Um… The Simpsons???
My nieces all became fans of the show before they were 9.
I’d second Phineas and Ferb (Disney Channel) if someone else had already mentioned it, although the newer episodes aren’t always living up to the lofty expectations set by the first batch.
We just started watching this show (always late to the party) and it’s often hilarious, although not necessarily sending the best message about kid/parent relationships. There’s a decent amount of sexual innuendo as well, but most probably goes by younger kids.
I think the OP, rather than looking for kids shows that aren’t horrible for adults, should look for adult shows that are palatable for children.
Possibly PBS’s Word Girl. That show is loaded with referential humor. Classic Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies, of course.
I wouldn’t show Doctor Who to the under 9 crowd. There are far too many other options out there.
I’ll second Looney Tunes. Those will stand the test of time for ages.
I took my nieces to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs this weekend and we all really enjoyed it (3 adults, 2 kids - 5 and 4). My husband (31) said that he liked it better than Up!
It’s playing now, so it’ll be a while until it gets to video, but I highly recommend it.
I had heard that it was good, and completely forgotten about it. Thanks.
They were almost the only redeeming thing about those movies. We caught a couple episodes this summer, and it was pretty good. But here at home, we skip expanded cable and generally only watch shows on Netflix, so we’ll have to wait. Thanks.
Thanks. I’m a huge fan of Batman, but is the animated series a bit too much for a 4 or 6 year old? With Avatar, Aang emphasis non-violence (except in self-defense or defending others) and there is some (sometimes overly so) broad humor to break up the tension and action. Is the Batman series too dark?
Great call, thanks. Those are huge with us too (although I admit to not liking Ponyo all that much, it had the upside of getting my youngest to love ham). And their good for the occasional movie night, but we generally try to limit the time we spend watching television to smaller chunks.
I really liked Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain, and forgot about them. I’ll check out the others too. Thanks.
Good call. We did the Rugrats thing for a bit, but I grew tired of them, and they didn’t really grab the kids’ imagination much. Thanks.
We went into SpongeBob overload earlier this year so he’s been exiled for a bit.
Has a special place in my heart also, and we’ve seen more than a few. But I’m kinda hoping for a bit more … substance … that I can talk to the kids about. While I’ve made sure to teach the girls the old verbal switcheroo of “Rabbit Season… Duck Season”, I’m hoping to find a bit more we can use that relates to the kids’ lives. I know it’s kinda bizarre to use Avatar as a teaching moment, but it actually works.
Thanks everyone else. I think stuff like Simpsons and Malcolm in the Middle may be a bit too much for the younger girls, they’ll be in my queue in a few years, and Dr. Who even later. I’ll definitely check out Word Girl and the other recommendations. Thanks so much.
Along those lines, my kids (a bit older than the OP) really like to watch Monk and Psych. Main concern for parents would be the violence. In Monk this mostly happens in the first segment and is not usually that graphic.
You know what might be fun? MacGyver. I think they’re out on DVD - or at least on hulu.
How about the “Backyardigans”? It’s the only animated show my 4 year old watches that I don’t want to poke my eye-balls out!
Actually she started watching “Willa’s Wildlife” as well which isn’t too bad.
MtM
Re Doctor Who: I think the original series is appropriate for younger children, but the recent remake (starting in 2004) has some darker and scarier material that may or may not be appropriate, depending on how well your kids handle that stuff.
I can’t believe I’m going to be the first one to mention The Muppet Show. It might be a bit song-and-dancey for kids these days, but it sounds like your kids don’t suffer from Spongebob-induced ADD as much as most ( 
).
The first season DVD set is phenomenal, and will probably lead to some good family discussion as you try to explain to your kids who the guest stars are. The later seasons were good, but the first season definitely has the highest-quality DVD release and, in my opinion, is the most fun.
iCarly isn’t too obnoxious for grownups to watch - its actually kinda sweet.
My 10 year old loves iCarly. I admit it’s made me chuckle before. She likes Drake and Josh too, which has a similar kind of slapstick style to it.
Ned’s Declassified Middle School Survival Guide I don’t think they are making any new ones, but it’s on Nickelodian in repeats. Cute Show…always makes me laugh.
Gummi Bears
Garfield and Friends
Dukes of Hazzard
Tom and Jerry
Scooby Doo, Where are You?
I have fond memories of The Muppet Show, but I haven’t been able to interest any modern-day kids in watching it. Muppet Babies was a good show, although I don’t think it’s on DVD yet.
Once you’ve watched My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, you could try Kamichu!, a 16-episode anime series about a middle-school girl who becomes a Shinto god. In spite of being a god, and able to interact with the spirit world, she remains a shy, clumsy middle-school girl: it’s very sweet, and entirely suitable for young children.
Probably not quite safe for work.
True, and I am always late to the party too.
And that Lois can be more than a little scary at times!
Maybe already mentioned upthread, but the Science Channel - Discovery/TLC for a Top 10 science/beast feature and the all ages How It’s Made and Mythbusters.
Oh yeah, Whatsit Jr. (age 7) LOVES Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters.