Cartoons We Grew Up With.
Back home.
TV on.
Being a kid is something I think many of us took for granted. I was in such a rush to grow up, convinced it would mean more freedom and money. Nobody mentioned the bills 😭
Coming home from school and putting on my favourite cartoons was a highlight of the day. Homework could wait a little because there was a new episode to watch and plenty to discuss with my friends the next morning. Adventure Time, Regular Show, SpongeBob… we had a lot to look forward to.
So I’ve put together some of my favourites from those days. Maybe you’ll find a show you loved, discover one you missed, or introduce your kids to something you grew up watching. Either way, I hope you have as much fun with them as I did.
A note for parents: These shows cover different age groups, and some include humour or themes better suited to older children. We’ve included age guidance and content notes to help you choose, but please take a look yourself before deciding what’s right for your child.
These are personal favourites, not scored reviews. The Watchlist recommends shows; it does not stream them. Viewing links open external services, where availability, seasons and payment requirements vary by country.
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Mark the shows you’ve watched. You don’t need to finish every season.
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob works at the Krusty Krab and gets into underwater misadventures with Patrick, Squidward and the rest of Bikini Bottom.
Everyday situations become ridiculous adventures, with memorable characters and jokes that make Bikini Bottom worth revisiting.
Suggested age: 6+
Slapstick, name-calling and occasional scary moments or jokes aimed at older viewers.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.Adventure Time
Finn the human and Jake the dog explore the Land of Ooo, meeting strange creatures and taking on adventures together.
The strange adventures draw you in, but the friendships and growing emotional depth give you reasons to stay.
Suggested age: 10+
Fantasy combat, frightening creatures, mildly coarse language and occasional mature jokes.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.Chowder
An enthusiastic apprentice learns to cook at Mung Daal’s catering company, where unusual recipes rarely go to plan.
Its playful animation, food-inspired world and ridiculous kitchen mishaps give it a personality all its own.
P.S. My mom loves this series.
Suggested age: 7+
Slapstick, toilet humour and persistent, sometimes unwelcome crush-related affection.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack
Flapjack, Captain K’nuckles and Bubbie the whale chase adventure and dreams of Candied Island around the strange harbour of Stormalong.
A wonderfully strange seaside adventure with an unusual visual style. Its absurdist humour and creepy moments made it unlike anything else I was watching.
Suggested age: 7+
Creepy imagery, slapstick fights, mild insults and questionable behaviour from Captain K’nuckles.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.
Regular Show
Park workers Mordecai and Rigby try to avoid work, only to find that ordinary problems have extraordinary consequences.
Two friends trying to get through an ordinary workday somehow turn every small problem into a supernatural disaster.
Suggested age: 11+
Crude humour, mild swearing, fantasy violence and alcohol references. Better suited to older children.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.Ed, Edd n Eddy
Three friends hatch increasingly elaborate schemes to earn money for jawbreakers from the other kids in their neighbourhood.
Backyard schemes, summer afternoons and an obsession with jawbreakers. This show had a whole generation of kids desperate to try one, and I still don’t think I’ve had one to this day.
Suggested age: 8+
Slapstick violence, insults, bullying and schemes that mislead other children.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.
Teen Titans
Robin, Starfire, Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy defend their city while navigating life together as a team of teenage superheroes.
Superhero action sits alongside friendship, humour and personal struggles, giving each member of the team a chance to matter.
Suggested age: 8+
Frequent superhero combat, threatening villains and dark or gothic imagery. This is the original animated series.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.Gravity Falls
Twins Dipper and Mabel spend the summer with their great-uncle Stan and uncover the mysteries of a very unusual town.
A summer holiday becomes a mystery full of strange creatures and hidden clues, with a sibling relationship at its heart.
Suggested age: 8+
Supernatural creatures, frightening scenes, cartoon peril and mild language.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.
Codename: Kids Next Door
Five young operatives launch secret missions against the rules and villains that make being a kid difficult.
Treehouses, homemade gadgets and secret missions turn everyday childhood frustrations into an imaginative spy adventure.
Suggested age: 8+
Frequent cartoon combat, improvised weapons and conflict with adults.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.The Fairly OddParents
Timmy Turner’s fairy godparents, Cosmo and Wanda, grant wishes that often cause more trouble than they solve.
Having every wish granted sounds perfect. Watching those wishes go wrong is where the fun begins.
Suggested age: 6+
Slapstick, a cruel babysitter and occasional jokes aimed at older viewers. This entry covers the original series.
Read Common Sense Media’s parent guide Editorial age guidance, not an official age classification. Preview the show and check your service’s rating.
