Here's our handy guide to the best shows for 7 year olds to enjoy right now, including everything from incredible history to amazing adventures and lots of clever, kind, and funny shows along the way.
With so many brilliant TV shows out there for children, it’s hard to know where to start and what shows will keep them entertained and maybe, dare we say it, teach them a thing or two as well? So here's our pick...
Here's the best shows for 7 year olds
Dragons: Rescue Riders
Twins Dak and Leyla are the heroes of this fun animation based on the hugely successful How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
Rescued by a mother dragon from a shipwreck, the twins were raised by dragons and now fly around with their gang of four friendly beasts — Summer, Winger, Cutter and Burple — rescuing other dragons and sometimes the odd person too.
In the first episode, they help Duggard, the chief of Viking village Huttsgalor, where they decide to stay and lend a hand.
Why Watch: The dragons are really cute and the series is positive and fun, with a strong message about helping and caring for each other, no matter what your differences.
Our 7 year old says: "It teaches you to never give up and be strong."
Where to watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 2
Episodes: 26
Average episode length: 24mins
The Story of Tracy Beaker plus spin-offs!
OMG does our 7 year old love Tracy Beaker! Based on the bestselling novel by Jacqueline Wilson, it follows foster child Tracy Beaker (Dani Harmer) and those she lives with.
Tracy is known for her wild imagination and frequently lies to those around her about her real family.
She's also a rebel and a rulebreaker with quite the temper on her, which often lands her in trouble with adults at the home. Despite her rebellious nature, Tracy is also surprisingly hopeful and even articulate at times. The series was so popular it has spawned a number of spin offs including The Dumping Ground and The Beaker Girls.
Why watch: Well, if your 7 year old does enjoy it there's a whole universe of Tracy Beaker to explore. You can also combine watching the series with reading the books.
Our 7 year old says: "I love the drama!"
Where to watch: BBCiPlayer
Number of Seasons: 5
Episodes: Loads!
Average episode length: 28 mins
The InBESTigators
An Australian show about four clever and kind-hearted kids who solve crimes around their school and local area.
Ava, Maudie, Ezra and Kyle are the fantastic four and the cases they investigate include everything from lost notebooks to discovering who is cheating in a school quiz, missing packages and sad little sisters.
Why watch: The series is all about putting intelligent and kind kids at the heart of the action. Each of them is very different and each brings their own unique skills set to the group. But they always look out for each other and act with kindness and integrity. But don’t tell the kids that!
Our 7 year old says: "It shows you that children can be smarter than adults."’
Where to watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 2
Episodes: 20
Average episode length: 30 mins
Malory Towers
Based on the hugely popular novels by Enid Blyton, the drama follows the adventures of Darrell Rivers as she leaves home to attend an all-girls boarding school.
As the BBC puts it, "Welcome to Malory Towers — join Darrell in a world full of midnight feasts, lacrosse games, jolly picnics and blossoming friendships. There is an adventure to be found around every corner".
Why Watch: It's a lovely piece of escapism and might inspire your seven-year-old to read the books as well.
Our 7 year old says: "Lots of fun and I enjoy seeing what Darrell gets up to."
Where to watch: iPlayer in the UK, not available in the US.
Number of Seasons: 4
Episodes: 55 including two Christmas specials!
Average episode length: 24 mins
The Famous Five
Yes, another Enid Blyton classic. Boy, did she write a look of books! The first film (more are to come) opens in the summer of 1939 with a body washing up on the beach, apparently the victim of a local curse. Cousins George, Julian, Dick and Anne, accompanied by Timmy the dog, set out to discover the source of the problem — an uninhabited island that belongs to the family. It is based on Enid Blyton's Famous Five stories, which spanned 21 books in total, so there's plenty of source material to draw from!
Why Watch: It's one all the family can enjoy together.
Our 7 year old says: "I love how the children have all these adventures".
Where to watch: BBCiPlayer
Number of Seasons: 1
Episodes: 1 (more to come)
Average episode length: 89 mins
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Grown-ups of a certain age will remember the 1980s classic He-Man and the Masters of the Universe as one of the best shows on telly (but we really didn’t have much compared to kids nowadays!) this updated and thoroughly modern spin-off puts the female character She-Ra at the center of the action.
When we first meet her she’s a cadet called Adora, training to fight for control of the planet Etheria. But after going exploring with her best friend Catra one night, she discovers a sword that transforms her into She-Ra and gives her superhuman powers.
