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Looking for educational kids’ TV shows and cartoons? We share our favourite cartoons for kids to teens (and some that siblings can watch together too) that teach maths, science, emotional skills and more
“Can I watch TV?” How many times do your kiddos ask this? While we are all about limiting screen time for our kiddos, there are times when kids’ Netflix or other kids’ TV shows have its benefits. We’ve found some great educational kids’ TV shows and cartoons available here in Singapore that are fun to watch and have an educational element thrown in, too. Here’s our list of the best cartoons, kids’ Netflix, and children’s TV shows (and some pitched so that siblings of different ages can watch together, too!).
NB: With the scare of sinister content being spliced into well-known baby cartoons and children’s videos on YouTube we’ve chosen to only include TV shows and movies available on local TV stations and streaming channels like iTunes, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and Netflix for kids. The exception is speech-therapist recommended show Ms Rachel which is only found on YouTube (we advise to only let your kids watch while you are around). Do note that while there are so-called educational cartoons for babies the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines recommend a zero screen time rule for babies under 18 months, a limited amount of screen time for babies aged 18 to 24 months, and for two- to five-year-old children, one-hour max. a day.
Read more: Parent Resources: Guide to Kids Internet Safety, Social Media & Screen Time
Best Educational Cartoons and Kids’ TV shows for:
Best Educational Baby Cartoons & TV for Little Kids (2-4 years old)
Best Educational TV show for Little Kids (5-7 years old)
Best Educational TV for Older Kids & Teens
Best Educational Baby Cartoons & TV for Kids (2-4 years old)
Ms. Rachel
Age: 2+
Available on: Youtube (best to watch with your kids due to issues on Youtube mentioned above)
If you have little ones, you’ve probably heard of Ms. Rachel! Her educational tv show for toddlers focuses primarily on language development. She incorporates techniques from speech therapists such as repetition, speaking slowly and using only a few words to help toddlers pick up words quickly. There are plenty of nursery rhymes and fun songs that will captivate the little ones, who may be talking before you know it!
Educational element: Language development using techniques from speech therapists to help your little one learn word association, phonics and more in a creatively fun way!
Blippi’s Adventures
Age: 3+ and up
Available on: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
Blippi’s curious and lively personality takes kids on fun educational ‘field trips’ and creatively sparks curiosity about the world around them. Whether it’s creating gooey slime, learning a new instrument or exploring a water park, preschoolers are always guaranteed an episode of interactive educational time with Blippi.
Educational elements: This educational TV show sparks curiosity and keeps kids intrigued about the world. They learn real-life facts colours, STEM learning, animals and more.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Age: 2+
Available on: Disney+
Mickey Mouse is an all-time favourite Disney character who invites little ones to join him and his friends at the Clubhouse. Kids will embark on a fun interactive adventure with Mickey and his friends, where they learn basic math concepts, problem solving skills and more! Every episode starts with a problem, and Mickey invites preschoolers to help him solve the problem by the end of the episode.
Educational elements: Kids will get to practice their problem-solving skills, learn basic math concepts, and learn resilience and perseverance as they work with Mickey and his friends to solve the problem.
Bluey
Age: 2 yrs +
Available on: Disney + and Starhub channel 303 and BBC Player
Bluey is an Australian preschool series about a pup with a big imagination and a positive happy attitude. Aussie expats in Singapore will love that the characters (all different breeds of dogs) have Aussie accents. Each episode shows Bluey and her sister (yay for two heroine leads) engaged in fun play with their hands-on parents learning important social skills.
Educational elements: We love how involved mum and dad dogs are in this show (hands-on parenting) and for kids there are lots of messages around problem-solving, learning to compromise, showing patience, and sharing.
Number Blocks
Age: 2+
Available on: Netflix Kids
This cute educational show for toddlers takes place in Numberland, where colourful number blocks work, play and sing together to teach kids early numeracy concepts. There are plenty of lively songs to keep the little ones entertained. As a bonus, each episode on Netflix is only five minutes long, so you don’t have to worry about your little one getting hooked to the screen for too long (though you can simply let them watch more episodes if you need a few more minutes of peace and quiet!).
Educational elements: Toddlers will learn early numeracy concepts in a fun way and perhaps even learn to love math! From counting, addition, subtraction and more, this is a great way to introduce your little one to numbers!
