A List of Kid Friendly Documentaries ... etc

[Emaye]

My kids, Dd 4.5 and Ds 6.5 love documentaries. Can we make a list of documentaries we plan to watch with our kids or our kids enjoy(ed) watching already?  

These are on my list: 

1. Bill Nye the Science Guy 
2. Popular Mechanics for Kids 
3. Once Upon a Time ... Life 
4. Liberty Kids 
5. Microcosmos 
6. Animated Hero Classics 
7. Time Team 
8. The Day the Universe Changed 
9. Connections 

I really want a bigger, more diverse go to list.  With group effort, I am hoping we can help each other compile a large catalog! 

Everyone, please play and share what is on your list :)  

Thank you!

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Babies
Planet earth

[AAK]

March of the Penguins.

And, are you wanting "documentaries" or just "nonfiction" videos?  Your list seems to be a collection of documentary, nonfiction, and fiction based on fact.  

Amy

[SweetSilver]

My head swims with all the documentaries we've watched over the years, both made specifically for children (Animal Atlas is a fun series) and ones that were not (Nature's Sharkland was a fixture in our house for years.  It is still my favorite shark documentary.)

What else?

For the younger ones:

Growing Up Arctic

Knut and Friends

Arctic Story

For older kids, or simply those with more patience for adult stuff:

Nature series

National Geographic shows (I'm cheating a bit with naming these two, but they are always wonderful)

Triumph of Life series

Madagascar (not the animated movie!  This one with David Attenborough.)

As I type they are watching NOVA's Treasures of the Great Barrier Reef

[SweetSilver]

I'm remembering Steve Irwin.  Wasn't he on some TV show?  I found one DVD from the library attributed to him, possibly the one that got him killed.  I know my girls would love to see more of his work.

[moominmamma]

Blue Planet

Planet Earth

Life

Connections

Michael Palin's travelogs ... especially Himalaya and Sahara

7-Up, 14-up, 21-Up, etc. ... more interest for older kids probably, but fabulous

Longitude

Empires: the Medici

The Secret Life of Plants

Life in the Undergrowth

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

Human Planet

To Be and To Have (Etre et Avoir) ... about a one-room school in rural France

The Endurance (Shackleton in Antarctica)

Cane Toads: An Unnatural History

Spellbound

Not quite documentary, but we liked the re-enactments in 1900 House, Frontier House, Victorian House and such. Frontier House in particular had a bit too much reality-TV overlay for my tastes, but my kids loved it.

Miranda

[mnj77]

My DD5 loves documentaries.  Here's a list of ones about her favorite topic, ancient Egypt.  All of these are on Netflix instant play:

Out of Egypt

Nefertiti and the Lost Dynasty (I've watched this one soooo many times)

Building Pharaoh's Ship

Egypt's Golden Empire

King Tut's Final Secrets

Engineering an Empire (Egypt and other civilizations)

Secrets of the Pharaohs

Riddles of the Sphinx

[onatightrope]

The Cave of the Yellow Dog is a lovely documentary-like film about rural life in Mongolia.

[Emaye]

Originally Posted by AAK 

And, are you wanting "documentaries" or just "nonfiction" videos?  Your list seems to be a collection of documentary, nonfiction, and fiction based on fact

Amy

Aha!  Thank you for giving me the exact description I was looking for but didn't really do a good job yesterday.  I am looking for exactly the kind of stuff my list shows -- nonfiction, documentaries and "based on true events" type of  kid friendly dramatizations.  

[SweetSilver]

Recently we watched a movie listed as "documentary", though I don't know why.  It was beautiful, though: The Fox and the Child.  It is set, I think, in the Pyrenees of southern France.  Made me long for a world without fences.  It is also something I would have loved as a kid.

[Emaye]

Thank you ladies, great lists :)  

Miranda, I did watch Frontier House (this was a PBS produced show, wasn't it?) and currently I am watching Coal House by the BBC.  Same concept... I love shows like that.  

SweetSilver, Steve Irwin was on the Animal Plant channel.  Was his show "The Crocodile Hunter" I think. I think kids would love his energy!

MNj77, great Egypt list!  Thank you.  My Ds is into Egypt right now so he probably would like these!

You guys are great :)

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Emaye 

Time Team 

I adore Time Team. I am teased at home unmercifully for watching a show about people with incomprehensible accents grubbing about in the dirt for an hour. I love how passionate the members of the team are about their various specialties, how excited they get when they seem to be on the verge of a find and how much fun they have together. The idea that so much history is buried a few inches under our feet is wonderful. Awesome show, I'm glad someone else is watching. 

In case anyone is interested in shows for older kids: 

I don't see Mythbusters mentioned yet. My kids love that show. 

Top Gear will appeal to car enthusiasts. DD loves the show, especially the funny challenges, the epic races and travel segments and the star in the reasonably priced car. Warning about some language (usually bleeped out) and some of the humour. 

[1ColoradoMomma]

"Dirt" is a great documentary that my kids loved. It is about how the soil is alive. Lots of wonderful information in it!