Why Watch: It’s great fun, full of witty characters, fast and action-packed, plus there’s a broad range of characters so something for everyone to relate and connect to.
Our 7 year old says: "Sometimes being right goes against everything that you've been taught."
Where to watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 5
Episodes: 52
Average episode length: 24 mins
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
The enduring love kids feel for the little yellow creature called Pikachu continues with this new series (the 24th) from the iconic franchise.
In the first episode Ash is desperate to go to Professor Oak’s new Pokemon Camp, but he sleeps in and misses learning about the Pokemon that live in the forest. We also meet new character Goh who knows a lot about Pokemon already and is very keen to show off how much he knows.
Why Watch: The passion for Pokemon doesn’t diminish, the funny little creatures have been delighting kids since 1996 and that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
Our 7 year old says: "It shows you can make friends with anyone and anything."
Where to watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 1
Episodes: 48
Average episode length: 22 mins
Carmen Sandiego
Wearing a striking scarlet coat and fedora hat, Carmen Sandiego is a glamorous and clever master thief. Always one step ahead of the law, Carmen is helped by her technical genius friend Player and best friends Zack and Ivy.
The first episode reveals why Carmen became a thief. Found abandoned as a baby she ended up at V.I.L.E, a training academy for thieves, where she was known as Black Sheep. She learnt her trade from the best but then discovers that the academy is not all it seems.
Why Watch: A sophisticated and stylish animation, with an intriguing central character that will keep kids coming back for more.
Our 7 year old says: "It’s like Robin Hood because she steals from the bad guys and then puts it back in its rightful place."
Where to watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 4
Episodes: 32
Average episode length: 24 mins
The Boss Baby: Back in Business
Following on from the 2017 film The Boss Baby, this animation sees the Boss Baby and his brother Tim continue their work for Baby Corp — a factory that makes babies and ensures the world loves babies more than anything else, even puppies and kittens.
It’s completely bonkers, but tremendous fun, where babies and kids know a lot more than adults and run the world of Baby Corp without the grown-ups being any the wiser.
Why Watch: It’s a baby in a suit with a sharp, sophisticated sense of humor — it’s genuinely funny. Also, it’s full of crazy baby characters including Jimbo 'the muscle', Staci 'the wild card' and the triplets, who bring their own kind of crazy chaos times three.
Our 7 year old says: "Babies can rule, be afraid."
Where to watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 4
Episodes: 49
Average episode length: 24 mins
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
After being washed from the safety of her burrow, young girl Kipo emerges on the surface of a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by giant mutant animals — of course!
Her quest is to find her way home, but this imaginative series is full of surprises and obstacles. Inquisitive about her new world she has a lot to learn about who and what to trust.
Why Watch: Kipo is a strong and determined central character and the animals and other humans she meets along the way will delight and entertain.
Our 7 year old says: "The girl can turn into a giant pink jaguar, it’s so cool."
Where to watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 3
Episodes: 30
Average episode length: 24 mins
Horrible Histories
Based on the books by Terry Deary, this epic series is brilliant for teaching kids about history in a fun and entertaining way.
Focusing on all the yucky stuff about days gone by, plus plenty of catchy songs, the series brings history alive for any young mind, especially if you like your history served with a large slice of gore, muck and laughter.
Why Watch: The creative team and many of the main actors are from the world of comedy, including Matthew Baynton (Ghosts) and Sarah Hadland (Miranda). It's clever and daft and a great introduction to a subject that many parents may remember as sometimes being a little bit dull.
Our 7 year old says: "A funny history program that only gives you the horrible parts."
Where to watch: Hulu Plus in the US and BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Number of Seasons: 10
Episodes: 121
Average episode length: 30 mins
Operation Ouch
Operation Ouch follows identical twins Dr Chris and Dr Xand van Tulleken as they discover amazing facts about the human body. They also follow real cases in a real hospital, following young patients as they get treated for all manner of knocks and bruises. The two medics also look into really strange medical treatments.
Why Watch: This is genuinely interesting for adults as well as kids! Mind you it's not for the squeamish!
Our 7 year old says: "I love finding out how the body works."
Where to watch: Can rent via Amazon Instant Videos in the US, available on iPlayer in the UK
Number of Seasons: 11
Episodes: Over 100!
Average episode length: 28 mins