Ada Twist, Scientist
Age: 2 yrs +
Available on: Netflix
Based on the children’s book series of the same name by Andrea Beaty, this fun educational cartoon show is now available on Netflix! Ada Twist, Scientist follows the adventures of an eight-year-old Ada Twist who’s got a head full of questions about everything! The show will bring on real scientists to inspire little ones, plus it’s brought to you by the peeps behind Doc McStuffins, including Barack and Michelle Obama who are executive producers of the show!
Educational elements: We love the diverse cast and the promise of scientists voicing the show to lend their knowledge for kids to learn from!
Dog Loves Books
Age: 2 yrs +
Available on: Starhub Channel 407 (CBeebies)
Dog and Pug run a bookshop, and – unsurprisingly – Dog LOVES books. Dog begins each episode by reading a well-known book with Pug, and they are quickly transported inside the story. It’s very engaging content for preschoolers, with familiar characters and not-too-scary villains!
Educational elements: Kids will become familiar with classic fairytales and stories, and the cartoon show gently encourages an appreciation of books and reading.
Blue’s Clues & You
Age: 2+
Available on: Netflix
Blue’s Clues & You is a reboot of the popular kids’ series Blue’s Clues, where Josh invites preschoolers to help him solve a puzzle to find out what Blue wants to do. Blue leaves his paw prints on objects around the house or outside that provide a clue to the answer. There are plenty of catchy tunes and opportunities to learn new concepts about counting, reading, and more!
Educational elements: This educational cartoon helps little ones develop pre-reading skills as they discover new words, sounds, and concepts like shapes, colours, and more. Josh’s energetic personality will keep kids hooked!
Swashbuckle
Age: 2 yrs +
Available on: Starhub Channel 407 (CBeebies)
Part pantomime, part game show, Swashbuckle features the pirate Gem as she recruits four young swashbucklers to help her in her ongoing battle against some goodnatured, ‘naughty’ pirates (cue ‘boos’ from the studio audience of children). The four contestants take on different physical tasks, with plenty of encouragement from Gem and guest appearances from CBeebies stalwarts like Mr Bloom and Nina. The show culminates with at least one of the pirates walking the plank into the ship’s mess (a pit of green slime!).
Educational elements: Teamwork and perseverance are important, and are rewarded with plenty of good-natured slapstick comedy.
Hey Duggee
Age: 2 yrs +
Available on: Starhub Channel 407 (CBeebies)/iTunes
This delightful animated show features a gang of young ‘squirrels’ who attend a sort of Scouts group with Duggee. Each episode sees them earn a new badge after gaining some new skills.
Educational elements: Compassion, doing your best, finding role models outside your family, plus much subtler elements like blended families and adoption. (Each of the ‘squirrels’ is a different animal – octopus, crocodile, hippo etc – and each is collected by a parent at the end. All but one are collected by the same species as they are, although this is never commented on.)
Word Party
Age: 2 yrs +
Available on: Netflix
Word Party, from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, uses puppeteers to perform digitally animated characters in real-time resulting in more lifelike animation. In this educational baby cartoon show cute diaper-wearing baby animals teach vocabulary through engaging songs and colourful scenes.
Educational elements: Vocabulary building and positive emotional messages like friendship and caring. Baby panda doesn’t speak in grammatically correct sentences, however – some say this is so younger kids can relate to him.
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Age: 2 yrs old +
Available on: Amazon Prime Video (may require a VPN), iTunes
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is produced by The Fred Rogers Company and is a very sweet programme that teaches young kids about emotions.
Educational elements: Through stories based around 4-year-old Daniel Tiger, the series gently explores situations young kids may have found themselves in – feeling jealous or scared, or getting a new baby sibling, for instance – and together they explore their emotions and find ways to deal with them positively. Catchy songs highlight each episode’s core message, making it easy for kids (and parents) to remember.
Read more: A Love Letter to Daniel Tiger (the Toddler Whisperer)
The Stinky & Dirty Show
Age: 2yrs +
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
The Stinky & Dirty Show is every vehicle-loving kid’s dream show. The series sees two best buddies, a garbage truck and a backhoe, solve problems together in a light-hearted way.
