Just launched: free lifetime premium for the first 1,000 members to activate their account.

Log in Start free

Theme

Overcoming fear

Fear is part of growing up. Young children meet dark rooms, loud noises, new places and imagined monsters, and they do not yet have the words or the reasoning to talk themselves through it. A calm, well-made series can show a child that being scared is normal, that a trusted grown-up or friend stays close, and that most frightening things get smaller once you look at them properly.

For 2-year-olds

At two, fear is immediate and physical: a sudden noise, a vacuum cleaner, water on the face, a stranger's voice. A toddler cannot yet explain what scared them, so the comfort has to be visible. Look for a story where the frightening moment is brief and mild, where a familiar adult or older friend responds right away, and where the child character is soothed rather than talked out of the feeling. Repetition helps here, because knowing what comes next is itself calming.

Ready Eddie GO!

Ready Eddie GO!

Toilet Time

recommended age co-watching from 2

Eddie moves past his unease about a strange room and cold seat.

Bing

Bing

Here I Go

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bing's fear of the high slide is the central problem he works through.

Donkey Hodie

Donkey Hodie

Superhero Squabble

recommended age co-watching from 2

Panda is scared to apologize but does it anyway.

Me & Winnie the Pooh

Me & Winnie the Pooh

Help Piglet Go Back to Sleep

recommended age co-watching from 2

Piglet works through the fear by thinking about happy plans.

Ready Eddie GO!

Ready Eddie GO!

Show and Tell

recommended age co-watching from 2

Eddie moves from a wobbly tummy about speaking to completing his talk.

Bea's Block

Bea's Block

Danny Sings

recommended age co-watching from 2

Danny moves from freezing up to singing a full song in front of his class.

Bea's Block

Bea's Block

Sam's Campout

recommended age co-watching from 2

Sam moves from wanting to go inside to feeling brave enough to sleep out.

Bing

Bing

Growing

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bing's fear of shrinking down is calmed once Flop shows he only grew up.

Get Rolling with Otis

Get Rolling with Otis

Tune-Up Trouble

recommended age co-watching from 2

Kevin moves from 'I'm scared' to facing the tune-up by the end.

Ready Eddie GO!

Ready Eddie GO!

Swimming

recommended age co-watching from 2

Eddie moves from refusing to go underwater to doing it and feeling proud.

See all Overcoming fear shows for 2-year-olds

For 3-year-olds

Three-year-olds start naming feelings and start imagining things that are not there, so shadows, dreams and noises at night take on shapes. This is the age where a story can give the feeling a word. Look for characters who say out loud that they are scared and are taken seriously, with an adult who stays close instead of laughing it off. Endings that return to safety, a bed, a lap, a lit room, matter more than a clever solution.

Jessica's Big Little World

Jessica's Big Little World

Spike the Hedgehog

recommended age co-watching from 2

The shy hedgehog is scared in his new home and is gently helped to feel safe.

Trash Truck

Trash Truck

Slumber Party

recommended age co-watching from 2

Hank says 'Sometimes I get scared in the dark' and the group works through nighttime nerves together.

Do, Re & Mi

Do, Re & Mi

Together We're Not Alone

recommended age co-watching from 3

Doe enters the forest he called scary and ends up the one who finds the way out.

Do, Re & Mi

Do, Re & Mi

Best Buggy Blues

recommended age co-watching from 3

She sleeps through the night without her nightlight and wakes up proud.

Vida The Vet

Vida The Vet

Juno's Bubble Bath Breakout

recommended age co-watching from 3

Juno is frightened of the bath and is guided to face it step by step until she manages it herself.

Brightly Storytime

Brightly Storytime

Worry Detective

recommended age co-watching from 2

Hattie admits she feels scared at the slide and pushes through, conquering her fear.

Phoebe & Jay

Phoebe & Jay

Fire Drill

recommended age co-watching from 2

Lupe is afraid of the loud alarm but learns a calming trick and faces the drill.

Phoebe & Jay

Phoebe & Jay

Paint on the Mail

recommended age co-watching from 2

Grandma gets past her fear of the bird and the kids overcome shyness to knock.

Jessica's Big Little World

Jessica's Big Little World

The Big Kid Playground

recommended age co-watching from 2

Jessica pushes past her doubt about being big enough and climbs up anyway

Jessica's Big Little World

Jessica's Big Little World

Pool School

recommended age co-watching from 2

Jessica is scared to put her face in the water and gradually manages it.

See all Overcoming fear shows for 3-year-olds

For 4-year-olds

By four, a child can hold a plan in mind: check under the bed, take a flashlight, hold a hand, count to ten. Fear starts to be something you can do something about. Look for stories where the character tries a step, hesitates, and tries again, rather than becoming brave in one leap. First times matter at this age too, a first swim, a first day somewhere new, so seeing a character walk through that from nervous to fine is useful rehearsal.

Bluey

Bluey

The Beach

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bluey talks herself through being scared and keeps walking: 'just gotta be brave.'

Puffin Rock

Puffin Rock

The Meteor Shower

recommended age co-watching from 4

Silky's fear of falling stars is calmed and she joins the group.

