Image: Midjourney/ MomJunction Design Team
Introducing TV time for your children needs some debate concerning the timing and importance. However, choosing the right TV show for your children can help their development. You need to ensure that they watch entertaining but educational programs. While entertaining shows can keep your children engaged, educational content can help them with vocabulary and language skills, impacting their cognitive and emotional intelligence.
We have specially curated this list of best baby TV shows and programs to help your child learn new words, instill moral values, and spark their imagination and creativity while entertaining them.
28 Best Baby TV Shows
1. Alphablocks
A group of 26 friends (letters) falls from the sky onto a white world to discover that if they hold hands, magic and many new adventures happen in Alphaland. When the characters form small groups, a new word is created, which then comes alive. For example, if they create the word ’kite,’ it forms a kite that flies in the sky. This children’s program will help your baby learn the letters of the alphabet, develop their phonic skillsiA method of learning alphabets through the sound (pronunciation) associated with them. , learn spellings, and read stories, play games, and listen to songs in every episode.
Where to watch: CBeebies, Alphablocks YouTube channel, Netflix
2. BeatBugs
Image: Imdb
Five bug friends who live in an overgrown backyard, called Village Green, enjoy adventures, explore life, invent things, and sing songs by The Beatles. Jay is a curious and ambitious beetle, Crick is an intelligent and creative grasshopper, Walter is a generous slug with excessive fears, Buzz is an optimistic and enthusiastic fruit fly, and Kumi is a confident and imaginative ladybug with a zest for life. These bug friends tour the place and have fun every day. And when they get into trouble, they help each other with courage and resourcefulness. Musicals such as Beat Bugs, which is a musical adventure show, teaches friendship, teamwork, unity, and love.
Where to watch: Netflix
Trivia3. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Daniel, a tiger cub, lives with his family and hangs out with his friends O the Owl, Katerina Kittycat, Miss Elaina, and Prince Wednesday. This show teaches toddlers the values of empathy, sharing, and kindness and environmental science facts. There are various ’strategy songs’ to help babies learn new words through repetition.
Joe, a father of two and a writer, talks about Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood show’s influence in inculcating reason in her 2-year-old daughter Hannah. He says, ”One day, kids might be introduced to the scary topic of moving to a new house. Another day, kids learn how to cope when they run out of their favorite snack. And Daniel Tiger does the same thing. We recently had to have a discussion with Hannah about the death of a beloved pet that belonged to one of her uncles. My mother asked me if we have had any conversations with Hannah about death, or any exposure to it at all. At first, I thought, Oh boy, how do I introduce the topic of death to a 4-year-old? Then I remembered that there was an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood in which Daniel’s pet fish died. We sat down with Hannah, and she remembered that episode. It helped that conversation a lot (i).”
Where to watch: PBS Kids, CBC Kids, Family Jr., Netflix, Amazon Prime
4. Dinosaur Train
Buddy, a Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur, lives with his adopted family of PteranodonsiAn extinct order that included flying reptiles that existed with the dinosaurs. . As an adopted kid in a mixed-species family, Buddy is curious to learn about the dissimilarities between different species. The show is set in the fascinating prehistoric world, with the jungles, marshes, mountains, active volcanoes, oceans, and underwater life, all connected by a ’Dinosaur Train’ customized for all kinds of dinosaurs. If your child loves exploration, this is one of the science shows for kids that teaches preschoolers about natural science, environmental science, the prehistoric period, paleontologyiA branch of science that deals with the study of ancient living organisms and fossils. , and trains.
Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime, and PSB Kids
5. Doc McStuffins
A young girl named Dottie aims to become a doctor like her mother. Dottie talks with her toys, and when she puts on her stethoscope, magic happens and toys come to life. She brings broken and stuffed toys to life by stitching or replacing the batteries. This show will help develop your child’s problem-solving skills, spark their imagination, and help them acquire healthy habits.
Where to watch: Disney Junior at Disney+Hotstar and Amazon Prime
6. Dragon Tales
Image: BBC
Emmy and Max discover a fantasy world called ’Dragon Land’ through an enchanted dragon scale. They befriend four friendly, talkative, and colorful dragons, namely Ord, Cassie, Zak, and Wheezie, and embark on different quests in Dragon Land. This show will help develop your baby’s problem-solving skills, encourage them to take on new challenges, and teach them the importance of hard work. It is also a great show for helping your children identify shapes and learn numbers, new words, and the letters of the alphabet.
Where to watch: PBS Kids and CBC Television
7. Get Well Soon
Introduce your kid to this show to teach them about the human body parts. Presented by Dr. Ranj, a pediatrician, the show features five cute puppets that visit him. The show familiarizes kids with the hospital environment to let them feel comfortable and relaxed when visiting a doctor in reality. It also teaches how the body works when sick and offers a few tips for maintaining good health and hygiene. The engaging music and the humor of Dr.Ranj will keep your child entertained.