Educational elements: The characters’ can-do attitude is a great example of perseverance and confidence, plus there is lots of info for kids on problem-solving and working together as a team.
Read more: Best Educational Apps for Kids of All Ages: Preschoolers and Older Kids
Beat Bugs
Age: 3yrs +
Available on: Netflix
If mama and dad are Beatles fans, you’re going to have to get the kids on to Beat Bugs! This animated series follows a bunch of best friends, with Beatles songs performed by current artists woven throughout.
Educational elements: An introduction to Beatles music, plus positive messages of helping each other.
Read more: ‘Beat Bugs’: How to Make Your Kids Beatles Fans in One Easy Step
Super Monsters
Age: 3yrs +
Available on: Netflix Kids
Super Monsters is an animated series following the adventures of friendly monsters at preschool. Drac, Cleo, Lobo, Katya, Zoe and Frankie are students with dual identities: humans by day and magical monsters (not the scary kind) by night. When one of them gets into a jam, a lesson is learned so they can correct their behaviours and learn from the experience.
Educational elements: Nurturing social relationships through sharing, communicating feelings, and respecting others.
Octonauts
Age: 3 yrs old +
Available on: Netflix Kids
If there’s a way to grab kids’ attention and get them to care about the ocean and sea life – then this is it!
Educational elements: Your kids will learn lots of fun facts about the stunning and diverse marine life through the adventures of the Octonauts. This is a great show for little kids and older siblings – there’s no violence and instead lots of adventure, teamwork, and facts!
Llama Llama
Age: 3 yrs +
Available on: Netflix Kids
Based on the award-winning book series by author and illustrator Anna Dewdney, Llama Llama is an animated show highlighting positive messages about strength of character. The lead parent, unlike most nuclear family setups on TV, depicts a single mother who draws on “the village” of grandparents, friends, teachers, and neighbours to help teach life’s key lessons.
Educational elements: Positive qualities like kindness, empathy, and respect.
Read more: Why ‘Llama Llama’ is my 4-year-old’s new favourite show
Ask the StoryBots
Age: 4yrs+ (but the educational element will appeal to older kids, too – hence it’s great for siblings of different ages).
Available on: Netflix Kids
StoryBots mixes animation, video, and songs to make a charming show which follows a group of “storybots” who need to find the answer to a “big question” asked by a kid (“Where does night come from?” or “How do airplanes fly?”, for example). The StoryBots take you on an adventure to find the answer, which is explained a few different times to help younger kids. It’s a great show to watch if you have two kids one younger (who will be engaged by the music and fast-paced animation) and even older kids 7+ will learn something. Parents will also chuckle at some of the jokes.
Educational elements: Science, math, geography, physics, and more.
Dino Dana
Age: 4 years old+
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
Calling all dino fans – this one’s for you! It’s girl power to the max here with Dino Dana, which is a continuation of the series Dino Dan. Dana is a palaeontologist with a special field guide that allows her to see dinosaurs in her everyday life. We love how this show blends a live-action setting and CGI animation to really bring dinosaurs to life.
Educational elements: This show lets kids see dinosaurs as they might have lived in the past. Dana observes dinosaur behaviour and applies this insight to a problem she’s facing. Learn dinosaurs’ names, and all about these extinct creatures’ eating habits and defence mechanisms.
Izzy’s Koala World
Age: 3+
Available on: Netflix
A documentary-style show exploring the world of Izzy, an Australian girl who takes care of rescued koalas with her veterinarian mum. Excellent for animal lovers (although watch out for a couple of scenes where the baby koalas get separated from their mums).
Educational elements: Lots of great facts to learn about wildlife.
The Magic School Bus Rides Again
Age: 4 yrs old +
Available on: Netflix
Educational elements: The Magic School Bus Rides Again is a revamped animated version of the ’90s series The Magic School Bus, based on the book series. Each episode tackles a scientific topic (like gravity or cloud formations) which is taught in a fun way alongside the class who go on magical field trips led by Ms Frizzle. A great TV cartoon series for siblings to watch together – older kids will get the scientific concepts while younger kids will just enjoy the fun the kids have in each episode.
