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What is your favorite PBS Kids show? Least favorite?

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BrookValley.

BrookValley.

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I love Sesame Street. I don't like Wild Kratts--I think for no other reason than I did like the original show the Kratt brothers did (Zoobumafu [sp?]) years ago and I'm not a huge fan of the animated part of the new one. I don't think it's a bad show, I think it's just my personal bias! My son's favorite PBS show is Super Why, though honestly, since we started letting him watch a little bit of kid's programming (up until a month or so ago, the only tv he'd ever watched was bits and pieces of nature and science documentary), he's over the moon about anything on PBS!

 

I also think Sid the Science Kid is cute, too. I would say that Sid and Curious George, along with Sesame Street, are the kiddo's favorites behind Super Why (said kiddo is nearly 5, if that matters). I have no idea what the schedule is because we don't watch much, so it's kind of hit or miss as to what we actually do catch.

 

ETA: My least, least favorite would have to be Barney. *shivers* Like nails on a chalkboard, that one.

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mskelly

mskelly

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Wild Kratts and Curious George are the favorites here.

 

Least favorite? My kids didn't click with Dr. Seuss. We love the books, but the show didn't interest them very much. Maybe because it is on at the same time as Jake and the Neverland Pirates on Disney. My youngest is part-pirate I'm pretty sure. :lol:

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Jen in PA

Jen in PA

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My kids don't watch these show as much now, but I still like Arthur, especially the episodes that deal with reading that play on the themes of various book series/genres/authors. My kids get excited when they think there will be new animals on Wild Kratts, but I find the Kratt brothers sort of terrifying -- they have way too much energy.

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Hwin

Hwin

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My son has loved every single PBS kids show at one time or another. Right now, his can't-miss shows are Wild Kratts and Electric Company.

 

I think Martha Speaks is probably my favorite, though.

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sharon&4boys

sharon&4boys

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My kids don't watch these show as much now, but I still like Arthur, especially the episodes that deal with reading that play on the themes of various book series/genres/authors. My kids get excited when they think there will be new animals on Wild Kratts, but I find the Kratt brothers sort of terrifying -- they have way too much energy.

 

That is really funny! I have enjoyed the Kratt brothers for that exact reason (their energy, enthusiasm, and the way they relate so well to kids) since back in the Zooboomafoo days. You know they don't have quite as much energy now as they once did - they are getting older! Both are married with families now. :001_smile: Hence, the animation of very energetic versions of themselves doing all kinds of crazy things!! My boys LOVE that show.

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courtney.byrum

courtney.byrum

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Mine haven't watched much lately but they love Wild Kratts. They used to really like Cyberchase and Dinosaur Train as well.

 

In the past they had loved: Word World and Super Why

 

I don't know that I have a least favorite but they never really watched Sesame Street or Arthur. They really liked Postcards from Buster when we got it but it's been awhile since they've watched that.

 

They loved Zaboomafoo when it was on as well.

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Gingerbread Mama

Gingerbread Mama

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Kids favorites: Curious George, Martha Speaks, Dragon Tales, Arthur

 

My favorites (and apparently no longer aired shows, can you tell I haven't watched TV in a while? LOL) The above, as well as Zomboomafoo and Between the Lions. The Kratts were mildly annoying but the show was ok.

 

Least Favorite of the kids: Word Girl, Super Why

 

My Least Favorite: Cyberchase. The show, itself, is fine. I just hate the animation, could those characters be any uglier?

 

All the kids have watched Barney, but thankfully outgrew him. I don't mind Barney in small doses, but I can't take much of him at a time.

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Jen in PA

Jen in PA

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That is really funny! I have enjoyed the Kratt brothers for that exact reason (their energy, enthusiasm, and the way they relate so well to kids) since back in the Zooboomafoo days. You know they don't have quite as much energy now as they once did - they are getting older! Both are married with families now. :001_smile: Hence, the animation of very energetic versions of themselves doing all kinds of crazy things!! My boys LOVE that show.

 

I have joked with DH that I think some of the PBS fund drive money should go toward sedatives for the Kratt Brothers.:D

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Farrar

Farrar

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Right now: Word Girl, probably. The kids kind of like Wild Kratts, but I have a feeling it won't be enduring.

 

Of all time: Reading Rainbow and Fetch, which we're still annoyed that they canceled, also Between the Lions deserves lots of love

 

Least Favorite now: I loathe Super Why. I can't stand the way they change these great, complex fairy tales to be insipid, inoffensive, moralistic tripe.

 

Least favorite of all time: Dragon Tales, probably. It doesn't even make any sense. Oh, or possibly Thomas. Ugh, Caillou is pretty darn annoying too though... oh, so many to choose from here.

