Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Activities

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

4 educational shows on Netflix your grade schooler will actually like

By

Of course, parents want to limit screen time for the kids, but some shows can actually be beneficial. Netflix has a wide array of shows for children and teens, and a lot of the kids’ shows on the popular streaming network are educational. The key to a great educational show is to find one that entertains while teaching. So what are the best Netflix shows for learning? Here are the top educational picks for grade schoolers that make moms and dads feel good about screen time.

A family watches TV on a couch
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Magic School Bus Rides Again

Who didn’t want Ms. Frizzle as a teacher while growing up? A lot of parents probably watched the original series on PBS that focused on the science-loving teacher and her class who got to ride off on learning adventures in their magic school bus. Both series are based on the popular books by Joanna Cole. The updated version features Fiona Frizzle, Ms. Frizzle’s little sister. Fiona is voiced by Saturday Night Live’s Kate McKinnon, while Lily Tomlin reprises her role as the original voice of Ms. Frizzle in this super-fun series that gets kids excited about science. Netflix also has four seasons of the PBS series to enjoy. Both Magic School Bus series are perfect picks for kids seven and up.

Recommended Videos

LEGO House – Home of the Brick

LEGO lovers of all ages will get inspired when tuning in to this cool documentary about a 130,000-square-foot house constructed by LEGO bricks in Billund, Denmark. The film is 47 minutes in length and completely family-friendly. Even teens would be interested to see how this enormous LEGO house takes shape.

Related

Waffles + Mochi

Former first lady Michelle Obama stars as Mrs. O in this original Netflix series for kids. Parents of picky eaters everywhere will definitely want their kids to tune in to the show that encourages children to eat healthily and try different foods. Adorable puppets Waffles and Mochi explore different cultures through food. This is a great show to get kids interested in places outside of their own comfort zone as well as foods they might never want to try on their own.

Emily’s Wonder Lab

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. It’s a hot topic in educational circles as educators work to get kids — particularly girls, since women have largely been left out of these fields — excited about and interested in these subjects in the hopes students will eventually want careers in the fields. Emily’s Wonder Lab aims to show kids, but girls especially, how exciting science, technology, engineering, and math can actually be.

Emily Calandrell makes STEM and STEAM super fun with at-home experiments. STEAM just adds an art component into STEM activities. The show is geared to ages five and up.

Everyone needs time to kick back and watch a little television, and parents can feel good knowing kids are enjoying downtime with educational shows. Any of these four Netflix shows are both entertaining and educational. Kids can laugh and be awed by the wonders of science, mathematics, engineering, and more. Tuning in just may make kids a little more interested in these subjects inside and out of school. Younger kids can really benefit from Waffles + Mochi — especially those picky eaters who will not step outside of their comfort zone no matter how hard parents try.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Nate Swanner
Nate Swanner
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nate is General Manager for all not-Digital-Trends properties at DTMG, including The Manual, Digital Trends en Espanol…
9 fun things to do at a sleepover: A checklist for your kids
Try these fun and entertaining sleepover activities for kids of any age
Kids at a sleepover

The time has come. You have agreed to let your child invite their friends to your home for a sleepover. Now, you need to figure out how to keep a group of kids entertained for the night. There's no need to start having a panic attack. It can be easy if you break down the activities a bit. If you need help with how to keep the kids occupied, we have a list of things to do at a sleepover, no matter what age group, so everyone is tuckered out by bedtime.
Food-related activities

Make your own pizza
Who would say no to pizza? Making your own pizza at home is easier than it seems. This way, each child can create their own. You know they will eat the whole thing because kids who help cook are more likely to eat the food. You could use English muffins, flatbread, mini bagels, or whatever else as the base and let the children pick their toppings.
Put together themed charcuterie boards
From holiday to movie themes, let the kids pick out what kind of charcuterie board they want to create and gather the ingredients. Children are so creative, and everyone will love to see what the finished projects look like. You could turn it into a contest and have everyone vote on their favorites, but any activity where you get to eat at the end is a winner for everyone.
Make baked goods
Have you been meaning to make those cookies for weeks? Well, make it a fun activity for the kids to do at the sleepover. Children love to bake and be in the kitchen, and it boosts their self-esteem, but the best part is everyone gets to enjoy the baked goods. If you have any of those themed cookbooks, let the kids pick out a couple of things to bake from there.
More relaxed activities

Read more
The Switch Witch is a holiday tradition for kids that you’ll actually like
Everything you need to know about the Switch Witch this Halloween
Happy pregnant mom wearing a maternity witch costume for Halloween

Dreading the mountains of Halloween candy your kiddos are going to bring back on October 31? If you are, don't worry. You're not alone. Those mini Snickers and Hershey bars are super tempting and not just for the kids. Then, there are the sugar rushes, those ruined meals along with the potential for broken braces and cavities. Sure, all these things are a part of the hangover of Halloween, but what if someone could magically whisk away the majority of the candy? Wouldn't that be awesome? Well, you don't need a cauldron and a spell book for that. Just call the Switch Witch.

Don't know who the Switch Witch is? Well, you're probably not alone, but rest assured. There isn't a shelf or an elf involved, and you don't have to think of clever scenarios to post on Instagram, either, unless you want to. All you need to do is add the legend of the Switch Witch to your Halloween traditions, and the unwanted candy disappears like magic with something even better in its place.

Read more
6 creative family game night ideas
These fun games will entertain the whole family
Parents with children playing a board game.

If you're frustrated with how much time everyone in your family spends in front of screens, family game night can be a great way to disconnect and have fun at the same time. And even though board games are fun, there are lots of other games you can play as a family that can be done both in and outdoors. We have some fun and creative games to share that will have your family laughing, giggling, and having the best time together.
Family game night ideas

The alphabet game
This is a rather fun trivia game that everyone can enjoy. It is a simple game that begins with choosing a category. That category could be anything, whether you want it to be desserts, music, or fruit. After that, say, your category was animals, the first person can say whatever animal they want that begins with an 'A.' But the next person has to continue it on, answering with an animal that begins with 'B.' If you can't figure out an animal within an allotted time frame of your choosing, you have to wait until the next go-round.
Family Olympics
Much unlike the actual Olympics, you do not have to be an acrobatic high-flying gymnast or a figure skater. All you have to do is bring your sense of humor. There are all kinds of games that the whole family can play. Some of them include:

Read more