Top 10 Shows for Children
Small encounters & Eternal investments
We often think about how we learn and grow in the various aspects of our lives while considering particular stages of our development. We each acquire skills, knowledge, and experience in specific ways. Consider the auditory, kinesthetic, multimodal, read/write, and visual learning styles. Some of us are great test takers, while others prefer other forms of assessment to gauge understanding and retention.
How do you learn?
There are times when our circumstances will make us more receptive and times when lessons are learned the hard way (perhaps due to our pride or stubbornness). You’d be surprised to know that in the UK, the entire calendar year is ordered in association with the school, college, and university term times.
It’s no different for those who follow Christ. Being under the ministry of the word and having that ongoing two-way dialogue with the Lord through reading/studying Scripture and in private prayer is of paramount importance. Yet, there are also other ways to grow in our intimacy with Him. Spiritual disciplines like fasting, stillness/silence, meditation, and journaling are important and can be tailored to the individual’s personality and preferences. There are multiple modes of learning and growing in knowledge, yet there are things that are simply taught, caught, or wrought.
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” Matthew 19:14
Like other Christian families, one of our core values is to facilitate encounters and foster a growing relationship with God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. In this verse, Jesus speaks of young children in relation to His Kingdom, which is synonymous with being part of His family. We are to receive the love of God as children would—freely and unmerited. Not that we would act out some form of immaturity, but rather to experience our individual relationship with God as a child would relate to a loving father.
We aim and desire for our children to grow up in a home that is intentional about acknowledging God in all we do. Our constant prayer is for each of our children never to know a day where God’s love isn’t real and tangible toward them. Parenting is nothing less than the stewardship of life, and the Lord will work through our love, guidance, discipline, and instruction. Our children will also come to know and experience the Lord through our brokenness, failures, and our profound need for forgiveness.
Screen Time
One of the ways we are intentional about our home environment is through our rules about screen time. We believe it’s essential to be aware of how screens can affect children while using discernment and consideration to decide their role in the home. We maintain a limited screen time rule in our home and are highly particular about the shows we allow. We always watch a show ourselves beforehand and pray ongoing about any changes we may need to implement. We make decisions not only based on our convictions and core values but also based on the following:
Pace
Color tones
Conversation
Storyline
Social/emotional skills
Diversity
Modeling of fruits of the Spirit
Realistic movement
Sparks creativity
We are very particular because we know the importance of what our children take in. Most shows created for children are also highly overstimulating and affect children’s brains negatively, leading to behavioral issues, lack of creativity, and a variety of other struggles that too often are not observed as connected to screens.
We have chosen to restrict the time allotted for screen time and shows, so we have a shortlist we allow. Some are specifically Bible shows, and we are sharing our favorite ones along with the only other shows we allow in our home that we feel are appropriate and that we have enjoyed as a family.
10 - Thomas the Tank Engine (Youtube or Amazon Prime)
This universally lauded series is based on the beloved book The Three Railway Engines by Wilbert and Christopher Awdry, published in 1945. The series is set on the fictional island of Sodor and focuses on various anthropomorphized tank engines that each have individual personalities and characteristics. The adaptation was narrated by Ringo Star and has sparked the fascination of our children over locomotives and railways in the UK and the US.
9 - Little Bear (Youtube)
This classic book by American author Else Holmelund Minarik with illustrations by Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are) and adaptation was one of Steph’s favorites growing up. The stories center around family and a group of friends with interactions between generations and the imaginative adventures that Little Bear embarks upon. The kids have grown fond of the quaint cottage and nearby woods where all of the stories take place.
8 - Julia Donaldson Adaptations (The Gruffalo, Stick Man, Zog, The Snail and the Whale on Amazon Prime)
These are some of our favorite stories, and how they are brought to life in these short films is astounding. The animation, voices, and storylines are all creative and inviting, and our children adore them. The four we listed are the only ones we watch. We also have noticed that they have to be paid for on the Amazon Prime app when we are in the States, but they are free in the UK, so we are not sure about access to them, but they’re definitely worth a watch if possible.
