Each generation of children had its go-to channel for kids shows. Before the age of streaming, kids would gather around the television for after-school programming blocks or wake up early to watch cartoons on a channel’s Saturday morning TV slot. There was a certain charm to that era of children’s shows, but out of all the various channels, Nickelodeon was king.
Nickelodeon began in the late 1970s as a TV channel created solely for kids. However, it would mostly air syndicated shows. That is, until 1991, when the channel’s popularity exploded, thanks to shows like Ren & Stimpy, Rugrats, and Doug. Now, over three decades later, Nickelodeon is the go-to face of kids’ entertainment and easily accessible on Paramount+. If you’re a parent looking for high-quality children’s shows for your kids, or someone just looking to relive some of that classic Nickelodeon nostalgia, here are the 10 best Nickelodeon shows to watch, in chronological order.
Rugrats (1991-2003)
Rugrats was the first big hit for Nickelodeon. The show ran for over a decade, received several feature films, video game adaptations, and even got a reboot back in 2021. People love Rugrats, and it’s not hard to see why. There’s a wholesomeness to Rugrats that’s impossible to hate.
Rugrats knows it’s appealing to younger kids, so it makes each of its episodes about things that nearly every kid has thought about. (Who wasn’t ever worried if they ate a watermelon seed that a watermelon would grow in their stomach?) The show never strays into territory that’s too inappropriate and has plenty of good lessons and morals for kids to learn, much like Arthur (1996). Plus, it’s one of the rare shows that has prominent Jewish characters, with several episodes dedicated to the importance and significance of Jewish holidays, which makes the series perfect for Jewish families. Whether you’re a kid finding Tommy and Chucky relatable, or an adult sympathizing with the parents, Rugrats is a great watch.
All That (1994-2020)
If you were a fan of Nickelodeon in the ‘90s, you watched All That, the children’s equivalent of shows like Saturday Night Live (1975), MadTV (1995), and In Living Color (1990). It is a real novelty for its time, creating a variety show starring kids with recurring characters and gags. Every kid dreamed of being on All That, and it’s not hard to see why. The jokes are plentiful and exactly the kind of humor kids love. There is physical comedy, gross-out humor, silly voices, and plenty of puns that have aged surprisingly well.
Even looking back on it as an adult, it’s easy to appreciate the dedication that the child actors had to making the show as funny as possible, even if certain moments are difficult to revisit following the allegations addressed in Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (2024). Be that as it may, the vast majority of All That exudes a joy, and that palpable excitement makes All That a great show for kids about kids.
Hey Arnold! (1996-2004)
While most children’s shows tend to be comical and eccentric, what separates Hey Arnold! is how grounded it is. The series is set in the inner-city and focuses on what life is like for children there. With a lot of cartoons tending to feature suburbia, kids who live in cities can find a lot to relate to in Hey Arnold!.
It’s also a show that isn’t afraid to tackle some challenging topics, like parental neglect, trauma, and being forced to grow up way too quickly. It’s still a kids show, though, with a big focus on the large supporting cast and seeing how they interact with each other. So, if you want a kids show that isn’t afraid to have important discussions that kids need to hear, but presents them in a way that kids can understand, then give Hey Arnold! a watch.
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-Present)
Out of the dozens of cartoons made by Nickelodeon, none of them compare to SpongeBob SquarePants. It’s arguably the definitive cartoon series, and it isn’t even close. What makes SpongeBob such an iconic and memorable show is how much fun its lead character is.
SpongeBob himself is a chipper and fun character to be around, and he always has his emotions dialed to the max. He’s hyperactive in the same way that Daffy Duck is in Looney Tunes (2020), but without any of his cynicism or snark. He’s just a happy-go-lucky guy, and thanks to his large and equally eclectic supporting cast, there’s never a dull moment in Bikini Bottom. The show has gone through numerous different eras, like how recent seasons began to focus on gross-out humor, but there’s always something there for children to laugh about. If you’re looking for a cartoon that both parents and kids can enjoy, then SpongeBob SquarePants is a no-brainer.
The Fairly OddParents (2001-2017)
SpongeBob SquarePants is Nickelodeon’s big breadwinner, but if there had to be a second-place winner, it would be Butch Hartman’s series, The Fairly OddParents. Much like how every kid wanted to be on All That, once kids see all the fun Timmy has with his wish-granting fairies, Cosmo and Wanda, every kid wants to be Timmy.
There’s a sense of imagination and wonder in The Fairly OddParents that’s evident in every episode. Aliens, superheroes, magic, and video games all pop up fairly regularly in segments, making it the perfect show for any kid who loves to be creative. Both The Fairly OddParents and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends (2004) flex their creativity, but The Fairly OddParents relishes in the chaos a kid’s imagination can create. It captures a lot of the same mania you would expect in Animaniacs (1993), but The Fairly OddParents is more focused on appealing to kids as opposed to both kids and adults. It’s not quite as universal as SpongeBob is, which probably explains why SpongeBob has endured for so long, but if you want a cartoon bursting with imagination, The Fairly OddParents is it.