Helpsters
Age: 4 yrs old+
Available on: Apple TV+
Do your kids love Sesame Street? This live-action preschool series features cuddly monster puppets who love to solve problems. The kids’ TV show is technically about coding, but is much more basic and fundamental than all that, and combines the warmth and humour Sesame Street’s so renowned for with relatable situations and cool guest appearances (everyone from Rachel Dratch and Aparna Nancherla to musicians like Talib Kweli and Norah Jones).
Educational elements: The giveaway is in the catchy theme song – “Everything Starts with a Plan!” – which teaches preschoolers the fundamentals of coding, like sequencing and following instructions. Of course, this happens via fun situations like climbing a mountain, planning a party, and mastering a magic trick. As a bonus, if your kids become big Helpsters fans, they’re now being incorporated into the free ‘Today at Apple’ kids’ coding activities at The Apple Store.
Tumble Leaf
Age: 4 yrs old +
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
Tumble Leaf follows the visually stunning blue fox, Fig, and his little friend, Stick, as they make exciting discoveries that teach science concepts and solutions to problems to little ones. The format is only 15 minutes long so it’s perfect for little ones with shorter attention spans.
Educational elements: Every episode introduces a simple scientific concept in a way that small kids can understand plus there’s problem-solving and creative thinking to inspire pre-schoolers.
Best Educational TV Shows & Cartoons for Kids (5-7 years old)
The InBESTigators
Age: 5-10 yrs+
Available on: Netflix
InBESTigators is an Australian kids’ TV series featuring four friends who solve mysteries at their school and in their neighbourhood. We love that the gang is unofficially led by a girl and that the kids are all racially diverse with cute Aussie accents.
Educational elements: There’s lots of critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, and explanation in the course of the gang’s investigations. Humour is woven into the dialogue and your kids will be snickering throughout. The theme of teamwork is strong throughout alongside kindness so this show gets a good thumbs up. It’s geared to 9-year-olds but younger kids will enjoy watching it too (though they may not understand all the analysis) so it’s a great one for siblings.
If I Were An Animal
Age: 5 yrs+
Available on: Netflix
If I Were An Animal is a family-friendly reality TV series featuring different species of animals growing into adulthood. If your kids get tearful at most nature programmes (animals surviving, killing etc) know that this is milder though there are some references to eating other animals.
Educational elements: A great watch for kids to see how animals of different species grow and develop in the natural world.
Junior Bakeoff
Age: 7+
Available on: Starhub Channel 432 (BBC Lifestyle)
The format is too long to keep younger kids engaged, but 7+-year-olds should enjoy the drama and tension of the competition (and hopefully feel inspired to try cooking at home!). Plenty of humour from the host goes straight over the contestants’ heads, but it’s all good fun and the judges are firm but not overly critical.
Educational elements: The cooking obviously! But also themes of perseverance, supportiveness, dealing with criticism, and coping with disappointment when things don’t work out for them in the kitchen. Younger and older siblings may enjoy watching this, and parents won’t mind having it on either.
Tiny World
Age: 5yrs+
Available on: Apple TV+
Educational elements include: Narrated by Paul Rudd, this nature documentary features a series of adorable ‘tiny’ animals. Kids will love the miniature monkeys and other bug-sized mammals, although the sporadic threat from predators may be stressful for some kiddos. Paul Rudd is no David Attenborough, but this is a fun entry point to nature docos.
Emily’s Wonder Lab
Age: 5+
Available on: Netflix
If you ever wondered where the word oobleck came from or how your 5-year-old suddenly sounds so sophisticated muttering “a non-Newtonian fluid” chances are, they have watched this show. Watching a heavily pregnant mom be so passionate and energetic talk about science can get any kid excited. This show is so fun to watch that even though you might hate slime, or cleaning up experiments at home, you might end up indulging in it as it will really spark your kids’ curiosity and love for science.
Educational elements include: Lots of easy to understand science facts.
Our Planet
Our Planet
Age: 6yrs+
Available on: Netflix
Educational elements include: Our Planet is a beautiful documentary series similar Planet Earth (listed below), except it has an urgent calling for young (and old) viewers to think about the ways that humans are endangering nature and marine life. The show looks at the survival of different species so sensitive viewers should know that there are scenes of predators’ hunting prey.
