Today’s parents likely recall the whimsical, harmonic theme music from Little Bear (1995) on their televisions while watching this beloved show on Nick Jr. Following the adventures of a cub named Little Bear, parenting, primarily millennials, were captivated by the timeless, imagination-driven stories alongside his animal friends.
The cartoon series is based on books by author Else Holmelund Minarik and illustrator Maurice Sendak, with the original first installment released in 1957. TV episodes ran from November 6, 1995, to June 1, 2001.
I was born in 1994, so I watched Little Bear primarily between kindergarten and 1st grade, from 1999 to 2001. As a Millennial myself, I consider this a lovely, timeless cartoon that I enjoy showing to my children.
Little Bear portrays lessons about friendship, empathy, creativity, patience, and coping mechanisms. The show is available to stream on Paramount Plus, allowing Millennials to share one of their favorite childhood cartoons with their children. The full episodes are also available on the official Little Bear YouTube channel.
The many lessons in each episode are full of heart and timeless for all ages. Here are 22 Little Bear episodes and the lessons parents can now impart to their children.
Father Bear Comes Home (Season 1, Episode 3)
In “Father Bear Comes Home”, Little Bear awaits his father to come home from a long job assignment working on a ship. He meets up with his friends and speculates if Father Bear will bring home a mermaid. In the previous story “Little Bear’s Bath” from the same episode, Mother Bear reads her son a letter from Father Bear about his ship experience and a hint on what souvenir he will have for him. In the end, Father Bear brings Little Bear and his friends some seashells from the ocean, since his ship was nearby.
The Lesson Taught In “Father Bear Comes Home”
A loved one who is temporarily away will eventually return home. It’s okay to miss someone as you hold the love you have for them close in your heart. This episode truly touches my heart. My children see their father once a week on Saturdays. Due to his demanding work schedule, this setup is the best for now. We try sprinkling in additional visits throughout the week when possible. My 3-year-old son is starting to ask me more about when his dad is coming again. I give him a countdown of the days until Dad is returning.
Little Bear’s Wish (Season 1, Episode 5)
Mother Bear gets Little Bear ready for bed, but when she leaves his room, he is not ready to fall asleep. He thinks about magical wishes as he lies awake in bed, including adventures as a Viking and flying on top of a cloud. Little Bear even goes as far as imagining he is meeting a princess at her castle and eating chocolate cake with her.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s Wish”
Imagination is something everyone of all ages should enjoy. It’s a powerful storytelling tool where anything is possible. Emotional intelligence thrives on unlimited imagination. Learning this lesson as a kid encouraged me to build cardboard robots and walk, talking food characters. My daughter loves drawing ice creams and cupcakes with faces on them, which reminds me of my child-like imagination when I was her age.
Mother Bear’s Robin (Season 1, Episode 6)
Little Bears hears a story from Grandmother about how Mother Bear took in a helpless robin when she was her son’s age. A young Mother Bear nursed the baby robin to health until it was ready to fly. The episode teaches that helping even a small creature can make a big difference.
The Lesson Taught In “Mother Bear’s Robin”
Caring for others, even animals, bestows empathy. I learned as a kid watching this episode that kindness should be shown to all living beings. In my adulthood, I have cared for some stray cats by feeding them. We have five cats at home, so I continually teach my children to show kindness and respect to our animal friends.
A Kiss for Little Bear (Season 4, Episode 13)
Grandmother Bear and Hen talk early in the episode after she receives a monster drawing from Little Bear. She asks Hen to give a kiss to him. However, the kiss is passed from Frog to Cat. Cat passes the kiss to Little Skunk, who then gives the kiss to a female skunk. Hen gets the kiss back from the skunks and brings it to Little Bear. The skunks decide to get married, and Little Bear is deemed the best man at the wedding.
The Lesson Taught In “A Kiss for Little Bear”
A child can learn from their parents that affection and kindness should be shared whenever possible. Showcasing love can happen in many ways, including kisses, hugs, and acts of service. Affection through action is much more meaningful than just words. My son tells me at least a couple of times daily, “Mom, I want to give you a hug.” It melts my heart every time his little arms wrap around my legs to give me that hug.
Duck, Babysitter (Season 1, Episode 10)
Duck is in charge of babysitting baby ducklings who go on a string of misadventures throughout the episode. One of the ducklings, Little Peep, gets lost, so Little Bear joins his friends
to find him. This leads to a humorous hide-and-seek game that occurs during a croquet match. Amidst this issue, the gang is also practicing songs for their band to play at his grandparents’ golden anniversary celebration.
The Lesson Taught In “Duck, Babysitter”
Parents can teach their children responsibility in different ways. I learned responsibility through routines during my teen years and adulthood. I impart responsibility to all my children by teaching them to pick up their toys and crafts after using them. I taught my eldest daughter a routine to pick up her clothes off the bathroom floor and hang up her towel before she came out of the shower.
