4 Educational Cartoons that Make for Scientific Discovery

Ever wished you could know everything there was to know about volcanoes, tigers, the solar system, or cute and cuddly koalas? More likely than not, your kiddo still does. Naturally curious, children are innately little scientists – excited to make new discoveries.

When they’re not busy making shadow puppets, digging up creepy-crawlies, or marveling at rainbows, your kids can make new discoveries in their downtime. With these science-themed cartoons, they can continue to learn about the world around them while being entertained. They’ll be introduced to scientific vocabulary, and they’ll explore awesome concepts in a way that would otherwise be impossible. How else would you be able to travel through the eye of a storm or get up face-to-face with a crocodile?

All About the World Around Us

Enter the colorful, silly, and fun world of The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That. Your kiddos will love the zany Cat and his friends, Thing One and Thing Two, and of course, the Fish. It’s based on Dr. Seuss... so who wouldn’t? In each episode, the Cat visits his friends Nick and Sally and then takes them on a wondrous adventure in his Thinga-ma-jigger to find answers to science-related questions about animals, plants, the solar system, and a lot more.

At the beginning of each episode, a question is brought up by either Nick or Sally... Enter the Cat ready to answer the riddle. But not without an adventure first! After all, science is about discovery.

Your kids will explore a variety of topics from whale music to tree sap, seahorses, kelp, hibernation, and more. This show will stimulate your child’s natural curiosity and engage them throughout the discovery process. Your little ones will be gathering clues, answering questions, and finding a solution to Nick or Sally’s inquiry. They’ll also learn some quirky songs and a few silly catchphrases along the way.

Up Close Animal Adventures

Like to get up close and personal with practically every creature on the globe? Wild Kratts will take you on some amazing animal adventures. Each episode opens with two brothers, Chris and Martin, in a live-action sequence that sets up the cartoon. The duo investigates a different concept that’s central to an animal’s life, sparking kids’ imaginations with the open-ended question: What if?

Adventure, mystery, rescue, and a glimpse into the secret world of animals follow.
The brothers transform from real-life people to cartoon characters clad in Creature Power Suits. Their special gear allows them to enter the animal world and take on a creature’s special powers simply by touching them. Your kiddos will learn about animal behavior, habitats, and adaptation.

Fun villains make the stories hilarious while teaching kids to respect nature. Kids will love seeing Zach Varmitech, the scaredy-cat, wimpy inventor who has no respect for creatures big or small, foiled once again. Or Chef Gourmand, who is always looking to make a delicacy out of some poor, endangered species, stewing over his own failure. And Donita Donata the fashionista who has no qualms about wearing animals? The Kratts Brothers will outsmart her too.

Each episode is full of facts, humor, and adventure – keeping your little ones engaged while they learn.

Classroom Science Served Up with a Side of Humor

Sid is a child comic. He’s inquisitive. And he dreams of being a scientist. In each episode of Sid the Science Kid, he starts off doing a little skit with this toy microphone, asking his stuffed animals an important scientific question. Throughout the rest of the day, Sid tries to find the answer to his question with his friends at school, his teacher, and his family there to help.

Follow Sid and company as they solve scientific mysteries like “Why are my shoes shrinking?” or “Why do bananas get mushy?” Your little one will enjoy learning about topics such as animal homes, the body, simple machines, or force and motion, to name a few. And all this is done in a classroom setting with a dynamic teacher named Susie.

Fun songs and dances, silly humor, and memorable characters will keep your little ones engaged. Sid is a child comic, remember? This show encourages your kids to explore the world around them and promotes finding answers through hands-on experimentation. A great cartoon that you will not want your kiddos to miss!

Extraordinary (and Impossible!) Field Trips

Join Ms. Frizzle’s class on some pretty amazing field trips to learn about science in the Magic School Bus. Be prepared… These aren’t any ordinary field trips! Think you’ll be going to the observatory to learn about outer space? Think again… The magic school bus will turn into a space ship and zoom right out to where the action is. Looking to learn about digestion? The bus turns into a bite-sized morsel ready to explore the ins and outs of the human body.

Based on the popular book series, this show will have your little ones embarking on a variety of scientific adventures up close. They’ll explore cool topics from photosynthesis to sound, reptiles, weather, bugs, germs, and much more. Plus, they’ll have a gang of super smart classmates for company – not to mention an adorable, little pet iguana.

Kids will love the adventurous plots, great scientific information, and fun characters… especially the ever wacky Ms. Frizz!

Do you, or your kids, have a favorite educational show on TV? Share your top picks with us!

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