10 Animated Kids Shows Parents Can Tolerate (and Even Like) Binge Watching With Their Kids
Now that kids are making their way back to in-person school, day care, just generally being out in the germ-filled world (even masked) it’s enviable they, and your entire house, will probably get sick. When you’re stuck back at home with a sick kiddo and you’re trying catch a couch-nap or wipe their nose for the zillionth time you need something child friendly to watch that will entertain them and won’t drive you to a migraine. Those who’ve wondered how the whole town learns all the lesson songs in Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (does King Friday enforce a weekly Zoom?) or why a group of dogs and a child are put in charge of constantly saving an entire town know that finding something to watch that everyone can enjoy is a tall order. To preempt the obvious comments, I’ve left out Sesame Street because that’s a given and also excluded the popular Bluey because those episodes are a way-too-short seven minutes and set way too high expectations for how 24/7 involved parents should be with their kids’ playtime.
Arthur (PBS Kids)
I have absolutely been caught watching this show even after my child leaves the room or falls asleep. The tales of a third grade aardvark and his animal friends dealing with relatable kid issues still charms in the same way it did when Millennial parents were watching the show as kids themselves. Featuring guest stars, rendered in animal form, such as the late John Lewis and Neil Gaiman and irreverent humor Arthur aims to charm grown up viewers as well as their kids.
The show tackles issues such as body image, picky eating, and cell phone dependency in a way that feels organic and not preachy. The show also gets major props for incorporating gay marriage into a storyline with Arthur’s teacher Mr. Ratburn. While the show is sadly wrapping up a 25 season run next year, there are still so many episodes in the archive to watch while trying to turn a sick day into a wonderful kind of day.
Puffin Rock (Netflix)
This charmer about a family of talking puffins and the other inhabitants of their tiny island off the coast of Ireland is so adorable and surprisingly soothing viewing that it’ll make the whole family sad once you’ve burned through the two seasons. Puffin Rock is narrated in a sweet, but still cheeky, fashion by Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids) and animated by the Irish animation company Cartoon Saloon (known for their brilliant, more mature films such as Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers). The gentle pace of the show and the warm accents of the characters will calm a restless child and make grown up viewers feel downright cozy. Two seasons is absolutely not enough but luckily there’s a full length Puffin Rock film in production (though their hasn’t been an update on it’s status since pre-Covid).
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Prime Video)
The cause and effect books that this show is based on don’t necessarily feel like something that could create an engaging narrative, but the sweet animation of a group of animals and their human owners/friends will surprise viewers. The stories aren’t suspenseful or hilarious but the animation is pleasing like the book illustrations and the tone is calming.
Bug Diaries (Prime Video)
This show is a prime (puns always intended) example of the show that bests its source materials. Based on the Diary of a Worm (and other insect) books, the show diverges from being a strictly diary based format into telling stories about a spider, worm, and fly who are friends and explore each other’s daily life activities. Kids will gain information about these critters subtly through fun adventures. The animation is so sweet that parents won’t be grossed out to explore the bug world and it’ll help kids to become less squeamish when a fly lands on their popsicle. Though maybe watch out if your kid starts bringing worms into the house.
Martha Speaks (PBS Kids)
Another show that beats the book it’s based on with softer animation and irreverent humor is this show about a dog that can talk after eating alphabet soup. While, unfortunately, you’ll have to inform your kids that feeding alphabet soup to the dog will make her puke not converse with you, there’s still factual things to learn while enjoying the show. Nestled within funny stories about a slightly sassy dog are vocabulary lessons.
Pete the Cat (Prime Video)
Yet another show that’s way better than the books it’s based on. The book illustrations are simplistic and kind of coarse, but the show’s animation is far more appealing. The content of the books definitely inform the show and characters, but the show takes the simplistic words (because the books are very popular easy readers) and build them out by adding very catchy and appealing music. Pete’s parents are voiced by Diana Krall and Elvis Costello (and of course they sing songs in the show) so you know the show is aiming to draw parents in too. If your kids dig the show you can find the soundtrack on Spotify and it’s a solid car jam session that’ll entertain kiddos without driving you even more nuts in traffic.
Disney’s Little Einsteins (Disney +)
I needed to have a show on this list for very little kids that is music based and won’t drive parents insane with constantly repeating ear worm tunes. That’s a challenge for sure, but Little Einsteins hits the mark. The show is about a music loving group of kids that hop into their spaceship and go on music related adventures. It’s a warm show that incorporates classical art and music into kid-lead adventures. The only downside to this show is that it ended in 2009 so there’s no new episodes and if your kid wants Little Einstein toys you’ll have to take a second mortgage to your home to afford them off eBay.
Curious George (Peacock, PBS Kids)
This tale of a grown man and his monkey is a classic. As opposed to the books, the show isn’t just about hijinks and monkey business but about George as a sort of kid surrogate trying to solve problems while making funny mistakes. Kids will be fond of George without adults finding him annoying—a huge plus. Adults will also enjoy trying to understand The Man with the Yellow Hat’s bizarre life of leisure. For kids the show is about a curious, fun-loving monkey and for adults its about a trust-fund eccentric. That should tide you over until the new season of Succession.
Esme & Roy (HBO Max)
This animated show, from the Sesame Workshop, is about a babysitting team of a girl and her monster buddy tasked with caring for actual little monsters. Esme is sweet and plucky and kids will enjoy watching her and her giant fuzzy friend Roy solve the problems of their horned and winged charges. The monsters are outlandish but the challenges are relatable to the concerns of little kids.
Molly of Denali (PBS Kids)
Molly is geared towards slightly older kids, ages 5 and up, but it’s a great show for little ones to grow into. It’s about a young Alaska Native girl and her friends and family as they explore nature, solve problems, and run a Trading Post in their small Alaska town. The show teaches lessons about research and has a modern edge with young Molly vlogging about life in her town, but along the way is also an excellent travel brochure for a kid-friendly Alaska and a really gentle, age-appropriate way about learning about Native cultures. While all of this sounds heady for the pre-school set, there’s still cute sled-dog adventures and fun dance routines.
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