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Kids time travel cartoons are one of animation’s most reliable formats for teaching, world-building, and outright wild storytelling. The genre lets writers do almost anything: visit dinosaurs, fix the future, mess with history, watch the universe end. Some of the best kids’ cartoons of the last 60 years have built their entire premise around time travel.
Here are 20 kids’ time travel cartoons worth watching, with point-form breakdowns for each so you can quickly see what you’re getting into.
Quick note on definitions: This list is about kids’ cartoons that feature time travel as a recurring or central element. I’m being stricter than most “time travel cartoons” lists in distinguishing time travel (going to past or future) from dimensional travel (going to other realities) and space travel (going to other planets). A show needs to have actual time travel episodes to make the main list, not just multiverse stuff.
1The Magic School Bus
- Network and run: PBS Kids, 1994 to 1997 (original), Netflix 2017 reboot as The Magic School Bus Rides Again
- Time travel mechanic: Ms. Frizzle’s enchanted school bus, which can also shrink, grow, fly, and dive underwater
- Standout time travel episodes: “The Busasaurus” (back to the Mesozoic to see dinosaurs), “In the Time of Dinosaurs,” various prehistoric and futuristic field trips
- Educational focus: Science (biology, geology, ecology, paleontology, physics)
- Why it’s still beloved: Ms. Frizzle remains one of the great cartoon teachers ever written, and the show genuinely taught kids real science while being entertaining
- 2026 status: Available on Netflix; the reboot wasn’t as beloved as the original but kept the franchise alive for a new generation
2Time Squad
- Network and run: Cartoon Network, 2001 to 2003
- Time travel mechanic: The “Time Squad” is literally an organization that travels through time to fix history
- Premise: Otto (a kid orphan), Buck Tuddrussel (a hot-headed officer), and Larry 3000 (a robot) travel through history fixing problems caused by historical figures going off-script
- Standout episodes: Pretty much every episode involves a different historical period gone wrong
- The hook: Famous historical figures (Lincoln, Edison, Cleopatra) all act bizarrely off-character and Time Squad has to set things right
- Why it’s worth watching: One of the most dedicated “time travel as the entire premise” kids’ cartoons ever made. Genuinely funny and unfairly forgotten
- 2026 status: Hard to find legally, occasional Cartoon Network classics streaming availability
3Phineas and Ferb
- Network and run: Disney Channel, 2007 to 2015 (original), 2025 revival currently airing
- Time travel mechanic: Phineas and Ferb build time machines from museum exhibits as a casual summer project
- Standout time travel episodes: “It’s About Time!” (the team accidentally activates a time machine and travels back to dinosaur era), “Phineas and Ferb’s Quantum Boogaloo” (time travel paradox episode)
- Time machine designs: Multiple versions across the series, from the museum exhibit to Doofenshmirtz’s “Do-Over-Inator”
- Why it works: The show treats time travel like every other invention the brothers casually build in their backyard. No big deal. Just a Tuesday.
