28 Fun & Educational TV Shows For Kids Who Really Love Animals

Chris and Martin Kratt — the wildlife brothers and hosts of Zoboomafoo, that kids show with a lemur you might remember from the early 2000s — and their team of scientists travel the world learning about animals and their habitats. With the help of their creature power suits, which give the brothers special abilities, they keep their animal friends living free in the wild. This is one of the top rated animal cartoon shows out there for your kid to enjoy.

Watch Wild Kratts, rated TV-Y, on Amazon Prime Video.

George is a monkey, so right away, this is a good pick for animal loving kiddos. But since the show focuses on STEAM learning, many episodes explore the habits and habitats of various wild animals!

Watch Curious George, rated TV-Y, on Peacock.

Yes, nature is amazing, but sometimes it's so weird it's pretty funny. Narrated by “Mother Nature” herself, this documentary series takes a look at the bizarre, flat-out-funny side of nature by exploring Mama Earth’s wackiest creatures and their weirdest behaviors.

Watch Absurd Planet, rated TV-PG, on Netflix.

This show features the wildest creatures from across the United States and explores how they interact with human citizens of the country. It not only teaches viewers about some of the fascinating things these animals do, but also where and when to go and what to look for to spot these animals in the wild.

Watch United States of Animals, rated PG, on Disney+.

This series features adorable animals in need of help and the humans who will stop at nothing to make sure they live happy, healthy lives. (I myself required a box of tissues watching just one episode because, OMG, it’s a chihuahua in a rollerblade wheel harness.)

Watch Rescued!, not rated, on Hulu.

Gorgeous and exciting footage of the natural world highlights the balance of our incredible planet and all who live here. Bonus: This series is narrated by natural historian and marvelous human David Attenborough!

Watch Our Planet, rated PG, on Netflix.

At Animal Junction, the Kratt Brothers — yes, they make multiple appearances on this list — and Zoboomafoo (sometimes a talking lemur puppet and sometimes an actual lemur) teach kids about an array of animals and their environments through songs, jokes, and special animal guests.

Watch Zoboomafoo, rated TV-Y, on Amazon Prime Video.

Siblings Emma and Tim discuss which animals they’d like to be by describing the creatures’ features, habitats, and behaviors. Some nature documentaries need a warning for, well, animal behaviors (RIP sick, slow gazelle), but the only warning this show needs is that you might find the various baby animals too adorable.

Watch If I Were An Animal, rated TV-G, on Netflix.

Chimp Haven, a 200-acre refuge in Louisiana, is home to nearly 300 rescued chimpanzees and their offspring. This observational documentary follows the lives of a handful, showing the complex emotional lives of some of our closest cousins.

Watch Meet the Chimps, rated PG, on Disney+.

Izzy and her mother, a veterinarian, rescue and release adorable koalas from their home on Magnetic Island. Through the course of the series, Izzy forms a close bond with a new rescue, “Princess Leia.”

Watch Izzy’s Koala World, rated TV-Y, on Netflix.

This documentary explores the vast breed variety of man’s best friend. Warning: If you do not have a dog, watching this show will all but guarantee that your children will beg for one for weeks at least.

Watch Dogs 101, rated PG, on Amazon Prime Video.

As any parent of a mischievous toddler can tell you, sometimes cuteness is a survival mechanism. And we can learn just how some animals use their big innocent eyes and fluffy tails to their advantage on this feel-good show, rated PG, as we count down to discover the cutest of them all.

Watch 72 Cutest Animals, rated PG, on Netflix.

Tiny animals and big drama abound on this exciting documentary series that explores the world right underneath our noses. Tiny Creatures goes to show that no matter how small creatures are, they all can have dramatic and epic survival stories.

Watch Tiny Creatures, rated PG, on Netflix.

Famed conservationist Steve Irwin's family — Terri, Bindi, and Robert — continue his legacy of sharing a love of animals around the world in this series, which gives an inside peek at the Australia Zoo, its animal hospital, and the more than 1,200 animals who live there.

