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The Best Options for Watching Universal Kids Without the Need for Cable

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If you want to have Universal Kids and similar channels available for your family, it’s no problem doing so without signing up for a long-term cable contract. Read on to learn all you need to know.

In a hurry? The biggest live TV streaming services offer Universal Kids. These are our top picks:

  • Fubo: With 150+ channels, it offers something for everyone. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
  • DIRECTV STREAM: Makes it easy to switch from cable to streaming with their 75+ channel Entertainment plan and options for much more. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
  • Hulu + Live TV: This total entertainment streaming service provides a great on-demand selection and all the essential live TV channels.

If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, try ExpressVPN to get access to the content you deserve.

In a hurry? Unfortunately, we don’t know a streaming service in that offers this TV channel/sport. But if you’ve already paid for the right service, and just can’t watch because of your location, there is an easy way to get the sports, movies, and TV you deserve. You need a VPN, like one of the following.

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Universal Kids is a channel that is dedicated to delivering programs for children from ages two to pre-teen. It offers a variety of animated series that please both parents and children.

Don’t worry about managing an expensive cable subscription. You can watch Universal Kids over a multitude of platforms. Let’s take a closer look.

Sign Up for a Free Fubo Trial

What Is Universal Kids

Universal Kids is the family network for NBCUniversal. This channel has a long and interesting history.

Originally, it started as PBS Kids. It was launched in 1999 as a block of children’s programming. It was offered to PBS members, upper package cable subscribers, and PBS member stations that paid a subscription fee.

Unfortunately, it could not compete with Children’s Television Workshop’s Noggin channel. So in September 2005, a joint venture between Sesame Street Workshop, PBS, and HIT entertainment was formed to create PBS Kids/Sprout. Primarily, it dedicated its shows to the preschool audience.

In 2013, NBCUniversal became the primary owner, and the PBS Kids name was dropped. Rebranding occurred in 2017. At that time, Universal Kids was born and started a lineup of primetime programs that pleased the younger crowd.

For example, it carried content from DreamWorks animation, international series, and spinoffs from sister networks like Top Chef Junior and American Ninja Junior. Today, it has stopped producing original programs and rests mainly on acquired content and DreamWorks entertainment.

Universal Kids Homepage
Universal Kids homepage.

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Universal Kids Shows

Due to a decrease in ratings, Universal Kids decided to stop developing original content. However, there are many shows from the past that remain very popular.

For instance, The Chica Show, which was based on the puppet segments on Sprout’s The Sunny Side Up Show. This beloved show ended in 2015. Now, short videos are available to watch on the Universal Kids website.

A similar animated series, The Floogals, has videos and games on the website as well. Other favorites like American Ninja Warrior Junior, Top Chef Junior, and Get Out of My Room may now be viewed on Peacock.

Despite the changes, there are many current favorites that may be streamed from Universal Kids.

  • Remy & Boo: Pairs a little girl and her best friend, a tiny blob. Her imagination takes them on many adventures, which teaches the importance of friendship.
  • CoComelon: Preschoolers love singing and dancing to their favorite nursery rhymes as they watch babies and animals go through everyday activities.
  • Masha and the Bear: The show is based on a children’s folktale. Masha and her bear go on many new ventures as she tries to keep him out of trouble.
  • Mighty Mike: Mike is an adorable pug. He tries to live a relaxing life in his big mansion. However, mischievous furry visitors try to put a damper on his plans.
  • Trolls: Based on the popular fad dolls of the 1980s, Trolls takes kids on musical adventures through Trolls’ Village. The bright colors attract young watchers, and everyone enjoys some singing and dancing.

Stream Universal Kids

Universal Kids is available on different TV streaming services.

  • FuboTV: FuboTV delivers 110+ channels, including Universal Kids, Disney Junior, and Nick Jr. For $69.99 per month, you receive numerous ways to view sports programs and kids shows. All plans come with at least 750 hours of cloud DVR and simultaneous streaming on ten devices. (FuboTV review)
  • DIRECTV STREAM: If you subscribe to the Ultimate package for $104.99 per month, you enjoy great channels like Universal Kids, PBS Kids, BabyFirst, Nick Jr, and Disney Junior. All plans come with unlimited DVR storage (online sign-up only) and streaming on up to 20 devices at once. (DIRECTV STREAM review)
  • Hulu + Live TV: Includes Universal Kids in its base plan for $69.99 per month. It includes 85+ total channels including Nick Jr, Disney Junior, and Discovery. Additionally, it comes with ESPN+ and Disney+. You also get unlimited cloud DVR (9 month storage) and streaming on up to two devices. (Hulu + Live TV review)
  • YouTube TV: For $64.99 per month, your package includes 85+ channel including Universal Kids. Unlimited cloud storage and streaming on up to three devices is also included.

