The 100 Best Kids TV Shows Of All Time

Today, parents probably spend more time not watching kids TV shows than actually sitting down and watching them. Unlike family movie night, children’s television serves one undeniable purpose in the life of a busy family: a virtual babysitter. And, unlike 30 years ago, thanks to streaming, children now can binge-watch, just like their parents, requesting “one more episode” sometimes sweetly, sometimes because they’re hooked. This isn’t to say children today watch too much TV, or that they watch more than we all did back in the ‘70, ‘80s, and ‘90s. And, in all the ways that count, what makes a good kids TV show is the same as it was back in the day: It’s a show that parents can walk away from, and, upon returning, won’t drive us too nuts. The greatest kids TV shows of all time are those that enrich our children’s lives in ways that we can enjoy, too. Here at Fatherly , figuring out which kids TV shows are actually the greatest of all time means embracing several of these paradoxes. The writers and editors of this list — all TV critics who happen to be dads — didn’t decide that all of these shows were the most educational, most popular, or most politically progressive for the moment we live in. Many of the shows on the list tick those boxes too, sure. But like film, TV is an art form that informs as much as it entertains. These shows are undeniably good — well-directed, acted, and produced — but they’re also, important. Great kids TV shows don’t just entertain our children. The…