Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is a wholesome, slow-paced children’s television show based on the classic TV series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Daniel takes his viewers on many adventures through his daily life, where he learns valuable lessons, such as what it means to be a true friend, how to deal with disappointment, and how to reframe his mindset after failed plans.
I showed my eldest daughter Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood for first time in 2019. Her original exposure to the series was on her first birthday, and the first episode was “Daniel’s Birthday” (Season 1, Episode 1). I laughed and told her that it’s Daniel’s birthday, just like it was her birthday that day. Every time afterward, when I would put on an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, she would glance at me with such a happy smile and dance to the theme song.
Here are 15 “grrr-rific” tales from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood that teach young viewers about empathy and kindness. These moral traits go a long way in improving social connections in public and enhancing relationships with family and friends as your children grow.
Daniel Shares His Tigertastic Car” (Season 1, Episode 10)
Daniel Tiger and his friends are playing with their toy cars at a local park. When Prince Wednesday arrives at the park, he is sad, realizing he does not have a toy car with him like the rest of his friends. He asked Daniel if he could share the car by taking a turn with it and then giving it back when he was done. Dad Tiger steps in to mediate the situation. While Daniel is hesitant to share his toy car, he eventually allows Prince Wednesday to play with it temporarily. Despite how difficult it was to share his toy, Daniel was glad that Prince Wednesday was so happy to feel included in the car activity at the park with his friends.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel Shares His Tigertastic Car”
Young viewers can learn about taking turns with toys and activities amongst their family and friends. This will be especially important when sharing resources at school, such as markers during art period and certain toys during choice time. My youngest two (ages three and almost 2) still have trouble sharing sometimes. I remind them that since we only have one of certain toys, such as the rocking horse and toy vacuum, they must take turns so they can both have fun with them.
Friends Help Each Other (Season 1, Episode 7)
Daniel visits Katerina Kittycat’s house to have a tea party with her stuffed animals in attendance in “Friends Help Each Other”. Katerina accidentally drops some of the cups and plates while getting them assembled on the table. She gets upset at the mistake, but Daniel has no problem helping her get them picked up. While she is pouring the water into one of the cups, resembling the tea in the teapot, she accidentally spills the water. Daniel offers to help Katerina clean up the mess.
The Lesson Taught In “Friends Help Each Other”
Unexpected things happen where a friend could need help, so it’s best to step in and help when you can. Showcasing empathy and kindness through helping others builds emotional intelligence and makes you feel good, too. My son is becoming so helpful. There are times he has seen a baby sitting in a stroller drop a toy while we are at a local playground, and he goes to pick it up and gives it back to them.
Daniel Helps O Tell a Story (Season 1, Episode 7)
This story is the second part of the 7th episode in the series, where Daniel visits O the Owl and they read a story together. It’s about a baby dinosaur who gets separated from his mother, and he finds his way back to her. O and Daniel realize that the last page of the book is missing. O is especially upset about this because he wants to know the end of the story, and it’s an abomination for a page to be missing, especially for a book lover like him. Daniel and O grab papers and crayons to start finishing the end of the story.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel Helps O Tell a Story”
Helping others is the hallmark of empathy and kindness. Brainstorming different ways to help solve a friend’s problem will make them feel loved and cared for. I teach my little ones to always help one another when they are playing. For example, my eldest daughter is the tallest who can reach for the remote when they all want to watch TV. If she sees her younger siblings having trouble opening or putting together a toy, she steps in to help them out.
Daniel Is Jealous (Season 1, Episode 38)
Uh-oh! Daniel feels jealous when he, Katerina, and Grandpere are playing “airplane” because he feels that his grandfather was giving more attention to his friend than to him. At the climax of the episode, Daniel explains his feelings to Grandpere. His grandfather reassures him that he is still his special Daniel, even though he is interacting with Katerina as well.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel Is Jealous”
Children can learn to listen to one another’s feelings by watching this episode. Taking steps to make friends feel better when they are feeling jealous or upset is essential for maintaining empathy and kindness. My eldest daughter tells me whenever she feels lonely and wants time with just me, especially if I have been extra busy with housework, writing, or tending to her youngest siblings. We set aside a little time each night to do something together after my youngest two go to sleep, like play a Hello Kitty game together, or I watch her play Roblox.
Empathy at School (Season 1, Episode 39)
Chrissie and Daniel Tiger play a doctor’s office game together. During their playtime, Chrissie realizes she has lost her favorite bracelet. Frantic and upset, she professes to Daniel that she does not want to play anymore. When he goes to tell Teacher Harriet what happened, she reminds him of how he felt when he lost Tigey during another school day. Daniel learns another lesson in empathy by recalling a time when he was sad and upset because his favorite stuffed friend was lost. Everyone pulls together, and they eventually find Chrissie’s bracelet.
