Baby Einstein the Bros Gumball Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

So, this post is years in the making and should provide you lot with seconds of enjoyment.

Simply in one case upon a fourth dimension, I fabricated a list of the TV shows my kids (Young Miss Weisman, Immature Master Weisman and Youngest Principal Weisman) had watched since the starting time of the hatchlings was born virtually the kickoff of this century. And from time to fourth dimension I've added to the listing, and gone back and talked with them virtually which child-oriented shows were the true classics, which ones didn't hold up and so well and which never really registered to begin with.

With the combination of Nickelodeon revivingBlue's Clues and PBS ambulation its 50th anniversary salute toMr. Rogers Neighborhood last calendar week, I finally got myself to do the pointless thing I always wanted to do, which was effigy out which of all these shows were our favorites.

I promise it's evident that these rankings are highly subjective, and the accompanying comments aren't meant to exist taken too seriously. Trying to put these shows in a rational order was a huge challenge, and I could get through the listing and tinker with the rankings at whatever time. Comparison a prove aimed at teenagers with a prove aim at toddlers is fraught with apples-and-oranges peril.

Plus, I didn't go back to shows from five, 10, fifteen years ago and re-sentry them for a current assessment. And then much about appreciating children's shows is about timing — if it's the right show at the right moment, it can end upwardly outranking a amend prove that comes at the incorrect moment.

And as much as we did lookout man in our household, we didn't meet everything — surely, we watched likewise much every bit it is. And so though the list is plenty long, it isn't complete. (I'd love to hear your thoughts on what'due south missing, as well every bit what's misplaced.)

Two more than housekeeping notes: I wavered about whether to include truthful prime-time shows that my kids have watched regularly — such as The Simpsons, Modernistic Family, Stranger ThingsandThe Adept Place,ultimately deciding against it. I'm also leaving out the shows that I wrote for during this time:W.I.T.C.H.andYoung Justice.

But plenty preamble. Let'southward get on with the shows …

The Fresh Beat BandMy wife and I pulled the plug on this one ourselves. Did non appeal on whatsoever level.
Care Bears: Adventures in Intendance-a-lot Cracking title, huh? The original Care Bears ran earlier my kids were born, but this sequelish series stumbled into our path for a brief moment. A few pocket-size stuffed animals did find their way into our house, I'll admit.
Barney & Friends I hateful, it wasn't actually a matter for united states of america, only I tin can't say we never saw it. In fact, we saw it enough to recognize Selena Gomez from the young supporting cast when she started onWizards of Waverly Place.We also inherited from older families a fewBarneybooks that were not united nations-useful.

Shake It Upward Zendaya (who co-starred with Bella Thorne) was clearly a talent from the moment this Disney Channel show launched. Only the show itself … non my cup o' tea.
Domestic dog with a Weblog When I tweeted out the Varietystory announcing this testify (headline: "Disney ardent with blogging canis familiaris"), at least 1 of the responses condemned the concept in no uncertain terms. I replied it was guaranteed 2 seasons. Information technology ran for three.
The Suite Life on Deck This prove was nearing its cease as my kids started to sentinel the live-action Disney Channel shows. I liked seeing Phil Lewis on it.
Liv and Maddie On the other hand, my two older kids were start to wean off Disney Channel shows by the time this i came around …
Girl Meets World … to the signal that I call back they simply watched the offset ane or ii of Girl Meets World. I get the sense it was meliorate than average for Disney Channel. In full general, it'southward possible most of the Disney Aqueduct shows are too depression on this list as a group, especially given how much we watched them as a family — we fifty-fifty went to tapings twice — just I just don't think some of them article of clothing well over time.
Johnny and the SpritesMade something of a general impression, merely other than Johnny (John Tartaglia), I remember almost nothing of the specifics.

Daniel Tiger'due south Neighborhood Essentially an animated spinoff ofMr. Roger'south Neighborhood,but without his presence, information technology mainly reminded me how much he was missed.
Jessie The highlight was iii-time Tony Accolade nominee Kevin Chamberlin every bit the Mr. French-mode butler in an apartment filled with basically abased children. Likewise noteworthy for casting Peyton List at the same time a different Peyton List was recurring equally Jane Siegel Sterling onMad Men.