Where to watch: Get Well Soon YouTube channel by Dr. Ranj
8. Handy Manny
Image: Imdb
Handy Manny, along with his eight talking tools, stays in the fictional town of ’Sheetrock Hills.’ Each tool has its own unique quirk and helps Manny repair and fix things for people in town. Turner the flat-head screwdriver is sarcastic and skeptical, Pat the hammer is talkative and clumsy, Rusty the wrench is a coward and worrier, Squeeze the plier is kind and classy, Stretch the tape has a mathematical mind and good memory, Dusty the hand-saw is very smart, Felipe the Phillips head screwdriver is very confident and teaches some Spanish words with translations, and Flicker the flashlight is still learning English.
The show encourages children to help and care for people. It also helps teach toddlers how to come up with step-by-step solutions to any problem. Besides, preschoolers can also learn the names of basic tools used in everyday life through this show.
Where to watch: Disney Junior at Disney+Hotstar
9. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
The interactive show features some of the major and classic Disney characters, including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Daisy, and Donald. In the show, Mickey invites viewers to join him in solving problems. He asks questions, acknowledges their answers, cheers them up, and gives kudos for the job well done. The show makes the learning journey so much fun that kids will not realize they are actually working their brains. It can also introduce preschoolers to different shapes and colors and is a great medium for developing their mathematical and problem-solving skills in a fun way.
Where to watch: Disney Channel and Disney Junior
10. Mighty Little Bheem
Bheem is a show about an innocent but super-strong toddler’s mischievous adventures in a small town in India. He is always curious about things and fights back any kind of danger, whether from older playmates or wildlife, including a lion who sees him as a meal. This show will teach your baby to believe in themselves and their strengths.
Where to watch: Netflix
11. Nina’s World
Nina is a caring and kind-hearted Latina girl who lives in the city of Chicago. She and her best friend Star explores her vibrant and colorful neighborhood every day. This show celebrates love, family, friendship, and cultural diversity. It will help your baby embrace new experiences, build a strong relationship with people, animals, and plants around them, and develop their problem-solving skills.
Where to watch: Disney Junior and Universal Kids
12. The Numtums
Ten endearing multicolored creatures called Numtums have numbers on their tummies and live in Gumnut Gorge. Bendy Go is the tallest, Dar-Dar is a skateboarder, Champer is the highest jumper, Gladdy is very neat, Sandy is a scientist, Flinder is the oldest, Humpty Doo is always hungry, Coogee is a baby, Hobart is a dancer, and Nimbin is a painter. They embark on adventures while solving math problems, play several fun games, take part in parties and celebrations, including performing on stage without any fear, and sing catchy songs, which mention the names of some famous towns. This show introduces your child to numbers and shapes and teaches them basic math skills and how to be confident in every situation.
Where to watch: CBeebies
13. The Octonauts
Octonauts are a team of explorers living in an undersea base called Octopod. They are always ready to dive into action, rescue sea creatures, and protect the ocean. Captain Barnacles is a brave bear who knows how to drive any vehicle; Lieutenant Kwazii, the courageous cat, is a cryptozoologistiA researcher who looks for proof of the existence of animals that are mythical or extinct. and an ex-pirate; Peso, the penguin, is a doctor; Prof. Inkling, the octopus, is the founder of Octonauts; Shellington, the sea otter, is a biologist; Tweek, the rabbit, is an engineer; Dashi, the dog, is a photographer, professional surfer, and computer programmer; Tunip is a half-vegetable and half-animal; and Vegimal is a chef and horticulturist.
It is one of the most popular and loved shows for toddlers. The show will awaken kids’ curiosity about the world, introduce them to diverse species, help discover biological facts, and teach them about teamwork, friendship, and empathy. Besides, it is a good show for introducing your little one to different professions.
Where to watch: CBeebies
Did you know?14. PAW Patrol
Ryder, a young boy, leads a team of search and rescue dogs called PAW Patrol. They work together to protect the seaside community of Adventure Bay. Each dog has special skills—Marshall is a firefighter and paramedic dog, Rubell is a construction dog, Chase is a police and spy dog, Rocky is a handyman dog, Zuma is an aquatic rescue pup, Skye is an aviator, and Robo-dog is a robotic dog. The show teaches the power of friendship, teamwork, kindness, and unity.
