Nick Jr. was an absolute pillar of my childhood. There was no such thing as “screen time” in the ‘90s, and while my parents did insist I scooch back from the TV every once in a while, they were happy to let me watch my favorite Nick Jr. shows whenever I wanted. While I can remember plenty of Nickelodeon faves, I had to rewatch a bit of the ‘90s Nick Jr. programming to jog my memory, but when it did, it was magical. And it gave me the ultimate list of Nick Jr. shows to rewatch with your toddler or preschooler.
And no, we’re not talking about Paw Patrol or Dora the Explorer here (although those are fine and dandy shows). We’re talking about the age of puppets, of bright and flashy characters, of laugh-out-loud cartoons. Allegra’s Window, Eureeka’s Castle, David the Gnome — all of these sweet Nick Jr. shows built our childhoods, and man, do they hold up. They all include lots of songs, lots of fun characters, and lots of intrigue to keep the attention of little ones, and there isn’t one dose of cringe. Instead, you’ll feel that warm nostalgia course through your veins as you remember what it was like to hang upside down on your family’s 1980s couch and watch Nick Jr. in prime time.
So, pick one or two and show your own little kids. Think of it like when our parents insisted we watch Star Wars at age 5. We didn’t want to, and then we were so glad we did.
Gullah Gullah Island
Gullah Gullah! Binyah Binyah! This incredibly endearing show — with the catchiest theme song of all time — aired on Nick Jr. from 1994 to 2000. The show starred real-life couple Ron and Natalie Daise as Ron and Natalie Alston, living life and raising a family with their giant tadpole Binyah Binyah Polliwog in St. Helena Island, South Carolina. Gullah Gullah Island featured tons of music, sweet family moments, and lots of Gullah culture from Ron’s actual upbringing and home. The ‘90s were truly revolutionary in making TV show pets enormous and fun, and your kids are going to fall in love with Binya Binya just like you did.
You can stream Gullah Gullah Island through Paramount+, Apple TV, and Prime Video.
Eureeka’s Castle
I can remember so many bits and pieces of Eureeka’s Castle, the bright puppet show that played on Nickelodeon from 1989 to 1991. It wasn’t until I was an adult I learned that R.L. Stine — yes, the writer of the Goosebumps series — was also the head writer of this show. Featuring puppets that live inside a wind-up music box, Eureeka’s Castle was funny and silly, with lots of friendship storylines and a whole lot of magic. There was also an animated portion of each episode, and I remember it all being just so delightful. Once you hear the theme song, you’ll be taken right back.
You can stream Eureeka’s Castle through Paramount+.
Little Bear
When you want a shot of straight coziness to the veins, you want to watch Little Bear. This darling show was based on the books by Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak, and Little Bear aired on Nickelodeon from 1995 to 2001. The show was all about Little Bear and all of his sweet little friends, and the illustrations and music will make you feel all sweet and warm inside. This is a great gentle show for toddlers or preschoolers, just pure hygge in the TV.
You can stream Little Bear through Paramount+, Apple TV, and Prime Video.
Allegra’s Window
Allegra’s Window is another one of those delightfully bright and weird shows from the ‘90s Nick Jr. era, and it’s 100% worth rewatching with your kids. If you don’t remember, Allegra’s Window aired from 1994 to 1996, and was about a little girl named Allegra who went through daily adventures and happenings with her brother, pets, and friends. But the end of each episode always showed her sitting next to her window, sharing all the things she learned and recapping the day. It was the cutest. Plus, they were also all puppets with wild hair and bright colors, and you kind of just wanted to drop right into their world.
You can stream Allegra’s Window through Prime Video and Apple TV.
Maggie and the Ferocious Beast
I’m going to be real honest with you — I still watch Maggie and the Ferocious Beast whenever I need a little pick-me-up. My brother and I still quote it all the time (“Great googly moogly”), and you will not find more endearing characters than Maggie, Hamilton, and Beast. Technically, this show did not hit Nickelodeon until 2000, but it was a Canadian program in the ‘90s. The show is so funny, and the colors and design aren’t too loud or fussy. 10/10, give it a rewatch.
You can stream Maggie and the Ferocious Beast through Pluto TV, Peacock, Prime Video, and Apple TV.
The World of David the Gnome
OK, for another incredibly endearing and cozy Nickelodeon show, put on The World of David the Gnome. This show... *swoon.* I specifically remember watching it as a little kid in our living room — blue carpet and all — and it is still the sweetest, most darling little cartoon. It was originally a Spanish show later dubbed in English, and it aired on Nickelodeon from 1988 to 1995. (Tom Bosley, who played Howard Cunningham on Happy Days, is the voice of the American version of David the Gnome.) It’s all about David the Gnome and his little world of friends and family, and it has the same cozy hygge vibes as Little Bear. You’ll fall in love all over again.
You can watch The World of David the Gnome on YouTube.
Little Bill
Oh, Little Bill. Such a sweet, lovely little show. And while it is based on the books by Bill Cosby (and he appears in some of the episodes), it’s still worth showing your kids if you can separate the art from the person. Pure Black Boy Joy, Little Bill is all about the title character and his adventures and life living in Philadelphia with his family. There are so many great storylines, and I love the generations of family he interacts with. It’s charming, it’s funny, and the animation is just so precious. Give it a rewatch — it’s a joy.
You can stream Little Bill through Apple TV and Prime Video.
Franklin
From 1999 to 2004, you could find Franklin and all his besties on the Nick Jr. programming, and man, this show was something else. Not only did it have a theme song that just went for it, but it had a whole setting called Woodland that really felt like a world you could climb right into. There were tons of sports and game storylines as well, and a whole bunch of characters for something fun and fresh every episode.
You can stream Franklin through Apple TV and Prime Video.
Nick Jr. Face
OK, so maybe Face wasn’t a TV show, but he was the mascot of Nick Jr. and popped up in between shows to make that little trumpet noise and either share something funny/silly or give you an update on what was coming up next. It’s hard to believe that there was a whole mascot for a channel, but it’s worth finding these compilations of Face to show your own toddler or preschooler for a dose of nostalgia.
While these shows are intended for toddlers and preschoolers, I think it’s safe to say you’ll enjoy them just as much.
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