What are the best shows to watch with family?
Finding something on TV to watch together as a family can feel like an uphill battle. Shows kids watch on their own can feel too screamy or too fast-paced and programs adults like can feel too slow, too mature, or too “educational.”
But there is common ground out there if you’re willing to dig for it. Whether it’s a baking show turned reality competition or a smart and funny cartoon series, there’s plenty out there that everyone in the family — from 3 years old to 103 —can watch together.
So put those phones and iPads down and gather on the couch together as a family. Here are the 10 best TV shows to watch with family.
The 10 best TV shows to watch with family
1. “Tiny World”
Who doesn’t love a good nature documentary? “Tiny World” is a British production that was picked up by Apple TV and is narrated—appropriately enough—by “Ant-Man” star Paul Rudd. Examining the extraordinary lives of the planet’s smallest creatures, “Tiny World” shows that even the littlest among us are still capable of great things.
Each episode highlights a different region, from savannah to jungle, and is packed with beautifully shot footage of interesting creatures you may have never even known existed, like elephant shrews and strawberry dart frogs. Every member of the family is guaranteed to learn something from “Tiny World,” and that’s always a good thing.
Where to watch “Tiny World”
You can stream “Tiny World” on Apple TV.
2. “Hilda”
An animated series based on a series of graphic novels by Luke Pearson, “Hilda” follows the adventures of a smart and precocious blue-haired 11-year-old who lives in a magical world filled with trolls, elves, and even a deerfox named Twig. Voiced by Bella Ramsey (“Game Of Thrones,” “The Last Of Us”), Hilda is brave and friendly, making friends as she goes on fun (but not flimsy) adventures all over the town of Trolberg.
While “Hilda” might be a little tense and scary for very young viewers, elementary aged kids and adults alike will marvel at its humor, surprising storylines, and overall message of wide-armed acceptance of everyone—humans and trolls alike.
Where to watch “Hilda”
You can watch “Hilda” on Netflix.
3. “City Of Ghosts”
A Peabody Award-winning mockumentary series, “City Of Ghosts” uses a blend of traditional video and animation to highlight interesting and underheralded stories around Los Angeles. In the show, a group of kids create a Ghost Club to communicate with those no longer with us. Along the way, viewers will learn about everything from the Tongva people who are native to Southern California to the inner workings of a long-running marionette theater.
It’s not all history, either: There are personal lessons and socio-emotional messages throughout, for both parents and kids to take away. The only thing not to love about “City Of Ghosts” is its limited scope: With only six episodes available, you’ll leave wanting more.
Where to watch “City Of Ghosts”
You can stream “City Of Ghosts” on Netflix.
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4. “Fraggle Rock: Back To The Rock”
Eighties kids may remember “Fraggle Rock,” a Jim Henson series that ran from 1983 to 1987 and introduced the world to a gaggle of eccentric subterranean residents, including the adorable and hard-working Doozers.
“Fraggle Rock: Back To The Rock” is, for all intents and purposes, a reboot of that show, re-introducing the world to the madcap adventures of Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red Fraggle, plus Uncle Traveling Matt, Sprocket the dog, and a lovely lady named Doc. The show is fantastical, musical, and hilarious, and while parents who had the series as kids will find themselves equal parts enchanted and overcome with nostalgia, littler viewers will find much to like as well.
The best part is that, like all Henson programming, “Fraggle Rock: Back To The Rock” operates as a sort of cultural gateway to other Muppet-related material, meaning it’s the perfect thing to show a kid raised on “Sesame Street” or to use as a de facto introduction to excellent, timeless movies like “The Dark Crystal” or “Muppets Take Manhattan.” You can’t go wrong with more Muppets, either way.
Where to watch “Fraggle Rock: Back To The Rock”
You can stream “Fraggle Rock: Back To The Rock” on Apple TV.
5. “DuckTales”
Another retro reboot, Disney’s “DuckTales” follows Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck who, alongside their great-uncle Scrooge McDuck and friend Webby Vanderquack, go on treasure-hunting adventures all over the fictional world. Every character has a great name, from Launchpad McQuack to Flintheart Glomgold to Magica De Spell, and the show’s central characters are voiced by actors grown-ups may recognize, like “Doctor Who” veteran David Tennant and “Saturday Night Live” alumni Bobby Moynihan. The classic “Duck Tales” theme song is present, as well, lest anyone forget how much “life is like a hurricane.”
Where to watch “DuckTales”
You can stream “DuckTales” on Disney+.
6. “Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom”
“Wallace & Gromit” fans, this one’s for you.
Introduce the kids to the world of stop-motion animation with “Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom,” a 10-episode offshoot of one of the BBC’s longest running kids shows of all time. Centering around Shaun The Sheep, who fans first met in 1995’s “A Close Shave,” “Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom” is practically wordless, meaning it’s a great way to teach kids that they don’t need to be loud (or literate) to tell a captivating and hilarious story.
And similar to “Fraggle Rock: Back To The Rock,” “Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom” can act a great introduction point for kids to a larger world of animation: In this case, Aardman Animations, who have made everything from “Chicken Run” to the upcoming “Pokemon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d and Pichu.”
Where to watch “Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom”
You can stream “Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom” on Netflix.
7. “Looney Tunes”
“Looney Tunes” is a classic for a reason. Sure, some of the more physical bits and farcical gunplay might be a little outside today’s cultural norms, but if you can have some thoughtful conversations with your kids about what’s real and what’s not or why Pepe LePew’s lack of knowledge about consent is absolutely unacceptable, then you should all be able to enjoy the Warner Bros. classics together no problem.
There’s a ton of “Looney Tunes” out there, given that the animated shorts ran in theaters from 1930 to 1969 and spawned everything from “Animaniacs” to “Coyote Vs. Acme,” but start with the classics. You can’t go wrong with Bugs Bunny antagonizing Elmer Fudd or Wile E. Coyote getting bested over and over by the smart and speedy Road Runner.
Where to watch “Looney Tunes”
8. “Great British Baking Show: Juniors”
Everyone loves “The Great British Baking Show,” and for good reason: The British competition series is not only funny and heart-warming, but it’s also somewhat educational as well. How else would us Americans know about the intricacies of suet pudding or the benefits of using hot water crust over shortcrust when it comes to making a good savory pie?
“Great British Baking Show: Juniors” (known in the UK as “Junior Bake Off”) takes all of the best parts of the grown-up series — the kindness, the off-the-cuff wisecracks, the charmingly British contestants — and applies them to a kids’ baking series. Tasking bakers ages 9 to 15 with just two challenges each week (a showstopper and a technical), the show is brilliantly sped along by presenter Harry Hill and judges Liam Charles and Ravneet Gill, all of whom genuinely seem to love the kids they’re spending so much time with. And the kids! They’re so talented and cute and funny and you’ll want all of them to win, even if only one of them can.
The only issue is that, while 11 seasons of “Junior Bake Off” have aired in the UK, only two are available to stream here in the states. Maybe if enough people watch those, though, they’ll have to give us the rest.
Where to watch “Great British Baking Show: Juniors”
You can stream “Great British Baking Show: Juniors” on Netflix.
9. “The Owl House”
Kids and adults alike can get behind a good fantastical adventure, which is what makes “The Owl House” so perfect for family viewing. A Disney Channel series that ran from 2020 to 2023, “The Owl House” follows 14-year-old Luz as she stumbles into a portal to the Demon Realm, where she meets and befriends a motley cast of characters including a wild witch voiced by Wendie Malick and an evil emperor voiced by Matthew Rhys.
There are a lot of ups and downs in “The Owl House,” what with Luz having to eventually go home and all, but every minute of it is compelling, smart television. Characters struggle with not only magical issues but also with their own identities, talking about everything from what it’s like to be neurodivergent to what it feels like to be chronically ill. It’s never preachy, either, making “The Owl House” that special brand of kids show that adults will inevitably want to turn back on and finish after the kids go to bed.
Where to watch “The Owl House”
You can stream all of “The Owl House” on Disney+ or buy individual seasons of the show on Prime Video.
10. “Abbott Elementary”
Remember growing up, when the whole family would sit down to giggle over a network sitcom Whether you’re talking about “Full House,” “Happy Days,” or “Everybody Hates Chris,” good 30-minute network sitcoms have brought families together for generations. And while it might seem like there aren’t as many on TV at the moment, there are still some shining examples of programs everyone can watch together.
Take “Abbott Elementary,” for instance. Set in a school — a location everyone can identify with, from young to old — the Quinta Brunson-helmed series has hilarious characters, relatable storylines, and adorable kid extras. While the show can deal with some tough topics, like systemic racism and the lack of funding for urban public schools, it does so with aplomb, entertaining and educating in equal parts.
While kids might not get every single joke or reference in an episode of “Abbott,” they’ll still find a lot to love. And even if they duck or cover their eyes when mushy stuff comes up, like Janine and Gregory’s ‘will they or won’t they’ romance, it’s okay: You don’t always have to watch every second of a classic TV trope to come to understand it down the road.
Where to watch “Abbott Elementary”
You might already know that Apple TV ($12.99/mo.) has top-shelf prestige TV shows for adults — but there’s also a ton of quality family shows, including the entire Peanuts/Charlie Brown collection.
It’s Disney+ ($11.99–$18.99/mo.) — the place to go when you’re looking to entertain a family.
An HBO Max subscription ($10.99–$22.99/mo.) gets you even more prestige television for kids as well as adults.
A Netflix subscription ($8.99–$26.99/mo.) gets you all kinds of family content, including games.
For a family on a budget, the free streaming service Tubi offers a gazillion kid-appropriate shows. Just use the parental controls, ’cause there’s a lot of inappropriate stuff on there, too.