Birthday Soup (Season 1, Episode 2)
Little Bear wakes up in the morning, realizing it’s his birthday. Since Mother Bear is nowhere to be found in their home, he feels like she’s forgotten his birthday. He fills a large pot
with water and puts in as many vegetables as he can find. Little Bear isn’t unaware that Mother Bear had come in with flowers as he was preparing the soup. His friends stop by with various gifts, and they stay as the birthday soup is cooking. Mother Bear eventually returns with her son’s birthday cake and assures him that she didn’t forget his special day. The birthday cake was taking longer to bake than she had thought.
The Lesson Taught In “Birthday Soup”
The parents who enjoyed this episode have taught their children that it’s the thought that counts the most, rather than the presentation. The action itself is what makes showing someone you love them so special. My eldest loves to give cards and pictures to her loved ones when celebrating birthdays and holidays. I keep all the drawings she gave me for my birthday and holidays because her thoughtfulness at that moment, while creating that art for me, is the most special.
Little Bear’s New Friend (Season 1, Episode 9)
Little Bear meets Emily, a human girl, for the first time. She and her parents are camping near Little Bear’s home. Emily introduces Little Bear to her doll, Lucy, and they share cookies. Unfortunately, Emily loses her way back to the campground, so Little Bear helps her get there safely before returning to his home.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s New Friend”
People can have differences from one another and still be close friends. Sometimes the closest of friendships are shared with individuals who are different from one another. Growing up with diverse friends has helped me pass on to my children that friendships can be found anywhere with anyone. My children’s father and I met in high school, and we were like night and day. I am a writer, and he is a self-taught artist. I am more talkative, while he is a man of few words, mainly when communicating over text messages. Our differences brought us together in a way that went beyond friendship, and we now have three children.
Little Bear Goes to the Moon (Season 1, Episode 1)
Little Bear reveals to Mother Bear that he wishes to fly to the moon. His mother chuckles and says it’s not possible because they don’t have a spaceship. Rather than stay disappointed, Little Bear makes a space hat out of a strainer and a rocket out of a cardboard box. His imagination takes him to new heights as he envisions himself taking off to the moon and interacting with characters during his journey there.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear Goes to The Moon”
No matter how old you are, dreaming big is so refreshing. I dreamt of being a writer when I was a preteen. Now, I am living my dream writing blogs for ParentingPatch and other clients.
Working from home has allowed me to be more available for my kids, thanks to the work-life balance I’ve achieved. My eldest daughter said she wants to be an art teacher. I told her to live that dream and work hard for it by learning new art fundamentals daily and looking up to her art teachers as mentors.
Little Bear’s Tooth (Season 2, Episode 6)
Little Bear wakes up with a loose tooth, believing that it will fall out that night. He meets with his friends, Cat, Duck, and Emily. They think of ways to pull the tooth out faster. Owl’s tooth-pulling machine was the best idea, but it failed. Little Bear’s tooth officially falls out when he bites into a corn cob at dinnertime. Instead of money, Little Bear receives a whistle because his tooth falling out messed up his natural whistling abilities.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s Tooth”
Change can come in many forms, including losing your tooth. Change itself is like a rite of passage, evolving into the person you want to be. I remember a few times I lost my tooth and how much I felt bigger once the Tooth Fairy arrived. When my daughter had her first wiggling tooth in February 2024, I cried a little because that meant she was growing up. Fast forward to 2025, and she lost three teeth in the first month and a half of the year.
Where Lucy Went (Season 3, Episode 8)
Emily misplaces her favorite doll, Lucy. Little Bear and the gang go searching for her as they imagine various scenarios of where she is now. To their horror, they find
Lucy is in a scary cave, but Little Bear braves the journey to save Emily’s beloved doll.
The Lesson Taught In “Where Lucy Went”
It’s best to stay calm when problems arise. Each issue usually has a solution. As a child and even into my adulthood, I have lost many things. I learned to backtrack my steps to try to remember where I left the item. When my eldest daughter loses something, we put on our detective hats and think about where she was before she lost it to discover its whereabouts. These experiences enhance her problem-solving abilities and memory skills, allowing her to lose fewer things.
Little Bear’s Mermaid (Season 1, Episode 8)
During a family picnic, Little Bear meets a mermaid in the nearby lake while swimming. He goes back to the lake later in the day to show his friends, but they do not see the mermaid.
He ensures them that the mermaid is just shy and asks everyone to go to sleep so she can come back. Little Bear gets to meet the mermaid again, but everyone else is still sleeping, so they cannot see her.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s Mermaid”
This episode taught today’s parents to believe in magic while also cherishing reality. I still believe in magic even as an adult. I used to sit on a broom and jump off my grandparents’ back deck to pretend I was a witch. My favorite movie as a child was Kiki’s Delivery Service hence my belief in flying. My children’s belief in Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and other mythical creatures warms my heart, knowing they are living their childhood with magic and liveliness. However, I also teach them the real things in life.
