F/U to Cailou. What are the best/worst kids shows?

slwprincess · August 2013

I suppose "best" is not the correct term. Pretty much all kids shows are torture. But some are less painful than others. Let's go with "Tolerable." Full disclosure, we don't have cable- only Netflix and Amazon. Kids only get to watch Netflix b/c the Amazon interface on the Wii makes me twitch. So in a lot of ways, my kids are actually pretty sheltered on kids shows but they can probably kick your ass on Disney Movie Trivia. Here's my list but I know I missed some...

Tolerable:

Yo Gabba Gabba (who doesn't like feeling stoned during a kids show? Plus, it is basically kiddie crack for both my kids)

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (only b/c its Mickey Mouse)

Little Einsteins (only b/c its classical music and has sparked DS's insterest in musical instruments which is pretty cool)

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (this is new to us and so far, I'm not hating it. I was always a Mr. Rogers fan. Makes me feel mellow)

Spongebob (he actually makes me giggle some)

Phineus and Ferb (DH and I would pick this one over any other)

Worst:

Cailou

Power Rangers

Thomas the Train

Imagination Movers

Elmo/Sesame Street (this show is too damn liberal for me now. Everyone does NOT deserve a trophy! And if Cookies are not SOMETIMES food. Don't give Cookie monster a complex. He should eat what he likes.)

Dora and Diego

Color Crew (that song is worse than It's a Small World)

iwubrory · August 2013

My son doesn't watch too much TV. If he'll actually sit for two minutes to watch anything it's either Caillou or Super Why. I don't mind either show at all.

ellajune2012 · August 2013

I am happy to say I've never seen any of those shows except for Power Rangers when I was a kid and retro Sesame Street. (Side note: I know the guy who was propmaster for the American version of Power Rangers - which was basically the Japanese action sequences with new footage shot for the U.S.)

Kids shows? I'm going to do what my friends do with their kid and just have soccer games on the TV if my child is around. Kidding! Sort-of.

JordyInIndy · August 2013

K loved, I mean went absolutely bat shit crazy for Yo Gabba Gabba. Me on the other hand %-(

mdr619 · August 2013

I HATE, absolutely despise Dora and Diego. I think it's because it is so repetitive.

Unknown · August 2013

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TessyMessy · August 2013

Awww DS loved Caillou.. that was one of the shows I could watch with him. Other tolerables: Arthur, Clifford and Super Why.

Worst of the Worst: Dora, Diego, Thomas & Friends (soooo slow), and The WIGGLES.

Now that DS is 5 he prefers Sponge Bob, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Power Rangers. All are tolerable although it seems like Nickolodean plays Sponge Bob 24/7!

Jules5611 · August 2013

Caillou is terrible. He sounds like a whiny little bitch. When my son was little I banned him from watching it.

LibbyVille · August 2013

We love Mr. Rogers. It airs on PBS once a week. We DVR it and save 10 episodes at a time. It is so relaxing, is only 30 minutes, and actually goes at a kid friendly pace. I think it is available on Amazon Prime too.

DD only watches Mr. Rogers or Sesame Street. We saw some Arthur on vacation and that wasn't too bad.

When she was really little, (6 to 15 months) we used to watch Signing Time DVDs. I liked the songs and having her use sign language was awesome before she could talk.

jdubh · August 2013

We watch MICKEY all the time! It's the only think DD wants to watch...but I would rather watch one 100 times before I had to watch Dora. She was into Dora for like a week and then I started telling her that Dora wasnt on. I actually like Henry Hugglemonster, Sophia the First (voice is annoying), little Einsteins, Clifford, Curious George.

littlepig2 · August 2013

I hate, hate, hate, HATE Kai-Lan. I'm a FTM so I only see it with my nieces but omg they are so obnoxious and whiny!!
I do like Mickey and Little Einsteins though!

Amyjoy1972 · August 2013

Worst is Max and ruby the best is peppa pig.

mdr619 · August 2013

Amyjoy1972 said:
Worst is Max and ruby the best is peppa pig.

Ruby is so bossy!

Sacagawea · August 2013

We don't have cable, so DD only watches Netflix and the occasional PBS. She loves Daniel Tiger and Curious George. She used to be really into Blue's Clues, but much to our disappointment they took it off Netflix! We haven't watched Sesame in awhile because it is so long and I feel bad having her tuned out that long. I HATE Caliou!

C12H22O11 · August 2013

All this hate on Caillou makes me sad. I think it's a sweet little show and DS loves it. Also good: Veggie Tales, Word World, and SuperWhy.

Frankly, these are just about the only shows we let DS watch. I can't say I've ever seen YGG, Dora, the one with the pirate kid, etc.

inluv4life2 · August 2013

I love Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Doc McStuffins and Dinosaur Train.

