Why 90s TV Shows Are Great for Kids

The 90s might have been the heyday for family TV shows. No disrespect to Ozzie and Harriet or the Brady Bunch (and much love to the Keatons and the Seavers), but many 90s shows were made with kids in mind as the target audience.

Streaming 90s shows are especially great for kids because they show what life was like in olden times. Is there any better way to share what an answering machine was than with these retro TV shows? And nobody can demonstrate the evolution of the cell phone better than Zack Morris on Saved by the Bell.

Tips for Watching 90s Shows with Your Kids

As always, pick a show that’s age-appropriate and that fits your kid’s taste. The romance in 90210 might not appeal to some, and the scares in Goosebumps won’t sit well with others.

Double-check that the shows you’re looking for are still on the platform you think they’re on! Shows can move from one service to another, and different platforms can hold the rights to different seasons. So if you get hooked on a show, be aware that subsequent seasons could be on a different service.

A free trial of a streaming platform (which you can occasionally find on Amazon Prime) can help get a few episodes under your belt. Just remember to pay attention to when the trial loses the “free” part!

Where to Stream 90s Kids TV Shows

There are soooo many options for streaming 90s shows. Options like Tubi, the Roku Channel, and Pluto are tops for affordability (they’re FREE for the most part); the commercial breaks add to the authentic 90s feel. Netflix, Peacock, and Paramount+ each have a healthy mix of kids shows and kid-friendly programs. Disney+/Hulu/Max and Amazon Prime have massive libraries.

RELATED: 75 Best Movies for Kids: Top Family Movie Night Ideas

Rewatch one of your favorite childhood cartoons with the kiddos. Photo credit: Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Inc.

Top 90s Animated Series for Kids

1. Rugrats — Paramount+/Netflix

Appropriate for ages: 5 and up

Until SpongeBob floated along, Rugrats was Nickelodeon’s biggest hit. One of the most beloved 90s kids shows, the adventures of Tommy Pickles and company spawned multiple films and tons of fans.

2. The Magic School Bus — Tubi/Roku Channel/Netflix

Appropriate for ages: 5 and up

Originally on PBS, there’s more science than magic on this show, where a teacher (Ms. Frizzle) takes her class on field trips to learn about space, nature, anatomy, and more.

3. Doug — Disney+

Appropriate for ages: 6 and up

Doug was one of the kinder, gentler family tv shows from the 90s, featuring an 11-year old dealing with an 11-year-old's problems. It’s a bit of a diary of a wimpy kid before Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

4. Animaniacs — Hulu

Appropriate for ages: 6 and up

Steven Spielberg launched this 90s cartoon, a retro TV show best-remembered as the vehicle for Pinky and the Brain (one a genius, the other insane), the lab mice determined to take over the world. Narf!

 
Superhero fans will love Batman the Animated Series. Photo credit: Warner Brothers Animation

5. Batman the Animated Series — Amazon Prime

Appropriate for ages: 10 and up

Before watching other Hollywood Batmen, from Michael Keaton to Christian Bale or Robert Pattinson, try Batman the Animated Series. A faithful adaptation of the comics, this 90s animated show features a stellar performance by Mark Hamill as the Joker.

6. Pokemon — Netflix

Appropriate for ages: 10 and up

While there are multiple 21st-century incarnations of Pokemon, the original (Indigo League) is a morsel of Pikachewy animated 90s kids show that is streaming on Netflix.

7. The Ren and Stimpy Show — Paramount+

Appropriate for ages: 11 and up

The Ren and Stimpy Show is such a weird, clever, offbeat cartoon. Some of the episodes stray into some mature turf, so it’s definitely not for all kids. But if your older child appreciates kooky jokes, this 90s classic is perfect for some binge-watching.

8. The Simpsons — Disney+

Appropriate for ages: 12 and up

The Simpsons might be the definitive 90s TV show. Most fans think the mid-90s are the high point of this classic. Some of the humor might be a bit too grown-up for younger kids, but tweens and teens will love the nonstop jokes.

 
Before you watch Girl Meets World, binge the OG series! Photo credit: Michael Jacobs Productions/Touchstone Television

Best 90s Live-Action Shows for Families

9. Boy Meets World — Disney+

Appropriate for ages: 9 and up

A generation of millennials grew up alongside Cory Matthews as he, well, met the world. It’s a retro TV coming-of-age story that follows the characters all the way to college.

10. Family Matters — Hulu/Max/Disney+

Appropriate for ages: 7 and up

Where would the world be without Urkel? Family Matters ran throughout the 90s, and Steve Urkel’s antics are still funny 25 years later.

11. Legends of the Hidden Temple — Paramount+

Appropriate for ages: 7 and up

The Floor is Lava has nothing on the Hidden Temple! This game show was like a mash-up of Double Dare and Indiana Jones, and it’s still fun after 30 years.

12. Saved by the Bell — Amazon Prime

Appropriate for ages: 10 and up

The kids at Bayside High had more hijinks than anything resembling an education. But the six kids (and the hapless Mr. Belding) made the most of their school days in this nostalgic kids show.

 
Kids may get a chuckle out of the Fresh Prince's fashion! Photo credit: Quincy Jones Entertainment/NBC

13. Fresh Prince of Bel Air — Hulu

Appropriate for ages: 10 and up

Before he was getting Oscar nods, Will Smith was the Fresh Prince (West Philadelphia, born and raised—don’t pretend you weren’t already singing that). It’s still “Fresh” (despite some of Will and Ashley’s fashion choices), mostly thanks to the “Carlton.”

14. Goosebumps — Tubi/Roku Channel/Netflix/Peacock

Appropriate for ages: 10 and up

Disney+ has the reboot, but nothing compares to the original 90s show for kids. If your kids weren’t already creeped out by ventriloquist dolls, Slappy will take care of that!

15. Are You Afraid of the Dark? — Amazon Prime/Paramount+

Appropriate for ages: 10 and up

Another creepy offering from Nickelodeon, the stories told by the Midnight Society will definitely have a few night-lights fired up.

 
Home Improvement is a hilarious retro TV sitcom. Photo credit: Touchstone Television/Wind Dancer Productions

16. Home Improvement — Netflix

Appropriate for ages: 10 and up

Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor spent the decade grappling with tough issues... like lawn mowers and leaf-blowers. Kids still laugh, and grown-ups still wish they had a neighbor like Wilson.

17. Xena: Warrior Princess — Amazon Prime

Appropriate for ages: 11 and up

Princesses have come and gone, but there was only one 90s warrior princess. Xena began as a character on Hercules, but she was popular enough for her own show, and soon enough, her show was the bigger hit.

18. Beverly Hills, 90210 — Paramount+/Pluto TV

Appropriate for ages: 12 and up

Few retro TV shows can encapsulate the 90s quite like Beverly Hills, 90210. Whether they were struggling with (ahem) real issues or just hanging at the Peach Pit, we were happy to hang with the kids from West Beverly.