Sign Up for a Free Fubo Trial

On-Demand

Various shows from Universal Kids are available on-demand on a variety of services.

  • Amazon: Offers a number of Universal Kids shows for approximately $1.99 per episode. Some of the most popular titles, including The Floogals, are available. (Amazon Prime review)
  • Vudu: A great alternative to Netflix and Hulu. Its numerous offerings make it easy to stream episodes of Universal Kids shows.
  • Google Plus Movies: Similar to Amazon, you can purchase individual episodes of favorite Universal Kids shows for $1.99 per show.
  • Hulu On-Demand: Known for its vast library of shows and movies. You can only view UK’s latest DreamWorks series Where’s Waldo? on Hulu. But there is a vast trove of kids entertainment available. (Hulu review)

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You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

i See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs.

Alternatives

There are several good alternatives to Universal Kids:

  • Disney Junior: Provides programming that is aimed at young children.
  • Nick Jr: The preschool offshoot channel to Paramount’s Nickelodeon. Favorite shows include Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, and Blue’s Clues & You.
  • PBS Kids: Public broadcasting was once tied directly with Universal Kids through its Sprout offerings. Today, it features existing series. In 2020, it became home to the Peanuts animated library.
  • YouTube Kids: YouTube began a unique channel for a younger audience. Children can view age-appropriate content so that parents can rest easy.

Streaming Devices to Watch Universal Kids

All of the streaming services above support the most popular devices:

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android mobile
  • Apple TV
  • Chromecast
  • iOS (iPhone,iPad)
  • Roku
  • Samsung smart TVs
  • Web browsers.

Other than DIRECTV STREAM, all the services support:

  • Android TV-based TVs
  • LG smart TVs
  • VIZIO smart TVs
  • Xbox system.

Hulu and YouTube also support PlayStation units.

This list is incomplete. See our streaming service reviews for complete information.

Today’s Universal Kids Schedule

Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:

Trolls: The Beat Goes On!Adventures and Dance Parties, Volume 19

Episodes include "Glamping," "A Flower for Poppy," "The Partier's Apprentice," and "Hair Ball."

Trolls: The Beat Goes On!Adventures and Dance Parties, Volume 20

Episodes include "Freeze Tag," "Whimsy Wasps," "The Fast and the Friendliest," and "Much Achoo About Nothing."

PowerbirdsWorld's Awesomest Villain; Owl of Nod

When Asher Stasher nabs all the trophies in town, the Powerbirds rely on one another to save the day and return the prizes to their rightful owners; Minerva is determined to ruin everyone's dreams, making them tired while she's well rested.

PowerbirdsThat'll Teach Em; Space Odyssey

Minerva makes all the teachers act silly, leaving her as the smartest person left; the Powerbirds spot a UFO in the backyard.

PowerbirdsScarepperlicious; Book Bedlam

In order to save Max's family pizza night, the Powerbirds must protect the pizzas from Scrapper at all costs; Minerva takes over the local bookmobile.

PowerbirdsNibbles Takes the Cake; Clash of the Critters

Nibbles is taking all the birthday treats in town, ruining everyone's birthdays; when Scrapper and Clawdette battle over a prized possession, the Powerbirds fly to the rescue.

PowerbirdsTime to Dino-Soar; Birdy Guards

Max is excited to see a new T-rex exhibit at the museum; a big match featuring Max's favorite wrestler, Starburst Jackson, is coming to town.

PowerbirdsHaywire Hayride; The Powerbirds Pretender

Ace and Polly have to stop Nibbles, who's ruining the Harvest festival by taking over the hayride; Ace and Polly must save the day and their reputations when a fake Powerbird makes them look bad.

