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• Some TV shows are designed to educate children and help them learn valuable skills.
• The aquatic animated series "Octonauts" can help children learn about nature.
• "Arthur" is designed to help children develop moral-reasoning skills.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

When it comes to choosing TV shows for kids to watch, the sheer number of programs available can be overwhelming.

Some series exist as pure entertainment but others are actually designed to help kids better adjust to the world, teaching them valuable life lessons and useful educational concepts.

Here are some TV series that are designed to help your children learn valuable academic skills and social skills. 

"Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood" (PBS Kids) focuses on teaching children useful social skills.

Inspired by "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" emphasizes social skills and empathy-building. 

Per the PBS Kids website, the series' stories were created "based on extensive input from a wide range of early learning specialists" and "formative research with children."

"Kids who watch ['Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood'] have higher levels of empathy, what we call 'social self-confidence'  — being confident in social situations — and the ability to recognize emotions," Eric Rasmussen, PhD, associate professor & director of the doctoral program at Texas Tech University's College of Media & Communication, who has conducted studies on the series, told Insider. 

"Arthur" (PBS Kids) is designed to help children develop moral-reasoning skills.

"Arthur," based on Marc Brown's book series, revolves around an anthropomorphic aardvark and his school-aged animal pals.

According to Rasmussen, research has found that kids who watch the show develop advanced perspective-taking, which helps them understand situations from others' points of view, and moral-reasoning skills, which helps them determine if something is right or wrong. 

Per PBS Parents, the show is also designed to model age-appropriate problem-solving skills, help children foster a love of reading and writing, and teach positive social behaviors.

Many have also recently praised the show for its move toward more diverse and inclusive storylines. In 2019, "Arthur" made the news by releasing an episode that featured a beloved character getting married in a same-sex wedding ceremony.

"Sesame Street" (HBO) is designed to help youngsters develop their reading abilities and early literacy skills.

Between its loveable muppet and human characters and its catchy original songs, "Sesame Street" is one of the most memorable kids' shows out there, and it's also one of the most influential.

"There's been a lot of research on 'Sesame Street,'" Rasmussen told Insider. "Kids who watch 'Sesame Street' develop reading and early literacy skills." 

A 2019 study in the American Economic Journal suggests that people who watched "Sesame Street" as preschoolers when it first aired in 1969 did better in school than individuals who did not view the show.

A 2015 study also found that watching the show can positively impact a child's performance in school, especially children in economically disadvantaged communities.

The series has also been praised for "championing diversity," depicting a broader cast of individuals of different abilities and backgrounds, such as Julia, a muppet who has autism, and Karli, a muppet who is in foster care. 

"Super Why!" (PBS Kids) is designed to promote children's literacy skills.

Aimed at building kids' reading abilities, the cartoon "Super Why!" is set in a world where storybook characters have superhero alter egos.

"With [creating] 'Super Why!,' the goal was literacy skills," said Angela Santomero, co-creator of the series and executive producer and co-creator of children's shows such as "Blue's Clues." "The idea of how we solve our problem and the problem itself was always based on a story." 

To ensure that the show was as beneficial as possible, Santomero said she and her team worked with the National Reading Panel to craft lessons around benchmarks deemed critical for reading such as alphabet labeling, expressive vocabulary, and building words. 

"Doc McStuffins" (Disney Jr.) has been praised for its representation and for its help easing children’s anxiety about doctor’s appointments.

On "Doc McStuffins," a girl named Dottie who dreams of being a doctor uses a magic stethoscope to make her dolls and toys come to life.

For years, parents have praised the series for helping their kids feel less nervous about doctor's appointments. The show has also been lauded by black healthcare professionals, particularly women, for its diversity. 

"The country needs a healthcare system that reflects its own diversity," Dr. Myiesha Taylor, an emergency physician in Dallas, Texas, told NBC News in 2013. "You'd be surprised how many people still think 'doctor' means 'old white guy.' If we can build on what 'Doc McStuffins' is doing, the next generation of patients will have a different view of the medical profession, and so will children of color."

Parents have also praised the series for its representation of same-sex parents, like when two mom dolls on an episode of the show were voiced by two queer celebrities, Wanda Sykes and Portia de Rossi.

Ocean-themed "Octonauts" (CBeebie) can help children learn about aquatic life.

"Octonauts," a British series about oceanic explorers, is designed to educate kids about sea life. The creatures featured in the show are based on real-life marine animals and habitats, which can help children learn more about the environment. 

The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) also has a special partnership with the series to help raise awareness of science as well as ocean exploration, per The New York Times. The NOAA even has a general resource page related to "Octonauts." 

"Odd Squad" (PBS Kids) is a live-action, math-focused series.

"Odd Squad" is a live-action show about kids who run an organization dedicated to solving unusual problems through math. The series "helps with early math skills like counting, addition, subtraction," Rasmussen said. 

A 2015 study conducted by the nonprofit WestEd found that the series can help elementary-age students increase their algebraic thinking and knowledge of numbers and operations.

Following 83 first-graders and their families at school and at home for four weeks, researchers found that students who watched the show, engaged with its episodes and other resources like worksheets, and discussed it with family members were more motivated to solve math problems and scored higher on mathematical assessments. 

"Blue’s Clues" (Nick Jr.) is designed to help kids cultivate kindergarten-readiness skills.

"Blue's Clues" has been on for decades and it was even rebooted in 2019. The show's plot centers around a puppy named Blue who solves problems by examining a trio of clues.

Formatted like an interactive game show, the series is designed to help children cultivate kindergarten-readiness skills by teaching them things such as shape and color recognition, basic counting, and letter recognition.

The series also emphasizes the importance of literacy and is designed to encourage its young viewers to enjoy reading. 

"Peg + Cat" (PBS Kids) is crafted to help promote early math skills.

"Peg + Cat" is an animated series about a young girl who solves math problems with her pet feline. It's based on Billy Aronson and Jennifer Oxley's book "The Chicken Problem." 

"The show teaches measurement, shapes and patterns, and a wide range of fundamental pre-math skills, as established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics," per the PBS Parents website. 

Plus, a 12-week 2015 study of nearly 200 4-year-old and 5-year-old participants found that children who utilized media content from this series (including watching its episodes and playing its online games) showed improvement in key math skills, such as ordinal numbers.

"Wild Kratts" (PBS Kids) can help teach kids about animals and foster their interest in science.

"Wild Kratts" stars Chris and Martin Kratt, who many know from their previous show "Zoboomafoo," as animated versions of themselves. 

According to PBS LearningMedia, which offers resources for parents who watch the show with their kids, the series aims to educate 6- to 8-year-olds about wildlife and help children develop observation skills and cultivate a life-long interest in science.

Tackling topics from ecosystems to extinction, "Wild Kratts" is designed to give elementary-age kids a comprehensive, age-appropriate introduction to the natural sciences.

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