The Berenstain Bears

The Berenstain Bears

Go to Camp

recommended age co-watching from 2

Sister moves from 'I'm scared' to 'I think it will be fun' through a trial run.

Puffin Rock

Puffin Rock

Diving Deeper

recommended age co-watching from 4

Una pushes past feeling watched and unable, and dives again.

Bluey

Bluey

The Creek

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bluey is too scared to jump the gap until Dad reassures her and she lands it.

Llama Llama

Llama Llama

Forgotten Fuzzy

recommended age co-watching from 2

He stays the night and reassures Mama he was not scared.

Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat

Three Bite Rule

recommended age co-watching from 2

Grumpy moves from 'I'm just not brave enough' to daring to take three bites.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Knight Time

recommended age co-watching from 2

A hesitant Sir Kirby agrees to try a bath he was unsure about.

Puffin Rock

Puffin Rock

Silky and the Octopus

recommended age co-watching from 4

Silky moves from being frightened to happily watching the octopus.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Ben/Anna Split

recommended age co-watching from 2

Ben moves from calling the overnight stay scary to agreeing to be brave.

See all Overcoming fear shows for 4-year-olds

For 5-year-olds

Five-year-olds understand that fear can be out of proportion to the real risk, and they notice what other children think of them. Being scared can start to feel embarrassing. Look for stories where a character admits fear in front of friends and is met with support, and where the difference between an imagined danger and a real one is shown rather than explained. Slightly bigger adventures work now, as long as the tension resolves within the story.

Stillwater

Stillwater

Stuck in the Rain

recommended age co-watching from 2

Odette moves past her fear of bee stings and welcomes the bees back to her garden.

Stillwater

Stillwater

Downward Dog

recommended age co-watching from 2

Carl starts 'kind of nervous around dogs' but ends up happily playing with Yuko.

Molly of Denali

Molly of Denali

In the Dark of Day

recommended age co-watching from 2

Oscar gathers courage to walk up to the monster and discovers it is harmless.

Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy

Nancy's Devine Sleepover

recommended age co-watching from 3

Nancy pushes past her nerves to go downstairs and later calms once reassured.

Rosie's Rules

Rosie's Rules

Iggy's Check - Up

recommended age co-watching from 2

Iggy faces and gets past his fear of the doctor

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Rescue Ronda, Ready for Take-off

recommended age co-watching from 2

Rhonda faces her fear of being treated and holds still to be helped.

Helpsters

Helpsters

Musical Mabels

recommended age co-watching from 3

Scatter feels nervous about singing for a crowd but tries anyway and succeeds.

Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat

Pete at the Beach

recommended age co-watching from 2

Pete faces the scary waves step by step until he can surf.

Simon

Simon

I Don't Want To Go To The Pool

recommended age co-watching from 3

Simon and Lou both refuse the pool, then face the cold water and end up swimming and sliding.

Helpsters

Helpsters

Dancer Dave

recommended age co-watching from 3

Dave faces his fear of making a mistake on stage and performs anyway.

See all Overcoming fear shows for 5-year-olds

For 6-year-olds

At six, fears grow more abstract: failing at something, being left out, things that could go wrong later. A child this age can follow a character who is nervous through most of a story and still choose to act. Look for series where courage is shown as doing the thing while still afraid, not as feeling nothing, and where friends talk each other through it. Humour helps at this age, so long as the fear itself is never the joke.

Pinecone & Pony

Pinecone & Pony

The Harvest Spirit

recommended age co-watching from 4

The friends face the dark swamp despite feeling scared to find the truth.

Paris & Pups

Paris & Pups

Not Feeling the Fireworks

recommended age co-watching from 3

With ear protection the pups manage the display and end up enjoying it.

Llama Llama

Llama Llama

Bully Goat

recommended age co-watching from 2

Luna is scared by Gilroy but the group learns to stand up to him.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Engine Nine, Feelin' Fine!

recommended age co-watching from 2

Lenny is nervous about his first checkup and Doc gently guides him through it.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

The Right Stuff

recommended age co-watching from 2

Chilly admits being scared and Stuffy admits he was afraid to ask for help.

Craig of the Creek

Craig of the Creek

Monster in the Garden

recommended age co-watching from 4

Craig faces the creature at night and finds it is only a scared deer.

The Berenstain Bears

The Berenstain Bears

Go to School

recommended age co-watching from 2

Sister moves from refusing school to agreeing to try it.

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

I Am Harry Houdini

recommended age co-watching from 4

The episode's goal is helping Brad face and get past his fear of the museum at night.

The Berenstain Bears

The Berenstain Bears

Out for the Team

recommended age co-watching from 2

Brother pushes past his fear of failing and tries out anyway.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Out of the Box

recommended age co-watching from 2

Little Jack faces his fear of the checkup and gets through it.

See all Overcoming fear shows for 6-year-olds

Browse all Overcoming fear shows

Explore more

Viewing guides Age 2 guide Age 3 guide Age 4 guide Age 5 guide Age 6 guide

Top lists by age 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years 6 years

Keep exploring Browse by topic All platforms

Just launched: free lifetime premium for the first 1,000 members to activate their account.

Create your account

We use functional cookies and Google Analytics to improve our site. Learn more