 

There are two trends at PBS with children's programming that I really dislike. First, they used to make some shows for older elementary age kids but these seem to be constantly getting cut back. They do have Wild Kratts and Word Girl on the schedule still, but I wish they would innovate more in this area and make shows that actually appeal to the 6 and up crowd a little more. Have I mentioned how annoyed we are about Fetch? Grr. I know they're not going to compete with Nick and Disney, but I wish they had a stronger mission to appeal to this age group a little more. I would love for someone to reinvent something like Ghostwriter for PBS.

 

Second, one of the reasons they canceled Reading Rainbow for good was a desire to move away from book appreciation toward reading mechanics. Between the Lions also had a lot about reading appreciation and it went down on the chopping block too. I'm all for cute sketches about phonics like they do on Electric Company, etc. Reading mechanics is really important, after all. But there has to be a purpose in reading. Shows like Reading Rainbow showed that purpose. They loved books, not phonics rules. I wish PBS had not felt like they had to make some sort of choice in this arena.

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blondeviolin

blondeviolin

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We only get the shows that are on Netflix. I haven't heard of WildKratts...(though, now I'm off to google), but my kids loved Dinosaur Train, Word World, and sometimes SuperWhy. Ellie liked Caillou for a while and now I'm glad she doesn't. He is so whiny!

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StaceyinLA

StaceyinLA

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My young kids love Word World and Dinosaur Train.

 

I think the animation for Word World is really neat! Both of those are cute shows. I never have been able to stand Sesame Street, and the only other one he watches on there is Super Why, which I think is cute too.

 

Barney was my kids' fave, but that new Barney voice is horrid. My kids also loved Mister Rogers - wish it was still on!

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LillyMama

LillyMama

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Right now: Word Girl, probably. The kids kind of like Wild Kratts, but I have a feeling it won't be enduring.

 

Of all time: Reading Rainbow and Fetch, which we're still annoyed that they canceled, also Between the Lions deserves lots of love

 

Least Favorite now: I loathe Super Why. I can't stand the way they change these great, complex fairy tales to be insipid, inoffensive, moralistic tripe.

 

Least favorite of all time: Dragon Tales, probably. It doesn't even make any sense. Oh, or possibly Thomas. Ugh, Caillou is pretty darn annoying too though... oh, so many to choose from here.

 

There are two trends at PBS with children's programming that I really dislike. First, they used to make some shows for older elementary age kids but these seem to be constantly getting cut back. They do have Wild Kratts and Word Girl on the schedule still, but I wish they would innovate more in this area and make shows that actually appeal to the 6 and up crowd a little more. Have I mentioned how annoyed we are about Fetch? Grr. I know they're not going to compete with Nick and Disney, but I wish they had a stronger mission to appeal to this age group a little more. I would love for someone to reinvent something like Ghostwriter for PBS.

 

Second, one of the reasons they canceled Reading Rainbow for good was a desire to move away from book appreciation toward reading mechanics. Between the Lions also had a lot about reading appreciation and it went down on the chopping block too. I'm all for cute sketches about phonics like they do on Electric Company, etc. Reading mechanics is really important, after all. But there has to be a purpose in reading. Shows like Reading Rainbow showed that purpose. They loved books, not phonics rules. I wish PBS had not felt like they had to make some sort of choice in this arena.

 

I love your whole post! I think I agree with every word.

 

One I haven't heard mentioned- Angelina Ballerina. The hand-drawn cartoon one used to be on Sprout (the whole channel of which we've banned) and I thought every child on that show needed a good whooping. And I don't even spank! :tongue_smilie:

 

I will say that I just love Netflix, for letting me put on shows when we want them. We have really watched less and less TV as we've dug into school more, so when my kids get to watch, it's nice they can watch what they want and not have to sit through Barney.

 

*Irony about Barney- we're not age snobs. My son's favorite show is still The Wiggles- and he's almost 7. Barney has just never resonated with us.

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momma2three

momma2three

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I love your whole post! I think I agree with every word.

 

One I haven't heard mentioned- Angelina Ballerina. The hand-drawn cartoon one used to be on Sprout (the whole channel of which we've banned) and I thought every child on that show needed a good whooping. And I don't even spank! :tongue_smilie:

 

I will say that I just love Netflix, for letting me put on shows when we want them. We have really watched less and less TV as we've dug into school more, so when my kids get to watch, it's nice they can watch what they want and not have to sit through Barney.

 

*Irony about Barney- we're not age snobs. My son's favorite show is still The Wiggles- and he's almost 7. Barney has just never resonated with us.

