We are officially in the countdown to the Winter Games. If you remember the chaos of trying to find specific events during previous Olympics, Peacock has (mostly) fixed that.

For parents, the Olympics are a rare "gold star" screen time moment. It’s one of the few things that isn't "brain rot"—it’s actual humans doing incredible things, which is a nice break from the Skibidi Toilet shorts your 7-year-old is trying to sneak on YouTube.

Peacock’s "Gold Zone" (their version of NFL RedZone for the Olympics) is a lifesaver. It whips around to whatever is exciting at that moment. It’s high-energy but high-value. If you’re trying to encourage your kids to get off the couch, watching a snowboarder pull a 1440 is a lot more motivating than watching a YouTuber open blind boxes.

Check out our guide on managing screen time during the Olympics

If you’ve ever felt like Cocomelon makes your toddler act like they’ve had three espresso shots, you’re not alone. There’s a growing movement of parents looking for "low-stimulation" shows—content with slower cuts, more natural colors, and calmer pacing.

Peacock is secretly the king of this. Because they own the older DreamWorks and Universal libraries, they have access to shows that were made before the "attention economy" turned kids' TV into a neon fever dream.

This is the GOAT of low-stim TV. It’s educational, the music is mellow, and George’s curiosity actually mirrors how real kids explore the world. It’s the "anti-Ohio" of kids' TV—nothing weird, nothing frantic, just a monkey and a guy in a yellow hat.

While the movies are definitely high-energy, the spin-off shows on Peacock are surprisingly manageable. They focus heavily on social-emotional learning and conflict resolution. Plus, the music is actually tolerable for adults.

A great bridge for kids aged 5-8. It has the high production value of a movie but keeps the episodes grounded in themes of community and nature.

Discover more low-stim shows for toddlers

Let’s be real: half of us pay for Peacock just so we can have The Office or Parks and Recreation running in the background while we fold laundry.

But for teens, Peacock has become a destination for "comfort bingeing." There’s a weird nostalgia for 2000s-era sitcoms among Gen Z and Gen Alpha right now. They find the low-stakes drama of Dunder Mifflin "preppy" or "aesthetic" (don't ask me to explain it, I just work here).

However, Peacock also houses the entire Bravo universe. If you have a middle schooler, they are likely seeing clips of The Real Housewives or Vanderpump Rules on TikTok. Peacock is where they go to find the full episodes. This is where the "no-BS" part comes in: most Bravo content is a toxic sludge of manufactured drama. If your teen is watching it, it’s a great time to talk about "scripted reality" and how these people are literally paid to be terrible to each other.

Ask our chatbot about how to talk to teens about reality TV drama

Peacock's library is a bit of a minefield because it mixes very "safe" NBC content with very "adult" cable content.

Stick to the Kids Profile. The DreamWorks section is stellar. You’ve got The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and How to Train Your Dragon. These are top-tier films that actually have soul and great storytelling.

This is the Super Mario Bros. Movie and American Ninja Warrior demographic. Peacock is also the home of fnaf. If your kid is into gaming, they’ve likely already begged you to watch the Five Nights at Freddy's movie. It’s PG-13, and while it’s "horror," it’s more about the lore and the jump scares than actual gore.

This is where they start hitting the Yellowstone wall. Yellowstone is massive, but it is hard TV-MA. Lots of violence, lots of "colorful" language. If your teen is watching this, they’re basically watching a soap opera with horses and more swearing.

Peacock’s parental controls used to be "mid" (as the kids say), but they’ve improved. You can now set a Parental PIN that is required to access any profile with a specific maturity rating.

Pro-Tip: Do not just rely on the "Kids Profile" setting. A smart 10-year-old can switch profiles in two clicks. You need to go into the account settings and:

Step-by-step: how to set up Peacock parental controls

Peacock has two main tiers: Premium (with ads) and Premium Plus (no ads). Normally, I’m a "just deal with the ads" kind of person, but for kids, ads on Peacock can be a bit aggressive. Because Peacock streams live sports and Bravo, the ad algorithms sometimes serve up movie trailers for R-rated horror films or commercials for alcohol during what should be "family" viewing. If it’s in the budget, the ad-free version is a much safer bet for the living room TV.

Is Peacock a "must-have"?

Peacock is the "reliable sedan" of streaming services. It’s not as flashy as Netflix, and it doesn't have the "prestige" of HBO/Max, but it gets the job done—especially when the Winter Games start and you need to explain to your kids why curling is actually a sport.

Learn more about the best streaming services for families in 2026