Where to watch: Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and TVOKids
15. Pete The Cat
Pete is a composed, smart, optimistic, and lovable cat, who with her friends, experience day-to-day challenges that your toddler can relate to on a personal level. It is a musically driven series that will keep infants entertained for hours, and the nursery rhymes revolve around various themes. It is an excellent show for teaching courage, enthusiasm, honesty, patience, and perseverance to your baby.
Where to watch: Pete The Cat Official YouTube channel and Amazon Prime Videos
16. Sesame Street
Big Bird is the main cast of the series that teaches kids numbers, letters, vocabulary, and colors. All the main characters, including Bert, Ernie, Oscar, and Grover, are colorful and furry muppets. The show is set on the streets full of playful learning activities, catchy music, and bridges cultural and educational gaps with fun. This puppet show is hilarious and combines live sketches, animation, and puppetry.
Where to watch:PBS Kids, HBO, and HBO Max
17. Super Simple Songs
It is one of the most popular TV shows for babies that has music videos of the popular nursery rhymes. Toddlers can sing along and learn lessons in a simple and fun way. Some videos have color and letter recognition and counting lessons along with the songs. The show combines animated cartoon characters and puppetry with pleasant music.
Where to watch: Super Simple Songs – Kids Songs YouTube channel
18. Tayo The Little Bus
Image: ICONIX, Co, LTD.
Tayo is a blue bus numbered 120. He is very friendly, mischievous, and playful with his friends and passengers. The other characters include Rogi (Bus 1000 – colored green), who is out-going and kind-hearted; Lani (Bus 02 – colored yellow), who is sensitive and timid; Gani (Bus 1339 – colored red), who is hardworking and shy; Peanut (Bus 03 – colored white and sea-green), an eco-friendly tour bus; and Trammy (Tram 120 – colored purple), a city tram. The show teaches babies about safety measures, friendship, trust, and respect.
Where to watch: EBS TV, Tayo the Little Bus YouTube channel
19. Team Umizoomi
Milli, her brother Geo, and their friendly robot Bot team up to form the ’Team Umizoomi’. They teach the concepts of counting, sequencing, measurement, and shapes and solve problems while singing relevant phrases. Bot solves math problems on his chest screen. They have a car named Umicar who can speak and help at times. The educational show is a great pick for teaching preschool math concepts to babies.
Where to watch: Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and Amazon Prime Videos
20. The Magic School Bus
Mrs. Frizzle and her class set off on adventurous field trips on their magical bus. They discover new places, creatures, time periods, and several wonders of science. The magic school bus can transform into a plane, submarine, spaceship, and surfboard and travel to space, underwater, through an anthill, and inside the human body. Owing to its diverse theme, this is one of the most entertaining educational TV shows for toddlers that will help instill a love of science in them.
Where to watch: PBS and Netflix
21. The Stinky & Dirty Show
Two adventurous friends, Stinky the garbage truck and Dirty the backhoe loader, are resourceful, funny, enthusiastic, and have a knack for solving problems. They always learn something from their successes and failures. This show can help develop toddlers’ critical thinking skills, and encourage them to have a never-give-up attitude and believe in themselves.
Where to watch:Amazon Prime Videos
22. Wonder Pets
The show revolves around three superheroes and classmates who travel around the world, rescuing animals, singing, and appreciating music. Linny the guinea pig (wears a blue cap) is the most educated and drives the flyboard, Tuck the turtle (wears a red cap) is sensitive and empathetic, and Ming-Ming the duckling (wears a green cape) uses irony and sarcasm while talking. The show is a photo-puppetryiA photographic technique in which puppets are created by manipulating cutouts or flat images. series that encourages teamwork and problem-solving in children.
Where to watch: Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.
23. Timmy Time
Image: IMDb
Timmy, a mischievous lamb, has entered nursery school and is learning how to get along with his schoolmates. He works on fixing his mistakes, paints, sings, plays, and learns together with his friends. Yabba, a duckling, is Timmy’s best friend, and Harriet, a heron, and Osbourne, an owl, are their teachers. The show is in a dialogue-free format and entirely based on facial expressions and simple sounds, which will help your baby understand the body language of people around them. The show teaches children how to make new friends, get out of a problem independently, and other valuable lessons, such as sportsmanship and responsibility.
Where to watch: CBeebies, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Videos
24. Tumble Leaf
The blue fox Fig and his caterpillar friend Stick live together with other residents of the island of Tumble Leaf. Every episode introduces a simple scientific concept with exciting discoveries that will help your baby understand and explore the world around them, excite their imagination, and develop their critical thinking skills.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Videos
25. Word Party
Lulu, a baby panda; Kib, a baby wallaby; Franny, a baby cheetah; Bailey, a baby elephant; and Tilly, a baby tortoise, are the five main diaper-wearing characters of the show. They ask questions to the toddlers in the audience and tell the answers at the end. The show is in an interactive form with good music and interesting stories and aims at improving the vocabulary of your baby.
