Best TV shows to watch with kids: guide by age (2026)

Movies are great, but TV shows have a superpower that films don't: ritual. That feeling of "come on, one episode before dinner" or "new episode Friday!" creates a shared habit that brings the family together week after week. The problem, as always, is choosing wisely.

This guide to shows to watch with kids organizes the best options by age, with solid reasons for each pick and production trivia that will surprise even the biggest geeks. Because behind every show, there are stories as good as the show itself.

For the littlest ones (3-5 years): short, visual, and deeper than you'd think

At this age, short episodes are key (7-12 minutes). Limited attention spans, but an enormous capacity to absorb emotions. The best shows for this age group don't talk down to kids: they speak to them with respect.

Bluey (2018-present)

If you can only watch one show with your young kids, make it this one. Bluey is a six-year-old dog who goes on everyday adventures with her family. Sounds boring. It's not. Each 7-minute episode is a masterclass in parenting, imagination, and humor that makes grown adults cry.

Fun fact: Bluey was created because Joe Brumm, its Australian creator, was frustrated with the kids' shows he watched with his daughters. He said: "They all treated parents as idiots or background characters. I wanted a show where parents actually played with their kids." The result: the highest-rated children's show in IMDb history (9.4/10), above any animated series ever made.

Pocoyo (2005-present)

A Spanish series created by Zinkia that conquered the world. A little blue boy in a hat explores the universe with his friends in a minimalist white space. It looks simple, but the design was revolutionary: that white background forces attention onto the characters and emotions.

Fun fact: Pocoyo was one of the first fully Spanish-produced children's shows sold to over 150 countries. Stephen Fry (yes, the British actor) narrated the English version. The decision to use a white background was inspired by the Japanese design concept of ma (negative space) and was initially rejected by every network because it "looked unfinished."

Trash Truck (2020-2023)

Hank, a 6-year-old, is best friends with a giant garbage truck. It's so tender and genuine that it hooks adults immediately. The animation is gorgeous and each episode tackles real themes (moving house, fears, friendship) with unusual delicacy.

Fun fact: Creator Max Keane is the son of Glen Keane, the legendary Disney animator behind Ariel, the Beast, and Tarzan. Trash Truck started as a short film Max made about his own childhood. Netflix saw it and said: "Make a series." The visual style is directly influenced by the sketches his father used to draw at home when Max was a kid.

Peppa Pig (2004-present)

Yes, Peppa. We know parents have it filed under "most repeated show in the universe," but credit where it's due: it works. Little ones adore it, episodes are 5 minutes long, and when you catch yourself narrating things in your head with the narrator's voice, you know it's won.

Fun fact: Peppa Pig generates over $1.8 billion per year in merchandise. When it premiered in 2004, the BBC rejected it for "not being educational enough." Channel 5 picked it up as filler and it became the most-watched children's show in the UK.

Curious adventurers (6-8 years): humor, mystery, and first story arcs

Between 6 and 8, kids start following plots that develop across multiple episodes. They enjoy mysteries, characters with secrets, and begin to appreciate absurd humor. This is where shows level up.

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

Dipper and Mabel spend the summer with their great uncle Stan in an Oregon town full of supernatural mysteries. It's like Twin Peaks and Saturday morning cartoons had a baby. Kids get hooked on the mysteries; adults discover hidden clues in every frame.

Fun fact: Creator Alex Hirsch hid coded messages in every episode. Fans created entire forums dedicated to cracking the ciphers (Caesar, Atbash, Vigenere) that appear in the end credits. Hirsch based Dipper and Mabel on himself and his twin sister Ariel. Disney offered him a third season with "whatever budget you want," but he said no: "The story is done. Two seasons was always the plan."

Gravity Falls (The Quiz Favorite)

Speaking of mysteries, if your kids devour Gravity Falls, challenge them to remember all those hidden details. Every episode has dozens of easter eggs that you only catch if you're paying close attention. Perfect for training memory.

Hilda (2018-2023)

Hilda is a brave girl who lives in a world inspired by Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. She moves to the city and discovers magic is everywhere. The animation is stunning, the music is perfect, and each episode is like a standalone tale that's part of something bigger.

Fun fact: Hilda is based on comics by British artist Luke Pearson. Pearson worked as a background artist on Adventure Time while developing Hilda on the side. The show's visual style is inspired by Norwegian nature: Pearson traveled to Norway three times to document landscapes, architecture, and light. Netflix cancelled it after the third season despite a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, sparking a massive fan campaign.

Phineas and Ferb (2007-2015)

Two stepbrothers build impossible inventions every day of summer. Their sister tries to bust them, their pet platypus is a secret agent. It's an absurd loop that never gets old because the writing is brilliant and the humor works at every age.

Fun fact: Co-creator Dan Povenmire spent 16 years trying to sell the idea. He pitched it to every studio imaginable and they all said no. When Disney finally said yes, it became a global phenomenon. Povenmire can draw any character from the show with his eyes closed and proves it at conventions, signing autographs at absurd speed.

Preteens with taste (9-12 years): long arcs, real emotion, and deep themes

At this age, they can handle (and want) shows with long narrative arcs, genuine character development, and themes that don't shy away from complexity. Note: many of these are just as good (or better) for adults.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

Aang is the Avatar, the only being who can master all four elements, and he must save the world from the Fire Nation. It's one of the greatest animated series ever made, period. The world-building, character development (Zuko's arc is a masterwork), and action are top-tier.

