"It's made for kids"

"It's made for kids" is an excuse used to dismiss criticism towards shows and series made specifically for younger audiences.

There is also an article on this topic on the Crappy Games Wiki.

Background
It is well-known that kids are easier to entertain by simple things that adults may find boring or poorly-executed. Likewise, they are unlikely to understand and/or appreciate more highly-complicated and mature adult shows. Because of that, shows targeted at younger audiences tend to be simpler than shows targeted at an older audience (like South Park), but that doesn't mean that shows aimed at kids should be too simplistic, realistic, and basic.

Often when shows meant for younger audiences or kids aged six and up are criticized for either poor quality, how they don't teach positive messages, rely on cheap comedy, use lazy animation, or lack any real substance and logic, some people might use "It's made for kids" as an excuse for doing so. Saying that "it's made for kids" shouldn't be a good enough excuse for making low-quality and effortless shows and excessively kid-friendly shows that grown-ups will find boring or poorly-executed. This excuse also treats kids like they are unintelligent beings or idiots with no real taste, which isn't true.

On the other hand, some older people dismiss shows targeted at young audiences as "Kiddie shows". Just because a show has a younger target audience that doesn't mean that older people aren't allowed to watch them or won't find challenge and substance in them. If the show is well made, anyone can enjoy them.

Even if a show or movie is aimed at kids, the adults may also be interested in it (the movie would be rated either G-rated or PG-rated, and the television parental guidelines rating "TV-G" means "General Audiences", not just kids, but both kids and adults). There are many shows aimed at younger audiences that can also be enjoyed by grown-ups, for example, Mickey Mouse, SpongeBob SquarePants, Thomas the Tank Engine, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and Looney Tunes, just to name few; the aforementioned shows are kid-friendly, but yet they have enough substance and real effort put in to be entertaining for adults and don't pander towards kids (either younger or in their pre-teen years).

There is no excuse for making a poorly-made show just because of who its demographic is targeted towards.

How to make a good kids' show

 * 1) A pleasing colorful art style and character design that is easy on the eye but not too "cartoonish", "basic", "realistic", or "simplistic".
 * 2) * Humanoid/anthropomorphic animals, talking vehicles and trains, and fantasy creatures are usually a good pick for this.
 * 3) A premise or plot that isn't too complicated, but not too simplistic either.
 * 4) * The writing should also be either sharp, well-timed, or just paced decently for all viewers to follow and see how competent the story and everything around it is, not dumbing everything down.
 * 5) * Kids and/or viewers should be able to watch the show and enjoy their time observing what's on-screen or just catch the viewers' interest with what's going on in an episode without having anything essentially annoying, tedious or boring.
 * 6) No swearing and/or sexual content and minimal blood. Mild cartoon violence is fine, especially if the characters in the show are non-humans or the violence is used as "slapstick". Tom and Jerry is an example of this, and so is Looney Tunes. The only times that slapstick-induced content with humans was done right were cartoons such as Ed, Edd, N Eddy is a prime example of this.
 * 7) * However, this can be somewhat averted if the show is aimed at both kids and adults, some examples of this are The Amazing World of Gumball and Animaniacs.
 * 8) Educational value, especially in shows rated TV-G.
 * 9) Immersive characters that serve as good role models as protagonists or real challenges as antagonists.
 * 10) * Some children's shows even lack antagonists to retain a pleasing mood.

Examples of Good Kids shows

 * Arthur
 * Sesame Street (Seasons 1-32)
 * SpongeBob SquarePants (Season 1-5, 9-Present)
 * Avatar: The Last Airbender
 * Mickey Mouse


 * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003, Seasons 1-5)


 * Danny Phantom (Seasons 1-2)


 * Batman: The Animated Series


 * Thomas & Friends (Seasons 1-11, 17-21)


 * Bob the Builder (original)


 * Postman Pat (Original)


 * Fireman Sam (Seasons 1-5)


 * Adventure Time


 * Steven Universe


 * Looney Tunes


 * Tom & Jerry


 * The Fairly OddParents (Seasons 1-8)


 * Ed, Edd, N Eddy (Seasons 1-4)


 * The Earthworm Jim Cartoon


 * The Legend of Korra


 * The Loud House


 * Phineas & Ferb


 * Bluey


 * Totally Spies (Seasons 1-5)


 * Winx Club (Seasons 1-4)


 * My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic


 * Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir


 * Gravity Falls


 * Big City Greens


 * Amphibia


 * The Owl House


 * She-Ra and the Princesses of Power


 * Voltron: Legendary Defender (Seasons 1-6)


 * Angel’s Friends


 * W.I.T.CH.


 * Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles


 * Teen Titans


 * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)


 * DuckTales (2017 TV Series)


 * The Amazing World of Gumball

Examples of shows with this Excuse

 * Teen Titans Go!; Pretty much the embodiment of this excuse.
 * Fanboy & Chum Chum
 * ThunderCats Roar
 * Johnny Test (Seasons 4-6)
 * SpongeBob SquarePants (Seasons 6-8)
 * Nickelodeon Sitcoms (2011-present)
 * Cousins For Life (live-action example)
 * Caillou
 * Pig Goat Banana Cricket
 * Winx Club (Season 5-8)
 * Wild Grinders
 * Planet Sheen
 * Wayside
 * Barney & Friends (Seasons 3-14)
 * Dora the Explorer (Seasons 3-8)
 * Bob the Builder (2015)
 * Peppa Pig
 * The Powerpuff Girls (2016)
 * Ben 10 (2016)
 * Breadwinners
 * Sanjay and Craig
 * Teletubbies
 * Larva (Season 1-3)
 * Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go!
 * Thomas & Friends (Seasons 12-16 and 22-24)
 * Disney Channel Sitcoms (2006-2016)