Netflix can be a fantastic resource for children’s shows. There are so many options out there, both Netflix Originals and shows by other production companies. There are Disney shows available, as well as some PBS shows and movies. I’ve spent some time watching through Netflix shows, trying to find the best options for you and your children. Here are reviews of some of the Netflix Originals that you might come across for your kids.
Word Party: This show features four baby animals in short paired episodes where they learn basic vocabulary. This would be a fantastic show for babies to 2 year olds, but could seem too young for preschoolers and older. This show really focuses on the vocabulary, but does include a few social lessons. One thing this show does great is that it really has teaching tools for all types of learners. For the majority of the words, the baby animals will start by talking about the words, usually having one word that they don’t know. Next, they will either have a book or a screen that will flash up pictures of each of the words that they are learning. Last, they have “word party” where they dance and celebrate the words they learned. Each of these tools helps to reinforce the word while teaching auditory, visual, and tactile learners. This is a great show for starting vocabulary lessons.
Puffin Rock: Oona and Baba are sister and brother puffins who live on a rock island. This show follows their day’s events and teaches social skills, as well as fun animal facts that will appeal to older kids. It’s a great show for toddler to preschool, even kindergartners could enjoy it – especially if they have a sibling. One of my favorite parts about this show is that Chris O’Dowd is the narrator. O’Dowd is an Irish comedian and, as narrator of Puffin Rock, often times says exactly what we as a parent might have thought while watching the show. He adds a bit of humor to this children’s show. Little Mister giggles and laughs while watching this show and, though he doesn’t ask for it as much as he does Daniel Tiger, he really loves watching Oona and Baba on their little adventures.
Super Monsters: We watch this show leading up to Halloween. The adorable (read: not scary) monsters learn social lessons that appeal to preschool to kindergarten level children. The characters are memorable and, in each episode, must solve a problem and learn a lesson that helps them become better humans and monsters. The lessons that the monsters learn help introduce positive emotional development and social relationships. The characters are relatable and the show is very enjoyable, both for child and parent. Little Mister really likes Zoey, the zombie, and cheers when she turns from human to monster.
Beat Bugs: I so badly wanted to enjoy this show. Each episode is titled from a Beatles song. That song then becomes the premise of the episode and the featured music. Many times, these songs are performed by current artists such as P!nk, Eddie Vedder, The Shins, The Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men, and more. The lessons involved are more about friendship and exploration than social development, however there is some problem solving and teamwork that often takes place during the episode. Little Mister enjoyed the music, thankfully since our family loves The Beatles. This show is best for preschool and older.
VeggieTales: There are a couple of different VeggieTales shows on Netflix that follow the original premise of VeggieTales where vegetables teach lessons of morality and integrity, often having a Christian connection. This show provides a great opportunity to open conversations with your children about character strengths that are important for us as individuals to have. The characters are cute and memorable, and the stories are entertaining, often with a villian that produces a problem that the other good guys (typically Larry and Bob, a tomato and cucumber) have to solve. This show is best for preschool to kindergarten when children are starting to approach character development and differentiate between right and wrong. At the very least, this show provides an entertaining conversation starter with your children.
Treehouse Detectives: Preschoolers will really enjoy this brother-sister bear team as they solve mysteries and make discoveries about their world. This show encourages asking questions, curiosity, and discovery, particularly about nature. The information is direct and fairly simplified. Each episode presents a simple question that the treehouse detectives investigate and find the answers to their questions while learning about the world around them. There are some topics that may be a little more adult, so be aware that it could lead to further questions from your children, but overall, the topics are age-appropriate and encourage discovery.
Ask the Storybots: This is an incredibly interesting concept for a show for preschoolers and older. Five bots who live inside a computer are tasked with answering a question asked by an actual, real-life child. There is no topic off limits for the questions. Questions such as “Why is the sky blue?” promote curiosity and encourage learning of all aspects of their world. Special guest stars such as Jay Leno and Kevin Smith provide entertainment for parents. Children learn educational lessons in a way that is not obvious while watching a show that is entertaining for both children and parents. This provides a perfect opportunity to ask your children what their “really big question” would be.
Julie’s Greenroom: As a music major, when I first saw the ads for this show, I could not wait. I love Julie Andrews, I love the performing arts, and Jim Henson’s puppets can be fun and enjoyable for my child. What more could I ask for? There are some life lessons such as overcoming adversity and accepting and acknowledging diversity, but what this show does really well is promote understanding of the performing arts. From meeting current performers such as Idina Menzel and Josh Groban to learning stage direction and technical production, children will enjoy the stories while gaining a growing understanding and passion for the fine arts. Julie Andrews provides a great start for cultivating a passion for cultural experiences in preschoolers to young elementary school-aged kids.
The Magic School Bus Rides Again: I grew up watching The Magic School Bus with Lily Tomlin, so you can imagine my excitement when this sequel was added to Netflix. This show did not disappoint. Kate McKinnon voices Ms. Frizzle, the original Miss Frizzle’s younger sister, and she continues the hijinks and science exploration that the original started. Lin-Manuel Miranda sings the redone theme song, catchy as usual. Parallel lessons between life events of the students and science discovery of the class make up each episode. Even though this show is definitely geared towards older children, elementary aged children being the prime viewer, the fun characters and images can appeal to a variety of ages and the show helps introduce a love of curiosity, discovery, and science to everyone.
What Netflix Originals are your favorites?