The best TV shows for elementary-age kids
In our current streaming-obsessed world, there are thousands of choices of TV shows, ranging from Emmy-winning and acclaimed to absolute slop. It's hard enough to pick something to watch for yourself, let alone your kids.
In a crowded media and technology landscape, traditional TV is competing for our children's attention alongside the unregulated, unknown realms of YouTube, video games, TikTok and other social media. But even if you've settled on TV as the screen of choice for your kids, where do you start looking for the right content?
As a parent and Paste BN's TV critic, I have high expectations and strict standards when it comes to kids' TV. When looking for titles for the elementary school crowd, kids age 6 to 11, experts recommend fun, adventurous content that's grounded in morality, where the good guys win and the heroes make good choices. And since pediatricians recommend kids watch media with a caregiver next to them on the couch, it helps if those shows are also enjoyable if you are older than 11.
Looking for shows that will entertain and teach kids while not grating on parents' nerves, we picked some of the best available to stream for kids' every stage. If you happen to turn on one or two after bedtime, too, I wouldn't blame you.
The best TV shows for ages 6 to 8
"Wild Kratts" (PBS Kids): Real-life zoologists Chris and Martin Kratt voiced animated versions of themselves in this adventurous series, in which the characters rescue and protect animals around the world using their "creature power" suits. Parents might recognize their voices from classic 1990s preschool series "Zoboomafo," another PBS staple.
"SpongeBob SquarePants" (Nickelodeon/Paramount+): A classic for a reason, the series has been around since 1999, illuminating the silly exploits of a sentient sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. The humor is edgy enough to interest kids desperate to grow up, but the messages promoting friendship, kindness and joy are still there (among some existential angst thrown in for any adults watching).
"Phineas and Ferb" (Disney Channel/Disney XD/Disney+): Funny (even for the grownups), silly and aspirational, the series about two wackadoo stepbrothers building crazy inventions that annoy their older sister but are never discovered by their mother has a great deal of heart. The series has just returned for a fifth season nearly 20 years after it first debuted on Disney Channel and Disney XD in 2007.
The best TV shows for ages 8-9
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" (Disney+): A bridge between the preschool Spidey ("Spidey and Friends") and the more mature Marvel feature film hero, "Friendly" is a kicky crowd-pleaser. Loyal to the character's comic book origins as a neighborhood hero, it follows Peter Parker/Spider-Man as he discovers his powers.
"Avatar: The Last Airbender" (Netflix/Paramount+): The original animated series is not just a great show for 8- and 9-year-olds, but one of the greatest shows ever made (a statement we stand by). A sprawling epic with the ambitions of "Lord of the Rings" or "Game of Thrones," drawing on imagery and traditions of different Asian and indigenous cultures, the series is funny, gripping and deeply affecting. Try not to get hooked along with your kids, and then enjoy sequel series "The Legend of Korra," also streaming.
"Girl Meets World" (Disney+): One of the rare shows (or films) that explores this part of growing up as a young girl, "Girl" is a nostalgia-based reboot of that works both for the new kids watching and their parents who grew up with ABC's 1993-2000 sitcom "Boy Meets World." High jinks and life lessons abound in the show, just like its predecessor.
The best TV shows for ages 10-11
"Adventure Time" (Hulu/Max): The critically acclaimed Cartoon Network show follows Finn the Human (voiced by Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) on a series of fantasy-inspired adventures. A great bridge between kids' silliness and their desire to be more mature, the show has a cult following among teens and adults in addition to the tweens it tries to entertain.
"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" (Disney+): A much more faithful adaptation of Rick Riordan's best-selling book series than the feature films, the new "Percy Jackson" speaks directly to the young fans of those books with each episode. The Greek mythology-inspired adventure is paced at a speed appropriate for kids and has plenty of famous guest stars whom parents will get a kick out of seeing.
"The Baby-Sitters Club" (Netflix): "Baby-Sitters" is a near-perfect distillation of what made the book series by Ann M. Martin sell millions of copies. Following a group of preteens that form a baby-sitting business in their quiet suburb, the series is sweet and deeply relevant to the kids who are watching (even if the sitters still use a landline for the nostalgia).