Read more: Best Educational Apps for Kids of All Ages: Preschoolers and Older Kids
Carmen Sandiego
Age: 6yrs +
Available on: Netflix
Carmen Sandiego is a remake of the popular 1990’s show. Carmen is an infamous’ thief, but more in the Robin Hood vein (returning cultural or historical items to their rightful owners). She’s badass and a strong, empowering female role model (there’s not enough of them around), so this show is great for boys and girls alike.
Educational elements: Geographical, historical, scientific and cultural information as well as strategic thinking in Carmen’s mission of good over evil. We liked all the different accents in here, too – from Australian to posh British to American.
Project Mc2
Age: 7yrs+
Available on: Netflix
This is another take on making whizkids and STEM look cool. Amazon.sg now have these STEM kits available as featured in the series! Our kids have watched these educational TV shows more than once and immediately want to get their hands on and experiment like their favourite characters.
Educational elements: Shows like this make science and chemistry look really fun and hip.
Spin
Age: 7+
Available on: Disney+
How does a 15-year-old Indian-American navigate being able to find her own identity while trying not to disappoint her father? The struggle to live up to one’s parent’s expectations while finding one’s identity is still something that exists today, especially with Asian families.
Educational elements: This kids’ TV show is light and fun in true Disney fashion, and although it’s all about girl power, it is equally fun to watch with your sons. The kids will enjoy not only watching but singing and dancing to the music of this movie, it is all about being a DJ!
The Who Was? Show
Age: 7 yrs+
Available on: Netflix
The Who Was? Show is a comedy series with teen leads that brings history alive by focusing on the subjects of the popular Who Was? books. There’s a lot of humour to get kids interested in the past (expect rapping and some fart jokes), but this show makes an often dry subject very kid-friendly.
Educational elements: Historical facts and an introduction to important figures.
Brainchild
Age: 7+ (although still enjoyable into late pre-teens)
Available on: Netflix
A fun, relatable and colourful TV series that brings science to life and explores questions that arise in their day to day lives such as “what exactly are memories”, “do you control your emotions, or do your emotions control you?” and “why is social media so addictive?”
Educational elements: Real-life challenges, learning about science topics (biology, neurology) and our brain. Also an array of positive messages around the importance of kindness and cooperation.
Horrible Histories
Age: 6yrs +
Available on: Apple TV
Horrible Histories is based on a Scholastic book series of the same name. This award-winning British uses slapstick humour to explore history lessons. Each episode intros a different time in history – from Ancient Rome to Tudor England – and to bring the stories to life all the craziest, most bizarre facts (as well as key historical information) are thrown in, making this a highly watchable show for parents and kids alike.
Educational elements: Historical events (including some battles).
The Blue Planet on Netflix Kids
Age: 7 yrs
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
The Blue Planet is a much-watched BBC series for the next generation. It’s stunningly shot and provides a wonderful look at the wonders of nature. As it’s a nature programme there are scenes of hunting and animals killing others so although those younger than the recommended age may be keen to view it’s worth bearing this in mind for sensitive kids.
Educational elements: Fascinating look at nature, wildlife and broader environmental issues.
Best Educational TV Shows: Older Kids (8-9 years old) & Teens
Hidden Figures
Age: 10+
Available on: Disney+
An inspiring true story of three brilliant African-American women at NASA in the 1950s and 60s. The film leads viewers through the trials and tribulations of these women as they work to break down gender stereotypes, fight for their civil rights and make their mark within NASA. Some mild language and a couple of instances of intimacy e.g. kissing and a couple slow dancing.
Educational elements: Real life examples of values in actions: integrity, leadership, self-belief and perseverance.
El Deafo
Age: 8+
Available on: Apple TV
An animated mini-series based on the life of Cece, a girl who lives with hearing loss. Narrated from the character’s point of view it is a wonderful way for kids to step into her world and understand it from her perspective. Aside from the intense scene of her initial diagnosis (which sees her in hospital) and some mild swearing, this series is sweet and insightful.
Educational elements: Perspective taking, empathy, belonging and understanding hearing loss.
Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.
Age: 12+
Available on: Disney+
This is the modern-day, girl power version of the 90s Doogie Howser M.D. set in beautiful Hawaii. As an original Doogie Howser fan, this did not disappoint.
