To think kids TV is shite now?

[GoodnightAdeline]

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?

My parents had a video of it when they became grandparents and mostly all the kids in my family loved it but my DD was absolutely terrified of the dolls! She said their eyes scared her.

You can't beat Magic Roundabout! Stoner rabbit and manic depressive dog, good wholesome fun for children!

You want Maddie on "Do You Know". My favourites were how toothpaste gets made and the ice rink/bouncy castle episodes. Half the episode would be how something works and the other half was how something gets made.

My kids are older now and I miss Octonauts, Duggee, the Go Jetters.... thankfully even the 12yo will still tolerate Horrible Histories.

We've moved onto CBBC now and I'm enjoying watching the dramas with my DC. Programmes such The Demon Headmaster 2, Silverpoint and Dodger are intelligent and entertaining. But what have they done to Blue Peter? It's mostly a mass (mess?) of hyper kids and over excited presenters, noise and short attention span snippets. The drama shows available more than make up for it though.

Bring back Christopher Lillicrap!

When mine were little, there were lots of Cbeebies shows we all enjoyed,ost already mentioned, but morning TV belonged to channel 5 milkshake - Thomas the Tank Engine, Bottletop Bill (and his best friend Corky) - loved the animation style of that one. And Bear in the Big Blue House (the songs were wonderful). But they also loved the more gentle repeats/DVDs of older shows. Rosie and Jim was a big favourite of my eldest. He's 23 and has still kept his Rosie and Jim dolls we spotted in a canal shop. DD 17 loved Come Outside. When I was little, the Clangers, Mr Benn and Bagpuss were my favourites.

I think the stuff my son watches is good, some peppa (which has also made him love peppa books) and Duggee, Something Special, Teletubbies etc. It’s the repetitiveness that drives me nuts.

My friend’s kid learnt his timetables from Numberblocks rather school.