26 Cartoons for Kids (That Parents Actually Like)

Alexandra F.:  My 5-year-old has told me I love Bluey even more than he does (and it’s his favorite show!), and he's not wrong - the whole family gets sucked in when this is on! It is so funny, and we get some great ideas for imaginative play from it.

Alexandra F.:  I think Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is children's television at its finest, and hands down one of the best cartoons for toddlers and preschoolers. Inspired by Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, each 11-minute episode follows Daniel through typical preschool experiences like going to the potty, learning to share, or welcoming a new sibling. The same lesson usually weaves across two connected episodes, including a short, simple tune that offers parents a great way to reinforce the good social skills being modeled even after the episode is over. This (and Bluey!) is always what I suggest my kids watch during screen time.

chi_parent4:   While it is an older show, we watch this on Netflix with our kids during dinner and there really is nothing quite like it! The kids actually learn about important science topics in a fun/clever way and ask lots of good questions after the show!

Michael Farina:  Chris and Martin Kratt lead a team of curious and animal friendly adventurers, as they explore the globe, using their "creature powered" inventions (inspired by the animals they meet) to solve problems and right wrongs. The show is good natured and funny for both kids and adults, appealing to fans of both cartoons and nature shows. Recommending this as a cartoon may be cheating, since each episode is bookended by the real life Kratt brothers interacting with live animals to learn about the origins of the creature powers.

Enter into the imagination of six-year-old Doc as she cares for her sick toys, following in the footsteps of her doctor mom. This cute show can help kids better understand what might happen at their own doctor appointments, as well as how to look for clues to help diagnose and solve (and better yet, avoid!) problems.

Alexandra F.:  This show on PBS Kids is based on the classic children's picture book about that lovable, curious monkey and his friend, The Man in the Yellow Hat, and in my opinion is one of those rare instances where the show is actually better than the books! Wonderful characters and short, well-written stories that are funny, engaging and easy-to-follow make it one of the best kids cartoons, and our family's favorite for many years. My teens and I still enjoy watching it as much as our preschoolers! The holiday specials and full-length films are definitely worth checking out as well.

Bahar Gottesman:  My 4.5 year old and I love watching this. She spits out terminology and meanings that even I didn’t know! The characters and their adventures are adorable and smart!

Jennie Utsinger:  Dinosaur Train, a PBS Kids animated show, was a favorite of all three of my children when they were preschoolers. Buddy the T-rex is adopted by a Pteranodon family and they ride the "Dinosaur Train" through the Mesozoic meeting and learning about various dinosaur species. Featuring engaging characters, catchy songs, and lots of dinosaur facts, this is a great show to encourage curiosity and exploration.

Alexandra F.:  Kids who love trucks will especially love this sweet Amazon Original cartoon featuring two best friends, Stinky the garbage truck and Dirty the backhoe loader. As Stinky and Dirty encounter various challenges throughout their day, they ask themselves, "what if..." and test out a bunch of possible solutions until they find one that works. It's a cute cartoon for toddlers and preschoolers that encourages creativity and problem solving, and the all-vehicle cast has major kid appeal. It's been a favorite for my little ones, and one I don't mind having on while I am around, either!

This cartoon was a wildly popular YouTube channel for kids, garnering hundreds of millions of views before moving over to Netflix, where curious kids can continue to follow the five bots on their adventures to answer kids' questions on a wide variety of topics, such as how people catch colds or why night happens.

Jaclyn Keifer:  The daily adventures of 10-year-old Alaska native Molly Mabray, her family, her dog Suki and her friends Tooey and Trini. A show that emphasizes the importance of family and community and provides valuable learning opportunities!

Alexandra F.:  Though I was not a particularly big fan of the My Little Pony franchise as a kid, this revamped version (which has surprisingly wide appeal) is now one of my favorite kids cartoons of all time. As the name suggests, it is primarily a story about friendship, though the adventures and personalities of the main ponies also serve to emphasize values such as kindness, honesty, and generosity. It is a sweet, funny and well-written show that I enjoyed watching years ago with my now teen, and which we are both enjoying again with my preschooler!

Nicole LeClerc Mosher:  I love that it focuses on short biographies that are based off of Brad Meltzer’s series of children’s biographies. It appeals to young kids because they see the people as little kids and adults. The message that kids can change the world is inspiring.

Netflix's Beat Bugs features fun stories about the adventures of bug friends living in an overgrown backyard. Each episode's story provides gentle lessons for kids and centers around a classic Beatles song, performed by artists like Eddie Vedder, Pink, Sia and Jennifer Hudson.

Lisa R:  This Russian import about a spunky kid and a curmudgeonly bear has an old school Looney Tunes vibe that is entertaining in small doses. Most of the episodes are fast paced capers set to music with limited dialogue. My oldest found some of the episodes too scary as a preschooler, but loved it as a 1st/2nd grader.