Behaviour

Making amends

Making amends is what happens after something goes wrong: a knocked-over tower, a snatched toy, a friend in tears. Young children need to learn that a mistake is not the end of a friendship, and that there are words and actions that help repair it. A calm series can show that whole arc, the mistake, the awkward feeling afterwards, and the moment things are good again, without shame and without rushing.

For 2-year-olds

At two, a child is only beginning to notice that their actions land on other people. Sorry is still mostly a word copied from adults, not a felt apology, and that is fine at this stage. Look for simple, slow stories where one small thing goes wrong and is put right within a few minutes, with clear faces showing sad and happy again. A gentle hug, a shared toy, or helping to rebuild is easier to understand here than any explanation.

S01 E03

Miffy and Friends

Miffy Meets Snuffy

Stimulating

recommended age co-watching from 2

Miffy hears a strange scratching at her front door and finds a friendly brown dog waiting outside. She names him Snuffy, gives him cold water in the kitchen and takes him out into the garden, where he shows that he can sit, beg and roll over. Snuffy then runs to the kitchen window and barks until Miffy realises she has forgotten to turn off the tap and quickly closes it. The episode ends with Miffy thanking Snuffy with a biscuit and inviting him to come back any time, followed by an end card with subscribe and next-video prompts.

See all Making amends shows for 2-year-olds

For 3-year-olds

Three-year-olds start to recognise that they caused the upset, which can bring a rush of embarrassment or a flat denial. Stories help most when a character hesitates before owning up, then does it anyway and is met warmly. Watch for series that name the feeling out loud, so your child hears the words for guilt and relief. Repair through action, fetching a plaster, fixing what broke, saying what happened, gives a three-year-old something concrete to copy at home.

S01 E02

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom

Gaston the Ladybird

Balanced

recommended age co-watching from 2

Ben the elf and Holly the fairy princess play with their friend Gaston the ladybird, riding on his back and watching him roll over. The next day Gaston will not come out, so they ask Nanny Plum for help and visit his cave. They find it messy and smelly and decide to clean it as a surprise, but Gaston cries when he sees what they have done. The friends realise Gaston loved his home just as it was, and they happily put back the cobwebs, smelly socks and dirt before running off to play again.

See all Making amends shows for 3-year-olds

For 4-year-olds

By four, children can hold two perspectives at once and genuinely wonder how the other person felt. This is the age where the reason behind an apology matters more than the word itself. Good stories at this stage let a character work out what would actually help, and show that sorry does not automatically erase the hurt. Small negotiations between friends, a plan to make up for it, and a friendship that survives the bump are worth looking for.

S01 E02

Pinkalicious & Peterrific

Glitterizer

Balanced

recommended age co-watching from 3

Pinkalicious's mother invents a machine called the Glitterizer that coats anything in sparkles. Eager to help test it, Pinkalicious borrows it without asking and glitters objects all over the neighborhood, until she covers her friend Raphael's painting and upsets him. She apologizes, and with her brother Peter she finds that a slow press releases just a little glitter, so the two restore and add to the artwork together. A short live-action opening shows the books' author making collage art before the animated story begins.

See all Making amends shows for 4-year-olds

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