Peyton List and Peyton List

ToddWorld I don't know how if they're pop today, simply the seemingly countless supply of Todd Parr books were kind of a big bargain in our house in the heart of the last decade. But the Television evidence didn't take.
Caillou I think merely Young Miss Weisman might have been exposed. I don't have the visceral hatred toward this one that many do, but it definitely was a peculiar show that didn't resonate with us.
Bob the Builder Seemed fine, but didn't really take hold of on in our house.
DragonTales I know we watched this, but I tin't remember a single moment of it, really. On the other hand, we had a toddler book almost one of the dragons eating a pizza that got worn sparse.

Mustard Pancakes Winner for strangest championship, which is saying something. There was something happening hither. What it was wasn't exactly clear.

Austin and Marry Servicable only saccharine. My ii oldest kids loved this show when it came on, just turned ferociously against information technology a couple years later on and to this day try to deny they enjoyed it. When we saw serial co-star Ross Lynch in a Hollywood Bowl production ofA Chorus Lineyears after, they pretended non to intendance.
The Berenstain Bears This has zero to do with the evidence itself, but my favorite moment in the Berenstain universe remains the book in which Papa's secret prejudice was exposed — then cured!

The Berenstain Bears book in which Papa Bear reveals himself to be a closet racist … motion picture.twitter.com/SmHqiYfuVv

— Jon Weisman (@jonweisman) February 26, 2013

Teletubbies Ooh, colors. Always expect kids to be haunted past creepy Baby Lord's day rising, but I guess anybody moves on.

Boohbah A slightly more avant-garde (and therefore less disconerting) step afterTeletubbies.We had more experience playing games with the characters on the PBS Kids website than we did watching the actual prove.
Signing Time A preschool alive-action testify with the added bonus of education sign language.

Clifford the Large Red Canis familiaris Memories of this are exceedingly dim. Information technology was pretty basic, correct?
Thomas & Friends One of the improve-known shows on this list, I'd suspect, but my kids did more than playing with trains than watching the show.

The Penguins of Madagascar This got in the rotation for only a brusk while. I don't think it lived up to the original flick. The penguins were meant to be sidekicks, non stars.
Pinky Dinky Doo Didn't leave a lasting impression, good or bad.
Handy Manny Wilder Valderamma brought a solid enough characterization to this preschool show.

Special Agent Oso The timing was right for Youngest Primary Weisman to relish these adventures.
Maisy We had several of these books, which we read to Young Miss Weisman to an almost exhausting degree. The evidence was in play likewise, merely information technology didn't transcend the books.
Petty Einsteins In our memories, this doesn't age well. Only it was a natural progression for us from the Babe Einstein videos we showed Immature Miss Weisman, and at the time, seemed more than helpful than harmful. Information technology had the aforementioned pause-for-reaction approach of aDora the Explorerthat really handcuffs a prove for anyone over the historic period of v watching.
Sanjay and Craig Entertained for about a season only didn't really take root.
Kung Fu Panda Information technology didn't resonate emotionally, but a solid-enough successor to the film franchise.
Higglytown Heroes Ane of 2 shows on the listing with a solid They Might Be Giants theme song — which is honestly my primary takeaway from information technology. Not sure I loved the Weeble-like nesting doll bandage.
The Doodlebops I kind of cringed at how uncomfortable their makeup was and what it must have washed to their skin, but I will say I was a fan of Bus Driver Bob, who seemed to accept been on his way to an audition for The Sopranos only gotten very, very lost.

The Wiggles For its potential to irritate anyone over the historic period of vi, this could be the worst-ranked show on the list. Merely look, at the most bones level, the songs worked. Fruit salad, yummy, yummy.

The True cat in the Lid Knows a Lot About That This PBS blithe serial starred Martin Short every bit the Cat, which gave him a ton of personality — though speaking only for myself, it wasn't really quite the personality or voice I had in mind when I read the books. Even though the show meant well, I'm non sure I liked this testify's Cat being used to teach lessons as opposed to causing mayhem.
Franklin Not in heavy rotation for us, just included here mainly for the near mournful theme song from Bruce Cockburn.

