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Taking turns

Taking turns is one of the first social skills a child practices, and one of the hardest. It means waiting while someone else has the ball, the swing or the attention, and trusting that your moment will come. A calm, well made series can show that whole loop in a few minutes: the wanting, the waiting, and the turn arriving after all, at a pace a young child can actually follow.

For 2-year-olds

At two, taking turns is barely possible yet. A toddler mostly plays alongside other children rather than with them, and a wanted object is simply taken. Waiting even a few seconds can feel like too much. At this age, look for episodes where the turn comes back quickly and the same small exchange repeats, so the pattern sinks in through rhythm rather than explanation. A friendly adult or older character who hands things back and forth helps more than any lesson about sharing.

Bing

Bing

Swing

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bing and Pando agree to count to ten so each gets a turn on the big swing.

Bing

Bing

Shadow

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bing and Flop take turns being the 'shadow monster' during their game of shadow tag.

Donkey Hodie

Donkey Hodie

Acornball

recommended age co-watching from 2

The friends hand the acorn back and forth, saying 'okay, your turn.'

Duck & Goose

Duck & Goose

Fly a Kite

recommended age co-watching from 2

They trade who flies and who holds the string after a fair game.

Ready Eddie GO!

Ready Eddie GO!

Breaktime

recommended age co-watching from 2

Children pass the tag role around during their games.

Donkey Hodie

Donkey Hodie

Grampy's Guppies

recommended age co-watching from 2

The cousins must take turns catching guppies, and the story is about waiting fairly.

Donkey Hodie

Donkey Hodie

Clyde's Surprise Playdate

recommended age co-watching from 2

The friends swap which game they try, 'your way and my way together.'

Barney's World

Barney's World

One Ripe Tomato

recommended age co-watching from 2

In the purple circle each child takes a turn to share an idea.

Me & Winnie the Pooh

Me & Winnie the Pooh

Pooh Bear Plays Hide-and-Seek

recommended age co-watching from 2

Pooh explains and models swapping between hider and seeker.

Me & Winnie the Pooh

Me & Winnie the Pooh

Tigger Wants to Play All Day

recommended age co-watching from 2

Tigger sets up a turn-based ball game with the child, 'Okay, my turn.'

See all Taking turns shows for 2-year-olds

For 3-year-olds

Three year olds start to understand the words: my turn, your turn, in a minute. They can hold out briefly, especially when someone tells them what to expect, but the waiting still shows on their face. Helpful stories give the child a full circle to watch, from asking, to waiting, to actually getting the toy. Watch for episodes where the wait is short and visible, and where the feeling of wanting something now is treated as normal rather than naughty.

Little Bear

Little Bear

Hide and Seek

recommended age co-watching from 2

Duck is given the seeker role after asking for a turn he never usually gets.

Alma's Way

Alma's Way

Star Ball

recommended age co-watching from 2

The friends take turns spinning and hopping along the board.

Alma's Way

Alma's Way

Alma the Artist

recommended age co-watching from 2

Alma suggests taking turns to share ideas so no one is talked over.

Pocoyo

Pocoyo

Double Bubble

recommended age co-watching from 2

Elly takes her turn at making bubbles after Pocoyo shows how.

Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig

Frogs & Worms & Butterflies

recommended age co-watching from 2

The children switch between being butterfly, worm and frog together.

Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig

Hide and Seek

recommended age co-watching from 2

Each character gets a clear turn to hide and to seek.

Pocoyo

Pocoyo

The Big Sneeze

recommended age co-watching from 2

The friends take turns placing blocks as the narrator asks whose turn it is.

Work It Out Wombats

Work It Out Wombats

Summerweenie Halloweenie

recommended age co-watching from 3

Each wombat chooses a pile of treats in turn once they are sorted.

Muppet Babies: Play Date

Muppet Babies: Play Date

Games with Potato

recommended age co-watching from 3

Reagan counts while Gonzo and Potato hide during hide and seek.

Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig

Flying a Kite

recommended age co-watching from 2

George and Peppa each take a turn with the kite before Daddy Pig tries.

See all Taking turns shows for 3-year-olds

For 4-year-olds

By four, fairness matters a lot, and turn taking moves into games with real rules. A child this age counts, notices who went twice, and protests loudly when the order breaks. Stories that work here let characters disagree about whose turn it is and sort it out themselves, with a plan, a deal or a rule everyone accepts. Seeing a character wait through something genuinely tempting is more useful now than seeing an adult step in to fix it.

Bluey

Bluey

Horsey Ride

recommended age co-watching from 2

The disputes over who gets the pony lead the children to find ways for each to have a part in the play.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Rescue Ronda, Ready for Take-off

recommended age co-watching from 2

The two boys agree to share flying the helicopter after arguing.

Puffin Rock

Puffin Rock

A Day Out

recommended age co-watching from 4

The children take turns picking the next activity, from hide-and-seek to the pond.

Bluey

Bluey

Shops

recommended age co-watching from 2

They divide up who is shopkeeper, assistant, kitten and customer.

Llama Llama

Llama Llama

Secret Santa

recommended age co-watching from 2

Children line up to pick names and hand out gifts one by one.

Bluey

Bluey

Spy Game

recommended age co-watching from 2

The children resolve their 'I'm going first' argument by agreeing on an order.

Bluey

Bluey

The Doctor

recommended age co-watching from 2

Patients are seen one at a time while the others wait their turn.

64 Zoo Lane

64 Zoo Lane

The Story of Nelson the Elephant

recommended age co-watching from 4

Nelson and the animals reach a compromise to stop the disruptive jumping and instead play snakes and ladders together, learning to consider others.

Bluey

Bluey

Hide and Seek

recommended age co-watching from 2

The seeker and hider roles swap between Bluey and Bingo.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

The Hugo Express

recommended age co-watching from 3

The friends take turns being the conductor of the pretend train.

See all Taking turns shows for 4-year-olds

For 5-year-olds

At five, turn taking stretches beyond toys into conversation, group games and shared projects, where a turn can mean waiting for a whole round or a whole day. Children this age can consider how the other person feels while they wait. Look for stories where fairness gets complicated, someone ends up with less, or a turn has to be given up for a friend. The interesting part is how characters talk it through, not whether they eventually do the right thing.

Stillwater

Stillwater

Gift of Compassion

recommended age co-watching from 2

Addy keeps asking 'Can I have a turn now, Carl?'

Rosie's Rules

Rosie's Rules

The New Park

recommended age co-watching from 2

Rosie works out fair ways for everyone to take turns on the crowded park equipment.

Pretzel and the Puppies

Pretzel and the Puppies

Make Your Bark

recommended age co-watching from 2

In the 'I spy' game the pups take turns choosing who spies next.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Hoopla!

recommended age co-watching from 3

Players swap roles rolling the hoop and throwing acorns during Hoopla.

Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig

Musical Instruments

recommended age co-watching from 2

Peppa and George take turns trying the violin and horn.

Lucas the Spider

Lucas the Spider

I Can't See You

recommended age co-watching from 2

Players swap between hiding and seeking each round.

Sago Mini Friends

Sago Mini Friends

Pizza Please

recommended age co-watching from 2

They wait their turn for a table and take turns in the guessing game.

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom

Fun and Games

recommended age co-watching from 2

They swap roles in tag and hide-and-seek.

Bluey

Bluey

The Claw

recommended age co-watching from 2

Each round is 'you have one turn' as the kids alternate at the Magic Claw.

Bluey

Bluey

Butterflies

recommended age co-watching from 2

The children argue over who gets to be the caterpillar first before agreeing new rules at the end.

See all Taking turns shows for 5-year-olds

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