Arthur & 14 Other PBS Shows 90s Kids Still Love (& Where To Stream Them) (2024)

Thanks to the PBS Kids' shows in the '90s, there was no shortage of excellent educational entertainment options. Kids' television during this time transformed into a medium that benefited the whole child; reading and counting, music, object lessons, and social skills were more frequently included in various shows. PBS was a true leader in the arena of holistic children's programming. There are so many memorable shows from the 1990s, some of which premiered decades before and others that debuted in that decade.

There's no shortage of nostalgia for children's television of the 1990s. However, shows like SpongeBob SquarePants cause the conversation to center around Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. Though meant to target very young children, PBS offered an undeniably memorable suite of shows throughout the decade. The educational and developmental PBS Kids' shows in the '90s are just as memorable as other titles of the era, especially for those who grew up in that decade or raised their kids during that era.

15 Arthur

1996-2022

Arthur

Cast

Steven Crowder

Release Date

October 7, 1996

Seasons

25

Writers

Steven Crowder , Alan Cumming

Showrunner

Kathy Waugh

Stream now on Prime Video

Arthur is one of the most beloved PBS shows of the 90s, and lasted for 25 years, before finally ending in 2022. Marc Brown's children's books led to the animated series starring Arthur, D.W., and all of Arthur's other mammal friends. While the series was canceled, it will still have new content show up on PBS Kids and the video app every once in a while.

Arthur's Ziggy Marley theme song reminds viewers to "learn to work and play, and get along with each other." The show's inclusive stories and practical lessons stay with fans forever.Arthur remains notable to this day for its discussions of asthma, cancer, diabetes, and autism, and it strongly encourages relationships between families and friends. While only 11 seasons of the series are currently available to stream, new content, including podcasts, continues to be added to the YouTube channel for the character periodically.

14 Sesame Street

1969-Present

Sesame Street

Cast

Jim Henson

Release Date

November 10, 1969

Seasons

53

Creator(s)

Joan Ganz Cooney , Lloyd Morrisett , Jim Henson

Stream now on Max

One of the longest-running kid's shows of all time, Sesame Street debuted in 1969 and has been teaching kids how to spell, count, color, and be kind to others ever since. With its legendary puppeteers and human castmates, the series has always promoted diversity and celebrated many cultures. From Bert and Ernie to Big Bird and Elmo, these lovable puppets and their human friends are the past, the present, and the future of great children's television.

Funding meant that PBS had to cancel some of its projects over the years, and in 2016, Sesame Street was one of the programs it could no longer produce. Max ensured its survival when it picked it up in 2016. 19 seasons of the show (so far) are available to stream on the platform, but those interested in classic episodes will likely have to track down clips on social media.

13 Reading Rainbow

1983-2006

Reading Rainbow

TV-Y

Cast

LeVar Burton

Release Date

July 11, 1983

Seasons

23

Creator(s)

Cecily Truett Lancit , Larry Lancit , Twila Liggett , Lynne Ganek , Tony Buttino

Stream now on Prime Video"Take a look, it's in a book. A reading rainbow!" This important series was hosted by actor and director LeVar Burton. Burton's gentle voice brought the pages of different children's books to life, and his award-winning series also used footage of children and adults in many environments. The live-action scenes corresponded with the reading material of each episode. Reading Rainbow shaped children of several generations for the better. This PBS Kids show of the 90s won 26 Emmy Awards.

Burton has remained committed to encouraging children to read despite the cancelation of the series. In 2016, he led a Kickstarter campaign to get books and Reading Rainbow into classrooms, but legal issues blocked him from being able to complete all aspects of his revival. Burton still podcasts about books, but for adults who grew up with the show, in "LeVar Burton Reads."

12 The Adventures Of Dudley The Dragon

1994-1997

The Adventures Of Dudley The Dragon (1994)

Cast

Richard Mortimer , Louise Shekter , Allan Novak , E. Jane Thompson , Sue Brophey , Darrell Wasyk

Release Date

October 8, 1993

Seasons

5

Writers

Alex Galatis

Directors

Stan Swan

The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon was a Canadian children's series that aired on PBS in the United States from 1993 to 1997. Focusing primarily on the titular character of Dudley, the series is comparable to Sesame Street, as it features a cast of puppeteered creatures. A singalong affair that laid the groundwork for many PBS-affiliated children's shows to come, The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon makes for an interesting watch today thanks to its main character and his weirdly sarcastic attitude.

