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Winning & losing

Games, races and contests are one of the first places a child meets fairness, pride and disappointment all at once. Long before a child can follow rules, they can feel the sting of going last or the rush of being first, and they need help putting words to both. A calm, well made story about winning and losing gives that feeling a shape a child can recognise, and shows that the game, and the friendship, continues afterwards.

For 2-year-olds

At two, winning has almost no meaning yet. What matters is joining in, taking a turn, and doing the same thing again. A child this age may notice that someone finished first, but the feeling passes quickly and attaches to the moment rather than to being better or worse. Look for stories where playing together is the point, where the pace stays slow enough to follow, and where nobody is celebrated at another child's expense.

Bing

Bing

Musical Statues

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bing loses musical statues and learns 'you can't always win just because you choose the game.'

Get Rolling with Otis

Get Rolling with Otis

Jumping Daisy

recommended age co-watching from 2

Daisy wins the high jump while Sweet Susie does not clear it.

See all Winning & losing shows for 2-year-olds

For 3-year-olds

Three-year-olds want to be first, and they say so. Rules bend to their wishes mid-game, and a lost turn can bring a sudden, whole-body upset that surprises everyone including them. This is normal, not poor sportsmanship. Look for stories where a character is openly disappointed and someone stays nearby without talking them out of it, and where play starts up again once the feeling has passed.

Phoebe & Jay

Phoebe & Jay

Trick Shot

recommended age co-watching from 2

Dad finally wins and both players accept the result graciously.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

Two Can Play That Game

recommended age co-watching from 3

The children's competitive disagreement over a game is resolved by playing together rather than competing to win.

Muppet Babies: Play Date

Muppet Babies: Play Date

Gonzo Says

recommended age co-watching from 3

Kermit is caught out and told 'Kingston wins' in a friendly way.

See all Winning & losing shows for 3-year-olds

For 4-year-olds

Around four, children grasp that a game has rules and that rules apply to everyone, which is exactly when bending them becomes tempting. Pride runs high, and losing can feel like a judgment on who they are. Look for stories where the disappointment is named out loud, where a character owns up to changing the rules, and where adults let the outcome stand instead of arranging a win to stop the tears.

Bluey

Bluey

Grannies

recommended age co-watching from 2

Mum asks whether Bluey wants to be right or wants Bingo to keep playing.

Llama Llama

Llama Llama

Snow Show

recommended age co-watching from 2

A contest requires choosing a winner, which Llama Llama reframes so everyone wins.

Llama Llama

Llama Llama

Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!

recommended age co-watching from 2

Llama does not win but learns the race was about having fun, not winning.

Bluey

Bluey

Mount Mumandad

recommended age co-watching from 2

The race to plant a flag first frames the whole game.

Helpsters

Helpsters

Robbie & Rhonda Runner

recommended age co-watching from 3

Rhonda wins the race while Robbie is praised as best at the harmonica, so both feel good.

The Berenstain Bears

The Berenstain Bears

Out for the Team

recommended age co-watching from 2

Brother fears losing the roster spot to his sister after striking out.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Run Down Race Car

recommended age co-watching from 2

Donnie is upset by the lost race and later accepts the turtle car winning.

Bluey

Bluey

The Claw

recommended age co-watching from 2

The kids react to both winning toys and losing rounds at the claw.

Mira, Royal Detective

Mira, Royal Detective

Mystery at the Cooking Contest

recommended age co-watching from 2

One chef is awarded the golden spoon at the end.

Mira, Royal Detective

Mira, Royal Detective

The Case of the Dance Off Disaster

recommended age co-watching from 2

Teams cope with losing and a shared honest win in the final dance-off.

See all Winning & losing shows for 4-year-olds

For 5-year-olds

Five-year-olds compare themselves with the children around them and notice who is faster, better, chosen first. That comparison can make them avoid anything they might not be good at. Stories help most here when they show practice paying off over time, when a character manages to congratulate the winner while still feeling sore about it, and when trying something difficult is treated as worth doing on its own.

Stillwater

Stillwater

The Race

recommended age co-watching from 2

Addy loses the race but learns to take pride in her own improvement.

Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy

Nancy's Dog Show Disaster

recommended age co-watching from 3

Nancy loses the show while Bree and Waffles win the trophy.

Let's Go Luna

Let's Go Luna

Hoopin' Hopper

recommended age co-watching from 3

Luna plays a table-tennis match against an opponent named Fong that is resolved by the end, framing competitive winning and losing.

See all Winning & losing shows for 5-year-olds

For 6-year-olds

By six, children play with teams, tactics and long arguments about what is fair. Winning starts to feel tied to worth, and a loss can carry into the rest of the day. Look for stories with room for nuance: winning without rubbing it in, staying friends after a defeat, sharing credit with the rest of the team. Small acts of generosity between opponents land clearly at this age.

Pinecone & Pony

Pinecone & Pony

You're On!

recommended age co-watching from 4

The family grapples with how competitive the game makes Mom.

Pinecone & Pony

Pinecone & Pony

The Straight and Arrow

recommended age co-watching from 4

The archery duel is a straight contest to five bullseyes for the trophy.

See all Winning & losing shows for 6-year-olds

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