5 Kids Shows That You Should Be Watching, Too

I have kids, and because of this, I can’t always watch what I’d like. During the penultimate episodes of Breaking Bad, I couldn’t watch them with the rest of the world. Instead, I had to wait until all three of my little girls were in bed to catch up. The DVR was constantly filled with grown-up shows that were inappropriate for daytime viewing. That was okay, though – I’m used to it at this point, after being a mom for 7 years.

It’s really not so bad when my kids want to watch TV, though lately they don’t ask for it as much as they used to. There are shows that literally make me grind my teeth, or I didn’t like very much for some reason or another, so I don’t let them watch it. There are shows with absolutely no educational value, which is okay to some extent. Then there are shows that are fully entertaining and educational. However, most importantly, there are kids’ shows that don’t annoy me so much that I want to get rid of my television altogether! Believe it or not, some are really good and completely entertaining for the grown-ups who have to sit through them!

5. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

As a little girl, I loved My Little Pony. Yes, okay, they look different now, but I believe they’re way cuter! The show is centered around Twilight Sparkle and her group of friends. The show actually teaches about friendships without being too much like an after-school special. There are real storylines to every episode, too, like the time Pinkie Pie cloned herself, or when Rarity went to Mane-hatten to be a fashion designer. What’s great about the show is it feels all-inclusive. Boys can like My Little Pony. Grown-ups can watch it and enjoy it. If you want to check out an episode, try my favorites, “A Canterlot Wedding, Parts 1 & 2″. There’s a great musical number in both episodes. And for you Doctor Who fans out there (I’m a proud Whovian), pay attention in the background for Dr. Whooves!

4. Yo Gabba Gabba

I have to admit, I took my kids to see Yo Gabba Gabba live. I’ll also admit that I danced and sang along to “There’s a party in my tummy”. I’ll definitely admit that I got super excited when they announced that Biz Markie was there on stage! Now, a lot of parents like Yo Gabba Gabba. Our kids learn valuable lessons from the show, like how you should never bite your friends, or how you won’t know if you like a food unless you try it. The songs are catchy and the show is such an ’80s flashback to those of us who were kids back in those days. And I’m not ashamed to admit that I got a little excited when I found out there was a new episode recently! And no, D.J. Lance is not Steve Urkel!

3. Adventure Time

I debate sometimes on whether or not this is actually a children’s show. Yes, it’s on the Cartoon Network and airs during the day, but it also seems geared towards adults. It’s a very fantasy-based show about a kid named Finn and his dog/adopted brother Jake who go on adventures. They fight trolls, talking cookies and the Ice King. It’s hard not to like this show. There are a few tongue-in-cheek moments that mostly grown-ups understand. My main reason to watch the show? The appearance of Marcelline, the Vampire Queen, who plays an axe bass. Princess Bubblegum is pretty awesome, too. I may dress up like one of them for Halloween, and get the husband to be Finn. It’s not weird!

2. Sesame Street

We all watched Sesame Street when we were kids. It was entertaining, we learned our ABCs and there was no Elmo. Now, I have nothing against Elmo the way some parents do. Some may find him annoying, but I find the character cute. There are some kids’ shows that I can’t deal with because I do find them annoying, like Barney. Elmo is just a small piece of this grand show that’s still going after all of these years, and in my opinion, still good. I love how it’s always been this variety show, with musical numbers, cartoons and sketches. And most importantly, us grown-ups get the TV show and movie parodies! Has anyone seen the 30 Rock parody with Liz Lemon, who’s an actual lemon? Or Telly’s iPogo, a pogo stick that came with Apple-like apps? There was also a True Blood parody. And yes, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster are still on there. Recently, there was a Hunger Games parody! Go see for yourself!

1. Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins is a little girl who fixes up broken toys. She re-stiches stuffed animals and makes them all better! Doc is also adorable, with her pigtails and white doctors lab coat! She’s really just a little girl pretending, but when the adults go away, the toys come to life and visit Doc’s “Clinic”, which is actually a playhouse in the backyard! Not only is this the kind of show that I wish was on when I was a kid – a little girl who wants to grow up to be a doctor – it’s the type of show I’ll always put on for my girls. It also teaches important lessons about how to stay healthy, and what happens when you visit a doctor. I’ve actually caught myself watching it without my girls.

Pictures via Feminspire, Wikipedia, Denver Post The Fine Line, Shotot, Adventure Nerd Blogspot, WorldTVPC