The Lesson Taught In “Empathy at School”
A child should consider how they would feel if they were in a similar situation to that of a friend or family member who is currently experiencing it, to develop empathy. Learning this trait motivates individuals to help others during times of need. My eldest daughter’s stepfather passed away unexpectedly in March 2024. One day, I forgot to have her take her urn necklace off before sending her to school. Upon realizing she was still wearing her urn necklace in class, my eldest daughter’s teacher, who had also lost his father and had a piece of jewelry like that, offered to keep the necklace safe in his desk drawer until the end of the day. My daughter learned empathy in how others feel when experiencing big feelings because of a loved one passing away.
Daniel Gets Mad (Season 1, Episode 4)
Daniel and Prince Wednesday are planning a fun time playing at Jungle Beach. When it starts raining outside, Daniel is enraged that they cannot go to the beach as planned. Mom Tiger and Prince Wednesday help him calm down with the chant to “take a deep breath and count to 4”. The boys come up with an idea to bring the beach inside by gathering buckets of sand and placing them on the floor. However, Mom Tiger gets angry when she sees sand all over the floor, and she uses the same chant to model proper emotional regulation in front of the children. After cleaning up the sandy mess, the friends eventually discover they can use blankets to resemble sand and water while relaxing on their beach chairs in the living room.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel Gets Mad”
It’s natural to get mad, but there are healthy ways to handle this big feeling. Taking a few deep breaths and counting to as far as you need to go until you are calm is important for avoiding temper tantrums at any age. It’s been an uphill battle teaching my three children healthier ways to express anger rather than screaming and yelling, but we are working hard to start taking deep breaths to calm down instead. I try to model this lesson whenever I am angry or overstimulated during the day, so the kids can pick up on it too.
Daniel Is Big Enough to Help Dad (Season 1, Episode 12)
Dad Tiger is building a playhouse, and Daniel wants to help. However, he’s annoyed that he can’t use grown-up tools like his father can. Dad is patient and reminds Daniel that he can still help build the playhouse in different ways, such as holding the door while Dad installs the hinges and bringing the red paint over to help paint the door.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel Is Big Enough to Help Dad”
Kids can learn that they are old enough to contribute to a project, regardless of their current age. If they are toddlers, they can gather tools and take simple steps in a process. Of course, while my children cannot put dishes in the oven, I sometimes have them help me in other ways when I’m baking. My eldest daughter loves cracking the eggs for me, and my son enjoys stirring the batter. One time, they were grating carrots under my supervision so we could make carrot raisin muffins. My youngest daughter is almost 2, so I may have her start helping me pour ingredients into the bowl.
Katerina’s Costume (Season 1, Episode 32)
Daniel, Elaina, and Katerina are all deciding what they want to be for Dress Up Day. While Daniel and Miss Elaina have their costumes picked out, Katerina is having trouble picking one. Daniel is Tigey the Adventure Tiger, while Miss Elaina is a robot. Katerina wants to be a superhero, a firefighter, and a ballerina all at the same time. The friends work together to help Katerina decide her costume, which turns out to be dressing up as all of them, to which she names herself Super Firefighter Ballerina Katerina.
The Lesson Taught In “Katerina’s Costume”
Communication is important for showcasing kindness. Rather than judging someone for thinking differently, it’s best to discuss their thoughts with them to help them navigate their challenges. I always teach my children that everyone thinks differently, and that’s what makes us all unique. There’s a way for everyone to participate in an activity, and the diversity in their contributions will make it more engaging.
Daniel Feels Left Out (Season 1, Episode 36)
Oh no! Daniel feels left out when he learns that O the Owl and Katerina Kittycat were pretending to be ladybugs while he and his family were shopping for dinner. Daniel feels sad and resentful the whole evening. He gets distracted while helping Mom and Dad Tiger make supper. His parents gently guide him through these big feelings by reminding him that it’s natural to feel sad and that he will eventually feel better again.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel Feels Left Out”
Children can learn that times of sadness do not last forever. With different coping mechanisms, little ones can feel better over time. There are times when my daughter has come home upset because her class couldn’t go out for recess. She would tell me that other children were misbehaving, and the teacher did not have anyone else to supervise the misbehaving kids, resulting in the whole class having to stay inside. Sometimes, she would get more upset if I was busy in the house that afternoon, and she had to wait even longer to get outside time at home. Eventually, her sad feelings subside, and she feels normal again once she can get some Vitamin D in her system when I can take her and her siblings outside that day.
Someone Else’s Feelings (Season 1, Episode 39)
O, the Owl and Daniel Tiger are pretending to fix Trolley at the Tiger household. Daniel is dressed in his carpenter’s outfit and is making loud hammering noises that O doesn’t like. Eventually, O is so upset that he assertively informs Daniel that he dislikes those loud noises. Daniel learns empathy by understanding his friend’s feelings by making softer hammering noises so that they can still play together.
The Lesson Taught In “Someone Else’s Feelings”
Good listening skills and being understanding of others’ feelings are important for practicing empathy. These two valuable skills help to build emotional intelligence. My daughter was sad this past Memorial Day weekend as we were leaving her paternal grandparents’ house. Her elder half-sister informed me that my daughter did not feel like talking. While her half-sister was respectful of those feelings, she still tried asking my daughter what was wrong. It turned out she was missing her late stepfather because she pointed to the sky when I asked her why she did not want to talk.
