Your Views... The best kids' TV programmes

We asked you which programmes your kids loved watching that really represent the world we live in.

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Your best kids’ TV programmes

Over on Instagram, you love a real range of programmes that bust stereotypes and provide fearless, funny, sweet and clever role models for boys and girls. Obviously a large proportion of our readers are based in the UK, so these are mostly programmes you can watch easily in the UK, though lots of these you can also find on YouTube, Netflix and Amazon.

So you need never be stuck for something to watch with your kids again - pick one of these!

Biggleton - A role play world populated by children. It’s sweet and inclusive and funny and weird. Which I expect is what happens if you get a random group of kids together and ask them what they think grown ups do all day. My personal favourite is the newsreader. Can’t wait till she’s actually reading the real news.

Apple Tree House - Set on a housing estate in East London, it follows the small adventures of kids in their neighbourhood, with their parents, grandparents and local community. Also the music is nice – this is a big plus if you’re the sort of person to get theme tunes stuck in their head even if the kids aren’t watching it.

The new She-Ra and the Princesses of Power - This had so many recommendations. It’s empowering, affirming, deals with friendship and has inclusive characters (rare in animation). Plus it passes the Bechdel test with flying colours which super hero franchises tend to fail. Despite being about princesses this is popular for girls, and boys, and adults.

Something Special with Mr Tumble - All kids need to see themselves and others in the starring roles and having fun adventures. Justin and Mr Tumble are clearly firm favourites for children with and without disabilities.

Adventure Time - I confess I’ve not watched this - but the recommends were so great. I’ll just let you read the review of someone who really loved it: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/sep/05/adventure-time-goodbye-to-the-most-inventive-cartoon-since-the-simpsons

Do You Know? - Maddie Moate shows you how things are made and why they do what they do, from cakes rising in the oven, to how they make loo roll.

Spirit - I was dubious about girl+ horse programmes, but you convinced me with your messages about this one. Fearless female role model for boys and girls. What’s not to like about that?

Catie’s Amazing Machines - Catie is a rally driver. She shows you some amazing machines and drives them. I like imagining the pitch meeting for this one:  “Well, it’s like Top Gear for kids, but without all the innuendo. And no Jeremy Clarkson of course. Maybe find a pretty girl who can shake her hair out of a motorcycle helmet like in Grease 2. And we can race the machines, well, maybe not actually race them, but maybe a competitive element, like, some sort of  which is the best at going on rails or in water or powered by electricity or something. Add in a robot. And it better have rock guitars. Like the Darkness. In fact, maybe the Darkness would do it - they’ve been down on their luck...”

Sarah & Duck - I can’t say Sarah & Duck without everyone in our house saying Quack afterwards. I’m so glad this got recommended as it’s sweet and surreal and gentle. The one where they bake a cake which is an animate mixture before it’s cooked and then becomes a friend of theirs is a good example of how weird but great it is.

Bluey - This sounds wonderful - I’ve not seen it but it came highly recommended by our Aussie followers. Not just for the kids, Bluey’s father isn’t a feckless idiot like in so many kids programmes, but a real rounded parent. As it should be.

And finally…

Moon & Me - I wasn’t sure if this should go in the best list or the worst list to be honest. Collywobble the Clown is literally the stuff of nightmares.