Picnic on the Moon (Season 4, Episode 8)
Toys come to life and embark on an adventure with Little Bear, where he’s a train conductor. Challenges happen along the way, such as the train falling off the track, and another time, having to be pushed up a hill. This all happens in his imagination as he is playing with wind-up toys and trains in Grandma and Grandpa’s attic.
The Lesson Taught In “Picnic on the Moon”
Learning is best achieved through play, which fosters creativity and promotes bonding. As children explore their world, they develop problem-solving skills through their play-based scenarios.
I love playing with cars with my son, and we pretend that they are going to different places on his car mat, like the gas station and a local store. If problems arise, such as one of the cars running out of gas, we have to go fill it up so it can continue running.
Little Bear’s Shadow (Season 1, Episode 5)
Little Bear’s friends are all busy and can’t play with him at the moment. He engages in pretend play with his shadow for entertainment and temporary friendship amidst his loneliness.
He starts finding joy in playing by himself, thereby enhancing his self-reliance and ability to have fun even when playing independently.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s Shadow”
My generation of millennials learned from this episode to build confidence even when alone. As an introverted teenager, I was okay with being alone, writing in my diary, watching my favorite shows, and playing retro video games on Nintendo GameCube. I passed on this lesson to my children and they each can play independently. My eldest daughter loves to play alone by making crafts, playing on her favorite tablet games, or with her Barbies. My son plays with cars and tinkers with put-together toys. My youngest daughter is still learning how to play by herself, but she is making progress little by little.
Emily Returns (Season 2, Episode 5)
Emily, her grandmother, and their dog, Tutu, have officially moved into the new log cabin that Grandfather Bear, Uncle Rusty, and Father Bear built for them in the previous story. They are excited to see the sights throughout the forest and spend time with Little Bear and his family and friends. Little Bear and Emily originally met in the story “Little Bear’s New Friend,” when Emily was on a temporary camping trip.
The Lesson Taught In “Emily Returns”
It doesn’t matter how far two friends are. They can still maintain their friendship until they can meet in person again. I had a best friend in 7th grade before I had a Facebook account. We lost touch when she moved from our hometown, and I only had her house number. I wonder how she is doing to this day. I would teach my daughter if she ever had a friend who moved that she can always keep in touch by exchanging phone numbers and becoming pen pals.
Little Bear’s Trip to the Stars (Season 2, Episode 2)
Little Bear and Father Bear look at stars and constellations while camping on Father Bear’s boat. His father introduces the North Star near the Big Dipper as well as zodiac constellations like Leo and Pisces. As he falls asleep, Little Bear imagines he is Ursa Minor as Father Bear is Ursa Major. He rides on the back of Leo and swims through the Milky Way before swimming with Pisces. Little Bear remembers to follow the North Star to find Father Bear, just like Father Bear does when he wants to get home to his family.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s Trip to the Stars”
Curiosity about the world encourages a lifelong learning adventure. Looking around at one’s surroundings can help one learn something new every day. I take my children camping so they can explore their world, learn about nature, and unplug from technology. I plan to give them a constellation lesson like Father Bear did for Little Bear when we go on our next camping trip.
Duck Takes the Cake (Season 5, Episode 3)
Little Bear and his friends are getting ready for a garden party. Duck separates eggs into baskets while the Hen collects strawberries. Little Bear takes over drawing pictures to display with the garden party platters. Duck delegates Owl to ice the cake, which he thinks means to put ice on it. Hen returns to find that her friends misinterpreted what she said, so she shows them what she meant by creating the strawberry shortcake recipe with her friend’s help.
The Lesson Taught In “Duck Takes the Cake”
Cooperating with family, friends, teammates, coworkers, or other individuals helps solve problems with ease. Discussing manners with peers helps others understand people’s true intentions and meanings, thereby reducing miscommunications. My children’s father and I experienced a lot of turbulence in our co-parenting relationship, but it has smoothed out over the past six months. I also teach my kids to cooperate during bedtime by implementing teamwork to clean up our places at dinner and pick up toys at the end of the night.
Fun Fact: There’s an episode called “Duck Takes the Cake” in the Bluey series, too. This episode is in Season 2, Episode 44.
Owl’s Dilemma (Season 2, Episode 12)
Owl wakes up to find a new nest of baby birds sitting next to his house. He attempts to get some sleep, but the baby birds’ squawking keeps him awake. Ducks offer Owl her bed by the pond, but frogs start croaking and waking him. Owl then tries sleeping at Emily’s house, but Grandma’s snoring and creaking rocking chair keep him awake, too. He eventually uses cupcakes as earplugs because it is too noisy at Little Bear’s house, too.