Educational elements: It shows the youngsters of today that being smart is cool, and that people can be smart in different ways. Like any teenager, there will be some conflict with parents no matter how independent one is. It has a comical twist and a feel-good reflection in the end and we can’t wait for season 2.
The Apprentice: One Championship Edition
Age: 13yrs+
Available on: Netflix
This is your entrepreneurship class on TV while seeing familiar sites around Singapore. This is an interesting twist to the franchise as there is always a physical challenge and a business challenge.
Educational elements: Kids will love making their guesses as to who will be eliminated and, in our case, had interesting reasons why, making this TV show a good discussion as a family. Seeing familiar Singapore brands, landmarks and tourist destinations also added to the fun element.
Finding Ohana
Age: 9+
Available on: Netflix
Nothing like a going-back-to-the-roots adventure film with a modern-day geo-caching twist. This seems to be very relevant as more and more families migrate and lose touch with their heritage. A feel-good movie to watch with the whole family with a lot of comical twists and very relatable scenarios.
Educational elements: Kids will get a chance to learn all about the Hawaiian language and culture through this thrilling (but kid-friendly) adventure tale as the siblings learn more about their family heritage and discover their identities. As with all siblings, there will be elements of sibling quarrels, which can teach kids how to resolve conflict with their siblings! Do note that there is various name-calling, so you might want to watch this with your kids if you don’t want them picking up these words and types of behaviour.
Baking Impossible
Age: 9+
Available on: Netflix
This is a perfect show to watch as family if you have budding engineers and bakers as this TV show combines both engineering and baking in one. Great way to make intelligent guesses as to which entry will succeed or fail. Make sure to pause and make everyone place their bets before you hear what the judges in the show say. One will also find out how team dynamics plays such an important part in succeeding.
Educational elements: This baking competition show shines a spotlight on the scientific elements of baking and teaches kids how to solve problems creatively. The bakers compete in nine teams of two, so kids can learn all about teamwork and also pick up engineering concepts, like building a functional remote-controlled boat out of food or constructing a playable mini-golf course!
My Octopus Teacher
Age: 9+
Available on: Netflix
My Octopus Teacher is a visually stunning nature documentary about filmmaker Craig Foster who is looking to regain his passion for life. By free diving every day in the freezing waters in South Africa he falls in love with nature and in particular a resourceful and intelligent octopus. Good for older kids (Common Sense Media says 8 yr olds+ but we reckon older kids will appreciate the story more. As with many nature programmes, younger kids may find the talk about death and predators upsetting.)
Educational elements: A great show for animal lovers. Lots of messaging about appreciating nature, showing perseverance (Craig dives daily for a year in the same place to visiting the octopus), and looking after our wildlife. Another good show to watch with your kids.
Ultimate Beastmaster
Age: 13yrs+
Available on: Netflix
This is definitely an adrenaline-pumping “floor is lava” parkour kind of show. Talk about determination, perseverance and passion. Very entertaining to watch as a family and guess who is going to make it or not.
Educational elements: You can even throw in some geography questions along the way based on the countries represented! And apart from the actual competition, hearing the personal stories of the competitors is also truly inspiring.
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Age: 10+
Available on: Netflix
Although the tone is rather sombre (so use your judgment if your kids may be too sensitive to this) David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet is a must-watch nature documentary that is a bit of a stark wake-up call about climate change and the state of our planet.
Educational elements: The documentary that David Attenborough calls his witness statement goes into detail about declining animal populations and the destruction of the planet due to human behaviour. There is hope though as the last part of the show gives you pointers on what you and your kids can do to stop the decline of wild animals and turn things around (hopefully!). This show is a great one to watch with your kids so you are all on board with the message.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
Age: 12+
Available on: Netflix
A true story of a boy living in a small village in Malawi, Africa who invents a device to save his village from floods. Be prepared for a few emotionally intense scenes, some violence and mild language. Outside of that the movie offers many valuable topics for parents to open up conversation around.
Educational elements: One person can have an impact, no matter their age.
Bill Nye Saves the World
Age: 9yrs+
Available on: Netflix
Bill Nye, is a science guy who brings experts and famous guests to his lab for a fun-filled talk show exploring scientific issues including climate change, video games, and space travel. The original show, which ran from 1993 to 1998, was Bill Nye the Science Guy. This educational show was created for older kids who ‘graduated’ from the original show and already have foundational scientific knowledge. There are some mature topics like sex (from a scientific perspective), and Bill Nye takes on the role of a talk show host rather than a lab instructor.
