7 Kids TV Shows That Don’t Drive Me Nuts

Let’s be real here: kids tv shows can be highly irritating, if not downright annoying. But there’s not a whole lot of getting around them, right? I mean, there are just times when I need to give my kids little screen time to get something done, whether it be cooking dinner, taking a shower, or getting a chore fished.. So while I have resigned myself to the fact that television will be a part of my children’s lives, I refuse to resign myself to being irritated by what they’re watching, at least when they’re this young. So here are the 7 shows my kiddos watch that don’t drive me completely crazy.

Sesame Street

My preference is for old school kids tv in general. You can purchase volumes of the Sesame Street of the 70’s and 80’s on Amazon, which are definitely the favorite around here, but I don’t super mind the newer seasons that are available on Prime.

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

If I had a favorite show as a parent, this would be it, without a doubt. I loved him as a child, I love him even more as a parent. There really is something magical about the way that speaks to children. The show is slow paced, he speaks quietly and gently, at their level, but without ever dumbing down the conversation. He respects children, and it shows. I particularly love the way he speaks to children about their emotions. And you know what? My kids are entranced by him. It’s such a simple show, but so powerful.

The Magic School Bus

Dang do my kids love Ms. Frizzle. G even dressed up as her for Halloween last year, and Charlotte was her Liz. They learn so much from this show. We went to Young Explorers at the MI Science Center one week, and G and Will both knew all the answers to the questions the teacher asked because of the Magic School Bus episode on space.

Fraggle Rock

This one is harder to come by, but we own a couple of seasons on DVD, and honestly, Jim Henson was genius. This show is delightful.

Classic Thomas and Friends

Growing up I watched a show called Shining Time Station, which was about a railroad station and the people who worked there, and there was a tiny conductor (fun fact: played at different times by both Ringo Star and George Carlin) who told stories about the Island of Sodor and Thomas the Train. The Thomas stories are condensed on Amazon Prime’s Classic Thomas and Friends, and are a huge hit with my Will.

Stinky and Dirty

This might be the only new show that my kids watch. It’s an Amazon Original, and dang if it hasn’t won me completely over. Stinky is a garbage truck and Dirty is a backhoe, and they are best friends. Obviously, my truck-loving son is a big fan of this show. What did it for me though is that the show illustrates a lot of great problem solving and brainstorming- the characters often do not succeed the first time they try something, which I like, because it teaches my kids the value of persistence, and that failure is not catastrophic. Also, the character of Tall is voiced by Wallace Shawn of The Princess Bride Fame. So there’s that.

Little House on the Prairie

Another blast from the past that has stood the test of time. My G loves, loves, loves listening to the books, so we let her begin to watch the TV show. She is enthralled seeing the books come to life visually, and it’s a wonderfully done, clean, wholesome show. Parental heads up: in season 1 Ma gives birth to Laura’s baby brother and he dies shortly thereafter. This is touched on in the books, but only in passing, but it’s a 2-episode story arch in the show. It’s well done, but depending on how old your children are and what you’re preferences are, you might want to avoid them.

I’m sure these shows won’t last forever and my kids will want something new, so please, drop me a comment with what shows don’t drive you crazy!

Linking up with Kelly today who has an amazing post up about the best back-to-school cocktails. Make sure you head over to check it out.

Also, if you’re on the look out for some more on technology use, check out these posts from the archives