21 Great Kids’ Shows Streaming Right Now
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If your family is anything like mine, we welcome the chance to cozy up in the living room after a long day and watch a good show or two (or three) all together any time we can. Thanks to the proliferation of streaming services today, there are so many wonderful options for families and kids of all ages, but we’ve rounded up 21 highlights (with a few different parents’ thoughts thrown in) that you can watch right now.
Little Kids
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 2+
Follow the puffin Oona and her baby brother Baba as they get to know their world in this Irish series. It’s a sweet, innocent little show full of gentle adventures — and the illustration style is reminiscent of a beautiful picture book. This is a great, soothing series (two seasons!) for little ones.
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 3+
This series about a 6-year-old named Hank and his best friend Trash Truck (who is, yes, a literal truck) features fun adventures and problem-solving. If your little one is obsessed with all things that go-go-go, this is a great pick to keep their imaginative gears turning.
Platform: Hulu, Ages: 2+
Fans of the wildly popular movies are sure to love this adorable series which follows the original zoo crew of Madagascar heroes Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, and Gloria the Hippo as youngsters navigating childhood inside (and outside!) the rescue habitat at Central Park Zoo. With lots of adventure, tons of fun new characters, and great messaging about everything from self-confidence to friendship, it’s an easy-to-love show. Sign up for Hulu + Live TV to enjoy this show today!
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 3+
Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, and based on the children’s book, Ada Twist encourages younger kids to develop an interest in STEM. Ada Twist, Rosie Engineer, and Iggy Peck, Architect — three best friends with a love of all things science — solve problems big and small, while getting into some fun mishaps here and there!
Platform: Disney Now, Ages: all ages
Bluey is a hands-down favorite amongst kids and parents alike. Bluey and her family – sister Bingo, mom Chilli, and dad Bandit – engage in delightful imaginative play. “It’s a great watch for kids and parents alike. Several of the episodes really struck home for me about struggles in parenting. Super cute and not at all annoying. Highly recommend spending a little time watching through these short episodes.” – Aimee Dursch, mom of two, Columbus, OH
Platform: Disney+, Ages: 2+
Although it lasted only one season, Disney’s animated update of The Rocketeer has 7-year-old Katherine “Kit” Secord donning the iconic jet pack and flying off to new adventures. The show gives a great perspective on what it’s like to live near an airfield (a new setting for many kids!). The show is warm, fun, and even the villains are likable. The songs are also super catchy, especially for a kids’ show. We wish this one had gotten another season!
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 4+
Another show from Higher Ground Productions, Waffles + Mochi uses puppets, animation, and live action to follow friends Waffles and Mochi as they journey from the frozen foods aisle to learn all about food, how it’s prepared, and the people who make it. The fun and playful show encourages curiosity about food, and brings in a variety of famous chefs to explore cuisine around the world, like Samin Rosrat, Jose Andres, Massimo Bottura, and Preeti Mistry.
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 5+
Host and MIT engineer Emily Calandrelli, who is also a wonderfully cheerful and knowledgeable guide, encourages kids to explore STEM-related activities in this live-action series. “Emily’s WonderLab navigates between great science and great entertainment, and host Emily Calandrelli nails both. She breaks down the concepts behind things like oobleck, tornadoes, and solar radiation with lots of fun experiments that will keep the whole family engaged. The show only lasted one season, but my kids and I immensely enjoyed watching this show together.” – Christina R., Physician Assistant, Moline, IL
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 6+
Based on the graphic novel series, Hilda follows a blue-haired 11-year-old and her deerfox friend Twig on their fantastical adventures. Hilda manages to capture thrilling adventure with fantastical creatures and a good dose of humor, all while showing characters dealing with complex feelings. Bonus: a full-length movie Hilda and the Mountain King arrives on Netflix on Dec. 30.
Big Kids
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 6+
This reboot of the 80s cartoon features the warrior She-Ra and a diverse cast of characters as they rebel against the evil Horde. Parents who enjoyed the show as kids will appreciate the same spirited sense of adventure and the fight for justice, as well as an updated look and a complex representation of characters.
