All parents struggle with limiting screen time for their children. It’s not the best part of parenting and is one of the harder hurdles of “parentdom” to scale. If you want to put those screens to better use, here are the best educational shows for kids, broken down by their age.
For toddlers ages 2 to 3
For children 2 to 3 years old, it will be all about bright characters singing catchy songs, with the songs full of educational material.
Bubble Guppies
Your preschooler will love going to school with the Bubble Guppies. Really — the show takes you to a classroom of young fish where math, science, and literacy are discussed through various songs.
Ask the Storybots
The adorable bots in Ask the Storybots take kids on an adventure to answer those burning questions only a toddler has. Children will learn letters through rhymes and songs and then be transported from place to place to find out how the human world works.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
You can’t go wrong with a classic that raised you as a child. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood teaches children about kindness and how to make the world brighter by being a better person. Kids love visiting the Land of Make Believe and hearing the soothing voice of Mister Rogers talk about early childhood themes.
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That
If you have a little one already interested in science, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That focuses on those learning concepts. The nonstop songs make it fun for a child to see where the Thinga-ma-jigger will take them next.
For children ages 4 to 5
By age 5, kids are getting ready to start school, so anything that gives them a little boost in knowledge is a great help.
Octonauts
Most children love animals, and the crew of the Octonauts wants kids to love everything living in the water. Your kid will love to go with the crew as they conduct underwater research to protect the ocean and every creature that calls it home.
Reading Rainbow
We parents were raised by LaVar Burton, and now he gets to raise our children. Reading is one of the most important and fundamental skills for a person to have, and Reading Rainbow uses history and music to explore literature.
Doc McStuffins
Toy Story made all kids want their toys to come to life. Doc McStuffins adds to that while teaching children about being a good friend and taking care of yourself. The show does a great job with feelings big and small while showcasing the medical field.
Odd Squad
If your child is transitioning from all-animated shows to live-action ones, Odd Squad is an awesome one to watch. It uses mixed media to strengthen math skills while teaching children how to work together to solve problems.
For ages 6 to 7
Wild Kratts
Children are always fascinated by animals, and Wild Kratts uses a mix of live-action scenes and animation to teach science, strengthen observational skills in kids, and nurture their relationship with animals.
Carmen Sandiego
Remember playing Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego on floppy disks growing up? Your child won’t get to experience that, but Carmen Sandiego will teach your child about geography, right and wrong, and will beef up your child’s problem-solving skills.
Bill Nye the Science Guy
For kids who love creating experiments at home, Bill Nye the Science Guy is there to help. While watching, children and parents can learn about topics like electricity or the human heart.
RAD Lands
The Yo Gabba Gabba! people want to help children make better and healthier choices when it comes to food. RAD Lands brings YouTube stars, celebrities, and chefs together to explore and educate kids about food in a positive way.
For ages 8 to 9
Chill with Bob Ross
If you have a little artist at home, let Bob Ross get them to paint happy little trees of their own with the show Chill with Bob Ross. His instantly soothing voice will be good to relax and calm your child while they figure out how to create magnificent landscapes.
How Stuff Works
Everyone in the family should watch this one together. How Stuff Works is perfect for the toddler turned older child who never stopped asking you questions about how things do what they do.
Mythbusters
Children never believe what you tell them — they have to see it or try it themselves. Mythbusters would be an awesome show for the kid who loves to see if something is real or likes to see what happens when you test a thought.
Horrible Histories
This is another one to watch with the kids if you are a history buff. Horrible Histories takes what they don’t teach you in school and makes it funny with just the right amount of dark humor.
Not all television these days is full of horrible topics and bad words. There is still meaningful children’s programming out there if you dig a little. Rewatch some classics that taught you a thing or two growing up and find a new favorite educational show for kids to build their brain power up instead of having them mindlessly staring at the television or their device.
