We all wanted a teacher just like Ms. Frizzle

They just don’t make ’em like they used to. Thankfully, the streaming platforms stream them like they do. From Tubi to Paramount+, to Netflix, the digital shelves are alive and well with the ’90s kids’ shows that raised you and that you can now share with your own little ones.

If you’re dreaming of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Clarissa Explains It All, Good Burger, and more shows and movies you used to watch back in the day, many of them are available to stream right now in your living room. Looking for a little more watch-list inspo? Keep scrolling for a list of favorites you will want to enjoy with your own kids.

’90s Kids’ Shows to Watch with the Family

1. Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

Power Rangers is a 90s kids show
Netflix

Choosing a favorite Power Ranger was like picking a partner for Four Square: He or she would be your loyal companion for an unforgettable battle, so you had to pick wisely. Inspired by Japan’s Super Sentai franchise, the series about a group of teenage martial arts pros tasked with saving Earth from various villains was a smash when it debuted in 1993. And even though the series has evolved over the decades, nothing packs a punch of nostalgia like the high-energy original.

Recommended age: 7 & up.

Available on Netflix.

2. Doug

Doug is a '90s kids show
Disney

In 1991, Nickelodeon debuted a 90-minute block of game-changing animation. Called Nicktoons, the lineup kicked off Sunday mornings and included The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rugrats, and this quirksome classic about a kid named Doug Funnie. The series, based on its creator’s real life and journal doodles, jumps between grade-school mishaps, growing pains, and heroic daydreams about a persona named Quailman. Trust us: It won’t be long before your little one sports their undies over their shorts. IYKYK!

Recommended age: 7 & up.

Available on Disney+ and Amazon.

3. Rugrats

Nickelodeon

Another original Nicktoon, Rugrats was the brainchild of then husband-and-wife animation duo Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo. A peek into the secret world of wobbly toddlers, their series features a klatch of adorable playpen dwellers who may not have teeth or potty skills down just yet but are all stocked up with senses of adventure and unbridled curiosity. Led by protag baby Tommy Pickles, Rugrats offers a hilarious bridge between two realms: that of innocent perception and that of the real world.

Recommended age: 5 & up.

Available on Hulu and Amazon.

4. Bill Nye the Science Guy

Bill Nye the Science Guy is a 90s kids show
Disney

A few years after Mr. Wizard took his bow in 1989, Bill Nye picked up the Bunsen burner and ran with it. Or rather, walked briskly, because running with fire is dangerous. Always cooking up the coolest experiments in a light blue lab coat and forever-present bow tie, Bill Nye uses boundless enthusiasm as a way to ignite curious minds and turn science into a fun escapade. Each episode is an electrifying experiment in the love of learning and is a fantastic way to introduce kids to science.

Recommended age: 7 & up.

Available on Amazon.

5. Hey Arnold!

Hey, Arnold
Nickelodeon

The star of this jazzy motley toon is a kid named Arnold. A nine-year-old who lives with his grandparents in a boarding house, he tackles everyday fourth-grader obstacles. You know, stuff like bullies, kiddie pools, and the power of friendship. Back then, Hey Arnold! was just our way of decompressing after school. Today, it’s a rad time machine that whisks us back to a world where the jazz is too good and “football-headed” kiddos are the real heroes.

Recommended age: 7 & up.

Available on Hulu and Amazon.

6. The Magic School Bus

The Magic School Bus is a 90s kids show
Netflix

If ever there were a way to get kids to crack a textbook outside the walls of a school, it’s this cosmic roller coaster of a '90s kids' show, featuring a shapeshifting yellow school bus and a zany teacher sporting some truly wonky fits. The series goes round and round with Ms. Frizzle and her students as they embark on adventures into the depths of the digestive system one day, and animal habitats in the wild the next, fusing a kid’s core curriculum with a healthy dose of magic and fierce staying power.

Recommended age: 5 & up.

Available on Netflix.

7. Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs
ABC

Maestro of the Muppets, Jim Henson, helped pioneer puppetry on prime time with this prehistoric fantasy series. A peek into the household of the Sinclairs, a family of full-body animatronic marvels, Dinosaurs is brilliant in that it’s entertainment for little ones and their parents. And thanks to its irreverent combination of sly satire and silly slapstick, it’s also a funny watch no matter which decade you view it in—even the Mesozoic era.

Recommended age: 10 & up.

Available on Disney+ and Amazon.

