OT -- Good TV shows for 6yo boy?

[audrey13]

I'm looking for suggestions for good TV shows for an early elementary school-age boy (my DS is 6). He says he's too old for the PBS and Disney stuff he used to watch (Clifford, Arthur, Curious George, Little Einsteins) and I think he's too young for the pre-teen and teen shows (and they seem like they appeal more to girls anyway), and I'd like to avoid the "older" cartoons like Pokemon, Ben 10, etc. Not that those are that bad, but I'm looking for some variety, particularly some non-cartoon, "non-fiction" (if that's the right word) shows.

He really likes "Prehistoric Park" and "Prehistoric Planet" (one is on Animal Planet and one is on Discovery Kids, I can't rememebr which is which) and we've seen a few shows of "Really Big Things." Sometimes those are over his head and too technical, but he seemed interested. He also likes the "Dog Whisperer" (on National Geographic) which DH and I have been watching lately.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[tweedlemom]

My 6 year old likes PBS' "Fetch with Ruff Ruffman" and "Cyberchase."

 

[Merriwind]

My DD just turned 10. Cyberchase was huge when she was younger. She still likes Tutenstein, Growing Up Creepy, Time Warp Trio, Grossology and such on Discovery Kids. I like them because they incorporate history and science with TV that I don't find objectionable at all.

 

[Bethany]

My son is going to be 5 in a few days.

He loves Dirty Jobs and Myth Busters, both on the Discovery Channel. He also loves Man Vs Wild and Survivorman. Man Vs. Wild is on Discovery Channel.

As for cartoons- he loves Spongebob, Fairly Odd Parents, and Tom and Jerry. I was iffy on Spongebob and Fairly Odd Parents but they're not as bad as shows like Ben 10, Ed Ed and Eddy (HATE that show).

Not sure how other parents would feel about this but he also loves shows like Cops and Wildest Police Chases. My dh is trying to become a police officer so we watch those shows a lot. We always watch WITH ds and answer any questions he has and explain things to him... and if it gets over the top violent or I'm not comfortable with it, we change the channel.

Oh another favorite is Storm Chasers type shows. He is obsessed with weather! He'd watch the Weather Channel ALL DAY if we let him.

 

[momtwo4]

Try "Popular Mechanics For Kids" at your library.
They are not a tv series, but my kids love them! They have kid hosts and they teach about different subjects from tornadoes to rollercoasters, etc... Big hit in my house. My kids used to pretend they were the hosts Alisha and Tyler for hours

 

[Mkrop]

We watch Spongebob, Jimmy Neutron and Farily Oddparents

Both my kids think America's Funniest Home Videos is a riot.

What about Lilo and Stich?

 

[audrey13]

Thanks! I just went to the web sites for Discovery Kids and PBS Kids GO (a new site on pbs.org for older kids) and found lots of great shows to try, including the ones you all have mentioned. There's more good tv out there than I thought!

 

[homedad]

my 6 yo son loves Ruff Ruff, and Suite Life of Zack and Cody, I wish that we didn't let him watch Suite Life now as some of the content to do with girls. The characters are growing up faster than him.

 

[kitsch4]

A third vote here for Fetch with Ruff Ruffman. My kids also just started watching "How it's Made".

 

[tzolkin]

my DD3 loves "How Clean is Your House?" on BBC. If she knows it's on, there's nothing else you could interest her in. She calls it "The Nasty Show", so that's led to a bit of explaining on my part when she refers to it around other people or asks to watch it when we're visiting family.

I guess what they're interested in really depends on the kid... and she must be a strange one.

My DD9's favorite show is The Universe on the history channel, but it's on pretty late this season. (Tuesdays at 9, i think) If you can catch re-runs earlier or on weekends it's great for adults, but presented in a way that even my younger kids find it interesting.

Side note... I keep wondering what happened to all the shows that were on when I was a kid. Remember all those challenge type shows on Nickelodeon? And I remember a bunch of good shows on PBS like 321 Contact. It seems like everything on Nick and Disney for older kids now are just sitcoms about high school. Is that really all kids find entertaining? I really think mine would enjoy the old stuff. Maybe i just need to look around more at some of these suggestions to find good TV for "big" kids.