The series is currently unavailable to stream largely because deals were put in place beginning in 2008 for it to be rebroadcast on different television stations. In 2008, it began airing on APTN (Aboriginal People's Television Network) in Canada in both French and English. By 2023, it was also airing in the USA on Heartland and RetroTV.

11 Dragon Tales

1999-2005

Dragon Tales (1999)

TV-Y

Cast

Andrea Libman , Danny McKinnon , Ty Olsson , Chantal Strand , Jason Michas , Kathleen Barr , Eli Gabay , Scott McNeil , Garry Chalk , Aida Ortega

Release Date

September 6, 1999

Seasons

3

Directors

Tim Eldred , Phil Weinstein , Michael Hack , Gloria Jenkins

When siblings Emmy and Max encounter a dragon scale in their new home, they are transported to a wonderful realm of whimsical dragons, whom they befriend. From the kindly Cassie and the cowardly Ord to the timid Zak and outgoing Wheezie, the show featured a cast of memorable characters, and it remained relevant through the early 2000s until its eventual cancelation in 2005.

Boasting an iconic theme song and just over one hundred episodes, Dragon Tales was a classic PBS Kids show of the 90s, in which turn-of-the-century toddlers likely harbor fond memories. The show was created by Wesley Eure, who played Will Marshall in Land of the Lost, and Dragon Tales picked up three Emmy nominations during its run.

Though the series didn't premiere until 1999, the idea for the story actually began with a sketch in 1978. Artist Ron Rodecker began sketching dragons after a medical procedure, and it wasn't until 1995 Jim Coane found the sketches and wanted to build a story around them.

10 Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

1968-2001

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

Cast

Fred Rogers , Betty Aberlin , David Newell

Release Date

1968-00-00

Seasons

31

Stream now on Prime Video

Fred Rogers is the angel of children's television, running his show from 1968 to 2001. Mr. Rogers broke the fourth wall, loved his neighbor, used creative puppetry, and was not afraid to treat children like the real people they were. He carefully introduced difficult topics some days while still including basic lessons for everyday child development. It's no wonder that so many recent projects have sought to share more about his life and career.

Not only was he a teacher in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, but he was an advocate for kids and for PBS and public access television in general. In 1969, Rogers testified to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications about the importance of PBS and ensured that kids for future decades would get the same learning experiences as those in the 1960s. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood told this story beautifully.

9 Between The Lions

1999-2011

Between The Lions (1999)

TV-Y

Cast

Fred Newman , Ruth Westheimer

Release Date

April 3, 2000

Creator(s)

Lou Berger , Christopher Cerf , Michael K. Frith , Kathryn Mullen , Linda Rath , Norman Stiles

Writers

Sean Kelly , Sarah Durkee , Kathryn Mullen , Norman Stiles

A sequel of sorts to the massive success that was Sesame Street, Between the Lions featured a cast of anthropomorphic puppeteered lions who ran a library and focused primarily on children's literacy. Introducing kids to famous literary works and common narrative tropes, the show was something of a more intellectually advanced version of its spiritual predecessor. Though it technically debuted in 2000, Between the Lions was in development throughout most of the '90s, and it occasionally guest-starred actors from other PBS series like Zoom and Sesame Street.

While clips of the show can be found on YouTube, the series is not currently available to stream anywhere. The hold up on streaming appears to be the PBS affiliate in Boston that originally helped to fund the show. WGBH, now GBH, still has the broadcast rights for the series, despite it not airing on television. A deal hasn't been made to allow streaming of the show in most regions.

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8 Barney & Friends

1992-2010

Barney the Dinosaur

Family

Cast

Selena Gomez

Release Date

April 6, 1992

Seasons

14

See at AmazonSee at Best Buy

Barney was born out of a mother's desire to give her young son an entertaining television option. That mom was Sheryl Leach, and she helped bring Barney to life with the character's first video in the late 1980s, Barney & the Backyard Gang. The big purple dinosaur made it to PBS in 1992, and Barney & Friends did not end until 2010. With songs like "Clean Up," "I Love You," and "If All the Raindrops," Barney engaged every part of the young viewer's brain.