- 2026 status: The 2025 revival has continued the formula with the original creators and Vincent Martella back as Phineas
4Gravity Falls
- Network and run: Disney Channel and Disney XD, 2012 to 2016 (40 episodes, complete)
- Time travel mechanic: Blendin Blandin’s time travel measuring tape, plus the Time Baby’s interdimensional jurisdiction
- Standout time travel episodes: “The Time Traveler’s Pig” (Mabel chooses pig over fixing past), “Blendin’s Game” (the dystopian future time-cop competition)
- Time travel characters: Blendin Blandin (incompetent time enforcer), Time Baby (cosmic time authority), Lolph and Dundgren (time agents)
- Why it works: Time travel is one strand of a larger supernatural mystery, woven in carefully without dominating the show
- 2026 status: All 40 episodes on Disney+; The Book of Bill (2024) expanded canon material, including time-related lore
5Mr. Peabody and Sherman / Peabody’s Improbable History
- Original run: Part of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, 1959 to 1964
- Modern adaptations: 2014 DreamWorks animated film Mr. Peabody & Sherman, 2015 Netflix series The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show
- Time travel mechanic: The WABAC Machine, one of the most iconic time machines in animation
- Premise: A genius dog (Peabody) and his adopted human son (Sherman) travel back in time to meet historical figures, usually finding the figures behaving differently than recorded history says
- Educational hook: Each segment ends with a corny historical pun
- Why it endures: One of the foundational time-travel cartoon formats. Every modern educational time-travel cartoon owes something to Peabody and Sherman
6Dexter’s Laboratory
- Network and run: Cartoon Network, 1996 to 2003
- Time travel mechanic: Dexter’s various time-related inventions, which routinely backfire
- Standout time travel episodes: “Old Man Dexter” (Dexter ages himself), the future-Dexter cameos, various time-loop scenarios
- The recurring joke: Dexter builds something time-related, Dee Dee touches it, chaos follows
- Why it works: Treats time travel as just another piece of Dexter’s overly ambitious science portfolio, then plays with the paradox comedy
7Adventure Time
- Network and run: Cartoon Network, 2010 to 2018 (followed by Distant Lands 2020-2021 and Fionna and Cake 2023)
- Time travel mechanic: Magic, science accidents, the Lich’s powers, Prismo’s wish granting
- Standout time-related episodes: “Lost in the Cloud,” “Reboot,” “Pillow World,” various Prismo arcs
- Time elements: The post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo is itself the future of our world after “The Great Mushroom War” (a nuclear apocalypse)
- Why it works: Adventure Time uses time travel sparingly but powerfully, often tying it to its surprisingly heavy themes about loss and memory
- 2026 status: Fionna and Cake (2023) and its 2024 sequel kept the franchise active on Max
8The Fairly OddParents
- Network and run: Nickelodeon, 2001 to 2017 (original), 2022 sequel The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder
- Time travel mechanic: Cosmo and Wanda granting Timmy’s wishes, which often involve time travel
- Standout time travel episodes: “The Secret Origin of Denzel Crocker!” (Timmy travels to the past and accidentally causes his teacher’s hatred of fairies), “Father Time!” (Timmy wishes Dad never grew up), “It’s a Wishful Life”
- The recurring rule: Time travel paradoxes are usually played for comedy, with Timmy making things worse before fixing them
- Why it works: The wishes-make-anything-possible setup naturally enables time travel without needing dedicated machine lore
9Ben 10
- Network and run: Cartoon Network, 2005 to 2008 (original), various sequel series through 2021
- Time travel mechanic: Various Omnitrix alien forms with time abilities (Clockwork), plus full time-travel episodes
- Standout time travel episodes: “Ben 10,000” (future Ben), “Ken 10” (Ben’s future son), the various adult-Ben crossovers
- Time travel character: Paradox, the time-master mentor figure
- Why it works: The future-versions-of-Ben episodes give the show natural emotional weight without requiring complex paradox plotting
- 2026 status: The 2016 reboot ended in 2021. New franchise plans rumored for 2026 but unconfirmed
10SpongeBob SquarePants
- Network and run: Nickelodeon, 1999 to present (still airing in 2026)
- Time travel mechanic: Various magical artifacts (Mermaid Man’s belt, the Krabby Patty time travel episode, etc.)
- Standout time travel episodes: “SB-129” (Squidward gets stuck in time including the iconic “Future” segment), “Ugh!” (caveman SpongeBob and Patrick), “Dunces and Dragons” (medieval SpongeBob)
- The legacy: “Future” from “SB-129” is one of the most quoted moments in SpongeBob’s entire run
- 2026 status: The franchise is more active than ever with multiple new movies, the 2025 Plankton: The Movie being the most recent
11Powerpuff Girls (original 1998 series)
- Network and run: Cartoon Network, 1998 to 2005 (original), 2016 reboot through 2019
- Time travel mechanic: Villain plots (HIM, Mojo Jojo’s various inventions)
- Standout time travel episode: “Speed Demon” (the girls accidentally time-travel to a future where HIM has destroyed Townsville)
- The hook: The “Speed Demon” episode is genuinely one of the darkest moments in 1990s kids’ television
- Why it works: Used time travel sparingly to deliver emotional gut-punches rather than as a regular gimmick
12Wishbone
- Network and run: PBS, 1995 to 1998
- Time travel mechanic: Wishbone (a real Jack Russell Terrier) enters the world of classic literature in his imagination
- Time periods visited: Various historical settings from Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, A Tale of Two Cities, etc.
