"wholesome" television programming

[momz]

what would you consider "wholesome" programming for school agers? some of the shows on these days are more appropriate for tweens (IMO). Maybe it's just me, but I feel some of the characters are obnoxious, and the episodes don't seem to have any kind of a "moral to the story" like when I was a kid. Just curious about what you all think of the afterschool offerings.

 

[emma'smom]

My first grader likes to watch Arthur. Some of her friends are into Cyberchase, but she hasn't paid much attention to that. They also like to TIVO Pet Star (on Animal Planet) and old reruns of Full House.

I will admit that she has developed a fascination with Zack and Cody because many of her friends watch it....I find them to be a bit obnoxious and the story lines a bit mature---but she watches it now and then when I am sitting in the living room with her.

 

[livndisney]

My first grader likes to watch Arthur. Some of her friends are into Cyberchase, but she hasn't paid much attention to that. They also like to TIVO Pet Star (on Animal Planet) and old reruns of Full House.

I will admit that she has developed a fascination with Zack and Cody because many of her friends watch it....I find them to be a bit obnoxious and the story lines a bit mature---but she watches it now and then when I am sitting in the living room with her.

My dd (7) watches Arthur. And I have a box set of Full House that she LOVES!!!! She also likes to watch Little House on the Prairie. She usually asks to watch PBS or INSP.net.

 

[HeatherSue]

We usually keep the tv on Noggin. They now have 2 seperate channels- Noggin and "The N". It used to turn into "The N" at 6:00pm. I didn't realize this and once I walked in on my 3 year old watching a totally inappropriate teen show. Ugh! But, I think most shows on Noggin are appropriate for preschoolers. I'm not as picky as some, though. I don't think they all need a message, just so long as there isn't bad language or adult themes.

 

[Shagley]

Veggie Tales is great. I think it is only on Saturday mornings, but you can get the DVD's.

 

[design_mom]

My kids like Arthur pretty well, too. (Although DW gets on my nerves...or is it Francine? LOL!)

They also love reruns of The Cosby Show.

They love Kim Possible as well... I'm not sure it has a moral of the story, but they enjoy it and I think it's pretty wholesome. (The good guys always win. Lying and/or cheating, though tempting, never serves you well in the end, etc.)

My kids have also really started enjoying the cake-decorating challenges on Food Network and a show on Food Network called "Good Eats." It's kind of a mixture of a cooking show and a science show. (DS wants to do an experiment with yeast for his 2nd grade science project based on what he learned about yeast on Good Eats.)

 

[brockash]

My first grader likes to watch Arthur. Some of her friends are into Cyberchase, but she hasn't paid much attention to that. They also like to TIVO Pet Star (on Animal Planet) and old reruns of Full House.

I will admit that she has developed a fascination with Zack and Cody because many of her friends watch it....I find them to be a bit obnoxious and the story lines a bit mature---but she watches it now and then when I am sitting in the living room with her.

I agree with the Full House. We have all of them, and my DS (7) likes to watch them. He also likes The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Drake and Josh. I'm okay with those two shows. It's not the best in the world, but it's far from the worse.

 

[simba20]

My daughter is almost 20 months old. Yes, I have ignored the "no television before the age of 2" rule, but usually she only watches Tv when I am there with her, and I always try to point out things or explain stuff to her (not complicated plot lines, but more like "that's a turtle he lives in water and on land...."

Anyway her faves are:
Sesame Street (gotta have Elmo)
Barney (she's really into music)
Hip Hop Harry (a Barney like copy on Discovery Kids that does "hip-hop" music, again she's into music and for some reason this doesn't grate on my nerves like Barney)
WonderPets (OMG one night she sat absolutely still for 10 minutes in her rocking chair and watched this...I was amazed)
Blues Clues

Normally her TV watching is limited to Sesame Street in the morning (when she is not at daycare, she goes part-time). She alos watches and then plays while SS is on and then in the late afternoon (5-6 p.m.) when she arrives home from daycare and I am trying to get dinner ready. And I did feed her addiction that other day by buying her a Barney DVD at Wal-Mart. It was just so hard to resist her excitement when she saw the Barney DVD, picked it up, and said "Barney, Barney, Barney" over and over. We were waiting for Daddy to use the restroom at the back of the store near the electronics department. AT $5 for the DVD I couldn't resist.