PowerbirdsPower Meower Saves the Day; Midnight Scrap

Clawdette inadvertently sabotages Ace and Polly's attempts to stop Asher Stasher from collecting all the soccer balls in town; Scrapper schemes to sneak into the house to take the cupcakes Max has baked for his classmates.

PowerbirdsWacky Wokka Walk; Owl's Spoilers

Nibbles steals the finish line for the big race so that no one can win it; Ace and Polly team up against Minerva, who's stolen the last page out of every copy of Max's favorite comic book, Idaho Smith, so only she knows the ending.

PowerbirdsCement Your Legacy; The Greatest Inventor

Nibbles plans to write his name in some freshly poured cement so it will be there forever; Minerva sneaks into the museum before it opens and switches all the plaques to make it seem like she invented everything.

SuperbunsKindness Saves the Day

Superbuns helps Blossom retrieve a ball; the group's tea party is saved by a new friend; Buns finds a chrysalis and vows to protect it until the butterfly emerges and flies off safely.

SuperbunsMind the Kind

Superbuns teams up with a snail for track and field day; Superbuns helps Neville as he builds his next big thing; Superbuns helps Blossom and Gnat work together to write a story for great stories camp.

SuperbunsTo the Rescue

Superbuns helps Neville create a fabulous outfit for the neighborhood fashion show; Geemaw tries to be more of a traditional grandmother, much to Blossom and Buns' amusement; Buns and friends find Kevin's stuffy together.

SuperbunsKindness Pays It Forward

Superbuns embarks on a journey with Blossom to meet her science hero; Rhonda and Blossom team up for the fair's lemonade stand, but they can't agree on anything; Neville has a crisis over his dad giving away his favorite tiara.

SuperbunsA Kindtacular Halloween

Buns and Meemaw love Halloween the most; the friends find a mansion that may have ghosts; Rhonda loses all her Halloween candy, but Buns and friends help.

SuperbunsA Very Bunny Christmas

Buns and friends go Christmas caroling; Buns plays on her old baby swing; Neville has plans for a cardboard box.

SuperbunsA Very Kind Easter

Blossom has a star gazing sleepover; Buns must choose between showing up to her own fan club or helping her sister Blossom; Buns has an important job for Easter.

SuperbunsA Very Kind Birthday

Pooka and Luka need help with gifts on their birthday; a tired Buns is kept up all night by loud noises; Buns breaks MeeMaw's remote and tries to fix it with homemade buttons.

SuperbunsIt's Fun to Be Kind

The neighborhood toy trade brings some friendly competition; Buns saves a cricket during a soccer game; the friends go to a pool party at Rhonda's.

SuperbunsA Kindness Record

Buns' friends help her claim a Bunny World Record; Buns cheers up a grumpy grandpa; Neville has a deluxe new pedal car.

SuperbunsA True Superhero

Buns rescues a lost tooth; Buns helps a friend with a gross problem; MeeMaw makes Buns an extra-long cape.

SuperbunsIt's Cool to Be Kind

The friends help Rhonda problem-solve; Buns and Blossom try to cool off in Kevin's pool; Buns helps Neville and Kevin with their dance routine.

SuperbunsKindness Saves the Park

Buns and Blossom make gifts for their grandmas; on Park Appreciation Day, Buns reminds her friends about the power of teamwork; Buns helps Neil get to his birthday party on time.

PowerbirdsOwl Got Your Tongue; Cereal Box Bandit

Minerva takes away everyone's ability to talk, while Polly learns that words aren't the only way to communicate; Asher Stasher collects all the breakfast cereal in town.

PowerbirdsClawdette Chaos!; Food Caper

It's up to the Powerbirds to stop Clawdette, who's planning to break up the big Kite Festival; the Powerbirds and Clawdette team up to stop Scrapper.

PowerbirdsAsher's Moving Castle; Villain-palooza

Ace and Polly have to think things through when Asher Stasher nabs the bouncy castle from the big block party; all the villains team up to stop the Powerbirds once and for all.

PowerbirdsAsher Goes Bananas; Scrapper's Magnet Mayhem

Asher Stasher becomes obsessed with getting to the moon so he can put all his extra collectibles there; Scrapper gets hold of a very powerful magnet so he can take every item of canned food he can find, including the ones for Max's big food drive.