 

Angelina Ballerina is the worst children's TV show I've ever seen. :glare: I have no idea who decided a show aimed at preschoolers full of bratty, whiny, bullying, nasty little characters was a good idea. I admit I was only sort of paying attention to it while it was on, because it seemed so cute and quaint. But then I actually was watching a full episode one day and realized that show was exactly where DD was getting every single one of her rude, pre-teenagerish mannerisms and phrases that had suddenly been popping up. AWFUL show, and whenever I a friend starts complaining about how her DD is acting recently my first question is "has she been watching Angelina Ballerina lately?" And 4 out of 4 times, the answer has been "yes, actually."

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Bluegoat

Bluegoat

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We don't see a lot of PBS kids, though we sometimes watch CBC kids which has similar content. I have to say I have been seriously disapointed in the direction kids television has gone in the 7 years since my eldest was born. At that time they had a few good shows - Mr Dressup, Ebb and Flo, Nanalan'. It has all been replaced by the most formulaic stinky computer-animated ****. It is the same show with ten different settings and slightly different characters. Often even the same actors for the voices. Blech.

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OrganicAnn

OrganicAnn

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We really like PBS shows.

 

Martha Speaks, Word Girl, Fetch, Dinosaur Train, Wild Kratz, Cyberchase.

 

My DD used to love Thomas the Tank Engine, but now can't watch it. I guess it is too young for her. Calihoo is the same. She never liked Angelina Ballerina either.

 

There are some one pbs.kids.org what we don't get on TV that she likes, too. Dr. Phizz's Lunch Lab (or something like that).

 

But our favorite PBS show is Nova.

 

No Va No Va No Va (that is her chanting her favorite show).

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i.love.lucy

i.love.lucy

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Favs: Word World, Wild Kratz, Fetch, Electric Company, but their favorite is Dragonfly TV.

 

I don't know about least favs. Mine are old enough to chose so I don't know what they have tried and not liked.

 

I agree about programming for older kids. Something like Dragonfly and Popular Mechanics for kids are so great for the tween set. She likes Electric Company okay, but it's a weird mix of seemingly older content and music/skits, but then with phonics. :confused: I hate that it seems Disney and Nick have that market cornered and we don't watch those channels, other than Phineas and Ferb on Netflix. Tweens could use some good programming that is not all bratty!!

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annlaura

annlaura

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Wild Kratts is our favorite. We got to see them live last summer at the zoo. We also like Curious George and Arthur. I don't let them watch Barney or Electric Company. I wish netflix would show Sagwa the Cat. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I have fond memories of it from about 4 years ago on Sprout.

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bettyandbob

bettyandbob

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Wild Kratts

 

My oldest watched the Kratt Brothers before Zaboomafoo. I forget the name of that first show. I liked that one the best.

 

Youngest ds also likes curious George.

 

I've always hated Barney. always.

 

I have a soft spot for Sesame Street--I was the age of the target audience when the show started. Some actors have been on the show the whole time.

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jewellsmommy

jewellsmommy

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We love Peep and the Big Wide World and Curious George! :hurray: They are my favorites. I also like Martha speaks, Aurther, and Word Girl.

 

I can't stand Electric Company. I loathe it! Dd likes it though. :glare: I make sure that there is always something else to do during that time slot.:D

 

 

I miss Sagwa. We haven't had sprout in a very long time.

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mamalbh

mamalbh

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FAVS - Sesame Street (before they started doing flying fairy school), Fetch (so sad it's canceled), Martha Speaks & Wild Kratts

 

ETA - how could I forget Curious George, great show

 

 

DISLIKE - Word World (words appear backwards frequently, are they trying to make kids dyslexic), Caliou (that whiny brat needs a spanking), Dinosaur Train

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Farrar

Farrar

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Is the Electric Company that everyone is referring to the new one? :ack2: It's awful. The original is where it's at. :D

 

I think they BOTH rock, actually.:D

 

People keep mentioning Sid the Science Kid... I have such mixed feelings about that one. Some things about it are really good. The first season was on when my kids were just old enough to do the activities and we often would do the stuff the kids do on the show as our pre-K/K science lesson, which was neat. But the voices. And the weird fanfare. Ugh. A homeschool parent friend of mine really has it in for that show because he says it shows a totally impossibly perfect school, where there are only four kids with one amazing teacher who somehow manages to teach lessons about the stuff they happen to be talking about that day. Oh well... we've outgrown it, so that's that for us.

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mamaeast

mamaeast

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Like: The Electric Company, Fetch (although I didn't realize it was cancelled - my kids are going to be so disappointed!)

 

Dislike: Caillou. Hands down.

 

I agree with PP about wishing there were more shows aimed at the 6-and-up crowd. Mine love the older shows, and I like them to have some educational programming, or else it's all Phineas and Ferb. And that's a fine show, but I like the option of something educational.

 

A friend of mine from high school was on the Fetch episode where they are staying in the haunted Ruffman Manor. The manor is near where I grew up, and I kept thinking it looked familiar! Imagine my surprise when I also knew one of the cast for the show! :)

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