As a parent, I have had to make many sacrifices for my kids. I have had to get up at 6:00 am to get them ready for school, even though I am not a morning person. I have had to learn new math, sit through soccer matches in the rain and my kids never got to play and have had to find creative ways to sneak vegetables into their diet. One of the biggest sacrifices I have made? Watching cartoons and animated movies. I wish I had a dollar for every one I had to watch! I would rather gouge an eye out! But then Mr. Peabody & Sherman came along and my mind was completely blown!

Mr. Peabody & Sherman Make Learning Fun

Currently on Netflix, you can watch the Mr. Peabody & Sherman movie as well as 2 seasons of the cartoon. What makes this dynamic duo special is they make learning fun. This intelligent dog and his adopted 7 year old boy take trips back in time in their “Wormhole Activating and Bridging Automatic Computer” or WABAC machine. They go back and meet historical figures and get caught up in all sorts of hi-jinx!

As a mom who home schools, I am always looking for ideas to make learning more fun for Henry. What a better way to learn than to grab a bowl of popcorn and sit down for a few episodes of such an iconic team? The kids (and me, if I am going to be honest) have learned some fun and interesting facts from watching Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Here are just a few of my favorites:

• George Washington: The story of George chopping down his father’s cherry tree was untrue. This story, which ironically is about George telling the truth, was a myth, created by one of Washington’s first biographers.
• Leonardo da Vinci: Not just a brilliant artist, in 1485 Leonardo studied the flight of birds. sketched a device, which Sherman and Penny fly, where the aviator lies down on a plank and works two large wings using hand levers, foot pedals, and pulleys.

• Mona Lisa: We see Mona Lisa posing for Leonardo da Vinci, who is painting the famous portrait. In the movie, she tells Mr. Peabody & Sherman she is tiring of sitting around on her “abbondanza”. This word means “abundance” in Italian. Of course, my kids began to sing “Baby Got Back” from Sir Mix A Lot!
• Marie-Antoinette: Historians tell us Marie-Antoinette, who had a wicked sweet tooth, lived a very wealthy lifestyle while her subjects were painfully poor. Mr. Peabody & Sherman visit Marie-Antoinette in Versailles, where she says to “Let Them Eat Cake”. In the cartoon, Marie-Antoinette is overheard by some of her subjects and she quickly becomes a most hated figure. Some say she may not have said those words. Some say Marie-Therese, wife of King Louis XIV may have said something similar more than 100 years before.

More Cartoons That Make Learning Fun

If you are looking for other shows that are as educational as they are fun, Netflix has your back! Kids can learn from shows like Sid the Science Kid, The Magic School Bus, Word Girl and Super Why! Of course, there are lots of cool shows for adults as well. I love to dig into some of the amazing documentaries on Netflix. I recently watched Living on One Dollar, where 4 friends love to rural Guatemala and live on $1 a day for two months. It was fascinating and made me grateful for everything I have.

Don’t have Netflix? You can stream Netflix from your mobile device, computer, TV or gaming system for less than $15 a month! You can also sign up for their DVD plan if you prefer watching it that way. Either way, you are getting what you want to watch, right at your fingertips! Be sure to follow Netflix on Facebook and Twitter.

What Netflix show do your kids love to watch that is educational? How about you? Do you have a favorite documentary? I would love to hear about it!