- The educational angle: Each episode introduced kids to a piece of classic literature
- Why it endures: The conceit (small dog plays the lead role in famous novels) was incredibly endearing, and the show genuinely taught literature
- 2026 status: Hard to find legally; the live-action format complicates streaming rights
13Histeria!
- Network and run: Kids’ WB, 1998 to 2001
- Time travel mechanic: Sketch comedy format with characters time-traveling to history
- Educational focus: American and world history played for laughs
- The cast: A diverse ensemble of kid characters and historical caricatures
- Why it deserves more credit: One of the more ambitious educational cartoons of the late 90s, though the rapid-fire pace and historical density made it less mainstream than peers like The Magic School Bus
- Status: Largely forgotten, occasional clips on YouTube
14My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
- Network and run: Discovery Family, 2010 to 2019
- Time travel mechanic: Star Swirl the Bearded’s spell, Twilight Sparkle’s various magical accidents
- Standout time travel episodes: “It’s About Time” (Twilight’s time-loop with her future self warning her), “The Cutie Re-Mark” (Starlight Glimmer’s time-altering rampage)
- Why “The Cutie Re-Mark” matters: The Season 5 finale featured Twilight chasing Starlight through multiple alternate timelines, each showing how Equestria would be without the Mane Six
- 2026 status: Available on Discovery+, with newer MLP iterations also airing
15The Loud House and The Casagrandes
- Network and run: Nickelodeon, 2016 to present
- Time travel episodes: “Back in Black” and various other one-off time travel plots
- Time travel mechanic: Various sci-fi devices typical of cartoon families with weird scientific access
- Why it qualifies: Time travel isn’t the show’s main mode, but it’s used in multiple memorable episodes
16Star Trek: The Animated Series
- Network and run: NBC, 1973 to 1974
- Time travel mechanic: The Enterprise’s time travel capabilities, consistent with the live-action show
- Standout episodes: “Yesteryear” (Spock travels back to save his younger self)
- The legacy: Yesteryear specifically is considered one of the best Star Trek time-travel stories in any form
- Why it counts: Family-friendly enough to qualify as kids’ programming despite the Trek franchise’s broader audience
17The Flintstones and Their Sequels
- Network and run: ABC, 1960 to 1966 (original), numerous sequels and crossovers
- Time travel connection: The 1987 TV movie The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones involved actual time travel between the Stone Age and the Space Age
- Why it counts: The premise of “modern family living in the Stone Age” is itself a form of time travel commentary, and the Jetsons crossover explicitly uses time machines
18Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic Underground and Sonic X
- Sonic Underground (1999): Sonic and his hidden siblings Sonia and Manik travel through time and dimensions in some episodes
- Sonic X (2003-2006): Various time-related plots involving the Chaos Emeralds
- Why Sonic fits: The Sonic franchise has long used time travel in its games (Sonic CD specifically) and that flows into the cartoons
- 2026 context: The 2024 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie and the ongoing Sonic Prime Netflix series have kept the franchise massively active
19Mighty Magiswords
- Network and run: Cartoon Network, 2016 to 2019
- Time travel mechanic: Various magical Magiswords with time-related powers
- Premise: Two warrior siblings collect magical swords with different abilities, some involving temporal manipulation
- Why it’s worth including: One of the less-discussed mid-2010s Cartoon Network shows, but used time travel creatively
20Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Animated Series)
- Network and run: CBS, 1990 to 1991
- Time travel mechanic: The phone-booth time machine from the live-action films
- Premise: Bill and Ted continue meeting historical figures across time in animated form
- Why it deserves a mention: Direct kids-cartoon adaptation of one of the most beloved time travel film franchises of all time
