Top kids’ TV shows on Amazon Prime Video UK
James R | On 20, Feb 2021
It’s the weekend. You’re looking for something to watch with your kid and you turn on the TV, but it’s not the same. For one, Rupert Bear wears trainers and has tanned fur. Where are all the TV shows you used to love as a youngster? Answer: They’re all on Prime Video.
What if you’re not settled down at the right time for kids’ shows on old-school telly? What if you don’t like the gender-targeted adverts in between selling pink things for girls and blue things for boys? What if you just want to use your offspring as an excuse to re-watch Rugrats for the 50th time?
Here are the top kids’ TV series on Amazon Prime Video:
The Legend of Korra: Season 1 to 4
If you’ve seen the fantastic animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender (no, not film), then make sure you check out its sequel. The Daytime Emmy Award-winning series follows Avatar Korra trying to defend Republic City from spiritual and physical evil forces. The result is epic, stunning, ambitious and brilliant. Not bad going for a kids’ series.
Avatar
Forget the feature film with the same title, this Nickelodeon animated series is fantastic, set in a universe where people can manipulate, or “bend”, the elements of water, earth, fire, or air. Only one chosen one, though, can bend all four: the Avatar.
Teen Titans Go!: Season 1 to 4
This hilarious DC animated series takes a more comedic look at superheroes including Robin, Raven and Starfire – the ideal counterpoint to Netflix’s gritty Titans. Season 2 is available until 28th February 2021.
Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street
Life is anything but normal for Gortimer and his two best friends, Ranger and Mel, as they navigate Normal Street – an ordinary suburb that has a hint of something magical just beneath the surface.
Niko and the Sword of Light
Don’t you hate it when an evil sorcerer takes over your land, covers it in darkness and transforms every living creature into grotesque monsters? That’s what’s happened to Niko, our young hero who lives in a kingdom that has been overrun by Nar Est. Woken up from a crystal, he’s destined to be the chosen one who wields the titular Sword of Light and rid the world of shadows. The only problem? He’s 10 years old. Stunning visuals and an enthusiastic cast create a kids’ adventure charmingly stuffed with imagination.
Annedroids
Amazon’s charming original kids’ series follows Anne, a young female scientist, and her human friends, along with the android assistants she’s created. Together, they use science to solve a myriad of problems. Did we mention it’s about a smart young girl who makes her own robots?
The Highway Rat
This short but sweet adaptation of the Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book is a tasty family treat, perfect for when a TV episode won’t do but you don’t have the time or attention span for a film. The Gruffalo, Gruffalo’s Child, Room on the Broom, Zog and Stick Man are also available and all equally charming.
The Kicks
Based on Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan’s best-selling books, the show follows Devin Burke (newcomer Sixx Orange), who was the star player on her school soccer team, until her family moved to California midway through the academic year. Now, she has to rise to the challenge after discovering her new school team, The Kicks, has been on a losing streak over the last few months and are badly in need of a leader to rally the team.
Nothing says strong teamwork ethics like a sports series, but The Kicks takes an impressive punt at the theme. More TV role models that remind viewers girls don’t have to conform to a Barbie doll image please. Back of the net.
Just Add Magic: Season 1 and 2
Amazon’s original live-action kids series aimed at families and children aged 6 through 11 is based on Cindy Callaghan’s book of the same name. It sees three girls – Kelly, Darbie and Hannah – discover an old recipe book belonging to Kelly’s grandma. When a “Shut-Em-Up Shortcake” causes her brother to lose his voice, though, they realise it’s more Merlin than Mary Berry. Extant’s Olivia Sanabia stars as Kelly, alongside Abby Donnelly (Suburgatory) as Darbie and Aubrey Miller (Austin & Ally) as Hannah.
A charming treat that viewers of all ages can savour, it folds in sincere lessons about friendship, honesty and teamwork, but never gets sickly.
Tom & Jerry
If you haven’t raised your kids on YouTube clips of these classic cat-and-mouse shorts, this is the perfect chance to introduce them to the slapstick, wit and suspense of Hanna Barbera’s duo. Season 1 is available until 28th February 2021.
Little Big Awesome
Every now and then, a TV show comes along that leaves you completely bewildered. Little Big Awesome is one of them – and it’s brain-meltingly crazy. The show stars Lennon, a small kid with a hat, and Gluko, who’s, erm, a giant jelly. Within minutes, though, that will seem perfectly normal, because the series is only just getting started: a trip to Gluko’s grandmother jumps from 2-D cartoon to three-dimensional stop-motion and then to live-action, before combining the whole lot together in a smorgasbord of cats, food, fake product placement and glimpses of outer space. From the pen of Spongebob Squarepants’s Ben Gruber, this is bizarre and beautiful stuff. If Adventure Time wasn’t weird enough for you, this is your new favourite show.
The Stinky & Dirty Show
Amazon’s Original Kids Series, based on the I Stink! book series by Kate and Jim McMullan, follows the mishaps of best friends and unlikely heroes, Stinky, the garbage truck, and Dirty, the backhoe loader. The series is written and developed by Guy Toubes (Littlest Pet Shop).