Invader Zim (2001-2006)
Nickelodeon isn’t exactly known for broadcasting dark shows. Its programming tends to be the more family-friendly alternative to the edgier, more adolescent-oriented shows that appear over on Cartoon Network, which makes Invader Zim all the more noteworthy. Invader Zim is a dark show with a very stark art style. It has sharp angles, more mean-spirited characters, and situations that can be outright unpleasant. After all, an entire episode features Zim stealing the organs of children.
At times, the show is outright depressing, but it filled a market that wasn’t being filled at the time. Its humor may seem random and cynical, but it’s all tightly constructed and unashamed at being what it is, which is a cartoon that teenagers can watch unironically and without any shame. In that regard, it’s not too different from adult-animated cartoons today, like Rick & Morty (2013) and Helluva Boss (2019). They’re animated shows about unconventional topics with huge cult followings, and Zim definitely fits into those categories over the course of its 27 episodes and movie. If you like your cartoons weird and irreverent, embrace the doom that is Invader Zim.
Drake & Josh (2004-2007)
When most people think of Nickelodeon, they tend to focus on the cartoons produced by the broadcaster. It makes sense given how large some of its properties are, but live-action sitcoms were also a huge focus for the company since the ‘90s, with one of the best being Drake & Josh.
That success is almost entirely due to the performances of Drake Bell and Josh Peck. Like Kenan & Kel (1996) before them, the show’s best jokes come from the two actors interacting with each other and letting their unique personalities come through. Josh is the energetic goofball that channels comedians like Chris Farley and Lou Costello, while Drake’s cool straightman persona, which takes cues from David Spade and Bud Abbott, make him Josh’s perfect foil. It makes the show perfect for anyone who has a sibling, since the dynamics between the two brothers feel authentic and genuine. Plus, while the show may have some strange and unrealistic characters and plot threads, many of the problems in each episode are relatable, making Drake & Josh a perfect watch for older kids dealing with similar issues.
Danny Phantom (2004-2007)
If there’s one thing that kids love, it’s superheroes. Even as adults, superheroes are one of the most popular subgenres in the industry, so it made sense for Nickelodeon to have its own superhero show with Danny Phantom.
Much like The Fairly OddParents, there’s a huge amount of creativity with the various ghosts that Danny has to contend with, like the despotic Vlad Masters and the pathetically lovable Box Ghost. Even though the show can be dark (Danny is technically dead when he becomes Danny Phantom), it never feels that way. Danny feels like a real teenager, and older kids will definitely think he’s cool. Danny Phantom is a perfect entry point not only for kids who want to watch superheroes, but also for more serious cartoons. It never reaches the drama of cartoons like Teen Titans (2003), but it perfectly straddles the line, delivering fun action that fans of those shows will like while also keeping the same sense of humor that made The Fairly OddParents the hit it was.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)
Nowadays, serialized cartoons with save-the-world plots are pretty common. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018), The Dragon Prince (2018), and Adventure Time (2010) have fully developed complex worlds that hit pretty serious topics. That being said, they’re only as successful as they are because Avatar: The Last Airbender helped popularize, and arguably perfected, that style of storytelling. While the show may not seem like that much to write home about in the first few episodes, it doesn’t take long for Avatar: The Last Airbender to deliver a fully-realized fantasy world with equally realized characters.
People who love fantasy will love the different bending styles, and the geopolitical tensions feel like a more family-friendly Game of Thrones (2011). The action is on point and always delivers, especially when it punctuates a season-long arc or caps off a big emotional moment. The series isn’t just for kids, since adults will find many of the themes it tackles, like state censorship, imperialism, and genocide, sadly relevant and necessary to discuss in today’s world. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how, over the course of three seasons, audiences are treated to the greatest redemption arc ever put on television. Avatar: The Last Airbender isn’t just one of the best cartoons on Nickelodeon. It’s one of the best cartoons of all time.
iCarly (2007-2012)
By the late 2000s, while Nickelodeon was still popular, it was clear the tides were changing. Children were watching less TV and heading onto platforms like YouTube and budding streaming services for their shows. In that regard, it makes sense that Nickelodeon created iCarly to capitalize on the zeitgeist surrounding the prevalence of the internet. In many ways, iCarly was a natural evolution from Drake & Josh, considering it stars Miranda Cosgrove, who played one of the biggest supporting cast members of that series.
In iCarly, romantic subplots are more prevalent, and the show has season-long arcs where characters have meaningful development. It also embraces many sitcom tropes, like numerous crossovers with other Nickelodeon sitcoms at the time. Fans of Hannah Montana (2006) will also find a lot of that show’s appeal in iCarly, since both deal with popular teenage girls trying to balance their celebrity with normal everyday life. If you’re looking for a show for younger girls to relate to, or if you want a show that makes the internet feel like an exciting and fun place, then iCarly undeniably captures that feeling.
