5 Learning Shows on YouTube for Toddlers

I constantly feel guilty for how much screen time my son gets. But often, when it's just the two of us and I need to get work done or do something around the house that he can't "help" me with, I need a little help from "Baby Bus" or "Leo the Truck." Sometimes I'm just freaking exhausted and need a few extra z's in the morning, so I let him watch while we cuddle or while he eats breakfast.

That being said, I have noticed that with the shows I let him watch, he is actually learning and engaging with the programs, and I think it's because they're designed in a way to teach kids. They're designed in a way to teach him in ways I can't or don't know how to. So, I wanted to share a few of the ones we enjoy at home, in case anyone else needs a little help from adventurous pandas or busy vehicles.

Super Simple Songs (in Spanish)

My son learned his body parts in Spanish from watching these videos. And I really do not know any nursery rhymes, so this program has taught both of us all the nursery songs that are good for his brain development.

This program comes in at least English and Spanish, and we watch it in Spanish.

Buster Bus

This was one of the first programs we found and let him watch, particularly once we discovered how much he loves buses. It was so interesting to me the way this program is narrated, but I can see that it's done in a way that is meant to be comprehensible to toddlers, and in a way that helps them learn.

We also watch this in Spanish.

Baby Bus

This is currently one of our top favorites. Some episodes have songs and nursery rhymes, while others are educational adventures, or things like going to the carwash and seeing firefighters in action. There are even episodes on safety, cooking, and health. It's really cute.

​This is a Chinese animation, so we watch it in Chinese, Spanish, and English.

Leo the Truck

My son still doesn't say his own name, but he definitely knows his own name. He refers to himself as "bebe." It's easier to pronounce than his own name. But Leo is one-half of his first name, and so he recognizes Leo the Truck as himself. It's cute. Aside from that, we like this because it's another show that is clearly designed to educate kids and is great for kids who love vehicles. And our kid is definitely one of them.

Coilbooks

Coilbooks is almost like a science class in animation form. It's interesting and has some fun cause and effect episodes that also teaches colors, numbers, and letters. It's a learning program that certainly engages my son's attentions. There are even episodes that show the toys cleaning up a lake and sorting trash and recyclables.