8. Clarissa Explains It All

Clarissa Explains It All is a 90s kids show
Nickelodeon

Nineties fashion icon Clarissa Darling knew a thing or two about, well, everything—hence the title of this coming-of-age comedy that had every preteen harmonizing with Rachel Sweet’s single-syllable theme song. Navigating the labyrinth of teen life and decoding every motivation along the way, Clarissa (played by the fantastic Melissa Joan Hart) breaks the fourth wall to fill her audience in on dilemmas that include how to master dating, friendships, and bratty little brothers.

Recommended age: 8 & up.

Available on Amazon and Paramount+

9. The Baby-Sitters Club

There’s an award-winning book series, a movie that launched the acting careers of Rachael Leigh Cook (She’s All That) and Larisa Oleynik (10 Things I Hate About You), and even a reboot that has critics bowing down, but no one can forget about the single-season series that solidified its fan base for life. With iconic episodes, like “Dawn and the Dream Boy,” “Stacey Takes a Stand,” and “Claudia and the Missing Jewels,” the world of the Baby-Sitters Club unfolds with empowerment that transcends time.

Recommended age: 7 & up.


Season 1 is available on Amazon

10. Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Are You Afraid of the Dark is a 90s kids show
Nickelodeon

Remember SNICK? Nickelodeon's answer for preteens who preferred spending Saturday night on the couch watching TV, the two-hour lineup saw shows like All That and The Adventures of Pete and Pete get some play. But our favorite has to be Are You Afraid of the Dark? Eerie and atmospheric, the series is a collection of ghost stories conjured up by teenage storytellers who call themselves the Midnight Society. And don't be surprised if you see some familiar faces when you revisit the show. Read: Ryan Gosling!

Recommended age: 10 & up.

Available on Paramount+ and Amazon. 

11. Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World is a 90s TV show
Disney

Though the Boy Meets World universe is filled with guest-star cameos from the likes of Keri Russell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Adam Scott, and Rue McClanahan, the core cast remained the same for seven seasons. Cory, Topanga, Shawn, Eric, and, later, Morgan guided fans through the '90s with humor, heart, and so much Feeny. Morphing from a lighthearted sitcom to a self-aware portrait of adolescence, this gem is totally worth revisiting with a younger generation.

Recommended age: 10 & up.

Available on Disney+, Apple TV, and Amazon.

12. All That

All That is a 90s kids show
Nickelodeon

Another leg of the SNICK lineup, this weekend hit is basically Saturday Night Live for younger audiences. Sketch comedy for kids, by kids, it gave now-household names like Nick Cannon, Amanda Bynes, and Kenan Thompson, a shot to raise the roof with skits that, though wildly different, all shared one goal: getting all that laughter. Fun fact: In a stroke of fate, Thompson would go on to star on the big-kids' SNL for 20+ years.

Recommended age:

Available on Paramount+ and Netflix. 

13. Kenan & Kel

Kenan & Kel is a '90s TV show for kids
Nickelodeon

Fans of All That know where we're going with this: Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell first appeared together on SNICK's sketch comedy show before landing a sketch comedy show of their own. Dubbed Kenan & Kel, the show is set in Chicago and follows the misadventures of two high schoolers who reeeaaally love to ask, "Who loves orange soda?" It's peak humor that eventually leads to the two best friends starring in a whopper of a movie together.

Recommended age: 8 & up.

Available at Amazon and Netflix.

14. Sister, Sister

Sister, Sister is a 90s kids show
ABC

Twin sisters Tia and Tamera are separated at birth but reunite in their teens, then move in together to create one big, happy family with dad Ray and mom Lisa. So goes the fictional small-screen story of real-life twins Tia and Tamera Mowry. The result? One of the most genuine displays of onscreen chemistry, female empowerment, and sibling dynamics to ever grace the screen. Fun fact: Tia and Tamera performed the catchy "Sistaaa! Sistaaa!" theme song you still sing today.

Recommended age: 9 & up.

Available on Hulu, Netflix, Paramount+, and Amazon.

15. Saved by the Bell

We'll be the first to admit it: Saved by the Bell hasn't aged well. Bloated machismo, fat-shaming, gender stereotypes, and a lack of diversity aren't okay now, and they weren't okay then. But that doesn't mean you won't also find yourself waxing nostalgic over the Bayside crew's antics, from Zack and Kelly's puppy love to Slater and Lisa's top-notch comedic timing to Screech and Mr. Belding's odd coupling. As for the 2020 reboot? It's so good, we can't believe it was canceled.

Recommended age: 9 & up.

Available on Apple TV, Amazon

 

 

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