HATE Caliou (he's banned in our house because of his whining). Also, Barney makes me want to poke out my eyes and ears.

tiggernorton04 · August 2013

My daughter is into most shows on Disney jr and Sprout. Caillou has been a favorite of hers for 2 years! Not only does she love the show, but my life is a 24/7 episode of Caillou. DD is Mommy, DH is Caillou and I am Rosie. Seriously, 4 yr old DD makes me call her mommy and refers to DH as my brother. A little disconcerting. Lol.

Virgo&Aquarius · August 2013

So many new shows! I don't even recognize some of these! DD will be 9 next week so it's been a while since I was actually forced to watch any of these types of shows.

When she was little she was waaaayyy into the Backyardigans and I LOVED them right along with her. Even now I'll break out in song and say "do you wanna make pie!? Make pie like a samurai!!" She was also into Barney, little Einsteins, Sid the Science kid(who I think it awesome because he has dreadlocks!), Mickey Mouse club house and higglytown heros. All of those shows I liked watching with her... What I didn't like was Thomas the train and little bear! They were so slow she would just fall asleep on them.

micaelasmakeup · August 2013

Yes.

micaelasmakeup · August 2013

Bubble Guppies is the best.
But it loses kids at 3.
I'm like a bubble guppies pusher at my house. Because all DD wants to watch is Team Umi Zoomi. And although she can count to 32, I'm just sick of PATTERN POWER!!!

micaelasmakeup · August 2013

I think the bubble Guppies as a race are discriminated against.
The BG are in a special low income school where they have only one teacher year after year and aren't allowed to go to school with the other fish. There is some major racism happening under the sea.

micaelasmakeup · August 2013

LaurLaurLaur said:

bribbon said:
@car seat

My DS is completely obsessed with Bubble Guppies. He actually looks like a blond Bubble Guppy (with legs). But the cognitive dissonance of that show hurts my head. Example: the episode where the guppies get stuck in a tree? Underwater?...you can't.....just....swim down? You need to call the fire truck? And why is there a fire truck in their town, anyway? For all of those underwater fires??

T loves Bubble Guppies. I kinda do too. But where are their parents? Where do they live? Why did Mr. Grouper take it upon himself to get Gil a puppy??

Or when The fish falls and breaks his tail?...

kacreations · August 2013

Best : Fresh beat band, Mmc, calliou, anything on sprout really Worst Elmo's world

melgrady · August 2013

I can't stand Barney (reminds me of my babysitting days), but it is the only show that will keep DD quiet while I am getting ready in the morning. I try to avoid Calliou because he is way to whiny and annoying and I don't want DD acting like him. DD really isn't into TV so I don't have to worry about her watching shows I don't care for often. Some times I wish we got Disney Jr. because she likes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, but we survive without that channel.

ufsandra85 · August 2013

i like doc mcstuffins, peppa pig, and 3rd and bird. dont like the wiggles and for the longest time i thought the parents in cayou were lesbian women.. i really thought the dad was a woman

Duckie77 · August 2013

We are definitely a Disney Jr. family. DD loves Sofia the first, Doc Mcstuffins, Little Einsteins, Mickey and Jake and the Neverland Pirates. She was into Bubble Guppies for a while and she is currently in love with My Little Ponies on Netflix!

I can not stand Dora and I have told my DD that she is very bad for us, so thankfully she never got into her. Special Agent Oso can get a little annoying too.

karich · August 2013

I watch enough kids tv that I start thinking about them way too much. Like does anyone really believe that Kelly and Handy Manny aren't sleeping together? It's totes obvi. "You always have what I need Kelly".
And, why isn't anyone concerned about Doc McStuffins? She never plays with any other children, just sits alone playing doctor with her stuffed animals. Her mother is a physician!

Oye. Kids tv has clearly fried my brain.

karich · August 2013

According to my kids, Kelly and Mr. Lopehart aren't married.
I never pegged him for the marrying kind. He's awfully attached to his mother....,and that cat

courtls22 · August 2013

I don't know of many actual kid shows but we have these educational videos at my daycare that all the kids absolutely LOVE but they sing super repetitive songs and have incredibly annoying voices and it makes me crazy. They inevitably get stuck in my head the rest of the day/night and then I have to think about them even when I'm done working for the day. Luckily we only watch one video a week but it still is too much!

iwubrory · August 2013

It's ridiculous but I kind of love Octonauts. DS shows no interest in it but the Creature Report song and dance number is just so darn catchy!

ramfan05 · August 2013

DS's absolute favorite is Dinosaur Train, and I like that one, too. I also don't mind Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Super Why, and Guess How Much I Love You (even though there aren't many episodes...we don't watch it very often).