Educational elements: Older kids can take their scientific knowledge to the next level, learn more about controversial topics like climate change, pseudoscience and debunked myths. As this show covers scientific topics in more detail, it takes a certain level of prior scientific knowledge to follow the discussions.
A Series of Unfortunate Events (Season 1)
Age: 10-12yrs +
Available on: Netflix
Based on the internationally best-selling series of books by Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler), A Series of Unfortunate Events recounts the tragic tale of the Baudelaire orphans – Violet, Klaus, and Sunny – whose evil uncle Count Olaf is greedy to get his hands on their inheritance. This is quite a dark show (Season 2 is much darker than Season 1), so we’d advise parents to watch yourself first.
Educational elements: Trust your instincts, even as children, along with the value of friendship and kinship.
Tales By Light
Age: 10yrs+
Available on: Netflix
Renowned photographers explore far-flung locales, from a fire rite in the Himalayas to watching brown bears in the rivers of Alaska. The footage is a visual treat and is bound to give watchers itchy feet to see the world.
Educational elements: Geographical and cultural insights.
The Mars Generation
Age: 10yrs
Available on: Netflix
The Mars Generation is a Netflix Original documentary that looks at mankind’s future journey to Mars, as told through the eyes of the teens who will be the first ever to set foot on the Red Planet, as well as the leading experts currently pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation in space exploration. The film follows a group of trainees, ages 15-18, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Centre as they prepare to become the engineers, astrophysicists and astronauts of tomorrow.
Educational elements: Get an inside look into the architecture of the modern space race. There’s also insight into the historical, philosophical, and technological implications of becoming a multi-planetary species.
Skater Girl
Age: 10+
Available on: Netflix
Poverty and arranged marriages are not something one often witnesses in Singapore. But this movie can be an eye-opener to show the kids how other kids their age live in places like rural India. But more importantly, how one chance given to someone poor can change the course of their lives.
Educational elements: This movie has some violence in it but also has a lot of lessons about passion, purpose and dreams. A good reminder that kids should be allowed to be kids, to imagine, play and dream.
The Social Dilemma
Age: 13+
Available on: Netflix
The Social Dilemma, the latest TV documentary by Jeff Orlowski explores how privacy breaches are features, not bugs, of social media platforms. The show is part documentary, part drama and discusses how social media sites are watching our online behaviour (likes, dislikes, searches, purchases) to produce data that can be used for commercial purposes. If your kids have social media accounts this is essential viewing and we recommend watching with your kids so you are all clued up. Be warned teen suicide and self-harm is mentioned.
Educational elements: The documentary paints a grim picture about social media. Right as the credits roll look out for practical tips on how you can take back some control like delete unnecessary apps so your data can’t be collected and turn off all notifications that aren’t timely (so WhatsApp and iMessage are turned on, but IG, shopping, and travel apps have notifications turned off).
Read more: Mums Review Netflix’s ‘The Social Dilemma’ Documentary on Social Media
Explained
Age: 12 yrs+
Available on: Netflix (certain episodes only)
Educational elements include: Explained does what it says on the tin. It explains various topics, in neat 20-minute episodes, from the water crisis to the rise of cryptocurrency, in an accessible way. Parents take note that you may need to check what your kids are watching as some of the topics may not be suitable for younger viewers (one topic is all about weed, another about monogomy and as such certain episodes are not available in certain regions). Great discussions will ensue!
Psssst! Did you know that Netflix has enhanced parental controls that include the ability to put a PIN on adult accounts, block individual shows, filter shows by age rating (G, PG, etc.) and even review which shows an individual account has viewed, all of which can help curtail children’s exposure to dangerous content.
All submissions are mama-approved and courtesy of our team plus some extra reccos from our friends, Kids Coaches Fiona Ghiglione, PhD. and Elaine Haren.
Have we missed your kid’s favourite educational show available here in Singapore? Let us know at sassy@sassymamasg.com
Read more:
55 Shows for Mamas to Watch, Stream or Download
The Best Netflix Shows for Family Bonding
