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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think kids TV is shite now?

82 replies

GoodnightAdeline · 31/03/2024 16:21

DD has just discovered the delights of Come Outside with aunty Mabel on YouTube and it’s taken me down a kids TV nostalgia wormhole. What strikes me is how gentle the programs were - ‘today we’re going to find out how soup is made’ - compared to today’s dopamine-fests like Bing and Cocomelon.

AIBU to wish kids TV was a bit more gentle and educational and less hyper?

OP posts:
tracktrail · 31/03/2024 19:46

My kids are all well into adulthood so I don't know todays kids TV, and im even older but just putting it out there...Children of The Stones..😂

YouveGotAFastCar · 31/03/2024 19:41

Cocomelon is only on CBeebies as individual songs, with slower frame rates. The actual show has been proven to be addictive and far too overstimulating for children. It’s faster than the guidelines for children’s TV; and rivals TikTok, which was designed to get adults addicted.

Bing is pretty tame; though…

And I’d agree that there’s loads of good stuff.

And that Waffle is bad!

ReadtheReviews · 31/03/2024 19:21

Ben and Holly is hilarious and gentle. Bluey lovely.
Cocomelon is godawful though.

WhatsTheUseOfWorrying · 31/03/2024 17:26

Sirzy · 31/03/2024 16:55

Buzz and tell? I hated that one!

Yes! Looked it up. Thank you for the reminder.

It probably was terrible. The only reason it sticks in my memory is that we all used to do Charles Cheese squeaky voices when it was on.

WoolyMammoth55 · 31/03/2024 17:21

I discourage the Peter Rabbit travesty show on CBBC though because it's far too hyper and stimulating - bizarre given the gentleness of the source material.

phoenixrosehere · 31/03/2024 17:21

There is plenty of choice and as pp have stated much of CBeebies is gentle.

Tiny Pop, however is just adverts with a few kids shows in between imo and is very limited in our home. CBeebies and Netflix is preferred here. DS2 loves Aliens where it’s from the perspective of Aliens visiting Earth and learning about humans and the things they use and do.

WoolyMammoth55 · 31/03/2024 17:20

CBBC is worth every penny of the licence fee to me (even with the price hike).

Numberblocks - amazing. Colourblocks too. Sarah and Duck, Hey Duggee, Bluey, Ranger Hamza's Eco Quest and Let's go for a Walk, What's on your plate?... I could list for hours the stuff on there that my kids adore that is gentle and educational and lovely.

The Nickleodeon/Netflix/Amazon Prime shows are rationed in our house as comparatively they are awful. Ideally YouTube kids would be banned, except that it's the only interface that my little one can work himself so he loves it and in a pinch I'll let him watch it for a quiet life... Not proud of it though!

powershowerforanhour · 31/03/2024 17:18

I don't like Bing or Waffle but love pretty much everything else. I'll happily sit watching Go Jetters or Hey Duggee on my own and everything about Ranger Hamza is just balm to the stressed out soul.

LividAA · 31/03/2024 17:15

Bluey tho.

Funfuninthesunsun · 31/03/2024 17:13

There's loads of great TV. Kids are currently watching Dogs Squad on cbeebies and I love Tweedy & fluff which is on 5. That's a gorgeous gentle program.

BippityBopper · 31/03/2024 17:12

How is Bing a dopamine-fest? I would describe Bing as a gentle show which fosters emotional intelligence and empathy. Both of which I have very little, as his whiny attitude riles me up .

BertieBotts · 31/03/2024 17:06

Alphablocks and Numberblocks are great.

Agree cocomelon is awful. I have not seen Bing. I do wish the crap like cocomelon would stay on youtube and not bleed into every single platform, though. I had to block loads of youtube shit from netflix.

(We are abroad and don't get iPlayer sadly).

PuttingDownRoots · 31/03/2024 17:02

The good stuff endures.
The rubbish stuff will be forgotten.

Alphablocks. Bedtime story. Andy Adventures. Hey Dugee
Horrible Histories. Malory Towers. Newsround.

Still lots of great stuff being made.

Even the stuff like peppa pig, bing and octonauts has its uses. (Quite often it was actually teaching them how to deal with everyday situations and regulate their emotions)

Vegetus · 31/03/2024 16:57

Oh and all the Andy series on cbeebies are really good too.

Vegetus · 31/03/2024 16:56

Bluey is fantastic, the Paddington series is great. There's loads of shite due to the quantity of channels and streaming services but the good ones are as good as I remember from my childhood.

Sirzy · 31/03/2024 16:55

WhatsTheUseOfWorrying · 31/03/2024 16:51

Ah. I do rather miss The Poddington Peas, Come Outside, the quiz with a mouse called Charles Cheese, Brum and others.

But I know it’s just being misty-eyed about the kids’ early years. The programmes would probably be shite if I watched them now.

Buzz and tell? I hated that one!

thistimelastweek · 31/03/2024 16:53

I thought cocomelon was bad until the algorithm founds us and android any dragged us into the world of bebefinn and worse.

Hey Duggee and Bluey all the way!

Bobskeleton · 31/03/2024 16:52

I know this was for slightly older children but the stuff on cartoon network in the 90s used to be the complete opposite of gentle and educational. More like the imagination of slightly manic illustrators pumped to the max with caffeine and weed, which often resulted in very obscure children's shows.

What my kids watch on cbeebies seems innocent enough.

WhatsTheUseOfWorrying · 31/03/2024 16:51

Ah. I do rather miss The Poddington Peas, Come Outside, the quiz with a mouse called Charles Cheese, Brum and others.

But I know it’s just being misty-eyed about the kids’ early years. The programmes would probably be shite if I watched them now.

Dewdilly · 31/03/2024 16:49

There are loads of gentle and educational children’s programmes on CBeebies for little children especially. Ranger Hamza. JoJo and Gran Gran. Bedtime Stories. Hey Duggee. Sarah and Duck. One about a vet - can’t remember its name. Our House - I think it’s called - about cultural things families do.

Deardear17 · 31/03/2024 16:47

I do also like moomin.

RicePuddingWithCinnamon · 31/03/2024 16:46

It’s all gone to shit since Tots TV ended.

Mazuslongtoenail · 31/03/2024 16:45

The standard of tv now is miles better imo. My DD doesn’t watch loads but she seems to have learnt loads from Octonauts and Creature Cases.

NavyPeer · 31/03/2024 16:43

There’s loads of gentle tv programs but they don’t hypnotise kids on a phone at restaurants and pubs

Deardear17 · 31/03/2024 16:43

Yes to CBeebies!

also bluey is hilarious 🤣 as an adult I can tolerate that lol