the methodology
The TV rubric.
what I watch for.
Five weighted categories, one letter grade, same rubric on every review, so you know what's worth pressing play on.
By Jerrica Sannes, M.Ed. · refined across 100+ shows
why a rubric.
Because “kids' show” covers everything from Bluey to CoComelon.
I built The TV Rubric from screen-time research and my background in child development and early childhood education.
I kept getting asked the same question: is this show actually okay for my child? It depended on pacing, modeling, vocabulary, and whether a four-year-old could follow the story without being constantly yanked back by flashing effects.
So I wrote it all down. Five categories, weighted by how much each one actually shapes a child's development. Every show on the site is scored against the same rubric, by the same person, with the same research in my head.
You can disagree with a score. You cannot say the scoring is guesswork.
The research corpus behind the pacing, language, and developmental criteria lives on its own page.
the five categories.
Every show. Same five categories.
Weighted by how much each one actually shapes a young child, not by what's easiest to measure.
40%
Attention
Does the show hold a child's attention through natural storytelling and gentle pacing, or through fast cuts, flashing effects, and hypnotic rewards? The best shows let children engage at their own pace without visual sugar yanking them back every three seconds.
the big one.20%
Behavior
Does the show model behavior you actually want your child to copy? I look at how characters treat each other, handle conflict, express feelings, and repair after rupture. Shows that normalize sass, whining, or meanness without consequence score poorly here.
they copy everything.20%
Language
Does the show speak to children or at them? I look for natural dialogue, rich vocabulary embedded in story, and plots that hang together without a narrator spoon-feeding the moral. Baby-talk scripts and shows that interrupt every minute to ask the camera a question land at the bottom.
no baby-talk.15%
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Is this a world a child can actually inhabit? Authentic play, relatable settings, age-appropriate themes, and the kind of slow exploration that mirrors real childhood. Shows that confuse “enrichment” with flashcards lose points here.
does it feel real?5%
Diversity
Does the show represent the world your child actually lives in? I look at characters, settings, family structures, and whose stories get told. Lower weight than the other four because it's one input among many, but never zero.
the world they see.
Total weight: 100%
the report card.
How the scores become a letter.
Each category is scored out of its weight, then summed. The total lands the show on this scale.
Grade A, 90–100
Excellent. Slow-paced, well-made, developmentally supportive. The shortlist of shows I would watch with my own children without thinking twice.
Grade B, 80–89
Good. Generally well-paced with positive modeling and a few small misses. Watch with confidence.
Grade C, 70–79
Fair. Watchable but uneven: one or two categories I have notes on. Fine in small doses, with you in the room.
Grade D, 60–69
Poor. Significant concerns across multiple categories. Likely to contribute to sleep, mood, or behavior shifts. I would not press play.
Grade F, Below 60
Not recommended. Fast-paced, overstimulating, or modeling behavior you'll spend the next week un-teaching. Most likely to negatively impact your child.
Grade N/S, Pending review
Not yet scored. The show is listed but I haven't sat with it long enough to grade it under the rubric. The listing will fill in once the review is done.
Last updated: April 2026
Scored by Jerrica Sannes, M.Ed.
scores are a guide, not a verdict. your child is the rubric that matters most.
the things people ask about the rubric.
Questions about the rubric.
Real questions from real parents. Short, honest answers.
Because attention comes first. A show that wrecks a child's ability to sustain focus will undo the good modeling, rich language, and positive themes you were hoping the show would deliver. Research on fast-paced children's programming consistently shows that pacing, editing, and visual-effect density have measurable short-term effects on executive function. Forty percent reflects that. The rubric weights what most shapes a young child, not what's easiest to score.
They're partly subjective. Every rubric that depends on judgment is. I score every show against the same five categories with the same research applied. You can disagree with a specific score. You cannot say the scoring was applied differently from one show to the next.
Yes. It pulls from research in child development, neuroscience, and media psychology: pacing and attention, language acquisition, and developmentally appropriate practice from early childhood education. The full corpus lives on screen-time research.
When something meaningful changes: a new season with different pacing, a format reboot, or (occasionally) a correction after closer viewing. The “Last updated” date in the grading panel tracks the most recent rubric revision; individual show pages track their own updated date.
Because at this age pacing, modeling, language, and developmental fit matter most for how a show lands at home. Five percent keeps Diversity in the scoring (never zero) without letting it outweigh those. Reasonable people can disagree with the weighting, and I'm one of them.
I did. I'm Jerrica Sannes, M.Ed., child development specialist, former preschool teacher, and homeschooling mother of four. I built the rubric over years of being asked to weigh in on specific shows, and I apply it personally to every show reviewed.
now go look.
Browse the shows I've scored.
Every score on the site is the result of this rubric, applied by hand.