 

[Perditamarie]

We like Ruff Ruffman, Scooby Doo, Cyberchase, Magic Schoolbus and Legends of the Hidden Temple (like a kids game show challenge). I slide in a Curious George whenever I can and we will also watch the occasional Ghost Hunters or Ghost Trackers or Goosebumps. We are almost completely weaned off of Nickolodeon --- have become disappointed in their shows and I don't want my kids to think it is okay to talk like a bratty, smartmouth cartoon. I wish the kids would be happy w/Max and Ruby forever!

I think it is worth it to invest in fun/educational computer games and DVDs (we are amassing a nice Scooby collection!) to have the control of offering better choices!

 

[Colinsmom]

My 5.5yo DS loves Lilo & Stitch (because they "do experiments"), Storm Chaser stuff, Magic School Bus, How It's Made, and many of the shows on the Discovery Channels (including Animal Planet).

 

[Mkrop]

my DD3 loves "How Clean is Your House?" on BBC. If she knows it's on, there's nothing else you could interest her in. She calls it "The Nasty Show", so that's led to a bit of explaining on my part when she refers to it around other people or asks to watch it when we're visiting family.

I guess what they're interested in really depends on the kid... and she must be a strange one.

My DD9's favorite show is The Universe on the history channel, but it's on pretty late this season. (Tuesdays at 9, i think) If you can catch re-runs earlier or on weekends it's great for adults, but presented in a way that even my younger kids find it interesting.

Side note... I keep wondering what happened to all the shows that were on when I was a kid. Remember all those challenge type shows on Nickelodeon? And I remember a bunch of good shows on PBS like 321 Contact. It seems like everything on Nick and Disney for older kids now are just sitcoms about high school. Is that really all kids find entertaining? I really think mine would enjoy the old stuff. Maybe i just need to look around more at some of these suggestions to find good TV for "big" kids.

The GAS channel has shows like Double Dare on them.

 

[scrapquitler]

How about Mythbusters? Its a big hit with both of my children (11 and almost 5).

 

[bellebud]

my 6yo son LOVES dirty jobs... he and dh watch it constantly! we even reference dirty jobs for time frames... "when will be be there?"... "in 2 dirty jobs"

also, anything on discovery channel, etc, especially fishing shows and things on bugs, etc. Not too much 'regular' tv... maybe sponge bob, tom & jerry.

 

[MNdisneymom]

My son just turned 5, but thought this might be appropriate...he really loves Amazing Race. He has always had a really strong interest in geography and maps (I bought him a globe when he was 2!), and we sit and watch the show with the globe, talk about the places they're going, what the countries are like---people that live there, etc. A couple of seasons ago (?!?) they went to the world's largest IKEA and he was ecstatic. (He also loves IKEA, I know, it's weird.... ) It's also a really good study in human nature--my DS always notices who is nice, and who isn't, and all sorts of stuff. This last season there was a grandpa and a grandson doing it together, and he really liked them--because his grandpa (my dad) is one of his best buddies.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I love this thread because we don't do the older cartoons or tween shows either! My DS 8 likes Blue Planet on the Discovery Channel. We have Scooby Doo DVDs. (Although my DS 3 is now afraid of "bad guys" so the three year old is no longer allowed Scooby Doo!) We watched Dirty Jobs once, and he enjoyed it. Quite honestly, we just don't watch much t.v. because I think it is mostly junk! He does love his football, and a couple of times this season watched it all day on a Sunday. Both my DH and I make him close his eyes on some commercials!

 

[Mickeyherewecome123]

My sons are 4. Justin loves Spongebob, Dirty Jobs, Myth Busters, man vs Wild, Tom and Jerry,
and Jason loves, Spongebob, Curious George, Arthur, Drake and Josh, Scooby doo,

 

[_queenie_]

My DD13 still likes watching toon disney and nicktoons sometimes, she especially likes the older, nostalgic shows (she says she's "boycotting" the Hannah Montana Craze). I guess she's trying to introduce the shows to my DD3 that were on when she was that little (many of them I haven't seen for years). Dave the Barbarian, Goof Troop, Tail Spin, Rocko, Rugrats, Jimmy Neutron, and Fairly Oddparents, and something with Chip and Dale are a few I can think of off the top of my head. Brandy & Mr. Whiskers is becoming my DD3's new favorite!