90s Cartoons and Shows We Should Let Our Kids Watch
Some of the 90s cartoons and shows are worth letting our kids watch. Here’s some and why:
“They don’t make or write them like they used to” — is the common complaint among many millennial parents as they watch the new breed of cartoons for kids crop up, comparing them to the 90s. Whether it’s the plotline, the dialogue, or even the colors, there have been criticisms across the globe against the new cartoons and how they somehow mess with our kids’ brains. But we need to entertain them with something if we’re busy!
So here are some 90s cartoons or shows we should let our kids watch:
1. Legends of the Hidden Temple
A 90s kids’ favorite on Nickelodeon, the game show ran for almost 6 years before dying out on February 28, 1999. However, this was a fan favorite for the 90s kids who loved action movies. Not only did they make it relatable by having kids compete, but there were stories and riddles to answer to obtain the treasure in the hidden temple, encouraging our kids to think. And who could forget everyone’s favorite talking temple bust, Olmec?
2. Captain Planet
Ever wonder why the millennials are so hard up about sustainability? This ’90s kids’ cartoon may be partly to blame! Besides summoning Captain Planet with power rings, the episodes tackled various environmental issues like oil spills, deforestation, overfishing, and even the damages from urban planning. Captain Planet even had a segment at the end that explained how kids could heal the environment.
And as they say in the end, “The power is yours!”
3. Courage the Cowardly Dog
Although it has a lot of jump scares, Courage the Cowardly Dog is an old 90s kids’ cartoon that showed that even the most terrified of people could be brave. It focused on the life of Courage, a dog that was abandoned as a pup before Muriel, a sweet old lady, found him. While her husband, Eustace, does everything to scare the dog, Courage cares deeply for the couple, rescuing them from all sorts of things.
The series ran on Cartoon Network.
4. Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender became such a hit not just because it had action but because it tackled topics that most parents would have difficulty talking about. Spirituality, morality, disabilities, and even tackling why the world needs to be in balance — this kids’ cartoon was considered the GOAT (greatest of all time) among the 90s kids especially because of the writing and character development. One character was even voiced by a Filipino — Prince Zuko, who was voiced by Dante Basco.
Because people loved the series so much, it eventually had its own spin-off comics.
5. Dexter’s Laboratory
Before Big Bang Theory, there was Cartoon Network’s Dexter’s Laboratory. This 90s kids’ cartoon focused on a brilliant little boy named Dexter who was navigating life as a “genius” with his normal parents and his “stupid” sister, DeeDee. However, as the series goes on, we see that Dexter is very much like Sheldon: smart but socially awkward which is what DeeDee often makes up for.
This cartoon encouraged in the 90s kids that Science could solve a lot of things.
6. The Wild Thornberries
Shown on Nickelodeon, The Wild Thornberries focuses on the life of Eliza Thornberry who suddenly gained the power to talk to animals. However, she desperately keeps it secret from her parents that she can while maintaining her friendship with a monkey, Darwin. Her special ability does end up helping her parents however who make wildlife films for a living. Beyond her parents’ shenanigans, the series highlights even the realities of poaching and the habits of other animals.
7. Hey Arnold!
Ever wonder why millennial kids knew about the unspoken cliques in school? Hey Arnold! tackled those as a slice-of-life cartoon and even tackled the stories of each kid who attended PS118 — the public school the namesake character attended. There were just so many characters to relate with, including the shy but smart Phoebe, the dramatic Rhonda, the loyal friend Gerald, and many others.
Even Arnold’s neighbors had their backstories like Mr. Hyunh — a Vietnamese immigrant who was separated from his daughter during The Fall of Saigon.
8. Danny Phantom
Teenage life felt so weird for us to the point, that there were just some days we wanted to disappear into the wall! Meet Danny Fenton, who goes through the awkward adolescent age while dealing with his eccentric parents who hunt ghosts. But he suddenly becomes a ghost when he walks into the ghost portal his parents building and accidentally activates it, gaining powers that he uses to protect the city.
Besides hiding his identity as Danny Phantom, he also deals with the teen school life which sometimes involves ghost activity.
9. Figure It Out!
A kids’ gameshow back in the 90s where a panel had to guess what the person was able to do. The fun part about Figure It Out! was that participants were young kids who developed interesting gadgets and things. In one episode, a kid even made a raft out of soda bottles which was impressive back in the day. The fun part was, the contestants were given clues to figure it out and if they did a secret action, they’d get poured over with slime!
10. Magic School Bus
“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” — lively Ms. Frizzles in Magic School Bus often said this line and shaped many millennials and their approaches to Science.
The best part about the Magic School Bus was that, as a Science-based show, it would explain the principles and laws about the way the world works in the easiest way possible. This was the cartoon that probably inspired a lot of the ’90s kids to pursue a college course in the Sciences. After all, Ms. Frizzles made it look so fun!
Why kids should watch the 90s cartoons again
Media studies concluded that the 90s cartoons, because of their earthy colors and slower-paced dialogue, are less prone to overstimulating kids. Therefore, it makes the kids less prone to screen addiction. Since animation technology wasn’t that great yet, showrunners needed to focus on dialogue, writing, and even natural lighting to make the show perfect.
Although some have attempted to revive or “reboot” the series, others have just said to watch the old cartoons. After all, that sense of nostalgia is good for us too as parents: we remember the joy we had as a kid and it can properly spark our imaginations back to life!
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