Protests against Peppa Pig – our new Netflix mornings

Our two year old is going through a very strange phase. Everything that was previously acceptable on the tellybox, is now not. Programmes she’s watched religiously for months are now ‘not cool’.

Peppa Pig -the staple of all toddler viewing schedules is no longer permissible on our screens. Noooooooooo she cries and waves her tiny palm, back of the hand style. Do you know what happens when your child suddenly turns their back on the safety of Peppa Pig?

Panic. That’s what. We’re sweating over the remote, furiously flicking to something that might be allowed stay on the screen for longer than three seconds before it’s met with her tiny squawks of protest. Yes, she is spoiled. No, I don’t know what to do with her.

We’ve developed a new morning routine and I’m wondering now, if it might have something to do with her programming protest. When she wakes in her cot, there’s usually time to bring her into our bed for her morning boppy.  This serves a few purposes – the main one being that we get some cuddles (important), some extra snoozes (if she’s quiet) and a little bit longer before either of us parentals has to get up and go downstairs and face the day. It’s a nice, relaxed start to our days with her and it’s all helped along by the quiet blare of Netflix.

She doesn’t have a tiny toe in the bed before she’s waving towards our bedroom TV and crying THIS! So we dutifully switch on the Apple TV and get to work letting her select her programme like the good millenial plus child she is. Because Netflix is set up to let you see all the programmes at a glance, she can see in advance what she wants and we play a game of go fish by flicking through the shows one by one. This? we ask. No. This? No. This? No. This… until we get a yes.

And that’s grand with Netflix, because there’s so much to choose from. Not so, on our TV downstairs, where we don’t have our Apple TV set up anymore. I’ve realised that this is where the main programme protesting has been taking place. This is where the Peppa Pig aversion happens. This is where she loses her cool when the adverts come on and immediately demands the next programme when the last has finished. She’s been totally Netflixed.

Anyway, now that I’ve proven that we are spoiling our toddler and probably watching too much TV, here for your interest is what we’ve been watching on Netflix over the past few weeks. She’s a hard one to please is our little dictator. All of these have passed the half an hour morning test. Which is no mean feat with little protesty wavy hands let me tell you.

Figaro Pho

She’s into violence. She likes Tom and Jerry batin the heads off each other. She also loves Figaro Pho – which is a brilliant, non-verbal type of programme from Australia, with a fair few mishaps. She loves programmes that she doesn’t have to follow language in – cartoons based on slapstick sound keep her attention. Poor Figaro goes through an awful time of clocking through all the types of fears you can have. It’s quirky, funny and one of our favourites to watch too.

Oscar’s Oasis

Oscar’s Oasis is another winner in toddler terrorist land because again, there’s very little language to follow and lots of slapstick funnies. Oscar is a little lizard who lives in the desert and spends his time chasing water and food and being a bit roadrunner about it. I thought this programme was also Australian made as it reminds me of Figaro Pho but according to the Google machine it’s actually French Korean. Random – a bit like the programme – but very cool.

Umizoomi

Umi! Zoomi! Umi zoomi! Umi Zoomi! Yep, that’s what usually echoes around our tiny bedroom every morning – it’s one of August’s new favourites. The graphics in this day and age look a bit dated to me – it’s been around a while, but the toddler doesn’t care one bit – she loves it. We’ve been spending a lot of time on numbers lately – she counts everything and I think that’s partly why she enjoys it so much. In fairness, it’s definitely one of the more educational programmes- which kind makes up for the violent ones we let her watch!

Storybots

Continuing with the education theme, August is into Storybots at the moment, which is a great little series explaining ‘stuff’. How things happen, why things happen – it’s like a very basis science class – but to be fair even me and her Daddy sit there going – I didn’t know that! Family education through the medium of early morning Netflix binges. Word.

Beat Bugs

We’d heard a lot about Beat Bugs and were dying to watch it because it’s based on the music of the Beatles. It’s a lovely series, and follows a set of bugs through their adventures, blending the music of the Beatles into each programme – the storylines are based on the songs themselves. The cartoon reminded me of A Bug’s Life or even Honey I Shrunk the Kids. To be fair, I’d say Mammy and Daddy enjoy these cartoons more than the toddler herself but that’s because, as I said above, she’s into violence and these are pretty safe.

So there you have it – our current Netflix cartoon watches and the programmes we wake up to each morning. As a disclaimer I’d just like to add that I do actually spend quality time with my daughter too – doing jigsaws and everything. Just so you don’t think I’m a totally terrible mother like.

I’m a member of the Netflix Stream Team and receive a complimentary subscription in return for honest reviews. What are you are your kids watching? Comment below – I’d love to hear from you