School holidays watch list: 6 shows now streaming for kids and families

Apple TV+'s original holiday special For Auld Lang Syne is based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. PHOTO: APPLE TV+

SINGAPORE - From educational series for pre-schoolers to charming holiday specials for older children and parents, like Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne, Elisa Chia picks shows the entire family can watch together.

Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne

Apple TV+

Christmas was a letdown for Lucy because Grandma could not visit her. She puts aside her disappointment and decides to throw the perfect New Year's Eve party to celebrate with her friends.

Meanwhile, Charlie Brown struggles to accomplish just one of his resolutions before the clock strikes twelve.

The new 38-minute animated show is based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz.

This holiday season, Peanuts fans can also revisit classic titles, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992) on Apple TV+.

Ron's Gone Wrong

Premieres on Dec 15 on Disney+

Barney feels left out at school because, unlike his teenage classmates, he doesn't have a B-bot - a walking, talking device that plugs into its owner's social media accounts and helps him make friends.

His dad finally gets him a B-bot named Ron which, however, has defective wiring. But Ron is deeply loyal and determined to support Barney and they develop a real friendship.

Older children may identify with this animated movie about friendships in the social media age and the pressure to become someone whom they are not.

Harriet The Spy

Apple TV+

Harriet the Spy is the first animated adaptation of the iconic children’s novel of the same title. PHOTO: APPLE TV+

Tweens will enjoy this animated series about 11-year-old Harriet M. Welsch. The precocious girl wants to be a writer, but to tell great stories, she has to know everything and spy on everyone first.

Five episodes are available now, while the remaining five from the debut season will be released from April next year.

This is the first animated adaptation of the iconic children's novel of the same title, written and illustrated by Louise Fitzhugh in 1964. Harriet The Spy was also brought to the big screen in 1996.

Robin Robin

Netflix

Netflix's stop-motion short film, Robin Robin. PHOTO: NETFLIX

A young robin is raised by a loving family of mice. As she grows up, she sets off on a daring heist to prove that she can be a good mouse - but she ends up discovering who she really is.

This charming Christmas stop-motion short film is produced by Academy Award-winning studio Aardman Animations, which was behind Chicken Run (2000), Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005) and Shaun The Sheep Movie (2015).

Bluey

BBC Player

The popular animated series from Australia centres around six-year-old dog Bluey, her four-year-old sister, Bingo, and their parents. PHOTO: BBC STUDIOS

If your little ones watch Peppa Pig on repeat, introduce them to Bluey. The popular animated series from Australia centres around six-year-old dog Bluey, her four-year-old sister, Bingo, and their parents.

Chances are, you and your kids will recognise yourselves in their everyday lives, which makes the show so relatable to young families. Each episode is seven minutes long.

Be sure to catch its special holiday episode Verandah Santa, where Bluey learns the virtue of kindness after upsetting her cousin Sock. It premieres on Dec 24 at 6.50pm on CBeebies (StarHub TV Channel 303) and BBC Player.   

Counting With Paula

Weekends at 8am on Okto On 5 and meWatch

Counting With Paula helps pre-schoolers to learn numeracy and literary skills. PHOTO: MEDIACORP

From the deepest oceans to outer space, young Paula and her friends are solving problems as they go on adventures. At the same time, they are teaching your little ones about numbers, counting and shapes in each 11-minute episode.

Produced by Singapore animation company Omens Studios, the series - now into its sixth season - is developed in consultation with early childhood experts in mathematics education.

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