The television series extended to live shows, books, and cuddly miniature Barneys. While the show eventually became parodied in cruel ways over the years, Barney & Friends remains a beloved PBS Kids' show from the 90s that taught many kids the meaning of friendship and got actors like Selena Gomez their start in the industry. The show won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2001. A Barney movie is supposed to be coming as well, although it will be geared towards adults.

7 The Magic School Bus

1994-1997

The Magic School Bus

TV-Y

Cast

Lily Tomlin , Malcolm-Jamal Warner , Lisa Yamanaka , Danny Tamberelli , Daniel DeSanto , Tara Meyer , Erica Luttrell , Maia Filar , Stuart Stone , Amos Crawley , Max Beckford , Andre Ottley-Lorant

Release Date

September 10, 1994

Seasons

4

Directors

Lawrence Jacobs , Charles E. Bastien

Stream now on Netflix

The music, the animation, and the unbelievable stories truly took fans of The Magic School Bus on a journey. From the moment Little Richard started singing that theme song, kids knew they were about to have a good time. Elementary science teachers loved to take a break by propping the kids up in front of an episode of this show, and students didn't seem to mind. With Ms. Frizzle (Lily Tomlin) and The Producer (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), there was always something to learn and somewhere new to go.

The series allowed kids to transform into bugs, head to outer space, or even travel the digestive system in order to learn about science in a way that made it fun. The series is so beloved that there has been talk of adapting it for a live-action movie, but Netflix launched a revival animated series in 2017. The books that inspired the show can also still be found at fans' local libraries.

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6 Lamb Chop's Play-Along

1992-1997

Lamb Chop’s Play-Along (1992)

TV-Y

Cast

Shari Lewis , Lamb Chop , Charlie Horse , Hugh Puppy

Release Date

January 13, 1992

Directors

Michael Watt , Bernard Rothman

Starring puppeteer Shari Lewis and her sock-puppet partner Lamb Chop, Lamb Chop's Play-Along was a children's variety show that debuted in 1992 and ran on PBS until 1997. Lamb Chop's Play-Along emphasized participation and interactivity as opposed to passive observance. The show was based on videos Lewis made in the 1980s, and it ran for four seasons and 84 episodes.

Lewis intimated that contemporary children's shows of the time failed because they refused to challenge young audiences, stating in a 1994 interview with Star News:

"I don't care if you tack on a prosocial message at the end of the show. You have not done a quality show."

The series is not currently available for streaming, though the rights to the characters were originally sold by Shari Lewis to Golden Books Family Entertainment. Years later, they sit with NBCUniversal. That being said, the live performance rights are still held by the Lewis family, specifically Shari's daughter Mallory Lewis, who performs and puppets Lamb Chop for events. Her own son is her road manager for those events.

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5 Zoom

1999-2005

Zoom (1999)

TV-Y

Cast

Caroline Botelho , Kenny Yates , Alisa Besher , Zoe Costello , Rachel Redd , Kaleigh Cronin , Elena Shieh , Eric Rollins , Jared Nathan

Release Date

January 4, 1999

Directors

Bomb Comiskey , Kristian Berg , Hugh Martin

Zoom was one of PBS's educational offerings in the 1970s, and it was remade as a series from 1999 to 2005. The show was full of creative science experiments, games, skits, crafts, and songs like "Fannee Doolee." The motto was simple: "If you like what you see, turn off the TV, and do it."

While the show is very hard to find and YouTube clips aren't the best quality, fans can go to the "Zoom into Action" YouTube playlist to see their favorite cast members teaching kids in 2021 how to make fun and useful crafts. PBS still shares the show's applicable object lessons for classroom teachers, too. Like Between The Lions, the show was produced by WGBH in Boston, and the rights are likely still held by the same network, who haven't wanted to give up broadcast rights for streaming.

