200 Prime Videos for Kids
When my twin boys were two, we found one of their favorite books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, in video format on Netflix. Since they wanted to watch it over and over that year, I tried to find other children’s books made into videos, but I struggled to find any as simply and authentically presented as that one. I never found a good list that could be streamed on any of the popular apps we could access.
So, I made one.
If Amazon Prime hasn’t snagged you yet with it’s free shipping, then perhaps this will—they aren’t even paying me to say it. Below, I listed 200 videos on Prime, produced by Weston Woods and Scholastic, and all based on children’s books. Of course, once you start watching a few, Prime will begin to suggest similar ones, but perhaps, like me, you can’t bare to miss one from an automated oversight.
These videos are simpler than the average children’s show, so with them, children aren’t being merely entertained or distracted but also introduced to literary themes. Since many of these are award winning titles for their illustration, children see higher quality art than many other shows suggested for kids on streaming apps. In case you don’t have a Prime subscription, I’ve included links to the books themselves on Amazon instead of the videos. Of course I don’t mean for this to replace reading time, but it gives me peace of mind that when my kids are watching TV, it’s not entirely mind-numbing. Also, most of these are brief—about 10 minutes long—which makes monitoring screen time easier. Most of these, I enjoyed as much as the boys did. Happy screening!
Disclaimer: These are intended for children in a wide range of ages. Please use your own judgement before showing videos to your children.
Abel’s Island (Newberry) - a suspenseful survival story
The Amazing Bone (Caldecott) - this one is so weird, but for the sake of making this a comprehensive list . . .
Angus and the Ducks - precious live-action with real puppies!
The Ant and the Grasshopper - an Aesop’s fable
Antarctic Antics - poetry
Arnie the Doughnut - definitely humor for children older than my four-year-olds
Bear Has a Story To Tell - from the same author/illustrator spouses team as A Sick Day for Amos McGee.
Blackout (Caldecott) - good point about unplugging for community
Bugs in my Hair! - educational book about head lice; uses essential oils instead of chemicals!
By the Light of the Halloween Moon - after “The House that Jack Built”
The Caterpillar and the Polliwog
Charlie Needs a Cloak - excellent presentation of a handicraft (unless you’re vegan and/or against running with scissors)
Chicken Little - a much simpler and shorter alternative to the full length film
Cloudette - I hadn’t heard of this one, but it is adorably told in the video.
The Clown of God - not nearly as blasphemous as it sounds but does show a dead body
Come On, Rain! - Refreshing realism after so much personification
Crazy Hair Day - about embarrassment
Crow Boy (Caldecott) - slow moving video but good point, kind of like documentaries
Crow Call - beautifully told (because it’s Lois Lowry), but also very serious content for the age (because it’s Lois Lowry)
The Curious Garden - (New York Times best seller) a boy who lives in the city finds a way to garden
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins (Caldecott)
Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners
Drummer Hoff (Caldecott)
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra (Caldecott)
Elizabeti’s Doll (Ezra Jack Keats Book Award) - so many of these have characters of color and that makes me so happy
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa
Emily’s First 100 Days of School
Exclamation Mark (about fitting in)
Extra Yarn (Caldecott)
First the Egg (Caldecott and Seuss award)
“Five Lionni Classics” (Caldecott) - Swimmy, Frederick, Cornelius, Fish Is Fish, It’s Mine
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves
Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas
Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms
Fourteen Rats and a Rat-Catcher
The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night (Caldecott; based on a folk song)
Friendshape - a sweet tale of friendship with shapes
Frog Goes to Dinner - live action, no narration, classical music only
Frog on His Own - live action, no narration, classical music only
Frog, Where Are You? - live action, no narration, classical music only
Georgie - even older-school Casper
Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Caldecott)
Goggles - Ezra Jack Keats!
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (NY Times)
The Great White Man-Eating Shark
Groovy Joe Ice Cream and Dinosaurs
Helen’s Big World: The Life of Helen Keller - beautifully illustrated
Here Comes the Cat
How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School?
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
I’m Brave! - noise
I’m Dirty! - noise with dirt on it
I’m Fast! - faster noise with dirt
Inch by Inch (Caldecott and NY Times)
In the Night Kitchen (Caldecott) - full frontal nudity
Ish - about a young artist
I Stink! - fast noise with dirt that smells
Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla - a great way to bring up how these beautiful creatures are threatened by extinction
I Want My Hat Back (Geisel and NY Times Honors)
John, Paul, George, and Ben - a political comedy
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat (Caldecott)
Lemonade in Winter - counting currency practice
The Librarian from the Black Lagoon
The Lion and the Mouse (Caldecott and New York Times Bestseller) - Aesop fable with no narration but some beautiful Swahili and African music
Make Way for Ducklings (Caldecott)
The Man Who Walked Between Two Towers - a terrifying tale of resisting police authority . . . for children? World Trade Center trigger warning
Martin’s Big Words (Caldecott and NY Times)
Millions of Cats (Newberry)
The Most Wonderful Egg in the World
Mouse Around - live action with no dialogue or narration
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters (Caldecott)
Musical Max - the moral is to get in the mood
Nelson Mandela (Coretta Scott King Honor Award)
One Cool Friend (Caldecott and NY Times) - encourages theft
Owl Moon (Caldecott)
Papa Is a Poet: A Story About Robert Frost
Reading to Your Bunny (The book is called Read to Your Bunny)
The Red Hen - always teaching kids to pitch in (or not to share)
The Scrambled States of America - humor intended for grade-school aged children
The Scrambled States of America Talent Show - humor intended for grade-school aged children
A Sick Day for Amos McGee (Caldecott)
The Snowy Day (Caldecott)
Snowflake Bentley (Caldecott)
Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
The Talking Eggs (Caldecott)
This Is the House That Jack Built
T Is for Terrible - dinosaurs. Need I say more?
The Trip - another Ezra Jack Keats
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! - from the wolf’s perspective; I remember reading this as a kid and learning about perspectives from it
The Very First Thanksgiving Day - poem after “The House That Jack Built”
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? (Caldecott)
The Wizard
Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?
Wolfie the Bunny - about prejudice and fear
You Are (NOT) Small (Seuss award) - fantastic introduction to having open minds on multiple perspectives
Yo! Yes? (Caldecott) - two boys of few words meet and play basketball
Zlateh the Goat (Newberry) - a live action story of survival, bored my children but made me determined to read the book