TL;DR: The Quick List
- The Gold Standard: Bluey (Ages 3-99, honestly)
- The Best Reboot: Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Ages 9+)
- The "Actually Educational" One: National Geographic Kids (Ages 6+)
- The Hidden Gem: The Mysterious Benedict Society (Ages 8+)
- The "I Need 20 Minutes of Peace" Pick: Spidey and His Amazing Friends (Ages 3-6)
Ask our chatbot for a personalized Disney+ watchlist based on your kid's interests
Disney+ is the digital equivalent of that one drawer in your kitchen—it’s mostly stuff you love, but there’s a lot of random junk and a few things that might actually be dangerous if left unattended. While it’s the "safest" of the big streamers, navigating it in 2026 requires more than just hitting play on Frozen for the 400th time. Between the massive Marvel/Star Wars expansions and the influx of Hulu content (depending on your subscription bundle), the "Disney" brand name doesn't automatically mean "safe for toddlers" anymore.
It’s not just the nostalgia bait for us parents. Disney+ has mastered the "franchise flywheel." Your kid watches Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, which leads to wanting the Lego Star Wars sets, which leads to watching the The Clone Wars.
They aren't just watching a show; they’re entering an ecosystem. This is why you hear them talking about "lore" or asking if a character is "canon." For kids, these shows are social currency. If they haven't seen the latest episode of X-Men '97, they’re out of the loop at recess.
Disney’s "Junior Mode" is a decent first line of defense. It strips away the PG-13 Marvel flickers and the more intense Star Wars battles. However, it’s not a "set it and forget it" tool.
The biggest issue isn't the "bad" stuff—it's the "brain rot" stuff. Even within Junior Mode, the algorithm will happily feed your child endless loops of low-effort shorts that have the nutritional value of a gummy bear. If your kid starts describing everything weird as "Ohio" or talking about "Skibidi" (even though that's a YouTube thing), they’ve likely wandered into the weirder corners of the Disney+ short-form content or are bringing YouTube culture back to the TV.
Let’s be real: we watch this for us. Bluey is the rarest of gems—a show that actually models good parenting without making you feel like a failure. It’s emotionally intelligent, funny, and short enough that a "marathon" doesn't feel like a hostage situation.
- Ages: 3 to 10 (and parents)
- Why it works: It deals with real-world stuff—boredom, death, infertility, sibling rivalry—in a way that is profoundly gentle.
After the movie disasters of the 2010s, this series is a massive win. It stays true to the Percy Jackson book series, which is great because it actually encourages kids to go back and read.
- Ages: 9+
- The Screenwise Take: It’s a bit darker than the cartoons. There’s real peril and some "scary" monsters, but it’s a great bridge for kids moving into that "middle grade" headspace.
If your kid has a chaotic sense of humor, they probably love Kiff. It’s high-energy, weird, and features an optimistic squirrel.
- Ages: 6-11
- The Screenwise Take: It’s harmless fun, but be warned: the songs are absolute earworms that will haunt your dreams.
This is "smart" TV for kids. It rewards paying attention and celebrates being a "gifted" (read: slightly weird) kid.
- Ages: 8-12
- Why it matters: In a sea of reboots, this feels fresh. It’s aesthetic, well-acted, and prioritizes intellect over superpowers.
Check out our guide on the best book-to-screen adaptations on Disney+
Disney is currently leaning hard into reboots. The Little Mermaid (Live Action) and Peter Pan & Wendy are prime examples.
Here’s the no-BS take: many of these live-action remakes are... fine. They aren't "unwatchable," but they often lack the soul of the originals. They are designed to sell subscriptions and merchandise. If your kid is obsessed, it’s a great time to talk about media literacy. Ask them: "Why do you think they made this movie again instead of a new story?" or "Which version of the character do you like better and why?"
Disney+ ratings (G, PG, TV-Y7) are a starting point, but they don't tell the whole story.
- The Marvel/Star Wars Creep: Just because it’s a "superhero" doesn't mean it’s for your 6-year-old. Moon Knight and Andor are fantastic, but they are adult dramas that happen to have capes or blasters. They feature psychological trauma and political assassinations.
- Autoplay is the Enemy: Disney+ is designed to keep the "rabbit hole" going. One episode of Puppy Dog Pals ends, and the next starts in 5 seconds. This is how "just one show" turns into two hours.
- The "Hulu" Integration: If you have the Disney Bundle, adult content from Hulu is now appearing in the same app. Check your profile settings immediately. You can set content ratings for each child's profile to ensure The Bear doesn't pop up after Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
Learn how to set up Disney+ parental controls and profile PINs
You might hear the term "brain rot" used to describe mindless, hyper-stimulating content. On Disney+, this usually takes the form of "shorts" or certain Disney Channel sitcoms that rely on "mean humor" or "canned laughter."
While Bluey models empathy, some older Disney Channel shows model "sass" in a way that can be... grating when your 8-year-old starts mimicking it. If you notice your kid becoming more irritable or "talking back" with scripted one-liners after a Disney+ session, it might be time to pivot to more narrative-driven content like Star Wars: The Bad Batch or Secrets of the Whales.
Instead of being the "screen time police," try being the "content curator."
- The "One for You, One for Me" Rule: They get to pick a show, and then you pick a "family" show (like National Geographic Kids content) to watch together.
- Discuss the Villains: Disney movies are great for talking about morality. "Why did the villain make that choice?" is a much better conversation than "Stop watching that."
- The "Bank Account" Talk: If they are begging for the Disney Dreamlight Valley expansion or Star Wars Outlaws, use it as a moment to explain how these companies use shows to sell games and toys.
Disney+ is a powerhouse, but it’s not a babysitter. Use Junior Mode for the little ones, but as they hit age 8 or 9, you need to be more involved in the transition to the "big kid" content.
Focus on shows that spark curiosity or play—if they watch Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom and then want to go outside and look for bugs, that's a win. If they watch four hours of Bunk'd and come away acting like a cynical teenager, it's time to recalibrate.
- Audit your profiles: Make sure your kid's age is set correctly in the profile settings.
- Turn off Autoplay: Force a conscious decision to watch the next episode.
- Explore the "Extras": Many shows have "behind the scenes" clips that are actually quite educational about filmmaking and technology.
Ask our chatbot about the best Disney+ shows for sibling co-watching