Watch Crikey! It’s the Irwins!, rated PG, on Animal Planet.

A monkey who loves a dog? A rhino who finds her courage thanks to her best friend a goat? In this production from Dodo Kids, you’ll find all sorts of unlikely and impossibly adorable pairings.

Watch Best Animal Friends, not rated, on Hulu.

Jack Randall is passionate about sharing animals with the world, even (and especially) the ones many of us find creepy or even scary. This show takes viewers all around the globes to explore the variety of nature.

Watch Fearless Adventures with Jack Randall, rated PG, on Disney+.

Animal experts and cat owners explore the nuances of various cat breeds in this informative (and very soothing) documentary series. As if we all didn't know already, our small furry feline friends are far more complicated and multifaceted than we often give them credit for. Plus, they’re cute.

Watch Cats 101, rated PG, on Animal Planet.

It’s easy to be amazed by an elephant, giraffe, or grizzly bear, but this show from National Geographic Kids explores why even nature's more common, humble creatures are absolutely amazing. (You’ve all been sleeping on pigeons, seriously.)

Watch Awesome Animals, rated PG, on Disney+.

Stunning night-vision footage captures nocturnal creatures as never seen before in this exploration of the world after dark. Now we can see exactly what animals get up to when we can’t see them! Night on Earth is for all to enjoy — perhaps for a family TV night?

Watch Night on Earth, rated PG, on Netflix.

In the great wild suburbs of Chicago, Fred is just an ordinary house cat. But when his owners let him roam in the backyard while they're at work, he transforms into the one and only Nature Cat: the feline with a deep love of the great outdoors, but absolutely no knowledge of it. Kids learn about the natural world right along with Fred.

Watch Nature Cat, rated TV-Y, on Amazon Prime Video.

Perfect for the kid whose natural inclination is to make everything a contest, Animal Showdown compares the relative features of wildly different creatures to determine which one would win in a competition.

Watch Animal Showdown, rated G, on Disney+.

This charming cartoon stars little puffin Oona and her friends, all animals that can be found throughout coastal Ireland in land and sea. Come for the educational animal show, stay for the incredible accents, and get ready for your child to develop a bit of an Irish brogue.

Watch Puffin Rock, TV-Y, on Netflix.

More than 5,000 animals call Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park home. This series gives viewers an all-access pass to their lives and a chance to get to know the animal care experts who work there. Plus, the series is narrated by Josh Gad!

Watch Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, rated PG, on Disney+.

Each episode of this inspiring series shares a unique story of an animal in need of help and the people who will do anything to give it to them, from building prosthetics, to rehabilitating endangered species, to rescuing creatures from circuses.

Watch Dodo Heroes, rated PG, on Amazon Prime Video.

A third show featuring the Kratt Brothers, but you know what, who is counting? When they do what they do as well as they do for as long as they’ve done it, they earn their clout. This show explores animals around the world, habitat by habitat.

Watch Kratt’s Creatures, rated TV-Y, on Amazon Prime Video.

Debuting in August of 2021, this new National Geographic and Disney+ original explores the amazing adventures of baby animals, as narrated by the wonderful Tracee Ellis Ross. Follow the animals as their journey begins in the safety of the womb and they reach milestones as they grow.

Watch Growing Up Animal, rated PG, on Disney+.

Narrated by the incomparable David Attenborough, this BBC documentary series is all about the nature and wildlife under the sea. An award-winning program, The Blue Planet explores the marine environment of Earth by taking viewers from coast to coast and pole to pole. And if your little one loves this one, there’s also a Blue Planet II.

Watch The Blue Planet, rated G, on Discovery+.

One of the most popular zoos in the country, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and its conservation park houses more than 10,000 animals on 12,000 acres. Follow as Jack Hanna, the zoo’s director and wildlife expert, takes viewers inside the grounds to experience all of the adventures that happen behind the scenes.

Watch Secrets of the Zoo, rated TV-14, on Disney+.