I’m at that stage of life now where I occasionally have to entertain my friend’s kids. I feel wildly out of my depth and low-key terrified to be in charge of tiny humans, but seeing as I hold the title of godmother, I’ve needed to step up.
To try and distract the little ones from getting into my cat’s stuff – I once had an incident involving a cat fountain and a nappy-wearing toddler – I turned to the ultimate babysitter: the trustworthy TV.
It’s honestly a cheat code for life, and to justify my decision, I searched through Paramount+ to find some shows that would help educate toddlers. I figured it’d be helpful for anyone else in the same sitch, so let’s get into it!
The best Paramount+ Kids Shows that aren’t snoozefests
Dora
Episode length: 11 minutes
Rating: Ages 3+
Kids pick up languages relatively easily, and what better way to learn Spanish than with the help of Latina heroine Dora? Dora the Explorer is back in this new CG series, with 26 bite-sized 11-minute episodes. Armed with her backpack, monkey friend Boots and her trustworthy Map, Dora can entertain, educate and inspire your protégés.
The series is colourful and filled with unique characters, including my personal faves: Big Red Chicken, The Fiesta Trio’s Armadillo and the Grumpy Old Troll. There’s also sneaky fox Swiper who loves to throw a spanner in the works.
Plus, if you’re wanting to backpack around South America at some point, you can use the show as a little study sesh. What are you waiting for? Vamos!
SpongeBob SquarePants
Episode length: 23 minutes
Rating: Ages 6+
I will simply never get sick of SpongeBob SquarePants. You can watch all 14 seasons on the streaming platform, and the over-the-top cartoon can capture the attention of even the most restless child.
Whether you relate to SpongeBob, Plankton or let’s face it, most likely Squidward, this is one cartoon that’ll never get old. Plus, if it’s a hit with your babysitting charge, there are plenty of spinoffs to sink your teeth into. Chuck on The Patrick Star Show or Kamp Koral for a bit of variety.
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan
Episode length: 24 minutes
Rating: Ages 3+
This cartoon is quite possibly one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. The Nickelodeon show Ni Hao Kai Lan follows a Chinese-American character Kai-Lan as she tries to solve problems throughout her day.
She’s accompanied by her animal friends, including a Bengal tiger, a monkey, and randomly, a koala. Mandarin is woven into the show so kids can pick up a few phrases here and there. TBH, I’ve said “I’m definitely going to learn Mandarin” approximately 500 times in my life, so this show could be the kick I need.
Blue’s Clues
Episode length: 24 minutes
Rating: Ages 3+
Wanting something with a bit more nostalgia? All four seasons of Blue’s Clues from 1996 are on the streaming service. It’s one of the most iconic kids shows out there, and it tries to make learning fun. Each episode involves the host, Steve, trying to figure out a puzzle – with the help of the audience and clues left behind by Blue, the dog. There’s a few songs peppered throughout, and the “Mailtime” song WILL get stuck in your head. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Rugrats
Episode length: 22 minutes
Rating: Ages 6+
Remember watching Rugrats as a kid? Well, if you need a show to entertain tiny humans in your life, I can confirm that it does hold up (even if I have a lot more sympathy for Angelica’s ball-busting mum these days). There are nine seasons of this ‘90s cartoon available to stream, with the best TV duo Tommy Pickles and Chuckie getting into mischief.
The show has themes of bullying, courage, imagination and other issues that kids could face in the real world. There’s one episode – Season 3, Episode 24 – where Chuckie deals with a pet passing away, which could be helpful if your babysitting charges have gone through a tough time.
All That
Episode length: 23 minutes
Rating: Ages 6+
Sick of cartoons? Try the 2019 reboot of All That, the sketch show hosted by kids, for kids. With Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell at the helm, this show is laugh-out-loud funny – perfect for those who feel a little bit like a kid at heart.
There’s a musical guest for each episode, including artists like The Jonas Brothers, Fifth Harmony’s Ally Brooke, JoJo Siwa and H.E.R. With 34 episodes to work through, you’ll be sorted for babysitting content for hours.
There are plenty of other titles on Paramount+ if you’re wanting to have a nosy around, with titles conveniently popped into genres like “Kids Favourites” or “Preschool”.
If you’re about to be responsible for some tiny humans, good luck, and I hope this helped!