Sadly I can thank her daycare for the Barney and Blues Clues addiction. I was so happy that unlike the other classrooms, her's did not have a TV in it, then after Christmas they put in a TV and will play Barney or Elmo or Blues Clues in the morning.

Now on the other hand, I am a secret Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, and iCarly fan.

 

[Daytona99]

My DS9's taste runs the gamut - anything from Zack and Cody, Drake and Josh, Hannah Montana, Spongebob, to Handy Manny and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

 

[MNdisneymom]

...I am not hypervigilant, but I do like to be aware of what my DS (6) watches...He used to really like disney channel stuff, but Zach and Cody are now too "silly" for him. (thank goodness!) he will still watch playhouse disney in the am before school, but I know he thinks it is kind of babyish.

Other things he enjoys...discovery channel. (dirty jobs, especially!) Animal Planet, sometimes history channel (although a lot of that is military, so I really have to be careful there.) Bizarre Foods on the travel channel is fun too...he loves being grossed out, LOL. Also, and this might be odd, but he really loves Amazing Race on CBS. We sit and watch it with a globe. (Yes, we're both geeks like that ). So it's sort of educational...And he likes Survivor, but only the challenges. I watch most of it with the remote handy because sometimes there is relationship type stuff discussed. (A couple of contestants will start canoodling with one another, or something similar.)

I have to say, my DS hasn't discovered the likes of pokemon and other programming like that--some of his friends have, but he is just not interested. (yeah!)

 

[pyrxtc]

How about some great Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear, Smurfs, things like that? yeah no moral of the story but my kids love it all.

The only thing I don't let them watch is Spongebob. I can't stand him. I change the channel for the teen shows they are quick to do that first anyways.

 

[Micka Mouse]

My dds enjoy Discovery Kids. Bindi the Jungle Girl is a favorite. DD6 watched Dinosapien and Grossology a few times. On Saturday mornings, CBS has Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake. Little House on the Prairie and Full House are also popular with them. They don't get to watch them often, so when they do, it's a "big deal" to them.

I'm done with Hannah and Zach & Cody. Their smart mouths were starting to rub off on dd6. I put a block on them so I won't get lazy and say "go ahead" .

 

[PollyannaMom]

If you get it, TV Land has been running several episodes of The Brady Bunch every Saturday! (DS and I DVR it and watch them throughout the week.) I used to love that as a kid and was so happy when he discovered it.

I agree there are not a lot of options to fill the gap between the preschool and tween shows.

 

[trennr]

That Phineus and Ferb show on Disney has been pretty good...and funny...if you allow yourself a little silly time.

You'll find yourself humming those catchy little creative songs...and wondering if your pet is actually a secret agent thwarting the like of Dr Doffensmertz.

I also agree with the Veggie Tales recommendation.

 

[eeyorefan74]

My DD7 watches a lot of Discovery Kids and Animal Planet shows. Favorites are Magic School Bus (although I think she's seen every one at this point), Bindi the Jungle Girl, and the Saddle Club. She also likes reruns of America's Funniest Home Videos, oddly enough. I'm with you on the tween shows. I'm just not ready for her to be exposed to some of the boy/girl story lines and tween attitudes.

 

[ptmmg]

If you get it, TV Land has been running several episodes of The Brady Bunch every Saturday! (DS and I DVR it and watch them throughout the week.) I used to love that as a kid and was so happy when he discovered it.

I agree there are not a lot of options to fill the gap between the preschool and tween shows.

