Remember These PBS Kids Shows? Revisit the Classics – A to Z – that Shaped Generations

Some of us grew up aboard the Magic School Bus, or on a sunny day down on Sesame Street. We befriended a kind man in a red sweater, or an endearing Jack Russell Terrier dressed as Sherlock Holmes. For generations, PBS Kids taught children everywhere to read, to explore, to share, and to feel. Revisit some of the classic PBS Kids shows that weren’t just educational, but inspirational – and certainly unforgettable. 

3-2-1 Contact 

1980-1988 
With its funky theme song, this show was an educational program that taught older kids about science, demonstrating scientific principles in the real world. “The Bloodhound Gang” segment featured a team of teen investigators who used science to solve mysteries. One memorable segment showed all the mechanics that went into staging a KISS concert. 

Arthur

1996-2022; kids can still watch episodes today
The bespectacled, 8-year-old aardvark named Arthur is an enduring icon of children’s television. Based on Marc Brown’s children's books, the show followed Arthur, his family, and friends as they learned important life lessons, tackled common family issues, and learned to navigate the world with warmth and kindness. In one stand-out episode from 2010, cousin George learns more about his friend Carl, who has autism. Kids can still watch Arthur today. 

Barney & Friends

1992-2010
With an unforgettable theme song, Barney & Friends was a preschool powerhouse. The show featured Barney, a gentle, singing, purple dinosaur who came to life through kids’ imaginations, leading them in songs, games, and lessons about friendship, feelings, and everyday challenges. 

Clifford the Big Red Dog

2000-2003; 2019-2021
Based on Norman Bridwell’s children’s books, Clifford the Big Red Dog told stories about kindness and friendship, as told through the giant red dog and his owner, Emily Elizabeth. Clifford, Emily Elizabeth, and friends embarked on adventures on Birdwell Island to teach its young viewers about empathy, community, and imagination. 

The Electric Company 

1971-1977; re-runs until 1985
Produced by the Children’s Television Workshop (which became Sesame Workshop), this show helped kids who had aged out of Sesame Street master grammar and reading. Famous faces – including Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno – appeared on the show, which took a sketch comedy approach to educational kids programming.

Ghostwriter

1992-1995
This mystery series followed a group of kids from Brooklyn who solved mysteries in their neighborhood, aided by a ghost who communicated with them by changing nearby text and letters. Also produced by the Children’s Television Workshop, Ghostwriter taught kids reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. 

The Magic School Bus

1994-1997
Beep beep! Seatbelts, everyone! This program gave us one of the most iconic PBS characters in Ms. Frizzle, voiced by Lily Tomlin, and an equally memorable theme song, sung by Little Richard. Ms. Frizzle, a quirky teacher, and her green lizard, Liz, take students on adventurous field trips to different time periods and exciting locations aboard a magic school bus. Many ’90s kids will never forget the episode where Ms. Frizzle and her students go on a journey through a fellow student’s digestive system.

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood

1968-2001
Produced in Pittsburgh on WQED, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood is a timeless PBS children’s treasure. With his cheerful cardigans and gentle demeanor, Fred Rogers invited children into a whimsical world where their feelings were acknowledged and respected. Through honest conversations and imaginative visits to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe for 31 seasons, Fred Rogers nurtured empathy, curiosity, and self-worth – quietly reshaping what was possible with educational children’s television, and forever reminding children, “I like you just the way you are.” 

Reading Rainbow

1983-2006
Host LeVar Burton helped make reading an adventure with this show, which featured yet another enduring theme song. Each episode of Reading Rainbow focused on a particular children’s book, and then explored that book and its themes in real-world segments and stories. The show helped kids cultivate a lifelong love of reading, and that with imagination and curiosity, books can transport you just about anywhere – “take a look, it’s in a book!” 

Sesame Street 

1969-present
Sesame Street isn’t just the longest-running PBS Kids show – it’s one of the the longest-running television shows of all time. With its blend of puppetry, live action, animation, and music, it has taught generations of children their ABCs and 123s, while using its beloved characters to model empathy, diversity, and community. It brought us Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Count Von Count, Abby Cadabby, and so much more. Sesame Street has gently and joyously tackled real-life topics, including grief, divorce, disability, adoption, and more. Sesame Street is still going strong after more than half a century.

Wishbone

1995-1997
Was Colin Firth or Matthew MacFayden the best Mr. Darcy? Trick question. The answer is Wishbone. This charming children’s program featured a beloved Jack Russell Terrier named Wishbone (played by a dog named Soccer in real life!) who fancied himself the lead character in classic literature – starring in everything from Frankenstein and Pride and Prejudice to Sherlock Holmes and Robin Hood. Each episode connected the literary plot to a real-world dilemma in the life of Wishbone’s human, introducing complex literary themes to kids in a relatable way. 

Zoom

1972–1978; 1999–2005
This energetic kids show was hosted entirely by kids, who shared games, jokes, its very own “Ubbi Dubbi” language, experiments, and songs as suggested by its viewers. Zoom emphasized collaboration and creativity, with a club-like atmosphere to which everyone was invited.