Where to watch: Netflix
26. WordWorld
WordWorld is a place where a group of animals called WordFriends make words that come alive. Duck, Frog, Sheep, Pig, Ant, and Dog are the main characters in the show, and their problems can be solved only with the right word. Each word is built letter by letter and sound by sound, and once it is done, it comes alive and forms into the thing it is. This show will teach your baby new words and their meanings and help improve their reading skills.
Where to watch: PBS Kids
27. Harry the Bunny
Harry the Bunny is a children’s television series featured on BabyFirstTV. This captivating show stars Harry, a talking bunny, who invites young viewers on thrilling adventures while introducing new words and concepts. Harry playfully educates preschool-aged children by exploring familiar environments like his backyard and bedroom. Aimed at preschoolers, the show offers daily opportunities for discovery, making learning a joyful experience.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, YouTube, BabyFirstTV.
28. Cocomelon
JJ and his siblings embark on adventures, exploring activities such as attending nursery, playing, and learning. The show features fascinating 3D animation and catchy songs narrating tales that are recognizable to young children worldwide. Beyond teaching letters, numbers, animal sounds, and colors, the videos convey valuable prosocial life lessons, enabling parents to engage in educational play with their children.
Where to watch: Netflix and YouTube
Most babies and young children are fascinated by cartoons since these shows depict adorable and engaging stories. Introduce your baby to some interesting yet informative baby TV shows with foot-tapping music, groovy moves, and amazing visuals. Baby shows such as Dinosaur Train, Dragon Tales, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and PAW Patrol are bound to keep your baby engaged while encouraging them to learn in a fun way. Choose age-appropriate and entertaining TV shows to help children make the most of their screen time while indulging in a thrilling TV-viewing experience. These shows are specifically made for infants and toddlers and could help with their developmental needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I show TV to my newborn baby?
Watching TV for toddlers below 18 months is not recommended since their brains are still developing, and screen time can affect their language development, memory, concentration, sleep schedule, and reading ability (1).
2. What shows are overstimulating for babies?
Certain TV shows or programs with fast images and loud noises, such as the non-educational and violent ones, can overstimulate the baby’s brain and senses (2).
3. Can watching baby TV shows help calm fussy or colicky babies?
Television cannot be preferable to calm a fussy or colicky baby. Swaddling or holding your baby on the left side is ideal for aiding digestion. Alternatively, you may also play calming sounds like the gentle hum of a fan to remind them of the comforting sounds in the womb to soothe and relax them (3).
4. Do baby TV shows negatively affect babies’ development, such as language or attention span?
Clinical studies have outlined that viewing TV before 18 months can hamper babies’ language development and reading skills. Additionally, when a child views TV for prolonged periods, it can result in a shorter attention span, sleep irregularities, and even short-term memory (1).
5. How can I select the best TV shows for my baby?
Choose an age-appropriate show made especially for babies and toddlers. Check for reviews and recommendations from trusted parenting sites to confirm the appropriateness of the content. Also, look for shows with educational and empathic themes.
Infographic: Best Baby TV Shows
Keeping your baby busy so you can finish your chores and work is a task for most parents. Since they love and are amazed by the characters and sounds on the TV screens, here are some of the best baby TV shows that they can enjoy. If you find them useful, do share them with your friends with little ones. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- The baby TV show BeatBugs is about curious, ambitious, and clever bugs who save each other from trouble.
- Get Well Soon is an educational show that teaches children about hospital environment.
- Dragon Tales, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Nina’s World, and others teach new habits, such as problem-solving skills.
Illustration: Best Baby TV Shows And Programs To Watch
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Embark on a farm adventure with Mickey, Donald, and friends! Discover the amazing animals in this exciting Mickey Mouse Clubhouse video!
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. In praise of Daniel Tiger, voice of reason to my daughtershttps://www.walkingwithalimp.net/2019/08/14/in-praise-of-daniel-tiger-voice-of-reason-to-my-daughters/
References
- Why to avoid TV for infants and toddlers;
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Why-to-Avoid-TV-Before-Age-2.aspx - TV can be too stimulating for babies and toddlers;
http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/articles/research-to-policy/practice/tv-can-be-too-stimulating-for-babies-toddlers - Crying and your baby: How to calm a Fussy and Colicky Baby;
https://www.childrenshospital.org/sites/default/files/media_migration/6c734cc1-5dc3-4f30-b786-2540bb89ba24.pdf
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our nurturing community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with fellow parents.
Read full bio of Catherine Mok
Read full bio of sanjana lagudu
Read full bio of Rohit Garoo
Read full bio of Trisha Chakraborty
