Tumble Leaf and Other Favorite Toddler TV Shows

Screen time is such a hot topic. We avoided it for a long time, following the recommendation of no screen time before the age of two, and still limit how much screen time Noah gets, but I no longer feel guilty about letting him watch a TV show or play on my phone or tablet as long as it's high quality content. 

Sometimes, it just needs to happen. Because our airplane just landed but we can't get off for another 20 minutes while we're waiting for our gate and we're all exhausted; because we have a doctor's appointment in 20 minutes and I need Noah to keep his shoes/coat/socks/hat on while I get Ava ready to go; because we're all hungry and Noah is too tired to "help" in the kitchen and I refuse to listen to him whine; because Ava's crying upsets Noah so much that he gets super emotional and starts crying also, climbs on me, or just yells (for example the ABC song), and I can't focus on calming Ava down. 

Other times, we just got home from an adventurous morning and Noah and I both need some down time. Sometimes he'll go to his room and read or play quietly, but often he wants me there as well when I also just need a 30 minute break. So a TV show is often a good option to keep him occupied for a while. 

Noah doesn't usually take naps on weekends even though he should. When he does, it's a chance for Tony and I to get stuff done around the house without any distractions. So sometimes we let him watch YouTube clips in bed instead. Unfortunately, the days where he falls asleep to a "boring" animal show are over, but it still gives all of us a chance to regain some energy for the rest of the day.

And finally, sometimes we just want family cuddle time on the couch so we all snuggle in together, munch on snacks, and watch a movie, a Seahawks game, or one of Noah's favorite shows. 

I don't have any strict rules about TV time since it's not hard for me to limit it to only a few occasions per month. It helps that the TV is downstairs - out of sight, out of mind! Also I try to only let him watch TV when I suggest it, not when he asks for it (especially in an overly tired whiny tone). I find it more difficult with our phones since Tony and I are both guilty of looking at it way too often and always having them somewhat accessible, but we're working on it. 

So - what shows do we watch? 

Tumble Leaf

Tumble Leaf is my and Noah's favorite show. In each episode, Fig the Fox finds something in his finding place that leads him to an adventure with his friends Maple and Stick, and other characters with fun names. I like that each show follows the same pattern and that there's always something to learn in each episode. The language is basic, but not too baby like (I'm thinking of Daniel the Tiger here). It's easy on the eyes with movements not being too fast which I think is the case for many shows for young kids, including Sesame Street. I also really like the characters and actually enjoy watching it too. Because the story lines are easy enough to understand for toddlers, but also include science experiments that Noah doesn't quite understand yet, I'm sure it's going to stick around as a favorite for a while. I'm super excited to watch season 2 which has just recently been released. How do I know Noah loves it too? He pretends to be Fig ALL the time, uses phrases from the show even though he doesn't really know yet what the concept even means ("I have an idea!"), and he pretends to carry his friend Stick around on his shoulder, just like Fig. I usually get to be Maple (though Noah calls her Naple). Because it sparks Noah's imagination like this I have realized that I'm not only OK with him watching it, but that a show like this may actually be good for him. 

It's available on Amazon (here) and if you're not a Prime member yet, you can sign up here for a free 30 day trial: Amazon Prime Video 30-Day Free Trial. A German version is also available on Amazon.de (here) (to my readers in Germany, I'd love to hear what you think!)

Guess How Much I Love You/ Weisst Du Eigentlich Wie Lieb Ich Dich Hab

Guess How Much I Love You is another show Noah and I both enjoy. It's again easy on the eyes, story lines are easy to follow, and the characters are sweet, though maybe not quite as interesting as Fig and his friends in Tumble Leaf. What I like about this show is that it's available in German on YouTube (for example here) and I enjoy it in either language. The English version is available on Netflix and also on YouTube. 

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

Even though Daniel the Tiger is a bit too baby-ish for my taste, it's another show I don't mind Noah watching at all, mainly because he can relate to Daniel so much. Episodes feature Daniel the Tiger experiencing the same things a typical toddler does so it sparks conversation about going to school, just like Daniel, or becoming a big brother, just like Daniel (in fact, the episode in which Daniel's baby sister is born aired on PBS one morning just days after Ava was born; how timely!). I love when Noah runs around saying grrrr-iffic, but I think they could have done without the annoying Ugga Mugga (Daniel talk for I love you). This show has inspired Noah to ask us occasionally if we want to make believe with him which just shows again that TV can inspire a child's imagination. 

Die Sendung mit der Maus

A big hit during my own childhood, I like that Noah enjoys these short clips as well. They're basic and funny, just animation and sound, no words. While there's no message behind them, no "learning opportunity", they're just fun to watch. Noah could watch these clips for hours and they never fail to put a big smile on his face. YouTube has tons of non stop Maus clips like this one. 

There are clearly so many more shows available, and I'm sure many are fantastic, I just haven't discovered them yet. Which ones are your favorites and why? Leave a comment!