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 7+
Based on a series of webcomics, Kipo is noted for its positive representation of LGBTQ+ characters and characters of color. It explores a post-apocalyptic world in which humans live underground while the world above is populated by mutated animals. Kids and adults will appreciate Kipo’s ingenuity, grit, and humor when navigating the world above while separated from her family below.
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 7+
Our family loves the Great British Bake Off in all its forms, and the most recent season, Series 12, is one of our favorites. Not only does it inspire a love of baking, but after years of (let’s be honest) trashy reality TV, my wife and I appreciate how Bake Off shows contestants who are helpful and encouraging to one another. (And if you need more baking shows in your life, try Duff’s Happy Fun Bake Time, Kids Baking Championship, or Baking Impossible.)
Platform: Paramount+, Ages: 7+
Star Trek’s many TV series and movies have engaged families for decades, and the animated adventure Prodigy offers a new way to introduce kids to the final frontier. In the show, a group of alien kiddos discover an abandoned Starfleet spacecraft and must learn to pilot it together to return to Alpha Quadrant. True to the series’ roots, Prodigy shows a diverse mix of characters learning to rely on each other as they make their way through the unknown.
Platform: Disney+, Ages: 8+
Based on the book series, the Mysterious Benedict Society follows four children who are recruited by Mr. Nicholas Benedict to save the world from “The Emergency.” “My wife and I and our 7-year-old loved it. The story was engaging and developed in an unpredictable way. All of the children give great performances and you’ll recognize most of the adults from other shows you love. It’s also just beautiful. I even got some future window design inspiration from it!” – Josh Quinn, retail store owner, Columbus, OH
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 8+
This highly acclaimed computer-animated series has three seasons already, with four more announced. It follows a pair of half-brothers as they work to restore peace amongst humans, elves, and dragons in the land of Xadia. The series, with its exciting explorations of good and evil magic, has rightfully been acclaimed for its rich world-building through its beautiful visuals, voice ensemble, music, and sound design.
Platform: Hulu, Ages: 8+
When it originally aired in 2014, Steven Universe was Cartoon Network’s first animated series created solely by a woman. It’s a quirky coming-of-age story about a boy who lives amongst and protects an alien group known as Crystal Gems. The light-hearted adventure really gets at the perspective of kids who are adjacent to big events but don’t always feel included. Steven is adorable to watch as he sometimes clumsily participates in the Gems’ escapades.
This beautifully animated series, originally from the Cartoon Network, features two half-brothers as they journey home through a fantastical world. It features a number of famous voices, including Elijah Wood, Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry, and Bebe Neuwirth. The short episodes, usually 11–12 minutes long, feature quirky music, talking animals, and plenty of little jokes and wordplay to entertain kids and adults.
Tweens/Teens
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 9+
Acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro, known for his dark but beautifully crafted movies, brought this celebrated show to life for Netflix. Trollhunters spawned a few different series, collected under Tales of Arcadia, as well as a feature film released this summer. As someone who has enjoyed del Toro’s movies — especially his emphasis on monsters — I’ve appreciated how Trollhunters artfully blends adventure, humor, and fantastical creatures in a vehicle that’s fun for kids.
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 10+
This family-centered live action superhero drama follows the widowed Nicole as she navigates how to raise her son Dion, who is starting to demonstrate supernatural abilities. We’ve appreciated the diverse cast, including recognizable favorites like Alisha Wainwright and Michael B. Jordan, and how the show captures that origin story sense of wonder at a character discovering their superpowers.
Platform: Netflix, Ages: 11+
My family discovered Lost in Space during the pandemic, and we quickly devoured the first two seasons. The third and final season arrived on Dec. 1, once again drawing us in with its incredible special effects and sense of adventure. The show features many scenes with kids in peril, but it emphasizes bravery and smarts, the bonds of family, and commitment to helping others.
Platform: Disney+, Ages: 11+
With its intense action and more complex storylines, Hawkeye is one for the bigger kids, but as long-time Marvel fans, we were primed to love this take on the arrow-slinging Avenger. We’ve enjoyed Marvel’s other shows like WandaVision, The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, and Loki; and Hawkeye has similarly proven to be funny, engaging, and loaded with boisterous action set pieces.