- Status: Mostly forgotten outside Bill and Ted franchise completists
Honorable Mentions (Dimensional Travel, Not Strictly Time Travel)
These shows are often called “time travel cartoons” but are really about other dimensions, alternate realities, or space travel:
- Star vs. the Forces of Evil: Dimensional Scissors travel, not time travel
- Steven Universe: Space-faring more than time-traveling
- Amphibia: Travel between Earth and Amphibia, not time travel
- Over the Garden Wall: An afterlife or dream-state realm, no time travel
- Dora the Explorer: Exploration in present-day, no actual time travel
- Paw Patrol: Mostly modern-day rescue missions, occasional sci-fi specials
- ChalkZone: A dimension where drawings come to life, not time-based
- 12 Forever: An imaginary world that exists outside of time
Common Time Travel Mechanics in Kids’ Cartoons
The standard cartoon time travel toolkit:
- Time machines built by kid geniuses: Dexter, Phineas and Ferb, Twilight Sparkle
- Magic wishes that warp time: The Fairly OddParents, Adventure Time’s Prismo
- Mystical artifacts: The WABAC Machine, Time Squad’s belt buckle, various magic chalks and scrolls
- Magical creatures with time powers: Time Baby (Gravity Falls), Clockwork (Ben 10), Star Swirl (MLP)
- Alternate realities accessed via time: Most shows treat “future timeline” as a form of dimensional travel
- Educational field trips: The Magic School Bus, Histeria!, Wishbone, Mr. Peabody and Sherman
Why Kids Time Travel Cartoons Work
The educational angle: Kids’ time travel cartoons are uniquely positioned to teach history, science, and ethics. The genre lets writers visit any period in human history or any possible future, making them ideal for cross-disciplinary learning. The Magic School Bus and Mr. Peabody and Sherman are the gold standards here.
The narrative flexibility: Time travel lets cartoons do “what if” stories that wouldn’t work in other formats. What if Twilight Sparkle never met her friends? What if Future Ben became evil? What if SpongeBob lived in medieval times? These hypothetical episodes often become fan favorites because they let writers play with character without permanent consequences.
The 2020s Kids Time Travel Cartoon Landscape
What’s happening now: The genre has slowed down a bit in the 2020s compared to its 2000s peak. Phineas and Ferb’s 2025 revival is the biggest active time-travel-adjacent kids’ cartoon. Adventure Time’s various spinoffs continue the franchise. SpongeBob still produces occasional time travel episodes. But there hasn’t been a major NEW time travel kids’ cartoon since the early 2010s. The closest recent picks are dimensional-travel shows like Amphibia and The Owl House, which lean into adjacent territory.
Where to Watch These Shows
As of 2026:
- Disney+: Phineas and Ferb (all seasons plus 2025 revival), Gravity Falls, various Disney Channel classics
- Netflix: The Magic School Bus Rides Again, The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show
- Max/HBO: Adventure Time complete catalog, Powerpuff Girls original, Time Squad (limited availability), Dexter’s Laboratory
- Paramount+: SpongeBob SquarePants, The Loud House, The Fairly OddParents
- Discovery+: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and the newer MLP shows
- Cartoon Network app: Various legacy Cartoon Network titles when available
The Kids Time Travel Cartoon Legacy
The honest take: Kids’ time travel cartoons taught entire generations of kids about history, science, paradoxes, and consequences. The Magic School Bus made science cool. Time Squad turned historical figures into comedy. Phineas and Ferb made time travel a casual summer project. Mr. Peabody and Sherman has been doing this since 1959 and is still doing it. The genre is one of the most reliably educational formats in animation, and the best shows still hold up decades later.
So, what’s your favorite kids’ time travel cartoon, and which entry on this list brought back the strongest memories? For me, The Magic School Bus is the foundational text, Time Squad is the underrated gem, and Phineas and Ferb’s “It’s About Time!” remains the funniest dinosaur episode in any kids’ cartoon. Tell me yours.
