If you took my advice and watched Lion, the fantastic National Geographic series, you already know how powerful television can be when it combines spectacular storytelling with the wonders of the natural world.
For families looking for more, here is a printable guide to eight high-quality nature and wildlife series that can entertain, educate, and inspire viewers of all ages.
For parents and grandparents of a certain generation, these programs may also bring back memories of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, the pioneering series hosted by zoologist Marlin Perkins from 1963 to 1985.
For many of us Gen Jones kids (the sliver generation between Boomers and Gen X), 1960s television shows like that were a portal to faraway places and animals we could only imagine. Today, extraordinary technology brings those same wonders into our living rooms with breathtaking clarity.
The best nature programming can do more than fill screen time. It can spark questions, encourage scientific curiosity, build empathy for animals, and help children understand why protecting our planet matters, especially as we are all stewards of God's creation.
So grab the kids, grandkids, or the entire family, and get ready to explore.
BTW. you can still watch Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom on MeTV ...
Few voices are more synonymous with nature television than British broadcaster, natural historian, and writer Sir David Attenborough.
BBC Earth productions have spent decades taking audiences into some of the planet's most extraordinary habitats, revealing animal behavior and ecological connections through spectacular cinematography and compelling storytelling. Series including Planet Earth III and The Green Planet offer plenty for families to discover together.
Where to watch: Select BBC Earth programming is available through PBS and PBS Passport, BBC America, AMC+, BBC Select, and other streaming and television platforms.
Get even closer to some of nature's most fascinating stars. Animal takes viewers on an immersive journey into wildernesses around the globe, combining remarkable footage with intimate stories of survival, family and animal behavior.
Season One features "Big Cats," "Dogs," Marsupials" and "Octopus," making this series an especially enjoyable experience for families to view, based on a child's favorite animal.
Where to watch: Netflix
Baby animals, who can resist? Sometimes the best way to connect children with nature is through the irresistible antics of a young cub, pup or kit. Baby Animal Cam follows the daily routines, quirky habits and cozy habitats of young animals at Cleveland Metroparks.
With four episodes, this is an approachable choice for younger viewers who may be discovering wildlife programming for the first time.
Also on Netflix is the eight-episode Wild Babies, narrated by Helena Bonham Carter. It follows 16 different baby animals around the world, including lions, elephants, pangolins, sea turtles, and grizzly bears.
Where to watch: Netflix
A true visual landmark in nature television, Planet Earth explores the remarkable habitats that make up our world, from sweeping landscapes to intimate animal encounters. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the series is a front-row seat to how dramatically wildlife adapts to the environments around it.
It is also a wonderful conversation starter: What would it be like to live in that habitat? How does an animal survive there? What happens when that environment changes?
Where to watch: HBO Max, Discovery+, Prime Video, YouTube TV
Blue Planet II | TV-G
Take the family beneath the surface for an extraordinary look at our oceans. Blue Planet II showcases rare marine life, mysterious deep-sea creatures, colorful coral reefs, and remarkable coastal ecosystems. And for young viewers especially, the series can make the ocean feel like a whole new world waiting to be explored.
Where to watch: HBO Max, Discovery+, Prime Video, YouTube TV
Narrated by nature series MVP Sir David Attenborough, Our Planet combines spectacular Ultra-High-Definition photography with stories about the connections linking Earth's ecosystems. Filmed across more than 50 countries, the series travels from jungles and deserts to oceans and frozen landscapes.
It offers families both a celebration of the planet's beauty and an opportunity to talk about the importance of conservation.
Where to watch: Netflix
What makes wildlife on each continent unique? This engaging BBC series explores how geography, climate and habitat have shaped extraordinary animal behaviors across seven continents.
From Africa's baking plains to Antarctica's frozen waters, Sir David Attenborough introduces viewers to animals and behaviors that demonstrate just how adaptable life can be.
Where to watch: HBO Max, Hulu, Discovery+, Roku and other participating platforms.
Narrated by Tom Hanks, with music by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (The Lion King), The Americas is an epic 10-episode journey from the frozen North to Patagonia ... and a good reminder that there's plenty of wildlife adventures in our own Western Hemisphere.
Along the way, viewers encounter the extraordinary wildlife and ecosystems of North and South America, including the Amazon, Andes, and other remarkable landscapes.
With its broad geographic scope and cinematic presentation, this is the perfect series for families who want to explore the natural world closer to home.
Where to watch: Peacock, NBC.com and the NBC App, with availability through select live-TV streaming services.
Nature television can transform a living room into a classroom, a safari, and an underwater expedition all at once. The real magic happens when families watch together and start asking questions.
Which animal surprised you? Where would you want to travel? What adaptations helped that animal survive? And perhaps most importantly, what can we do to help protect the extraordinary world we've just seen?
That sense of wonder may be the first step toward a lifelong curiosity about science, wildlife, and our shared responsibility as stewards of this remarkable planet.
Image: 'Animals,' Netflix
April Neale is a mother of two and grandmother of five. She is a career journalist whose articles have been published in national and international publications. She is a longtime member of the Critics Choice and Television Critics Association.
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