A.N.T. Farm Series star Communist china Anne McClain (now onBlackness Lightning) was clearly a talent, and the characters themselves were adequately easy to have and the show well-intentioned enough.
Jungle JunctionCatchy theme song, serviceable stories in the age 4 or five neighborhood, as I recollect.
Dinosaur Railroad train Same. One time you hear the "Dinosaur Train" refrain, yous'll never forget it.
Jake and the Neverland Pirates Again, it hits a sugariness spot for a certain age, just then I think the kids move on pretty quickly. The college-ranked shows on this list had more than than a yr's worth of staying power.
Go Diego GoThis spinoff came around, I judge, because the boys were feeling underserved by Dora the Explorer?Immature Master Weisman did dress as Diego for Halloween at historic period 3.
Dora the Explorer The stature of this show was pretty enormous when my kids were born. Nosotros were given a Dora the Explorer version of Candyland, for 1 thing. The show functioned well plenty, but the formula got pretty stale over time.
Bunnytown
Jack's Large Music EvidenceThese two came from the same producing team. Jack gets the edge thank you to musical guests including Buddy Guy.

Sid the Science Kid This struck me as a pretty worthwhile show, introducing some good scientific concepts at a young historic period, but later on a few years, this fell into the category of shows the kids not just disowned but now say they never liked.
Super Why Cut from the aforementioned material, getting kids into stories.
Information technology's a Big Large Globe This might rate higher if it were fresher in my memory. (Or maybe it would rank lower, I suppose. Splitting the difference here.) Nicely diverse animal cast, featuring Snook the Sloth every bit its lead.
Milo Potato's Law From the team that brought you lotPhineas & Ferb, which (as you lot'll see) was adored in our household, Miloshould rank college merely for whatsoever reason, information technology didn't catch on with any of the kids at all, and then I'g taking that into account.
The Aquabats! Super Show Wholly original and more than a petty crazy, maybe as well much and then for my kids when it aired.

Olivia Solid, merely we probably got more mileage out of the books than the program.
A Little Curious Cheque out the list of characters and tell me there'southward no there there: Pad and Pencil, Bob the Ball, Trivial Loving cup, Mr. String, Plush, Mop, Doris the Door … and the Shoe Family.

Wow Wow Wubzy Catchy theme song and fun stories.
Lilo and Stitch A Youngest Master Weisman favorite at one point, only I think that was mostly momentum from him having actually enjoyed the movie it sprung from.
Octonauts With adventures slightly more ambitious than on the toddler scale and distinctive characters, this is an easy rec for preschoolers.

HBO Storybook Musicals Wasn't in heavy rotation for u.s., but they did versions ofThe Trivial Match GirlandAlexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Twenty-four hoursthat I call up being pretty strong.

Wander Over Yonder Youngest Main Weisman loved this enough at one betoken to dress every bit Wander for Halloween.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Toddler-level appropriation of the Disney characters that we got a lot of mileage out of — all three kids watched. Catchy theme music past They Might Be Giants was a bonus.
Curious George Former school, simply I have no complaints.
Blue'southward Room A spinoff of Blue's Cluesin which a puppet version of Blue was the star, non as good as the original prove by any ways, but introduced in a nicely executed transitional special that we watched many times.

LazyTown Shoutout to Republic of iceland for its big entry. This was, to say the least, an unusual show, merely the lead was charming and the emphasis on physical activity evidently welcome.

Family Game Dark Not sure this belongs on this list, but I feel compelled to include the kids' introduction to competitive game shows. For a long time, they held it against me for a long time that I never got us in to audition. In fact, they might still hold it confronting me.
Hi-five An American adaptation of a vignette-filled Australian evidence, this was sufficiently fun and entertaining for ages 4-7 or so.
Wizards of Waverly Place My married woman would say I take this way too high, only I kind of liked that in the atomic number 82 role of a Disney Channel show, Selena Gomez had a nighttime, sardonic border — at times, she was deadline grim. Plus, when the large series finale aired, my oldest ii kids wereLost-level primed for it. Bonus for Ian Abercrombie (Mr. Pitt from Seinfeld)recurring as the grand poobah of wizardry.
Expert Luck Charlie The all-time of the Disney Channel shows from the years my kids watched. Not exactly cutting-border, simply had a strong cast led past Bridgit Mendler, Leigh-Allyn Baker and Eric Allan Kramer, and was far less patronizing and more clever and entertaining than it deserved to be.
Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood On my personal listing, this would rank much college — like, height 10. One day when I was a kid, when I heard thatMr. Rogerswas going to have one of his occasional evening specials, I tried to follow the case of Schroeder promoting Beethoven'due south birthday and make a sign to tell the neighborhood nearly Mr. Rogersin prime time. In whatever example, our kids never got hooked onMr. Rogersfor more a few episodes. Merely despite my kids' blind spot, the quality of the prove must be acknowledged somehow.
Oobi A strange but low-fundamental charming preschool prove with a just-right theme song, starring easily with bows, mustaches and googly optics.

