The Best Disney+ Shows to Stream with Your Kids

Being a parent means constantly navigating screen time — setting and holding boundaries, evaluating the appropriateness of programming, and becoming extremely familiar with all your kids’ favorite universes. My kids, like so many others, love watching TV. I did, too, when I was a kid. But as a parent, I want to make sure they’re balancing screen time with other healthy hobbies and watching content that aligns with our values. I’ve spent a lot of time researching kids’ shows on Common Sense Media, which provides age ratings and quick insights (handy when your kid is asking to watch a new show RIGHT NOW). And more importantly, I’ve logged countless hours watching TV with my two kids, 13 and 7. 

We enjoy Family Screen Time on weekends. These are nights when we pick something that we can all enjoy together (no easy feat, let me tell you), and I’ve learned a lot from those viewings about what makes a truly good family-friendly show. Our family tends to gravitate toward funny, irreverent shows that upend stereotypes and help us see the world a little differently. We know Disney+ has great kids’ movies; here’s a roundup, loosely organized by age, of the best Disney+ shows to watch with your kids.

An excellent series for helping pre-K kiddos prepare for kindergarten, this song-filled show validates kids’ big feelings while giving them some practical tools for making sense of their changing world.

Watch on Disney+: Kindergarten: The Musical

Seven-year-old Kiya and her friends face challenges and meet them head-on in this vibrant, funky series set in a fictional, Southern African-inspired city called Kimoja City.

Watch on Disney+: Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes

Maybe you’ve heard of it? JK, if you have preschoolers, you have DEFINITELY heard of this sweet, emotionally intelligent show, which follows Bluey, a Blue Heeler puppy, on her adventures with her family and friends. The humor and kindness of the show make it a great, gentle watch.

Watch on Disney+: Bluey

My 7-year-old would never forgive me if I left her favorite show from preschool off this list. Fortunately, I genuinely enjoyed Mira for its emphasis on problem-solving and its thoughtful representation of Indian culture.

Watch on Disney+: Mira, Royal Detective

Doc McStuffins is the GOAT because it’s got something all kids love — loads of imagination. By diving into Doc’s imaginary world, kids validate their own desires to be creative and to connect with their toys. 

Watch on Disney+: Doc McStuffins

As a Muppet Babies kid myself, I was skeptical of the reboot, but they’ve only improved this 1980s classic by introducing diversity and exploring potentially challenging topics (the Lone Eagle and Gonzo-rella segments are particularly excellent at this), while still holding on to the charm of the original.

Watch on Disney+: Muppet Babies

I see a lot of parents who are eager to introduce Star Wars to their kids at this early age, and my best advice as a fellow sci-fi nerd is to start here and work your way up to the legacy content. The series, which premiered in 2023 and is still releasing new episodes, follows a group of young padawans as they fight for good.

Watch on Disney+: Young Jedi Adventures

With an LGBTQ+ family proudly depicted, The Bravest Knight scores points in my book for its thoughtful representation. Beyond that, however, this episodic series brings in character development over the run of the show (still in production!) that gives kids an opportunity to see what personal growth can look like.

Watch on Disney+: The Bravest Knight

Vampirina is fun, light-hearted, and easy to love, but it also contains important lessons about the importance of friendship and shows kids that it’s OK to be yourself — and those are always lessons I can get behind.

Watch on Disney+: Vampirina

This three-season series is a great choice for kids who love animals and nature. Unlike the original Lion King, which has, in retrospect, some pretty scary scenes (I was unphased as a kid, but as a parent, I was shook!), The Lion Guard isn’t very violent, instead focusing on teamwork and protecting the natural world.

Watch on Disney+: The Lion Guard

This was another one that my 7-year-old devoured when she was in kindergarten. Already a fan of the movie Tangled, she loved the series because it was similar to the movie without being redundant, introducing new interesting characters and twisty-turny plotlines that kept her intrigued.

Watch on Disney+: Tangled: The Series

DuckTales isn’t just a snappy reboot of a classic; it’s leagues better than the original and easily one of the funniest animated shows I’ve ever watched. The series is loaded with comedic talent, including Bobby Moynihan, Danny Pudi, Kate Micucci, and Beck Bennett, which was a lot of fun for the adults in the room, while the kids just enjoyed watching a smart, witty show.

Watch on Disney+: DuckTales

I try not to push relics of my youth on my kids, so when my now 13-year-old discovered and loved Phineas and Ferb on their own, I felt extremely validated. The show, which follows the titular characters on their zany adventures, is a clever testament to the importance of friendship and imagination.

Watch on Disney+: Phineas and Ferb

My older kid was (and still is) an animation-only TV viewer, but my younger kiddo surprised me by gravitating toward live-action shows early. She loves a kid-friendly sitcom and any creative competition show, including this one, which does a good job of showing kids that they can do hard things.

Watch on Disney+: Kids Baking Championship

My family of four watched every episode of this show for our regular weekend Family Screen Time, and I may have shed a tear at the finale. The characters are well-rounded (Libby, especially, is a delight), emotionally intelligent, and multifaceted, giving kids good role models to admire.

Watch on Disney+: The Ghost and Molly McGee

Unlike any other kids show I’ve watched, Amphibia centers a thoughtful but nuanced Korean-American female hero as she navigates a new world while trying to reconnect with friends. It’s hilarious, peppered with celebrity voices (Stephen Root! Tony Hale!) and a great jumping-off point for lots of family discussions.

Watch on Disney+: Amphibia

All of the animated Lego content usually has me in stitches. It’s full of funny references as well as simple, age-appropriate gags, giving it appeal for the whole family. But this is better suited for older kiddos who already have an awareness of the Star Wars universe and can appreciate the inside jokes.

Watch on Disney+: Lego Star Wars: All Stars

The Proud Family are loving, supportive, and kind, and this series gives kids good role models plus lots of laughs. The series ended withThe Proud Family Movie in 2005 and was revived by Disney+ in 2022.

Watch on Disney+: The Proud Family

If I could only suggest one Disney+ show to stream with your kids, it would be Dana Terrace’s brilliant Owl House. The main character, Luz, enters a magical world and creates a found family throughout her wacky adventures, but in the process, there is a beautiful experience of self-discovery, making it especially perfect for kids who are in the process of finding themselves.

Watch on Disney+: The Owl House

Weird and witty and better-suited for the older kids in the house, Gravity Falls is a delight. If your kiddo has a knack for the supernatural, take a trip with them to the Mystery Shack.

Watch on Disney+: Gravity Falls