7 - Stinky and Dirty (Amazon Prime)
This quirky show follows a garbage truck (or bin lorry as our children call it in the UK) and a digger as they work to solve problems together using critical thinking. It is a sweet show about friendship, perseverance, thinking creatively, and of course, is full of a variety of vehicles with corresponding sound effects that are great fun for the little ones. The animation is wonderful, and the scenes are a more appropriate length rather than moving too quickly.
6 - Guess How Much I Love You (Youtube)
This show is an adaptation of the book by Sam McBratney, an author from Northern Ireland, and was broadcast in Australia, Canada, and the US. The watercolor animation style is soft and inviting, and the segments are filled with memorable characters such as Big Nutbrown Hare, Little Nutbrown Hare, Little Field Mouse, Little Gray Squirrel, and more. Our son affectionately referred to it as the “Daddy Show” when he was learning how to communicate with words, due to the father and son relationship that is the focal point of the narrative.
5 - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Amazon Prime)
Our children adore this show, another favorite book that was developed into a series that focuses on friendship, kindness, problem-solving, creativity, and working through situations together without tense situations that can cause stress for little ones. The characters are well-developed with their own unique personalities. We will add that there are a couple of episodes we choose to skip, mostly because they don’t fall in line with our convictions, but overall it’s a really well-done show.
4 - The Beginners Bible (Youtube)
The classic animated show is based on the book, published in 1989. It has been a favorite of countless Christian families, giving accessibility to children first learning about the big God Story spanning from Genesis to Revelation. The show highlights key characters and elements of each narrative to help facilitate biblical literacy which is one of the fundamental building blocks of Spiritual formation.
3 - The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (Apple TV+)
We will write more about this book and the author Charlie Mackesy in a later post, as it has become a cherished part of our reading and viewing rotation. Besides the snowy minimalist backdrop, the two most distinct features of the story are its black outlined calligraphy pen-style animation and the profoundly powerful dialogue between each character that provokes thought and emotion, which have sparked great conversations with the kids. The adaptation went on to win a BAFTA for Best British Short Animation!
2 - Bible Adventure by LifeKids (Youtube)
This show has a “Blue’s Clues” feel, and that is the only downside in our opinion, as we believe the interactive part can cause overstimulation, so sometimes we move past certain parts. Besides that, our children love watching the Bible animations and the worship segments. The Host interacts with the viewers and walks them down a path to visit her friends, the “Bible Guy” and “Mr. Music.” The music is well produced and catchy, so the kids often request these songs to dance or sing along in the car on a long drive.
1 - Stories of the Bible by Saddleback Kids (Youtube)
Our children’s favorite “Jesus show” is Stories of the Bible by the youtube channel Saddleback Kids, which is the children’s ministry of Saddleback Church. In addition to this series, their Church at Home program includes other animated segments such as Slapstick Theater and Stories of the Bible Jr. (for toddlers). It has an animation style unlike any other we’ve seen, and the storytelling is accurate, inviting, and easy to understand, even for younger children. One of the most important features of the show is that the narrator begins each segment of a story with a character from the Bible, such as Jesus or an Old Testament figure—this form the basis for understanding a typology, which helps us convey the idea of Christology in simplest terms.
Note about Youtube:
In general, Youtube has been a good educational tool for our family. The only downside is all of the adverts between videos or segments of a particular show. Unless you’re willing to subscribe to Youtube Premium, you’ll have to deal with the disruptions. We don’t put any shows from Youtube on unless we are in the room to quickly go past them, and even then, our goal is to find these shows on video if possible so that we can remove Youtube entirely or restrict its use even further. For now, our kids have handled it in a rather humorous fashion by saying “NO ADS,” and we then click on the skip button that appears.
What are some of your favorite children’s shows growing up?
What do your children love to watch? Leave your answers in the comments section!
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