I can't stand Yo Gabba Gabba (DS has never watched it, but the kids I used to nanny did). Dora and Diego also really get on my nerves. I'm sure there would be lots of others that would really get on my nerves, but he doesn't really watch anything other than the ones above, and even then, the only one we watch super regularly is Dinosaur Train.

mamacrunch · August 2013

We only watch "Mouse" (MMCH) I wish it came on more or the disney website didn't need so much bandwidth to stream.

We hate the rest. Mouse comes on at 7:30am and 8am. Then the rest of the day my kid plays, no more tv allowed.

He is 1, needs playtime. I let him watch tv for the first time on his 1st birthday, he really had no interest till one magical day he say MMCH and was in love.

I was totes like thank God you have taste son.

Edit to add: we do watch about 1 hour of youtube a day. Kidstv123. They are amazing. Best video ever phonics song 2 (can be found by searching "a is for apple")

VAMomma31 · August 2013

armalan12 said:

I'm a nanny and personally love Doc McStuffins, Bubble Guppies, Mickey Mouse ClubHouse, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates. I really hate Octonouts and Caliou

Agree with all of this *except* for the Octonauts. That's a household favorite. Most of the shows on Disney Junior are good.

kvlrn · August 2013

I'm going on my babysitting experiences here, but I liked it when the kids watched Oobie on noggin (I think), Mickey Mouse, Thomas, Phineas and Ferb, and Jake and the Neverland pirates. The twin boys i babysat LOVED the Wiggles and we would sing the songs all the time. It was cute

I HATE Calleu, Backyardigans, and Dora and Diego, Max and Ruby, and while I like how educational Little Einsteins is, those voices absolutely GRIND my nerves.

Also speaking of throwback shows from when I was a kid- I LOVED me some Mr Rogers, Shiningtime Station, Lambchop, Reading Rainbow, Classic Sesamie Street, and Wishbone. WHY can't we have shows like this now?

mamacrunch · August 2013

VAMomma31 said:

armalan12 said:

I'm a nanny and personally love Doc McStuffins, Bubble Guppies, Mickey Mouse ClubHouse, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates. I really hate Octonouts and Caliou

Agree with all of this *except* for the Octonauts. That's a household favorite. Most of the shows on Disney Junior are good.

I agree, my son will not watch much, but I myself enjoy Doc McStuffins, MMCH, Jake, & Octonouts. Disney Junior is awesome.

ChinaDoll87 · August 2013

I'm sorry, I don't watch any of these FTM but these comments are hilarious!

AshandThree · August 2013

We don't watch much TV, so we don't have cable, only netflix. There are lot of things here you guys have mentioned we've never seen (Bubble Guppies? Octonauts?) I let DS watch a limited amount of pretty much anything non-violent, but the things I really like are the ones I remember from my childhood, like Fraggle Rock. We don't allow any shows based on comic books at this age, and I hate hate hate Barney, so I keep telling him "that one doesn't work on our TV".

micaelasmakeup · August 2013

megash113 said:

C12H22O11 said:
All this hate on Caillou makes me sad. I think it's a sweet little show and DS loves it. Also good: Veggie Tales, Word World, and SuperWhy.

Frankly, these are just about the only shows we let DS watch. I can't say I've ever seen YGG, Dora, the one with the pirate kid, etc.
You don't find Caillou to be the least bit whiny and obnoxious? I'm sure my future children will be many things but whiny is not one of them. Shudder

There are entire websites devoted to hate Cailou. I defriended a friend on fb for buying her child a Cailou doll. I think Cailou is the downfall of the generation we are raising. If he was a real child on the playground with DD I would tell his mother to tell him to STFU!

calimama2007 · August 2013

As much as I dislike Caillou, my kids are completely mesmerized. It's the only show they will watch quietly. But it makes them whine so we rarely watch.

Kid favorites are Little Bear, Sid the Science Kid, Super Why, Team Umizoomi, Doc McStuffins, and some other random ones. TRUE STORY DD's kindergarten registration (which we ended up not choosing to do at local public school) actually asks what shows your kids watch! Not cool IMO.

They also love Magic Schoobus, which we recently got on DVD from amazon for a steal.

I hate any shows that encourage bossiness, whininess, or calling each other stupid.

karich · August 2013

Ohhhhh I forgot about "Guess How Much I Love You". Characters are named Big Nut Brown Hare and Little Nut Brown Hare.

Not making that up. I so love when Disney messes with parents.

Edited: wrote hair instead of hare. That's what happens when you bump at 4:30am.

theseaword · August 2013

I like Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Octonauts.

Dislike anything where the kids have British accents, Higgly Town Heros, Elmo.

I like the Hot Dog song from Mickey Mouse, and the kid sure seems to love that show, but it's as interesting as watching grass grow.

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F/U to Cailou. What are the best/worst kids shows?

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