You might think coding or engineering sounds a bit heavy for a four-year-old who still puts their shoes on the wrong feet. But preschool is actually the peak age for "inquiry." This is the "Why? Why? Why?" phase.

STEM shows at this age leverage that natural curiosity. Instead of giving them a tablet to play Roblox (which has its own merits for older kids, but can be a predatory "bank account drainer" for the uninitiated), these shows build the mental scaffolding they’ll need later for Scratch or Minecraft.

Learn more about when your kid is ready for Roblox

This is the new gold standard for "pre-coding." Lyla doesn’t sit at a computer; she solves everyday problems in her neighborhood using "computational thinking." Whether she's trying to build a more efficient way to deliver sandwiches or figuring out a "loop" (a repeating pattern) for a dance routine, she’s teaching the logic behind programming. It’s brilliant because it shows kids that "coding" is just a way of organizing your thoughts to get a result.

If Lyla is the "how-to," the Wombats are the "let’s try it." Set in a massive treehouse apartment complex called the Treeborhood, three wombat siblings use computational thinking to solve community problems. What I love about this show is that it explicitly uses terms like "algorithms" and "decomposition" (breaking a big job into small parts) in a way that doesn't feel like a lecture. It’s colorful, fast-paced, and genuinely funny.

Sid is an oldie but a goodie. Produced by the Jim Henson Company, it uses "digital puppetry" to make the characters feel incredibly lifelike. Every episode follows the scientific method: Sid has a question (Why do bananas get mushy?), he makes a hypothesis, he tests it at school with his friends, and he journals the results. It’s the perfect blueprint for how to handle your kid's "Why?" questions at home.

This show is much calmer than the others—perfect for kids who get overstimulated by high-energy cartoons. Elinor is a bunny who is obsessed with nature. The show focuses on "biomimicry"—how humans can learn from nature to solve problems (like how velcro was inspired by burrs that stick to fur). It encourages kids to slow down, look at a leaf or a bug, and ask how it works.

Math can be intimidating for parents to teach, but Peg + Cat makes it a musical comedy. They tackle "The Really Big Problem" in every episode using logic, basic geometry, and arithmetic. It’s great for showing that math isn't just about numbers on a page; it’s a tool for fixing things when they go wrong. Plus, the soundtrack is actually tolerable for adults.

If your kid is in a "dino phase," this is the one. It’s produced by the Henson folks again, and it’s surprisingly rigorous. They don't just talk about T-Rex; they get into classification, paleontology, and evolution. They use the "Train" to travel through the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, making the distinction between different eras of Earth's history very clear.

This is the gateway drug to harder science. The Kratt brothers combine animal facts with "Creature Power Suits" (basically superhero suits based on animal abilities). It’s a bit more high-octane, but the sheer volume of zoological information they pack into 22 minutes is impressive. Your kid will start telling you about the "force of a mantis shrimp's punch," and you'll realize they're actually learning physics through biology.

Check out our full guide on the best science podcasts for kids

The biggest mistake we make with educational TV is treating it like a babysitter. I know, I know—sometimes you just need to shower. That’s fine.

But the "Screenwise" way to do this is co-viewing. Research shows that kids learn significantly more from educational media when a parent or caregiver watches with them—or at least talks about it afterward.

You don't have to sit there for the whole 30 minutes. Just catch the last five minutes and ask:

This moves the information from their short-term "entertainment" memory into their long-term "application" memory.

Since we’re in 2026, it’s worth noting that PBS Kids is excellent about representation and scientific accuracy. Shows like Dinosaur Train and Wild Kratts treat evolution and climate change as the settled scientific facts they are. Additionally, Lyla in the Loop and Molly of Denali (which is great for informational literacy) feature diverse leads and authentic cultural contexts without being "performative." It’s just good storytelling that reflects the real world.

If your kid is starting to show a real interest in these shows, you can bridge the gap to "active" tech.

Ask our chatbot for more hands-on STEM activities based on these shows

Preschoolers are tiny scientists by default. They are constantly testing the "physics" of their world (usually by seeing how far milk splashes when they drop a cup).

PBS Kids shows like Lyla in the Loop and Work It Out Wombats! take that chaotic energy and give it a framework. It’s not "brain rot"—it’s a head start.

So next time you need that 20-minute break to regain your sanity, don't feel guilty. Just make sure they're hanging out with the Wombats or Sid. You're not just "parking them in front of the TV"; you're enrolling them in a mini-engineering seminar.

Check out our guide on moving from PBS Kids to Scratch Jr.