Our Low Stim Media Faves
Ever notice how some children’s programming keeps your littles cuddled up and relaxed while others seem to turn your child into a mini parkour amateur? Turns out there’s a reason for it and it might just surprise you.
Some shows are actually designed to have fast scene changes, bright colors, action-packed themes and repetitive groovy music just to get kids hooked into watching within minutes. The formula is curated to create a high stimulus response in the brain causing your children to not only crave more but possibly even lose it once it’s taken away. (How many outbursts have you had once the TV clicked off?)
While we know that PJ Masks, Paw Patrol, and even Bubble Guppies & Cocomelon are made to pump your kids up and get 'em moving, what to do you have your littles watch to bring down the energy? Have no fear, help is here!
We’ve curated a list of our favorite shows for when you want to increase emotional intelligence and problem-solving while tampering down the stimuli and bringing their lion-sized action down to a low roar.
TV Shows for Toddlers - Kinder/1st
Nina's World (Hulu)
This lively show celebrates family, friendship, and diversity through content that incorporates English, Spanish, and even some American Sign Language. Simple elements such as Nina serving traditional meals and using Spanish phrases teach kids in a natural way.
Sesame Street (PBS)
Sesame Street remains a superstar of early childhood programing. Since 1969, Big Bird and friends have delighted and entertained toddlers around the globe. With engaging learning lessons, diverse characters, catchy music, and celebrity guests, you really can't go wrong with this enduring classic.
The Stinky and Dirty Show (Amazon Prime)
Truck-obsessed toddlers will go nuts for this sweet show about best friends Stinky the garbage truck and Dirty the backhoe based on the books by Jim and Kate McMullan. With minimal characters, it's easy for toddlers to follow the story, and despite what their names may suggest, Stinky and Dirty are terrific role models for kids and really demonstrate the power of teamwork.
Trash Truck (Netflix)
This gentle preschool show is about a 6-year-old boy Hank and his best pal, Trash Truck. They spend the day following their curiosities and helping their friends. This slow-paced and thoughtful show emphasizes social-emotional lessons and creative problem solving, and is great for young kids.
Puffin Rock (Netflix)
This series introduces kids to some basic concepts of science as they relate to the characters' explorations of their island habitat. As kids see the characters play and explore, they learn about different animal species and their respective behavior, including whether they're nocturnal or diurnal, what they eat, and where they live. The characters' relationships also have many positive qualities, presenting kids with excellent examples of loving family members and caring friends.
Stella & Sam (Sprout)
Based on Marie-Louise Gay's popular book characters, Stella and Sam is a delightful relationship between siblings who enjoy each other's company and set off on adventures together. Sam's trepidation over new experiences will resonate with some preschoolers, but he always finds a sense of security in his big sister's presence, which has great messages for brothers and sisters in the audience. Adults are absent from the stories because they're told from the kids' point of view, which invites big, imaginative adventures kids will love.
TV Shows for Early Grade School +
Tumble Leaf (Amazon Prime)
Set in a whimsical land where a small blue fox named Fig plays each day and discovers adventure, friendship, and love around every path. Kids will be enriched by these narratives that promote play, the fun of learning and understanding the world around them.
Give A Mouse A Cookie (Amazon Prime)
Based on the beloved books by Laura Numeroff and Felica Bond, we get to know Mouse, Pig, Moose, Dog & Cat and their favorite humans. When Mouse and friends get together, one thing leads to another in the most expected ways but always leads back to right where they started. Kids see that actions have consequences that aren't always predictable. There are a lot of sweet representations of friendship, kindness, and curiosity.
Lily’s Driftwood Bay (Universal Kids)
Filled with imaginative play, friendship, and discovery, Lily's Driftwood Bay is, paradoxically, a great way to impress upon young kids the joy of simple, screen-free playtime. Young Lily uses simple treasures such as bits of cloth and pieces of driftwood to inspire a day's worth of adventures with her friends, and they learn about solving problems and helping each other along the way. Each character has a specific role within the community, and Lily has a particularly sweet relationship with her single-parent father.
Little Bear (Nick Jr)
Little Bear is a six-year-old small, curious, and imaginative grizzly bear cub based on the series of books written by Else Holmelund and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. The curious cub and his forest friends, including Owl, Hen, Cat, and Emily, a human girl who lives nearby, play together in the woods, relying on their imaginations to provide them with plenty of adventures.
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS / PBS Kids)
Centered on a young tiger, closely parallels the gentle tone and emphasis on social strategies that have made Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (also highly recommended) a TV icon. Daniel and his friend’s experiences will validate the emotions children experience -- such as disappointment, sadness, frustration, and joy -- before demonstrating age-appropriate techniques for dealing with them. The show has strong messages about friendship and family bonds, as well as respect for curiosity, and each story offers opportunities for basic preschool skills like letter sounds and counting.
Shawn The Sheep (Disney Jr/Disney+)
From the creator of beloved claymation characters Wallace and Gromit, SHAUN THE SHEEP is a short-form animated series about a curious young sheep who delights in adventure and enjoys leading his flock into all sorts of mischief. When The Farmer's around, Shaun gives the man no reason to doubt that Shaun is just another follower of the herd. But the minute the unsuspecting man's back is turned, the resourceful young sheep is off in pursuit of fun.
Bluey (Disney Jr/Disney+)
Bluey is a puppy with a big imagination and a joyous approach to life. The show's characters are dogs, with many different breeds represented in Bluey's family and acquaintances. Each episode shows Bluey and her sister engaged in creative, simple playtime with their parents or friends, often learning important social skills like taking turns and being patient. Notably, Bluey's mom and dad are actively engaged with their kids, doing things their daughters want to do when they're not working.
National Geographic KIDS (Disney+/Website/YouTube)
Based on popular children’s magazines and young reader books, Nat Geo Kids offer children amazing facts about animals, science, history, and geography, along with fun competitions, games, and more. There’s Science Camp and Explorer Academy, where astronomers, biologists and other scientists walk kids through the wonders of scientific discovery. The Truth Behind and Weird But True focus on various inventions and how they operate. Best Job Ever gives kids a glimpse into cool jobs like animal photography, diving and mountain trekking. Destination World teaches children about specific places on the map, such as Asia or Africa, and Things You Wanna Know dives into frequently asked questions.
Izzy’s Koala World (Netflix)
Izzy's Koala World is a documentary-style show about an 11-year-old girl who rehabilitates injured koalas with her wildlife veterinarian mom. The show is mostly filled with warm koala fuzzies, but it does have some mild sad moments when they talk about baby koalas getting separated from their mothers, and when Izzy has to release her koala friends back into the wild. There's also some discussion and visuals of poop (which can offer clues to a koala's health).
This is just a small list of the tv shows we love for low stim screentime but we’d love to hear yours. Send us a message with your list or find us on Instagram (@HippocampusClubhouse) and DM us your low stim faves!