Daniel’s Allergy (Season 3, Episode 4)
Daniel Tiger and his parents are having fun making a peach pie. When he tries a peach while preparing the pie, he starts feeling itchy, and red bumps form on his fur. Even though Daniel likes peaches, he is upset to learn from Dr. Anna that he is allergic to them. Mom Tiger imparts a few important lessons to Daniel, including not eating foods to which you are allergic, asking if the food contains the allergen before eating it, and telling an adult if you don’t feel well.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel’s Allergy”
Little ones learn to take care of each other in “Daniel’s Allergy”. My youngest has a lactose intolerance. My eldest daughter reminds me sometimes that certain foods, like ice cream and yogurt, contain dairy and that her younger sister can’t eat them. I reassure my eldest that I have an alternative food for her baby sister so she can still enjoy a snack, too.
Daniel and Margaret Visit the Farm (Season 2, Episode 20)
Daniel and Margaret are visiting a farm with their mother and father to learn about the animals. Daniel sees his friend, Chrissie, riding a horse. She invites him to try riding the horse named Peaches, but he is hesitant about trying this because he has never ridden a horse before. Chrissie helps encourage and assist Daniel with his first horse-riding experience. Daniel learns that he can do anything new as long as he has someone to help him.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel and Margaret Visit the Farm”
Empathy means understanding what someone feels and taking the steps to make them feel better. Guide them through the new activity or make them feel better if they are nervous. My daughter had her first public speaking presentation for 4H earlier in May (mind you, she is only 7). She was nervous, and the older girl holding up my daughter’s drawing pad (she was giving a presentation on how to draw a unicorn head to receive her free state fair tickets) gave her a pep talk on how it’s natural to feel this way before a presentation. The best way to give a presentation is to talk like you are telling a good friend something you know, she told my daughter.
Daniel’s New Friend Max (Season 5, Episode 11)
In this episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Daniel meets a new friend, Max. He learns from Teacher Harriet, who is his aunt, that Max has autism, which means he processes the world differently than Daniel and his friends do. Daniel and his friends learn that some children with Autism don’t like loud noises. Daniel and the gang show empathy and kindness towards Max by playing chimes at a lower volume so the loud noises do not upset him.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel’s New Friend Max”
Everyone has differences that make them unique. Being empathetic towards others so that they can still participate in certain activities is vital for being kind and thoughtful. I occasionally volunteer in my youngest children’s Head Start classes. I learned that one of my youngest daughter’s classmates is autistic and non-verbal. He is such a curious little one, ready for exploration, and my daughter plays with him just as she does with any other child in her classroom. I will continue teaching my children that empathy and inclusiveness help to make the world a better place and foster lifelong friendships.
Daniel and Miss Elaina’s Kite Accident (Season 5, Episode 2)
Daniel, Miss Elaina, and her father, Music Man Stan, find a kite from his childhood in a box of old things. Music Man Stan gets it up and flying for them. It falls into a bush of flowers and gets broken. The friend pair are upset, believing that Music Man Stan will get mad at them for what happened. When they tell him about the broken kite, he smiles and reminds them that accidents can happen no matter what age you are.
The Lesson Taught In “Daniel and Miss Elaina’s Kite Accident”
Little ones should learn from this episode that accidents can happen at any time for any reason. It helps to tell an adult about the accident, so they can receive help in making things better afterward. There are times when my eldest daughter accidentally spills milk or juice while pouring it into a cup, or my son drops something on his way to throwing it out in the trash for me. I always tell them, “Let’s clean up and try again”.
Neighbor Day (Season 1, Episode 29)
Daniel discovers a present for his mother on their front doorstep from Lady Elaine. They opened it and found she had left sunflower seeds for Mom Tiger. This sets off a domino effect of kindness throughout the neighborhood. Daniel helps his mom by planting the new seeds and watering all her sunflowers. Mom Tiger and Daniel go around handing out sunflowers as they help other people who live in Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
The Lesson Taught In “Neighbor Day”
Kids will learn that extending a helping hand without asking not only makes them feel good about themselves but is also positively beneficial for the person receiving this help. My oldest loves stepping in to help me assemble cupcakes or drop cookies on a baking sheet before I place them into the oven. My son’s new way he loves to help is shutting the doors for me after everyone gets out of our SUV. When my youngest daughter sees everyone cleaning up toys, she likes to join in, too.
Raising Empathetic & Kind Little Neighbors
Kindness and empathy go a long way. Raise your future little neighbors to lend a helping hand, and practice active listening so they can be kind and empathetic to family members and friends in different situations.
Do you want a roaring good time with more Daniel Tiger tales? You can stream Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on the PBS Kids video app for free or watch the show on streaming services like Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. I hope you have a “grrr-ific” time showing your little ones more lessons about empathy and kindness.
You and your children can watch Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood free on PBS and through the PBS Kids app.
