Something tells me that the new Summer schedule is going to relax even the staunchest of TV viewing household rules so I thought it was high time to whip this post up! 
Today, I’m going to share our go-to educational shows on Nextflix that are perfect for pre-schoolers. My son is 4 and the Summer days are long, so we happily do a little educational viewing during the day.

No shame in our Summer game!

If you have a kiddo ages 3-5, I think this list might be right up your alley! 

Also, if you’re traveling, be sure to load up your tablets (if you have a kids Fire, you can pre-download and not worry about losing WiFi!) with a few of these to get you through! 
1. Super Why

Based on traditional story books like Jack and the Beanstalk and The Three Little Pigs, the protagonist, Wyatt goes on “reading adventures” in Storybook Village via the plot each story. Focusing on the alphabet, reading sight words and helping friends in need, this PBS goodie is pure education.

The theme song literally says “we’re going to look into books for the answer to our questions” and they’ve tried to give it a modern edge by giving Wyatt a Paw Patrol style pager that lets him know when his friends need his help. 

Bonus: there’s a Super Why game that we love to play on our Amazon Fire! 
2. Beat Bugs

Oh man, Beat Bugs is probably my personal favorite on the list. It uses the music of the Beatles as a theme for each show – and the classics are re-made by famous singers like Eddy Vedder, Jennifer Hudson, Tori Kelly, P!nk, Sia, Aloe Blacc and more.

This show is really perfect for babes of all ages (even toddlers) and the plot follows a group of animate bug friends as they tackle challenges that pop up in their backyard world.

The show also tackles handling emotions, friendship dynamics and respecting one another. 

3. Puffin Rock

Puffin Rock has been our go to for years – another show thats perfect for even younger babes – this animated series is sweet and soft, the voice overs are soothing and the imagery is not wild and rainbow themed like some of the others on this list.

Frankly, Puffin Rock feels like a break for my brain sometimes! Based on the adventures of Oona the puffin and his friends, this animated series is voiced with heavy Irish accents because Puffin Rock is set on an uninhabited island in Northern Ireland!

We’ve learned a ton about different animals that live on Puffin Rock (a shrew, for example), and Oona is always trying to teach his younger sibling Baba new lessons about being a “grown up” Puffin.

Fun Fact: the narrator is the lead guy (the cop) from Bridesmaids!
4. Ask The StoryBots

Ok, so StoryBots is another Netflix original and honestly, I’m just going to leave my fave episode description here for you: “The StoryBots climb inside a computer to learn about input, output and processing. Snoop Dogg guest stars as a tech-savvy operating system.”

Need I say more?!

The StoryBots are animated, live inside computer parts and focus on teaching tech by answering questions that kick off the theme of each episode.

“Helping kids get super smart” – perfect for any of you with kids who always asking “WHY?”. 

5. Blue Planet II

The only non-animated series on the list and naturally, the most beautiful and soothing to view, this one is going to be best for older preschoolers.

Blue Planet II is the BBC Earth series that focuses on the oceans and their ecosystems. From the Arctics to the Tropics, all of the ocean habitats are covered and this particular series lacks the super graphic imagery that can sometimes come along with nature docs. 

 Fact: it’s available for viewing under the Netflix Kids selections, no need to hop to an adult profile. 
6. Kazoops

About a boy and his pig (animated) and the adventures they go on with a strong focus on thinking outside of the box and imaginative play.

The family dynamic is multi-generational in the home and family members rock their individual style (like a blue haired sister). The pig’s name is Jimmy Jones, which makes me laugh, and there is a huge emphasis on taking care of our animal/pet friends as members of the family.

Emotions are also tackled – the first episode focuses on Jimmy Jone’s jealously when his boy brings home the class pet for the weekend.

Bonus: the music is awesome and not super kid like, think Jack Johnson vibes meets Barenaked Ladies singing about a safari watering hole. 

7. Llama Llama

Very Daniel Tiger-esque about delving into feelings and how to address our feelings.

The songs are cute and catchy and the lessons are perfect for preschoolers who are working to play with new friends.

Fun Fact: Jennifer Garner is the voice of Mama Llama.

8. Magic School Bus (Old and New Class/Rides Again)

I can’t lie: when Gray got into Magic School Bus (the original) I was so stoked.

There’s just nothing like it. The newer version (Rides Again) tackles “newer” science topics like the internet, but keeps the same vibe as the original.

Gray has a massive love of rainbows as a result of the colors episode from the original version! If you have a kid who is into science, weather, the body, asking questions, etc, I would start with Rides Again and then ease into the original, as the graphics are a bit dated and might not grab them right away. 


Bonus Entry:

Motown Magic is new to us and one that we are absolutely going to rock! Set to the music of Motown, the first episode is ABC 123 and focuses on Ben who has a “crazy imagination”.

Fun vocab words, tackling the first day back to school with new friends and a new teacher, emotions and all kinds of multi-generational family goodness.

Add it to your viewing list for older preschoolers and kinders!

Need more Summer Survival Tips?

I’ve got it covered – check out our fave educational apps here, my solo road trip with kids tips here and my sangria recipe here (because we’re gonna need it!).

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