Channeling Our Inner Child: TV Shows That Shaped Us

Close your eyes and think back: it's Saturday morning, breakfast in hand, the TV is turned on to your favorite show, and you're singing the theme song. For many of us, our childhood years are something we look back on fondly. Back then, life was stress-free from school, work, and the hundreds of other things we have to do now every day. That’s why Imagine We Could hopes to give you a mental break and bring back pieces of your childhood through nostalgic activities that remind you of being a kid! 

Together, let’s go back a decade or more to reminisce about our favorite TV shows as kids. Below, each of us shares about our beloved shows of the past that we still treasure today!

Tejal

Growing up, PBS and Disney Channel had my heart! Wild Kratts sparked my love for exploring the world and taught me so many fun things about animals. Good Luck Charlie never failed to make me laugh and always reminded me of how important family is. Looking back now, these shows remind me that the media we consumed as kids wasn’t just background noise or used as an escape from reality like today, but rather just another fun form of entertainment! 

Hanna

Disney Channel and Nickelodeon were a huge part of my childhood growing up. On the Disney side, my favorite shows were Wizards of Waverly Place, Good Luck Charlie, and Shake It Up. All three of these shows blended humor, heart, and just the right amount of magic or chaos. Over on Nickelodeon, Drake & Josh and Victorious kept me laughing nonstop and introduced me to some of the most iconic one-liners and songs. When it comes to movies, I watched Princess Protection Program and The Wizards of Waverly Place Movie more times than I can even remember. I think it’s safe to assume that I was a huge Selena Gomez fan. Looking back, I’m so grateful for all the happy memories these shows and movies brought me.

Elise

Reminiscing back on the shows and movies of my childhood, it’s crazy to me how vividly I remember the little details. My earliest memories of cable television include the soft spoken words of Oswald and the calm world of Max & Ruby – my birthday cake last year was actually Max & Ruby inspired. As I grew up, so did the characters on my screen. Disney Channel never failed to entertain, down to the infomercials that played between shows. The Suite Life of Zach and Cody and Phineas and Ferb were always at the top of my watch list. I just rewatched Cow Belles over the summer and, if you ask me, Disney channel movies are still as iconic today as the day they first played on TV. It’s not an exaggeration to say that some of these characters helped raise me. 

Israel

Coming home from school and turning on the television was one of the greatest joys that I experienced in my elementary years. During that time, my parents worked a lot to make ends meet, and that often meant that I spent a lot of time at home. Once chores and homework were finished, the characters from shows like Lab Rats and Liv & Maddie provided ample entertainment. These shows taught me valuable lessons about life, and they also served as a point to connect socially with peers who enjoyed similar shows.  While I am sure that there were better ways for me to spend those countless hours during my most crucial developmental years, I look back with no regret. Those shows helped me become who I am today, and whenever I revisit one of them,

I am reminded of that.

Looking back on the shows that defined our childhoods, it’s clear that they were more than just entertainment. As we imagine what it would be like to be kids again, we’re reminded that nostalgia isn’t something we have to leave in the past – we can carry those laughs, memories, and sparks of creativity and wonder into the future with us!