Your kids stream what they want when they want. But back in the ’70s, kids’ TV shows were anything but on demand. We were the first generation to experience Sesame Street, and we seemed to have a penchant for unassuming heroes and successful spin-offs (and the toys we played with prove it). Want to know exactly what our generation was watching? Keep reading to take a walk down memory lane.
1. Sesame Street
'70s kids were the first to meet Oscar, Big Bird, Grover and more on this long-running show. Back in the day, you could still find Mr. Hooper manning his store on Sesame Street, and kids were in the joke—that Mr. Snuffalupagus was Big Bird’s imaginary friend. 70’s kids spent their sunny days learning the alphabet from Bob and Susan and relied on Gordon to help them learn to count to ten.
Recommended age: 2 & up.
Classics available on Amazon.
2. The Brady Bunch
Whether you came from a big family or a little one, every kid wished he or she was part of the Brady Bunch in the '70s. They lived in that cool house their dad designed, and housekeeper Alice always doled out sage advice in the kitchen when you needed some. Plus a trip to Hawaii, even if it did involve a creepy tarantula, was every kid’s dream back in the day.
Recommended age: 7 & up.
Available on Hulu.
3. Underdog
Kids marveled at Underdog, shoeshine boy turned superhero, in the '70s. Not only could he turn a mean couplet, but his “There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here!” cry lifted us up and reassured us that all was right in the world ... especially for Polly Purebread.
Recommended age: 7 & up.
Certain episodes are available on YouTube.
4. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
Jinkies! Kids sure did love watching Shaggy, Scooby and the gang solve mysteries on this Hanna-Barbera classic. Sure, we always knew it was some masked character behind all the shenanigans, but we didn’t care. The only thing we couldn’t figure out was why Scooby and Shag were always so hungry.
Recommended age: 5 & up.
Available on YouTube.
5. Mork & Mindy
As kids, we probably didn’t appreciate the genius of Robin Williams’ groundbreaking performances in this silly show. But we were hooked at his first burst of, “nanu nanu,” and tuned in once a week to catch his screwball antics through all four seasons.
Recommended age: 7 & up.
Available on xfinitystream
6. Fat Albert
We did a lot of learning from each other while Fat Albert and the Cosby kids did their thing every time we’d sit down to watch this classic. Kids loved the life lesson that accompanied each story—na, na, na it was a good time!
Recommended age: 6 & up.
Available on Amazon.
7. Jonny Quest
Because who wouldn’t want to go on exotic adventures with your famous scientist dad, bodyguard Race Bannon and mystic sidekick Hadji every week? Jonny Quest did just that while kids in the '70s dreamed of tagging along. Don’t forget to bring Bandit!
Recommended age: 6 & up.
Available on Amazon.
8. The Electric Company
Who knew that future stars like Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno and Mel Brooks were part of our after-school entertainment lineup when we were kids? We were way more interested in the funky graphics, silly sight gags and humor that made watching The Electric Company one of our favorite ways to learn.
Recommended age: 5 & up.
Available on Amazon.
9. Speed Racer
Speed Racer was every '70s kid's introduction to the world of anime. And his hi-tech racecar, the Mach 5, prepared us to love K.I.T.T. in the next decade. This short-run series will live forever in our hearts.
Recommended age: 6 & up
Available on Hulu.
10. The Muppet Show
After 120 episodes and five seasons, kids never got tired of this half-hour comedy show. They’d tune in each week to watch the Swedish Chef cook up weird dishes, Gonzo get shot out of a cannon and Kermit politely put off Miss Piggy’s advances. And our parents? Well, they loved the antics of Statler and Waldorf.
Recommended ages: 4 & up.
Season 1 and select episodes available on disney.com
11. The Partridge Family
Because kids dreamed of being in the Jackson 5 or sibs with Donnie and Marie back in the '70s, it’s only natural that a show about a singing family would take center stage. Widow Shirley Partridge and her talented crew took to the road in their colorful bus throughout the show’s four-season run. And we can thank the Partridge kids for recognizable sing-along classics like, “C’mon Get Happy” and “I Think I Love You.”
Recommended age: 7 & up.
Available on Amazon.
12. Happy Days
In the '70s you either wanted to be Fonzie or be his best friend. Who else could start a jukebox with the smack of an elbow or rock the James Dean look better than James Dean? And that’s how it was for many years … until Arthur Fonzarelli jumped the shark.
Recommended age: 7 & up.
Available on xfinitystream.
