Shock horror! Here are 4 TV shows that might actually be good for your kids

WHAT!? You mean our babbies’ brains won’t turn to mush and come oozing out of their ears after a few minutes in front of the screen?

That’s certainly the impression I’ve been left with after reading one of those articles or books that goes into histrionics over kids and screen time.

If we were to take the words of these doomsayers to heart, we’d all be chucking our TVs out and replacing them with sensory play areas or something. 

Of course, plonking kids down in front of a screen for hours on end, with little to no real interaction with them, isn’t going to be good for them. 

But let’s be honest, we all need a bit of time to get things done, and keeping them occupied with the TV for short amounts of time isn’t going to be that catastrophic (ironically, the kids are watching Go Jetters as I write this. But we’re going out for an adventure later, so I don’t feel too guilty).

And thankfully, there are dozens of great TV shows out there that aren’t just mindless distractions. Gone are the days of Tom & Jerry stoving each other’s skulls in with irons. Here are some of the shows that my kids have enjoyed, and maybe even benefited from.

The Baby Club – Cbeebies

This is a lovely show for brand-new, fresh-out-of-the-box (sorry) babies. 

It’s a simple premise – just a group of parents and babies sat in a circle, enjoying some simple activities, songs and storied. It’s hosted by either Queen of the Jungle Giovanna Fletcher or a lovely bloke called Nigel. You can even join in, sitting on your living room floor with baby propped up in front of you. 

Because the hosts speak directly into the camera, in very slow and soothing voices, it feels as close as you can get to real interaction from a TV screen. You really feel part of that little circle. When my kids watched it, it seemed like they genuinely felt like they were in the thick of it and joining in with the fun.

In the Night Garden – Cbeebies

Created by the same people responsible for the Teletubbies, this one does actually feel a bit like the Teletubbies on ‘shrooms. 

It’s set in the dream-world of one of the main characters, Igglepiggle, a lovable human-like creature made from blue fur. It’s inhabited by a multitude of equally bizarre yet lovable beings – Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka, the Tombliboos and more. They’re all ferried around the Night Garden by the Ninky Nonk and the Pinky Ponk, both eccentric and ungainly vehicles on appearance, but operating with the efficiency of the German railway. 

Sure, it’s inexplicable – the Pinky Ponk makes farting noises as it floats amongst the trees, the Tombliboos brush their teeth several time a day even though they have no teeth, Upsy Daisy wears a skirt that spontaneously pops up to reveal her knickers. But it’s a dream world after all. And perhaps it’s good preparation for the inexplicable things that happen throughout life. Like why our energy costs doubled due to an apparent crisis, whilst energy firms reported tens of billions in profits. Hmm.

To top it all off, you’re guided through the weird and wonderful-ness by the soothing tones of none other than Derek Jacobi, powerhouse Shakespearian actor and unshakeable ally of Russel Crowe’s Gladiator.

You’ll spend a third of the time trying to follow the baffling storylines, another third wondering just how the creators came up with all this stuff (did they just lock the Teletubbies screen writers in a room for a week and supply them with LSD?), and another third drifting into your own dream-like state. 

For reasons we’ll never know, it really does have a calming effect on very young children. That’s why they show it at 6:30 pm – great preparation for bedtime. 

Kids suddenly get bored of it soon after turning two, so be ready to find some other means of winding down for the bedtime bedlam.

Numberblocks – Cbeebies

I’m realising that we watch a lot of Cbeebies in our house. Other channels are available, but they don’t seem to appeal to our sprats as much.

This one is great for introducing youngsters to maths. The numbers 1-10 are each their own little character, comprised of coloured cubes, according to their number. They’re able to morph into different shapes and connect with each other to show how numbers can be comprised in different ways. 

As a former teacher, I can really see the value of it in supporting early number development. In fact, I’ve actually seen it used to teach maths in reception classes.

Each episode focuses on a particular number or mathematical feature such as comparing numbers. It explains it all through catchy songs and stories. 

They’ve recently released Alphablocks, a similar show that supports phonics development. We haven’t watched it but apparently it’s just as good. 

Go Jetters – Cbeebies

This one currently occupies pole position in our kids’ rankings, and has done for some time. It’s great because babies right up to primary school kids can get something out of it. 

It centres around a team of explorers with special abilities. They visit landmarks and notable locations around the world, and usually bump into Grandmaster Glitch, a pantomime villain who tends to destroy things to advance his own playful ambitions. He’s reminiscent of a cantankerous old relative whose behaviour and beliefs from a bygone era are now mildly offensive, but they’re harmless really.

For example, in the first episode, Glitch tries to steal part of the Eiffel Tower to use as a TV aerial so he can watch his favourite soap opera. It’s all good fun, but it actually contains a lot of interesting geographical and scientific knowledge that sticks in the minds of older kids. 

These facts are often conveyed by Ubercorn, a funk-loving, anthropomorphic unicorn who is the Go Jetters’ leader.

It’s full of catchy tunes and phrases that younger kids latch onto as well. And it nicely models solving problems through positivity, teamwork and determination. 

Honourable mentions

Peter Rabbit – Cbeebies and Amazon Prime

Whilst we can question the morals of a rabbit who spends his life coming up with schemes to steal things, there’s much to admire about this computer animated adaption of Beatrix Potter’s beloved tales. Mostly, the qualities of the characters involved – determination, creativity, loyalty, kindness and bravery. 

Peppa Pig – Amazon Prime

We’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Peppa Pig. Like most kids, Mia and Jude are obsessed with this cheeky little slab of bacon. It’s actually quite well-written, showing acute self-awareness with its humorous little nods towards any parents who’ve been roped into watching it. 

We did, however, have to outlaw it from our house for a while when Mia was around 2 and a half. She was starting to develop a bit of an attitude problem, and some of her belligerence resembled that of Peppa’s. She can be an impudent little swine, and we thought it was starting to rub off on Mia. Nowadays, we only allow the petulant porker in small doses.

I’ll give her credit though. She’s wonderfully well-spoken, and I think she’s partly the reason why Mia has this lovely refined accent. She’s certainly not picked it up from me or Amy, who are common as muck both. 

Sing with Cbeebies

You guessed it, another one from Cbeebies. This is a collection of about 15 songs performed by the various presenters. There are plenty of educational ones to do with counting, the alphabet and colours, as well as classics such as ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes’ and the ‘Hokey-cokey’. 

Ours love to remember the words and join in with the dancing. 

So there’s my list of TV shows that hopefully won’t melt your kids brains and turn them into pint-sized zombies. 

What are your kids’ favourites? Drop a comment and let us know.