I was going to say this My 7yo dd LOVES Brady Bunch. we to have been taping it so she can watch it though the week. It was a fav of mine as a child. she laughs becuase I know the episode within the first minute of the show and I can quote a lot of the scenes LOL.

She does also like Hanah Montana and Zach and Cody but I agree I think some of there story lines are a bit mature for 1st graders especially when they talk about dating.

But now that I think about it there was an episode of Brady Bunch where Bobby gets his first kiss ( I think the actress was played by Melissa Sue Anderson, Of little house) anyway she calls him the next day to tell him she has the mumps. LOL

 

[Sorsha]

For "after school" viewing, my kiddos watch almost exclusively PBS.
They enjoy Arthur, CyberChase, Word World, Word Girl, Big Big World, Ruff Ruffman, and whatever else is on there. I let them watch the PBS Kids block with absolutely no fear, everthing they play is appropriate. We don't get Noggin, or they would watch that too.

My 5 year old likes Nick Jr programming still, and I let her watch any of that. Also the Playhouse Disney stuff. But as soon as they kick into the "tween" stuff, or the Cartoon-Network-y cartoons, the TV goes OFF.

My 8 year old enjoys watching Amazing Race and Dancing with the Stars. She always roots for Cheryl.

 

[DebRMN]

don't seem to have any kind of a "moral to the story" like when I was a kid

well, not too sure what kind of moral Bugs Bunny/RoadRunner, Tom & Jerry etc had.....but my dh turned them on to those & they seem to like it

They are crossing over into that unknown, 'not a lot to choose from' land between preschool & tweens.

My son in the last month whines that Noggin is for 'babies'........because he is oh so mature ROFL, yet, I do find him still being intrigued & engaged if it is left on long enough.

He/they likes Phineus & Ferb......& if they get lucky & catch SpongeBob when I am either not aware, or in a weak moment of "I need peace",
His twin (both actually) LOVES Olivia, Word World, Martha Speaks, Pet Star, Aurthur, Word Girl

My 3 year old will ask to watch 'little kid shows', yet was doggin' Seasame Street today.........though all of them were glued to it LOL

fortunately they are NOT into HM, HSM, Zack & Cody.....yet....though plenty of their friends are. I just think its not meant for 6 year olds, who are the oldest in the house. I fully realize it is different for young kids who have older siblings (which is what I experience with my younger one)

 

[ptmmg]

well, not too sure what kind of moral Bugs Bunny/RoadRunner, Tom & Jerry etc had.....but my dh turned them on to those & they seem to like it

They are crossing over into that unknown, 'not a lot to choose from' land between preschool & tweens.

My son in the last month whines that Noggin is for 'babies'........because he is oh so mature ROFL, yet, I do find him still being intrigued & engaged if it is left on long enough.

He/they likes Phineus & Ferb......& if they get lucky & catch SpongeBob when I am either not aware, or in a weak moment of "I need peace",
His twin (both actually) LOVES Olivia, Word World, Martha Speaks, Pet Star, Aurthur, Word Girl

My 3 year old will ask to watch 'little kid shows', yet was doggin' Seasame Street today.........though all of them were glued to it LOL

fortunately they are NOT into HM, HSM, Zack & Cody.....yet....though plenty of their friends are. I just think its not meant for 6 year olds, who are the oldest in the house. I fully realize it is different for young kids who have older siblings (which is what I experience with my younger one)

yes especially hard when your 5 and 7 yo are the youngest and the oldest are 19 and 16. The older ones watch things like The Houswives of whatever lol, the girls next door and Intervention. Zach and cody do seem tame to me now lol.

 

[DebRMN]

yes especially hard when your 5 and 7 yo are the youngest and the oldest are 19 and 16. The older ones watch things like The Houswives of whatever lol, the girls next door and Intervention. Zach and cody do seem tame to me now lol.

isn't that so true??? Its all relative!
My sister is 13 years younger than I am. so I can sort of relate!