Word Earth This ane rates pretty high for me in mixing visually enjoyable amusement with 18-carat help in learning to read.

The Backyardigans Another solid show for preschoolers and young grade schoolers with a fine theme song. Theme songs are really primal in these rankings.

The Wonder Pets If you desire to sneak the equivalent of opera into your immature-uns' lives, here's a winner for you.
Imagination Movers A goofy, silly, maybe too sweet merely ultimately charming show with music and hi-jinx.

Teen Titans Become Originally rooted somewhat faithfully in the DC world, the evidence over fourth dimension has branched into completely random, preposterous, kitchen-sink stories. And it works.

Charlie and Lola I really dug the stories — and the accents. Loved the accents. We had aCharlie and Lolabook chosenBeetles, Bugs and Butterflies, based on i of the episodes, that was one of my absolute favorites to read at bedtime.

So Random When Demi Lovato had to leaveSonny With a Chance, this show became the sudden sequel. Another consequence of timing: Our family never sawSonny,only we found this evidence to be laugh-out-loud funny. Allisyn Ashley Arm in particular was cracking equally Sally Jensen.

Incredible Crew A filmed sketch evidence for kids that frequently hit the marking with great $.25.

The Amazing World of Gumball A current favorite of Youngest Main Weisman and probably his mother'south favorite as well — very clever and always surprising.

The Upside Down Show Super fun and clever stuff from Downwards Under, led by two guys who could intermission, fast-forward, reverse and slo-mo life itself with a special remote control.

The (New) Electric Company Having also been raised on the original, featuring Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno among others, I was genuinely excited to see it reborn in fourth dimension for my kids to lookout — so information technology was jarring to notice that the producers ditched all but a few elements of its ancestor. Just the result stood upon its own, and also deserves notice for getting on board the Lin-Manuel Miranda and William Jackson Harper (Chidi on The Good Identify) trains before they were mainstream. And deserving special mention: Ashley Austin Morris as Francine Carruthers.

Blue's Clues We started watching near the finish of the Steve era and in the transition to the Joe era. Some would say the bear witness suffered by that point, but I'd argue it held up reasonably well, given how colossal a shift this was. While information technology had more free energy and manifestly a different set-upward, I'd contend that the tone and intent drew from toMr. Rogers Neighborhood. Merely a quality bear witness.

Crashbox I honestly accept never heard whatever other family talk about this i, simply information technology was a winner for all three of our kids, essentially doing funny footling bits beyond subjects of math, science, social studies and history. And fifty-fifty as they've gotten older, they still go a kick out of occasionally seeing a clip from an old episode.

The Mr. Men Show This version of the Mr. Men and Petty Miss franchise was lots of fun, smart and a bit sardonic with a little edge despite being aimed for young ages. The Internet says their were 104 segments, which seems like more I remember — I wish it had run longer.

Sesame StreetIn that location's a reason it endures. By my mother's account, the show taught me to read. A generation later on, Sesame Street remained frequently brilliant, and substantially keeping a family unit tradition, Young Miss Weisman said her beginning discussion while watching information technology: "Duck."

We Bare Bears Charmingly dry out, lightheaded without being slapstick — this is but one of those shows that is a completely like shooting fish in a barrel watch, no matter your age.

Yo Gabba Gabba There was a point in fourth dimension when I would have ranked this No. 1. A fun, super crazy trip.

Fish Hooks Really smart, fun animated evidence that deserves to live on. Great characters.

Phineas and Ferb For pure fun and creativity — if I could only show one episode of a program, catamenia — I'd be nearly probable to go to Danville and the Tri-State area. Also gave u.s.a. by far the best soundtrack — I found myself listening to the songs in the car fifty-fifty after I had dropped the kids off. Only the overall No. 1 spot goes to …

Gravity Falls The best combination of smarts, laughs and suspense in the animated arena. Simultaneously producing stand up-alone and serialized episodes, Alex Hirsch'southward universe grew e'er richer, and at its climax, unequivocally stuck the landing in its finale. The run was all too brief, merely the two twenty-episode seasons of Gravity Falls shine for any audition.