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10 Kid Shows to Download That Beat the Holiday Travel Tantrums

12/13/15 - By Sona Charaipotra

'Tis the season for road trips, long-haul flights and other “Mom, I’m bored!” moments. You can be prepared with this stage-by-stage guide to fun, downloadable kid entertainment that won’t give you a headache or send you into a spiral of screen-time inspired parental guilt.

We’ve skipped the mental junk food in favor of TV shows for each age range that offer up some educational value, but that your kids still will love to watch. And we’ve ensured that all of these shows are fully downloadable so you don’t have to worry about spotty streaming access during your holiday travel.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Toddler and Up

Curious George
Ages 2 and older
Available on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes from $1.99, full seasons $12.99 and up; free for Amazon Prime members 
My youngest, 2, is completely enthralled with George and his everyday antics—causing chaos in the city, in the country and even in outer space. The appeal: While there are lessons built into the episodes (problem-solving, friendship building, resilience), George has an insatiable sense of fun and adventure no matter what he’s exploring—just like the average toddler. And he’s got strong, caring relationships with those around him, especially the Man in the Yellow Hat. Plus, it’s classic.  
 
 
Daniel Tiger works out many familiar toddler scenarios like frustration with a sibling, but also larger issues like a storm that knocked over this tree. Image courtesy Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood/The Fred Rogers Company.
 
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood 
Ages 2 and older
Available on iTunes, GooglePlay and Amazon Instant TV
Single episodes from $1.99, full seasons from $14.99; free for Amazon Prime members
If you grew up with Mr. Rogers' nurturing, wholesome take on life on PBS, then Daniel Tiger is your guy. Updating that old-school PBS sensibility, Daniel’s world is diverse and exciting – whether he's hanging out with family or taking the trolley to preschool or to friends’ homes — and there are plenty of low-drama lessons along the way. Offering up fun, practical advice on everything from flushing to brushing, usually in the form of a sing-along, Daniel teaches lessons in a non-patronizing, non-annoying way – an important lesson for kids and parents.
 

Preschooler and Up

Sid The Science Kid
Ages 4 and older
Available on iTunes, GooglePlay and Amazon Instant Video Episodes from $1.99, full seasons from $19.99
With its structured, repetitive format, PBS Kids’ Sid is smart, fun and easily digestible educational TV for kids. They’ll be so entertained by Sid and his diverse family and friends they won’t even realize they’re learning about science, exploring things like shadows, what makes rain and plenty more. The built-in musical numbers will have kids grooving along, and the built-in lessons offer up fun activities for when you’re off the road again. 
 
Super Why
Ages 4 and older
Available on iTunes, GooglePlay and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes from $1.99, full seasons from $14.99
Recommended by the National Reading Panel, this fun series follows Whyatt and his ragtag gang of superpowered readers, including Pig, Little Red Riding Hood and Princess Pea, as they upend classic stories from Three Little Pigs to Cinderella to twist the moral in new and inspiring ways. Grounding itself in classics and repeating musical elements, it's frivolous fun that teaches letter recognition, word-building and comprehension.   
 
Doc McStuffins 
Ages 4 and older
Available on iTunes, GooglePlay and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes from $1.99, full seasons from $18.99
Fun, feisty and smart, 6-year-old Doc is a heroine we can definitely get behind. A wannabe doc like her mom, she spends her time fixing what ails her best friends — meaning her toys, including Lambie, Hallie the Hippo and Chilly the Snowman. Lots of lessons here, too, but in fun, lighthearted storytelling (with music, of course) for kids who have outgrown Daniel Tiger and DVR friends.
 
Sofia the First 
Age 4 and older
Available on iTunes, GooglePlay and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes from $1.99, full seasons from $19.99
Forget Cinderella. Sofia the First is Disney’s latest take on the princess trope, and this version is modern, strong and realistic for sure. This golden girl gets jealous, makes mistakes and works hard to fix them. With stellar animation, strong storytelling and lots of brand spanking new music in each episode, Sofia is a great royal role model for little princesses (or princes) in training.  
 

Ages 8 and Up

Wizards of Waverly Place
Ages 8 and older
Available on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes from $1.99, full seasons from $19.99
Give the Selena Gomez fan in your life a treat with the Disney show that made her a star. In Waverly, she stars as Alex Russo, a trouble-making teen in New York City who causes chaos when she learns she comes from a family of wizards and must compete with her brothers to inherit the powers. Drama, secrets, spells and boys, yes, but this Emmy-winning adventure is clean and wholesome fun.  
 
True Jackson, VP
Ages 8 and older
Available on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes from $2.99, full seasons from $24.99
True Jackson, 15, is your average high-schooler – except that she’s also a VP in the teen division at a major fashion label. Kids will recognize Nickelodeon star Keke Palmer from Akeelah and the Bee and FOX’s Scream Queens, but as True, she really steals the spotlight. Palmer portrays a smart, confident teen who balances work and play, math class, mega-budgets and employees who happen to be pals. 

Tweens and Teens

My So-Called Life 
Ages 12 and older
Available on iTunes, GooglePlay and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes for $1.99, full season for $19.99
OK, this show is more than 20 years old, but while it might seem like a throwback, ABC’s one-season wonder, which ran for all of 19 episodes, is more timely than ever, tackling issues such as a school shooting, coming out as gay, drinking and drugs, all in a riveting, confessional and utterly entertaining format that hasn’t been replicated since. And given talent like a young Claire Danes and Jared Leto, it will be entertaining to trace those actors to their modern-day incarnations. But most importantly, whether you were a fan back in 1994 when it originally aired, it lays a solid groundwork for discussion between teens and parents.
 
Veronica Mars 
Ages 14 and older
Available on iTunes, GooglePlay and Amazon Instant Video
Single episodes from $1.99, full seasons from $34.99; free for Amazon Prime members
This is pricier per season, but so worth the investment. The neo-noir drama centers on smart, savvy teen private investigator Veronica Mars, a rule-breaker bent on exposing the seedier side of her small town of Neptune, California. A strong heroine, witty writing and stellar storytelling make this throwback a worthwhile download. But be warned, this show explores some sensitive subjects like date rape, gang violence and murder, so you may want to pre-screen and be ready for some frank discussions with your older teen.

Top image: Doc McStuffins encourages healthy living but in a lighthearted way that kids respond to. Image provided courtesy Disney Junior.