5 TV Shows I Love to Watch with My Kids (and one I don’t)

Magic School Bus: Yes, yes I know no screen time recommended before age two, but when you have a newborn and an almost two-year-old, the least I could do was plop her in front of Ms. Frizzle and a bunch of awesome science. It was pretty much all we watched for nearly a year. No regrets.

Octonauts: Each episode focuses on a two different sea creatures in a highly engaging story. The Octonauts are a group of animals that work to protect and save the ocean using each of their unique talents. It’s heartwarming, entertaining, funny, and quite educational. I love introducing my kids to science because it’s a subject that never really interested me.

P.J. Masks: Superheros, night time villains, and friends who work together to solve silly crimes. It’s a good introduction to comics and superhero lore.

Chuggington: This is basically an updated version of Shining Time Station. I love trains. Trains being friends and learning good lessons, even better. My son is also a huge fan.

Doc McStuffins: Nothing better than a show that encourages kids to be brave at the doctor while also encouraging young girls to be doctors. While searching for preschools, the one that made the biggest impression on my daughter was the one with the Doc McStuffins toys.

So which one do I dislike watching? Ironically, this former English teacher does not like Super Why. It’s a decent concept, and I actually don’t mind my daughter watching it on her own, but I think it’s trying to do way too much. It’s too busy and too much of a stretch to connect everything. Superhero transformations, fairy tales, real-world problems, finding letters to fill in the blank to find the answer to the real-world problem in a fairy tale story. Way too much going on.