The Lesson Taught In “Owl’s Dilemma”
Parents can teach their children from this episode that there is no shame in asking for help. Disclosing your feelings helps friends and family learn how they can support you through your issues, leading to more effective solutions. When my eldest daughter is upset, we discuss the problem to solve it as quickly as possible. My son is just learning about how to express his feelings, so that we can work towards solutions when he is frustrated, too.
Between Friends (Season 2, Episode 12)
Emily and Little Bear each get sick with the mumps, and they take turns visiting each other. They each place entries into a book highlighting the fun times they’ve shared. As they draw each picture for the book, the show displays flashbacks of their previous adventures.
The Lesson Taught In “Between Friends”
Conflict happens even in friendships. It’s best to find a way to get through them to strengthen the relationship. Coping mechanisms are great for staying grounded and level-headed in the face of the issue. I taught my eldest daughter to communicate with her friends when a disagreement happens, so both parties know how the other feels.
Little Bear’s Garden (Season 2, Episode 8)
Little Bear sees Mother Bear working in her garden by harvesting carrots. He helps her to harvest them. Inspired by its beauty, he expresses to his mom that he wants a garden of his own. Little Bear wants to grow tomatoes, potatoes, beans, and other vegetables. Mother Bear helps him plant sunflowers for simplicity as a beginner’s lesson. She teaches him how to plant the seeds by digging holes, placing a seed in each one, covering them with dirt, and watering them daily. Mother Bear keeps a secret from talking to the sunflowers to help them grow better.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s Garden”
Nurturing various aspects of life fosters an appreciation for them as they grow. I nurtured my writing skills through daily diary entries and perfected my craft while completing English assignments during my high school and college careers. Now, I teach my children to nurture their skills with a continual dedication to their craft. My daughter is always coloring or drawing something, which is nurturing her desire to become an art teacher one day.
The Blueberry Picnic (Season 2, Episode 12)
Little Bear, his family, and friends all gather together to taste delicious blueberry dishes. They also put on a play to showcase why the blueberry picnic happens annually. Little Bear pretends he is a hungry troll who won’t let other characters across the bridge because he wants to eat them. Emily gives the troll a piece of blueberry pie to deter him from eating them. In the end, they eat the delicious blueberry dishes they brought to the picnic.
The Lesson Taught In “The Blueberry Picnic”
Traditions are the hallmark of creating everlasting family memories. Parents have created traditions based on what they have done with their families and the ones they created when they had children. When my brother and I were younger, my mother always took us to the same campground a county over from where we lived. I take my children to this same campground every year.
The Snowball Fight (Season 2, Episode 7)
Father Bear is working on a budget while Mother Bear is knitting something. He goes to play with his jacks, but then he is a little too loud so that Father Bear can’t concentrate. Little Bear and Father Bear take a break by walking in the snow as Mother Bear takes over finishing the budget. They both engage in a snowball fight, where Little Bear’s friends join in the excitement. Mother Bear catches up with the group and joins in the fun. They all go back to Little Bear’s home for everyone to enjoy hot soup.
The Lesson Taught In “The Snowball Fight”
Good fun and sportsmanship are a great balance when in friendly competition. Fairness is essential during any game for maintaining the pillars of fun and sportsmanship. I teach my little ones to follow the rules of any board game or made-up game we play so it’s fair and engaging simultaneously. While my eldest daughter understands such rules because she’s seven, my three-year-old son and one-year-old daughter still have some growing to do before they grasp these concepts.
Little Bear’s Kite (Season 2, Episode 8)
Grandfather Bear and Little Bear are walking through a field. Grandfather Bear remarks how the weather is great for kite flying. They return to his grandparents’ house to make a kite to fly. They experience challenges when paper and wood get stuck to their bodies. There are issues in getting the kite to fly at first, but Little Bear and Grandfather Bear work together to get it up in the air. Emily appears with her kite, and they fly their crafts together.
The Lesson Taught In “Little Bear’s Kite”
Today’s parents have learned that staying patient and persevering through challenges yields wonderful results. My Momma Referee Facebook reel shows how kite flying teaches children to persevere, stay patient, and maintain endurance.
I recently took my children kite flying for the first time at our local state forest. My son is a natural runner, so he got his kite up easily with the help of the wind. My eldest daughter was initially frustrated, but she persevered and kept going until the kite flew. I tried flying a kite alongside my youngest daughter, but she preferred to climb up onto the seating in the field and watch us instead.
Growing Our Little Bears One Step At A Time
Growing up isn’t easy. Millennials are now in the driver’s seat as parents to their children. Helping children learn life lessons, even from timeless cartoons like Little Bear, can change a little one’s perspective about life, how they solve conflicts, and overcome challenges. We are growing our little bears one day at a time, so kudos to you, Millennial parents, for imparting important life lessons to them every day.