, Comedy
Stars
小真, 阿布, 彩虹王
Created by
Frank Falcone, Bill Schultz, Jeff Borkin, Mary Bredin, Samuel Borkson, Arturo Sandoval III
Watch on Netflix
Every generation has its version of Blues Clues, and True and the Rainbow Kingdom is for the new kids on the block. True and Bartleby need help from magic tools to solve the problems that fall upon the Rainbow Kingdom. The focus is on mindfulness and empathy, which children are never too young to learn about.
Shows for all ages and parents
While geared toward middle school to grade-school children, older kids would find humor in these shows, too.
Craig of the Creek (2018)
6 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Action & Adventure, Drama, Family
Stars
Philip Solomon, Michael Croner, Noël Wells
Created by
Matt Burnett, Ben Levin
Watch on Max
Craig of the Creek is a unique watch that taps into the imagination, and the kids love it. Watch 10-year-old Craig and his friends Kelsey and JP as they explore their side of the creek from other kids in the neighborhood, some of which are not so nice, by using their creativity to defend their part of the wilderness.
Steven Universe (2013)
5 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Action & Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz
Created by
Rebecca Sugar
Watch on Hulu
Seeing people come together and work as a unit is what Steven Universe exudes. There is a core theme about loss in dealing with the death of a family member and seeing different ways a family can be a family. From learning how to carry emotions, build friendships, and give compassion, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl — and Steven — take on his adorable coming-of-age adventures with a beautiful lesson in every episode.
The Owl House (2020)
3 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure, Comedy
Stars
Sarah-Nicole Robles, Alex Hirsch
Created by
Dana Terrace
Watch on Disney+
When Luz wants to become a witch, her mentors Eda, a witch with some gray areas, and King, a small but mighty warrior, want to help her dream come true. Sometimes things get messed up, but the trio always has each other’s backs. If you are an adult who likes Harry Potter, watch The Owl House with your kids.
Over the Garden Wall (2014)
1 Season
Genre
Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Animation, Family, Comedy
Stars
Elijah Wood, Collin Dean, Melanie Lynskey
Created by
Patrick McHale
Watch on Amazon Prime Video
See if brothers Greg and Wirt manage to find their way out of an enchanted forest in the whimsical show Over the Garden Wall. When watching, listen to the amazing music throughout each episode, as it adds to the mystical unknown of the woods.
We Bare Bears (2015)
4 Seasons
Genre
Family, Comedy, Animation, Kids
Stars
Eric Edelstein, Demetri Martin, Bobby Moynihan
Created by
Daniel Chong
Watch on Max
Navigating the internet, trying to make friends, and looking for food are the main goals of the bear brothers in We Bare Bears. That sounds like what a lot of children are trying to get through on a day-to-day basis. The show has touching heart and hits on real-life issues in a creatively colorful way — just with animated bears.
Apple & Onion (2018)
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy
Stars
George Gendi, Richard Ayoade, Sayed Badreya
Created by
George Gendi
Watch on Amazon Prime Video
If you have kids who have had to move and found it scary, or you are about to move and want to help your child adjust to the unknown, have them watch Apple & Onion. For the adults, there’s the way Apple and his friend Onion are always trying to find a way to pay rent and get their landlord to fix things to keep it entertaining. It has something for everyone.
Cartoons with a throwback element for the parents
We probably watched these shows way too young, but kids of any age would get bits of elements of these shows.
Animaniacs (1993)
5 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Kids, Comedy, Family
Stars
Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille
Created by
Tom Ruegger
Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Parents can name some countries thanks to the original Animaniacs show. Whether you stick with the classics or see if the updated version matches your standards, kids will love the zany to the max trio Yakko, Wakko, and Dot as they come up with crazy antics while giving us songs that will live in our heads until the end of time. Those are the facts.
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999)
14 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Family
Stars
Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass
Created by
Stephen Hillenburg
Watch on Paramount+
Who doesn’t love SpongeBob SquarePants? Whether you identify as Patrick, sympathize with Squidward, or understand Mr. Krabs, there’s something for everyone in the show. Underneath all of the antics between SpongeBob and Patrick and Squidward are lessons about kindness, compassion, friendship, and being your own person no matter what that resonate with everyone.
The best cartoons for kids to stream aren’t always only for children. There are plenty of shows with content parents could — and should — watch with their little ones. Just because it’s animated doesn’t mean there aren’t great stories to be told. Find your child’s next favorite, and maybe yours, when you give these cartoons for kids a watch.
