Let's be real: you probably got Amazon Prime for the free shipping, and Prime Video just... came with it. Now you're staring at a streaming library that's somehow both massive and completely overwhelming, wondering if there's anything actually good for your kids to watch, or if you're just paying $139/year to have your 8-year-old watch the same three episodes of Bluey on repeat.
Prime Video is Amazon's streaming platform, and unlike Netflix or Disney+, it's kind of a chaotic mess. There's the stuff included with your subscription, stuff you can rent or buy, stuff with ads, and "add-on channels" that cost extra. It's like walking into a bookstore where half the books are free, a quarter cost money, and the rest require a separate membership to a book club you've never heard of.
But here's the thing: buried in that chaos are some genuinely excellent shows and movies for kids. You just need to know where to look and how to avoid the absolute garbage.
Prime Video doesn't get the same attention as Disney+ or Netflix in parent circles, which means you might be missing out on some hidden gems. But it also means the platform hasn't been as thoroughly vetted by the parent community. The content library is wildly inconsistent—you'll find thoughtful, high-quality programming right next to low-budget knockoffs that look like they were animated on a calculator.
The parental controls exist but they're not intuitive, and the autoplay feature will happily take your kid from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood straight into something completely age-inappropriate if you're not careful.
Ages 3-6:
- Tumble Leaf - Genuinely beautiful stop-motion about a curious fox exploring science concepts. It's slow-paced in the best way, like the anti-Cocomelon.
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - Based on the books, sweet and silly without being annoying.
- Creative Galaxy - Art projects and creativity, less frenetic than most kids' shows.
Ages 6-10:
- Just Add Magic - Three girls find a magical cookbook. It's got actual plot, character development, and doesn't talk down to kids.
- Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street - Quirky, heartfelt, with a Spielberg-esque suburban magic vibe.
- The Kicks - Girls' soccer team navigating friendship and competition. Solid positive messaging without being preachy.
Ages 10+:
- The Wilds - Teen girls stranded on an island (think Lost meets Lord of the Flies). Mature themes, but excellent for discussing resilience, trauma, and female friendship with older teens.
- Upload - Sci-fi comedy about digital afterlife. Some adult content, but great conversation starter about technology and consciousness for high schoolers.
The "Freevee" content with ads - Amazon's ad-supported stuff is often lower quality and interrupts constantly. Not worth the headache with kids.
The obvious knockoffs - If it looks like a cheap Pixar ripoff with a title like "Car's Life" or "Ratatoing," run. Prime Video is full of these, and they're universally terrible.
Most of the "Amazon Original" kids' content from 2016-2018 - Amazon went through a phase of throwing money at kids' programming without much quality control. A lot of it is just... not good.
Prime Video's parental controls are buried deeper than they should be, but here's the quick version:
- Go to Account & Settings → Parental Controls
- Set up a PIN (don't use 1234, your kid will guess it in 30 seconds)
- Choose viewing restrictions by age rating
- Important: Turn off "Autoplay" in Playback settings - this prevents the algorithm from taking your kid on a wild ride through random content
You can also create a Kids Profile, which filters content to age-appropriate stuff automatically. It's not perfect (some things slip through), but it's better than nothing.
Pro tip: The search function in Kids Mode is terrible. Create a watchlist for your kids in advance so they're not just scrolling endlessly or clicking on whatever has the brightest thumbnail.
Here's where Prime Video gets sneaky: just because something shows up in your search doesn't mean it's included with Prime. You'll see movies and shows that cost $3.99 to rent or $14.99 to buy, mixed right in with the free stuff.
If your kids have access to the Fire tablet or can use the remote unsupervised, they can absolutely rack up charges. Either set up purchase PIN protection or have a conversation about not clicking "rent" or "buy" without asking first.
The "Prime Video Channels" (like PBS Kids, Paramount+, etc.) are additional subscriptions. Some are worth it—PBS Kids has excellent educational content—but you're basically paying for another streaming service on top of Prime.
Prime Video for families is like a thrift store: you have to dig through a lot of junk to find the good stuff, but when you find it, it's often better than what you'd get at the mall (aka Disney+).
Is it worth having for your family? If you already have Prime for shipping, yes—just take 20 minutes to set up proper parental controls and create a curated watchlist. If you're considering Prime just for the video content? Probably not. The kids' library isn't deep enough to justify the cost on its own.
- Set up parental controls today - Seriously, do it now before your kid accidentally starts watching an R-rated horror movie.
- Create a kids' watchlist - Spend 15 minutes adding 5-10 shows or movies so your kids aren't just scrolling.
- Check if you're paying for channels you don't use - Go to "Your Channels" and cancel anything you haven't watched in 3 months.
- Explore alternatives to screen time
if you're feeling like streaming is taking over your household.
Want more specific recommendations based on your kids' ages and interests? Ask the Screenwise chatbot for personalized suggestions.