PowerbirdsClawdette Who Cried Wolf; Arf-Tastic Tales of Nibbles

Clawdette sets up a series of pranks in order to embarrass the Powerbirds; seeking attention, Nibbles replaces all the "Mister Undefeatable" comic books with comic books featuring himself.

PowerbirdsDoggoween; Clash With Clawdette

The Powerbirds must save Halloween when Nibbles replaces all the pumpkins with replicas of his own head, making it Dog-oween; Clawdette takes control of Max's new toy robot in an attempt to turn the house into her own kitty paradise.

PowerbirdsAsher's Eggstravaganza; Big Balloon Afternoon

Asher Stasher imperils Easter fun by collecting all the eggs from an egg hunt; Nibbles wants to make everyone in the city love him by having the biggest balloon in a parade.

PowerbirdsClawdette's Mischievous Monkey; Take Back the Fort

Ace and Polly are terrified when Clawdette gets control of a toy Monster Monkey, which she lets loose on the town; the Powerbirds have to stop Scrapper, who's taken over Max's tree fort and is using it for his very own villains' lair.

PowerbirdsMajor Mishap; The King of Wasteville

Asher has a plan to take all the Major Justice action figures so that only he will have them; Scrapper launches mounds of waste into town in an effort to turn it into his own Wasteville paradise, forcing the Powerbirds to clean up his mess.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsNo?

Puss sneaks back into town so he can get rid of someone who is pretending to protect San Lorenzo.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsBootless Cries

When the town of San Lorenzo is threatened by the Bloodwolf, Puss feels like he has failed as a hero.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsSullen Earth

Uli has information about the Bloodwolf, but the Mole King imprisons him.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsUgly Duckling

Puss swallows his pride and asks his mentor for help in defending San Lorenzo.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsThe Muscle

Puss and his friends look for the powerful Golem to help save San Lorenzo, but Puss feels like he doesn't have enough strength and power to meet the challenge.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsSword's Man

Puss agrees to recruit Goodsword to join his army, but the powerful blade isn't easily convinced.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsEscape Goat

Now that his team is complete, Puss quickly realizes that he has no idea how to lead them into battle.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsCopy Cat

Puss accidentally agrees to ride for two different groups in the town's horse race.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsCoin Toss

Dulcinea must save the town from thieves when Puss and the townspeople become obsessed with a gambling game and forget to protect San Lorenzo.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsKing Pickles

When Kid Pickles is feeling down on his birthday, Puss and Artephius create a magical scroll that names Kid Pickles as heir to the San Lorenzo throne.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsPirate Booty

After pirates invade San Lorenzo searching for mystical treasure, Puss leads them on the hunt, hoping his share will defend against the Bloodwolf.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsCat Fish

When pirates force Puss to face his fear of water by walking the ship's plank, he is rescued by his ex-girlfriend and fish monster, Feejee the Mermaid.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsParrot Booty

When Puss and the pirates find the treasure of San Luis Rey, they must find a way to escape the attack of Bonky the Parrot and his skeleton army.

The Adventures of Puss in BootsSkeleton Town

Puss returns to San Lorenzo with the Crown of Souls, accompanied by a band of skeletons which make the residents feel unsettled.

Wrapping Up

Although Universal Kids has a deep history, it continues to provide quality kids’ entertainment shows on one channel. There are few networks that devote total programming to children. However, this is one that appeals to youngsters and parents.

Luckily, you can stream episodes without a cable subscription. We recommend Hulu + Live TV.

FAQs

Why doesn’t Universal Kids produce new content anymore?

Unfortunately, when Universal tried to rebrand Sprout, ratings declined dramatically. The decision was made to continue the network but no longer develop original shows. Instead, it has increased its acquisitions from the NBCUniversal umbrella and third-party producers. However, the animation division has seen the launch of two new series by DreamWorks. These include Where’s Waldo? and Norman Picklestripes.

How can I stream old shows from PBS Kids Sprout?

Numerous streaming services offer Sprout programs. For example, Hulu and Amazon both offer episodes. Hulu subscribers may stream old Sprout shows through its live TV service. On Amazon, old favorites like Caillou have full seasons available that are free for prime members. Other shows are available as well.

How can I stream other family and kids channels?

Our options to watch related channels:

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