Kids can learn a LOT about the world long before they can read, and these shows help. So why these programs? Several of them do a great job teaching real content, like science ( Curious George, Wild Kratts, and Dinosaur Train), music and dance ( Backyardigans), or classic fairy tales ( Super Why!). (And maybe Sesame Street, though its quality has really gone downhill in recent years.) And I could have easily gone to fifteen or twenty shows-to include the likes of World Girl or Word World, Team UmiZoomi or Sid the Science Kid, to name a few.

They are shows that my kids and I enjoy (save for Doc McStuffins, which we haven’t seen, but had many friends rave about). To be sure, these selections are subjective.

Super Why! (available on PBS Kids and Netflix).

Arthur (available on PBS Kids and Netflix).

Dinosaur Train (available on PBS Kids and Netflix).Curious George (available on PBS Kids and Netflix)īest Television Shows for Four- and Five-Year-Olds.Doc McStuffins (available on Disney Junior).Kipper (available on Sprout and Netflix).Best Television Shows for Two- and Three-Year-Olds I’ve broken my list into two categories: The best shows for two- and three-year-olds and the best shows for four- and five-year-olds. Either currently on the air or available on Netflix Instant Streaming (or both).Educational (with special points for building content knowledge in science, history, literature, art, or music, though teaching social or emotional skills is good, too).Fordham Instituteīut what counts as high-quality content? Here I’ve selected my favorite programs, with some help from my friends, and with inspiration from other lists ( here and here), based on four criteria. SIGN UP to receive updates from the Thomas B. But once children are into the preschool years, even the AAP says that an hour of television is OK, as long as it’s “high-quality content.” And a brand-new study indicates that the right shows, like Arthur, can even “ease aggression in young children.” Everybody knows that excessive screen time is bad for kids the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends zero TV-watching (or other media use) before the age of two.

Curious george episodes on netflix