Fun fact: Creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino studied real martial arts to design each bending style. Water is tai chi, earth is hung gar, fire is northern shaolin, and air is ba gua zhang. They hired Sifu Kisu, a professional martial artist, as a permanent consultant across all three seasons. Every bending move is choreographed like a real fight.

Stranger Things (2016-2025)

Hawkins, Indiana, the 1980s. A boy disappears, his friends search for him, and they discover a parallel world full of terrifying creatures. It's '80s nostalgia, mystery, sci-fi, and friendship bonds in a blender. For 9-12 year olds, the first season works great (later seasons get more intense: judge whether your kid is ready).

Fun fact: The Duffer Brothers were rejected 15 times before Netflix took a chance on the show. Its original name was Montauk, set on Long Island. They changed it to Indiana because "they needed a town that could be any town." Millie Bobby Brown was 11 in the first season and actually shaved her head: it took an entire day to film the scene because the crew was emotional. If your kids devour the show, the Stranger Things quiz on FilmerQuiz will put them to the test.

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug (2015-present)

Marinette is a Parisian teenager who transforms into Ladybug to save the city. It's equal parts action, teen romance, and humor. Preteens (especially 9-11) get hooked on the "who will discover whose secret identity" with an intensity adults don't expect.

Fun fact: Ladybug is a Franco-Korean-Japanese co-production, something unusual in animation. Thomas Astruc created the original concept as a superheroine comic in 2005. It took ten years to reach the screen. Originally, Marinette was an adult superheroine in a Spider-Man vein. Producers suggested making her a teenager and the result was a smash hit: it's the most exported French animated series in history.

Arcane (2021-2024)

Based on the League of Legends universe, this Netflix series is visually stunning and emotionally devastating. Two sisters separated by their city's violence end up on opposite sides. It's clearly for the older end of this range (11-12) and requires some supervision, but the animation and storytelling are film-quality.

Fun fact: Fortiche, the French studio behind Arcane, spent six years producing the first season (nine episodes). Each frame combines 3D animation with hand-painted digital art. The team discovered that using only 3D looked like a video game; using only paint couldn't animate fluidly. The hybrid technique they developed didn't exist before Arcane.

For the whole family: shows that hook everyone without exception

These are shows you can put on with grandpa, dad, the teenager, and the 6-year-old in the same room. Few shows pull it off. These do.

Squid Game: The Challenge (2023-present)

No, not the original series (that's for adults). The reality show based on it, where real contestants compete in the games without lethal consequences, is a family phenomenon. The tension, strategy, and moral dilemmas spark incredible family debates.

Fun fact: Netflix invested $40 million building the reality show's set, replicating every detail from the original series. 456 real contestants from 14 countries participated. Producers discovered that the most popular game among viewers wasn't "Red Light, Green Light" but the marble game, because it forced contestants to betray their allies.

MasterChef Junior (2013-present)

Kids aged 8-13 cooking dishes most adults wouldn't know where to start with. It's inspiring, emotional, and your little ones will end up asking to cook (which is a secret gift for parents).

Fun fact: MasterChef Junior contestants take classes with professional chefs between episodes, but the show's recipes are 100% their own. Gordon Ramsay, famous for yelling in the adult versions, has never once raised his voice to a child on the show. He said in an interview: "If you yell at a kid who's learning to cook, you've failed as a chef and as a person."

Lego Masters (2020-present)

Pairs compete building increasingly ambitious Lego creations. It's pure creativity, real-time problem solving, and the satisfaction of watching tiny bricks become works of art. It works because Lego is intergenerational by nature.

Fun fact: Contestants receive between 1 and 2 million Lego pieces per episode. The builds destroyed at the end of some episodes cause genuine grief among participants: a contestant on the Australian version cried for ten minutes after his creation was eliminated. The Lego isn't wasted: pieces are sorted and recycled for future episodes.

Horrible Histories (2009-2022)

A British sketch comedy series about real history. It's like Monty Python made an educational show. Kids learn history without realizing it, and adults laugh at references only they get. Perfect for watching and then searching "wait, did that actually happen?"

Fun fact: Horrible Histories won the BAFTA for best sketch show in 2010, competing against adult programs like That Mitchell and Webb Look. It was the first time a children's program won in that category. The writers are professional historians: every comedic fact is verified by an academic team before broadcast.

How to turn a show into a family experience

Watching the show is only half of it. What happens around it is what turns "watching TV" into "family time."

The season system

Pick a show together and commit to watching the whole thing. One episode a day, or two on weekends. The commitment to "no watching episodes on your own" is sacred. It becomes something the family looks forward to together.

Between-episode theories

After each episode, ask: "What do you think will happen next?" Kids develop narrative theory without knowing it, and when they're right, the satisfaction is nuclear.

The season finale quiz

When you finish a series, head to FilmerQuiz and search for a quiz. It's the perfect way to close the experience: relive the best moments by answering questions, debate the answers, and see who paid the most attention throughout the entire season.

And if you're more into movies than shows, no worries: FilmerQuiz has quizzes for everything. Search for any title, pick the age range, and in seconds you'll have AI-generated questions. Perfect for keeping the game going after the credits roll.