The Adventures of Tintin (1991)
HERGE’S ADVENTURES OF TINTIN! That classic voiceover intro may not be present in the 1991 animations, but the simple visuals, cheerful sense of humour and Tintin’s ever versatile eyebrows make these three seasons as enjoyably adventurous as ever.
Peppa Pig
First created in 2004, Peppa Pig has wasted no time in becoming a modern children’s classic. It’s educational and teaches valuable social lessons, but the secret lies in its simplicity: unfussy animations and everyday stories make up the action, which sees young Peppa Pig go to school or ride a bike. Low-key, charming and – proof of it’s success – appealing to both boys and girls of pre-school age.
SpongeBob SquarePants
“He lives in a pineapple under the sea…” If you’re not won over by that description, you’re missing out on one of the most surreal, strange and silly TV programmes ever created.
PAW Patrol
Six heroic puppies are led by a tech-savvy 10-year-old in this animated series that follows a string of high-stakes rescue missions using brains, cool vehicles and humour. Warning: once you introduce them to it, younger kids will be hooked.
Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter
Studio Ghibli’s first TV series, directed by Goro Miyazaki and narrated by Gillian Anderson (in its dubbed English version), is based on the children’s fantasy book of the same name by Astrid Lindgren, the author of Pippi Longstocking. Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter follows 10-year-old Ronja (Teresa Gallagher), born on a stormy night in a mountain fort, surrounded by her father (Rufus Hound), mother (Morwenna Banks) and a loving band of robbers. She grows to be a strong girl, and discovers that the forest is both a beautiful and frightening place inhabited by strange creatures.
Rugrats
Perhaps the definitive Nickelodeon cartoon (apart from Doug), Rugrats wins points partly for nostalgia – and partly because of its originality. From the red hair of neurotic Chuckie to Tommy’s cute bald head, the visuals are unique, while the decision to focus on small toddlers’ adventures is not only fun (and funny) but about as close to capturing the joy of kids playtime as television gets.
Operation Ouch!
This enjoyably accessible series is educational as well as fun, as identical twins Dr.Chris and Dr. Xand van Tulleken introduce the family to facts about the human body – a good way to demystify hospitals for kids afraid of them.
Scooby-Doo! Mysterious Incorporated
Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo get a likeable update in this 2011 animation that sees the gang solving mysteries in the spooky town of Crystal Cove, a coastal village that boasts a long history of ghostly sightings, werewolves and glowing deep-sea divers.
Pingu
Claymation doesn’t get more charming than Pingu, everyone’s favourite anthropomorphic penguin. The key to its success? There’s no speaking at all: just squawking. And babbling. And chirping. And other weird noises. A couple of episodes of this and your house will be full of Pingu impressions for days – and that’s just the adults.
Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny
As the Dragon Master, Po has endured his fair share of epic challenges but nothing could prepare him for his greatest one yet-as a Kung Fu teacher to a group of rambunctious kids from Panda Village who have been imbued with a mysterious and powerful chi energy.
In the Night Garden
From language lessons to… whatever you describe this as. In the Night Garden is a magical show full of bizarre, colourful characters who tend to speak in endearingly unsettling gibberish. Get on board the Ninky Nonk and get ready to say hi to Macca Pacca and Iggle Piggle!
Thomas & Friends
Trains are awesome. Especially those called Thomas. So if your kids are familiar with Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s books, these are a must. Those keen on colourful urban adventures may well enjoy the similarly cute Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder. But while one is the hero next door and the other features a chart-topping theme song, they have one thing in common: they’re not trains. Plus they don’t have Ringo Starr as a narrator. Is there a more relaxing sound than the drummer from The Beatles saying the words “Sir Topham Hatt”?
Octonauts
The Octonauts explore the ocean, rescue creatures and protect the environment – all in an admirable day’s work for this aquatic, educational preschool show, which is fun, safe and probably already familiar to any family with a young child.
Revolting Rhymes
Dahl’s rhymes are still revolting and thankfully, suitable for viewing by the whole family.
X-Men: Evolution
It may not have original iconic theme tune, but this underrated 2001 series is a fun take on the origins and maturation of the X-Men mutant superheroes, back when they were teens and first discovering their powers. Available until 28th February 2021.
Bananaman
This comic book spoof dating back to the days of The Dandy and The Beano gets a likeable TV outing in this series about a schoolboy who is transformed into a muscled, caped figure when he eats a banana.
Thunderbirds Are Go: Season 1 and 2
The animated reboot of the Gerry Anderson classic lack the the physical, tangible charm of the original puppet characters, but the Trace family’s heroics are fast-paced and the superb recreation of the Thunderbird ships make this an exciting enough diversion.
Arthur
“Hey! What a wonderful kind of day, where we can learn to work and play, and get along with each other…”
The Worst Witch
The OG 1990s adaptation of the books by Jill Murphy follows young witch Mildred Hubble as she attends Cackle’s Academy – only for trouble finds her immediately. Throughout her first year she must deal with the tyrannical potions teacher Miss Hardbroom. Also watch out for a young Felicity Jones as the scheming Ethel Hallow.
Note: The Teletubbies are there too.
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