4 The Big Comfy Couch

1992-2007

The Big Comfy Couch (1992)

TV-Y

Cast

Bob Stutt , Fred Stinson , Grindl Kuchirka , Taborah Johnson , Gary Farmer , Edward Knuckles , Robert Mills , Jani Lauzon , Jackie Harris , Suzanne Merriam

Release Date

March 2, 1992

Directors

Wayne Moss , Rob Mills

Stream now on Prime Video

The Big Comfy Couch aired from 1992 to 2002 and had a brief revival in the 2000s. The Canadian series found incredible popularity in the United States thanks to Loonette the Clown and her doll, Molly. Loonette taught kids how to get up off the couch and stretch, dance, play, and think. With the help of Granny Garbanzo and Major Bedhead, Loonette always had something to do. The PBS kids show even resulted in a live theatrical tour with Loonette and her friends performing for kids of all ages.

Though the series officially ended in 2006 with the single-season revival, Radical Sheep, the production studio behind the show, has continued to produce content inspired by it. In 2015 and 2016 various apps were released featuring things like Loonette's clock rug stretch routing and questions with Molly. Live shows featuring the characters also still occur in Canada, though those are rare.

3 Wishbone

1995-2007

Wishbone

TY-V

Cast

Larry Brantley , Soccer the Dog , Jordan Wall , Adam Springfield , Christie Abbott , Mary Chris Wall , Angee Hughes , Julio Cedillo , Mikaila Enriquez , Paul English , jr.

Release Date

October 8, 1995

Creator(s)

Rick Duffield

Directors

Ken Harrison , Rick Duffield , Bert Guthrie , Fred Holmes

Who could forget the Jack Russell Terrier with a passion for adventure? Wishbone, which has had a movie stuck in development for years, taught children about literature during the '90s. Wishbone found his way into Greek epics, British novels and plays, American classics, an African folk tale, and more. Wishbone also liked to dress up as his favorite characters, including Sherlock Holmes. This PBS Kids show from the 90s only ran for two seasons, although it featured 50 total episodes. It won four Emmys during its run and got an entire generation of kids interested in the classics.

Rumor has it, PBS canceled the series because they didn't see the show has particularly merchandisable, which was one day for the network and its affiliates to continue getting funding. Despite that, books and video games inspired by the show were created.

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2 Teletubbies

1997-2001

Teletubbies

TV-Y

Cast

Dave Thompson , Simon Shelton , John Simmit , Nikky Smedley , Pui Fan Lee , Mark Dean , Jess Smith , Robin Stevens , Toyah Willcox

Release Date

March 31, 1997

Writers

Andrew Davenport , Anne Wood

Directors

Nigel P. Harris , Vic Finch , Paul Gawith , David G. Hillier , Ursula McCulloch , Andrew Davenport

Stream now on Prime VideoTeletubbies are perhaps the strangest cultural phenomenon to come from the '90s; a British series that originally premiered in 1997, the show follows four titular creatures who live in a dome that rests in a grassy field with the smiling face of a baby in the sun above them. The four often get into misadventures with their vacuum cleaner or watch cut-away segments through the televisions on their stomachs. It's odd, to say the least, but appeals to kids.

That said, Teletubbies was a massive success. The original series ran for 365 episodes and there was even a revival that had 120 more episodes. It won several BAFTA Awards and was nominated for two Emmys. The Teletubbies theme song even hit number one in the U.K. in 1997 and was in the top 75 for 32 weeks (via Official Charts).

1 Zoboomafoo

1999-2001

Zoboomafoo (1999)

TV-Y

Cast

Chris Kratt , Martin Kratt , Gord Robertson , Jovian , Samantha Tolkacz , Genevieve Farrell

Release Date

January 25, 1999

Writers

Chris Kratt , Martin Kratt , Leo Eaton

Directors

Julia Weinstein

Stream now on Prime VideoBefore they created Wild Kratts, Chris and Martin Kratt hosted Zoboomafoo on PBS from 1999 to 2001. Kids loved learning about animals with the Kratts and the lemur Zoboomafoo, who was played by the late lemur Jovian and puppeteered by Gord Robertson (Fraggle Rock). The series won an Emmy in 2001 and tie-in games were created to help kids learn about the spotlighted animals.

Though the show ended in 2001, it continued to air in syndication around the world until 2009, and the Kratts created more animal-related shows for the likes of National Geographic, bringing their love of learning about wildlife to an older audience. There is no question that this wildlife show was a valuable part of the ideal educational lineup back in the day. More often than not, PBS Kids shows in the 90s were just as informative as they were fun.

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