What is like Winnie The Pooh and Fantasia 2000? (Kids tv)
January 5, 2015 2:57 PM Subscribe
I'd like to find more kid's shows or movies that are very, very, very placid and calming. The best exemplars I've found so far are Winnie The Pooh (original movie and 2011 follow up - not the ones in between) and Fantasia 2000. I'm looking for other kid's media that has little conflict and might put my kids to sleep without boring them so much that they demand I change it to something else.
I've looked at tv tropes 'no antagonist' section but it wasn't really that helpful.
Good: My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, Room on the Broom
Bad: The Gruffalo - actually has some scary bits guys
I've looked at tv tropes 'no antagonist' section but it wasn't really that helpful.
Good: My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, Room on the Broom
Bad: The Gruffalo - actually has some scary bits guys
How old are your kids? Dunderklumpen fits your description (and my 5-now-6 year old son loves it), but it's definitely boring for older viewers (plus the English (dubbed) dialogue translation has some clunkers).
posted by Mchelly at 3:06 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by Mchelly at 3:06 PM on January 5, 2015
Pingu
posted by rabidsegue at 3:19 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by rabidsegue at 3:19 PM on January 5, 2015
Wallace & Grommit.
Shawn the Sheep and Timmy Time are also both very soothing.
posted by redfoxtail at 3:21 PM on January 5, 2015
Shawn the Sheep and Timmy Time are also both very soothing.
posted by redfoxtail at 3:21 PM on January 5, 2015
My nieces loved Waybuloo. It's not boring but it's very soothing with lots of calming, tinkly music. It *may* have caused me to drift into a pleasant snooze on more than one occasion...
posted by billiebee at 3:57 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by billiebee at 3:57 PM on January 5, 2015
My kids don't fall asleep to media. I can read 10 books to my daughter and she'll stay awake for all of them. Similarly, my son sat through reading an hour of 'The Boxcar Children' and still wanted more. We avoid TV near bed time because they totally get wired. Best results for us are almost always books. With that said, there are a few shows they'll watch before dinner (dinner->bath->stories->bed).
- Jim Henson's The Pajanimals (netflix - its designed for this)
- Cailou (The bald kid grows on you - eventually),
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (Pick episodes carefully if you want constant calm, but its solid like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood)
- Sesame Street Classics (on Neflix. Its not 100% calming, but - wow - my kids were transfixed in a way I didn't think possible to the first episode of Sesame Street in a way that they weren't glued to a current episode - especially by the films of actual kids)
-Justin Time (This is not calming. It makes for good mid-day TV - however it is 100% good and entertaining with minimal conflict and it will entertain your kids)
Lastly, we also use 'Cosmic Kid's Yoga' to help calm kids down either first thing in the morning or in the evening. Its on youtube.
I'd also add, that my son started to listen to chapter books around then - not big long ones, but I can attest to The Magic Tree House series being a good start (get them from a library because you don't want your kid trying to collect them all like mine wants to).
posted by Nanukthedog at 4:27 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
- Jim Henson's The Pajanimals (netflix - its designed for this)
- Cailou (The bald kid grows on you - eventually),
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (Pick episodes carefully if you want constant calm, but its solid like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood)
- Sesame Street Classics (on Neflix. Its not 100% calming, but - wow - my kids were transfixed in a way I didn't think possible to the first episode of Sesame Street in a way that they weren't glued to a current episode - especially by the films of actual kids)
-Justin Time (This is not calming. It makes for good mid-day TV - however it is 100% good and entertaining with minimal conflict and it will entertain your kids)
Lastly, we also use 'Cosmic Kid's Yoga' to help calm kids down either first thing in the morning or in the evening. Its on youtube.
I'd also add, that my son started to listen to chapter books around then - not big long ones, but I can attest to The Magic Tree House series being a good start (get them from a library because you don't want your kid trying to collect them all like mine wants to).
posted by Nanukthedog at 4:27 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
What about Sofia the First?
A three-year-old friend of mine introduced me to it and it's very sweet with no mayhem. Bonus, Tim Gunn and Wayne Brady voice characters.
Another option is to read to them before bed. We loved it when we were kids.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:12 PM on January 5, 2015
A three-year-old friend of mine introduced me to it and it's very sweet with no mayhem. Bonus, Tim Gunn and Wayne Brady voice characters.
Another option is to read to them before bed. We loved it when we were kids.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:12 PM on January 5, 2015
Miffy and Guess How Much I Love You (maybe).
But like above, my kid won't sleep with a TV on. She's been almost delirious at 11pm watching the end of a movie with the rest of the kids passed out around her. But the soothing TV/movies are good for midday meltdowns and sick times.
posted by geek anachronism at 6:14 PM on January 5, 2015
But like above, my kid won't sleep with a TV on. She's been almost delirious at 11pm watching the end of a movie with the rest of the kids passed out around her. But the soothing TV/movies are good for midday meltdowns and sick times.
posted by geek anachronism at 6:14 PM on January 5, 2015
I remember Milo and Otis being pretty chill; I remembered it fondly but was bored to death trying to watch it as an adult. Kipper is the most genteel little British dog, and his concerns are very sweet and very solvable (When watching by myself, I like to pretend that Kipper and his friends are all terribly terribly stoned throughout the episode. It explains a lot of their mild mannered befuddlement.).
posted by redsparkler at 7:21 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by redsparkler at 7:21 PM on January 5, 2015
My 5 and 3 year old currently enjoy Babes in Toyland and episodes of the old cartoon Madeline. They get very relaxed watching these. Seconding Caillou, and Kipper. Those are favorites too.
posted by Happydaz at 12:39 AM on January 6, 2015
posted by Happydaz at 12:39 AM on January 6, 2015
One word: Totoro
{Oops, I see it was noted in the OP, but it receives my highest personal recommendation based on the criteria.}
posted by fairmettle at 5:49 AM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
{Oops, I see it was noted in the OP, but it receives my highest personal recommendation based on the criteria.}
posted by fairmettle at 5:49 AM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This is my favorite kind of kid's show ... I think of it as "ambient kid's programming." If you have the Sprout network (which is owned by PBS), they have an entire block of it every night called "The Good-Night Show." The interstitial segments with Nina and Star are pretty chill too. If you don't have that network, you can seek out the individual shows elsewhere - strong recommendation for "Sarah and Duck," "The Pajanimals" (which is by the Henson studios, so you know it's awesome), "Kipper," and "Wibbly Pig."
Also, HBO's "Goodnight Moon" special from several years ago is fantastic, and is exactly what you're looking for.
posted by jbickers at 5:57 AM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also, HBO's "Goodnight Moon" special from several years ago is fantastic, and is exactly what you're looking for.
posted by jbickers at 5:57 AM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Definitely episodes of "Kipper."
posted by kuanes at 6:59 AM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by kuanes at 6:59 AM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Black Stallion for slightly older kids.
Charlie Brown movies might work.
Wallace & Grommit.
posted by brookeb at 3:04 PM on January 5, 2015