When it’s time to relax, you have one more thing to think about: What TV shows can they watch? It is important to help kids pick TV shows that will be positive; the classics, educational shows and the like. We have guidelines and best kids TV shows for your reference.

TV-Watching Guidelines for Kids

With everything that appears on television sets these days, it is vital to create specific TV-watching guidelines for your children. Although the lasting effects of young children watching television for long periods of time are debated, all agree that children need to be supervised and adhere to a list of guidelines that limit their exposure time, and limit the shows they can access.

1. Review the TV shows before your kids do. Rather than put your trust in the network description or other reviews of a show, watch it yourself before your child does, if possible. By doing this, you will know exactly what material they are being exposed to, and can make the necessary adjustments as needed
2. Check the TV ratings. Fortunately, just like movies, TV shows are also rated to express which ages they deem appropriate to view the material. TV Parental Guidelines will provide you with the ratings of shows so you can check these before allowing your children to watch. Keep in mind that the ratings are used as follows:

? TV-Y is acceptable for all children.
? TV-Y7 is for children 7 or older.
? TV-Y7-FV is for 7 and older but also contains fantasy and violence elements.
? TV-G is a general audience which contains little or no adult content.
? TV-PG contains some adult content and violence.
? TV-14 is for those 14 and older.
? TV-MA is considered appropriate only for adults.

3. Choose educational TV shows. All parents want their children to grow up to be intelligent and mature adults, which can start by allowing them to watch various documentaries, as well as science or nature programs.
4. Turn to professional organizations for help. While the network description of a show is an excellent place to start, you can also head over to parent review sites such as Common Sense Media and Parents Television Council. Reading through these reviews will give you an even better picture of which shows will be appropriate for the guidelines you set for your children.

Best Kids TV Shows Recommended

1. Cyberchase (PBS)

Each episode of Cyberchase begins with an end goal in mind. However, once the adventure begins, the cast must use their practical problem-solving skills in order to accomplish their task. Fortunately, the adventures, while typically done in space, are perfectly acceptable for young children as there is nothing scary or violent. The show as a whole goes to show that when people work together to solve a problem, they will succeed – an important lesson for all children to learn.

2. SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon)

Noted for being a superbly animated television show, parents differ in opinion on the appropriate age group. Some deem it safe for grade-school children, while others deem it proper for teenagers.Following a sponge and his best friend, Patrick, in Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob SquarePants chronicles the adventure tales of the title character. Along with the main character he is followed by a host of other characters, such as Squidward, Sandy Cheeks and Gary the Snail. Each adventure starts with SpongeBob and Patrick having an idea they think will be fun, which always quickly turns into disaster.

3. Between the Lions (PBS Kid)

Perfect for fostering a love of reading at an early age. Between the Lions was created by the original creative team of Sesame Street and follows a group of characters in a library as they experience the joy and wonders of reading and storytelling. The show also helps young children begin to understand the correlation between letters and the sounds they make, rhyming, fluency, phonics, and sight words.

4. Phineas and Ferb (Disney Channel)

This show follows two stepbrothers, Phineas and Ferb, as they embark to build many inventions. With their brain power, they build their inventions within a couple of hours, while coping with their sister Candace, who thinks everything they do is too dangerous, but she never has any proof for the parents as their pet, Mr. Platypus, always makes the structures vanish before their parents come home. At the same time, the boys must help their pet fight off his nemesis, the Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, making it ideal for school age children to watch.

5. Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood (PBS Kids)

Although it debuted in 1967, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood still applies to the two to five year old children of today’s world. Calmly introducing the children to storytelling, literacy, and other items in the world around them, the host, Fred Rogers, helps this show stand heads above the rest. Each show is centered on a theme which then promotes the meeting of a real person and fictional characters that help viewers understand such elements as feelings, sharing, diversity, self-esteem and even fostering the imagination.

6. WordGirl (PBS Kids)

This show is for children age 5. Once your child is ready for an upgrade from sight words and simple correlations between letters and the sounds they make, it’s time to start watching WordGirl as she takes children on adventures to discover new words and their meanings. While there is a small amount of cartoon violence, the overall purpose of the show in teaching some of the harder to learn words is well worth the time spend watching. Perfect for grade-school children, WordGirl goes through the meanings of words such as ‘temptation’, or ‘vegetarian’, quickly expanding your child’s vocabulary even further.

7. The Electric Company (PBS)

This series teaches younger children the beginnings of literacy, such as phonics and grammar. They even go through various language rules, such as when an ‘e’ is silent, which is done by manipulating computer-generated images to help the viewer connect with the characters. Thankfully, this animated show does not add in any questionable material, allowing parents to breathe easy when it comes to putting the Electric Company on the television. Perfect for grade school children.

8. Nutri Ventures (Hulu)

This show is for children age 6. Nutri Ventures’ main purpose is to teach children the importance and value of the foods they are putting in their bodies. This is done by following a group on an adventure attempting to bring healthy eating habits back to their home, encountering food groups that are good for them while staving off the negative effects of junk food. While a small amount of violence is present, it is still an ideal show for young children to watch and learn about the importance of food.

Please watch this video for some old and best kids TV shows recommended in the 90s:

Best Kids TV Shows