Learn History & Science with These 25+ Shows on Disney Plus

Disney+ is more than princess movies and Baby Yoda. With this list of 25+ ideas for history & science, there’s something for everyone.

TV plays a daily role in our homeschooling. My boys gobble up CNN10. PBS is on a daily rotation. To go along with our morning basket/starter work, they’d always watch a themed YouTube playlist of the same topic. We frequently incorporate documentaries into our history & science studies. {It’s hard for me to believe there was a time I thought it was “lazy” to use TV!}

But when Disney+ came out, I didn’t think it would be part of that rotation. I love a good Mickey Mouse short…but as homeschool usage? Nope.

Of all the streaming services, Disney Plus is both one of my favorites and one of my biggest disappointments. They have some of the best educational shows, mostly from their partnership with National Geographic, but I wish for so much more!

One series we’d love to see would take an inside look at their biggest asset — the theme park. Exploring the science of the parks, they could touch on the physics of different rides, the science of colors, the engineering challenges, pest management & other horticultural topics, etc. How fun would that be?!

(Plus, what a great way to entice more people to the parks and create a crossover for visitors to be enticed into subscribing to Disney Plus.)

The other missed opportunity is teaching science and history to young kids. Disney, obviously, knows how to delight little ones. Shows like Little Einstein do a respectable job, but I think there’s so much more that Disney Plus could offer.

While this is not a comprehensive list by any means, it will get you started with a variety TV shows & documentaries with something to appeal to everyone. Most of the shows are geared toward older kids, so I marked the shows that were created with little ones in mind. As it is Disney, though, none of these shows feature inappropriate material if you do have little eyes around.

History Shows

Buried Secrets of WWII

Remote sensing techniques tell the stories of WWII battles and campaigns, the details of which have been lost in the fog of war, misinterpreted or overtaken by the landscape.

Modern technology meets history in this 6-episode series. From 3D models to underwater sensors, you’ll explore World War 2 stories and the facts behind them.

Keep Learning about World War 2

• 30+ of the Best World War 2 Books, Websites & More
• 35+ World War 2 Movies for Kids & Teens

The Flagmakers

In this short documentary (just 36 minutes), you’ll go inside the Eder Flag factory. Located in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, this factory is one of the largest flag & flag pole factories in the country. Among the crafters include those with deep Wisconsin roots, new immigrants, and all sorts in between. It’s a beautiful film highlighting the richness of America.

Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color

Their stories were forgotten over time. But millions of minority soldiers fought for the Allies, many of whom came home & received less than their (white) fellow soldiers. These are their stories.

1989: The Year That Made Us

How is it possible that my first year as a teen is worthy of being a ‘history’ documentary?!

Over six episodes, National Geographic digs into a decisive year. Tiananmen Square, the Berlin Wall, Bart Simpson, the ‘return’ of Disney animated movies, the GameBoy.

Lost Treasures of the Maya

The Maya civilization, thousands of years in the making & highly complex, remains fairly unknown to most. In this four-part series, you’ll travel to southern Mexico to learn about the Mayans.

Being the Queen

A treasure trove of never-before-heard interviews with people who have known Queen Elizabeth II personally.

Flooded Tombs of the Nile

Archaeologists dive into a flooded pyramid near the Nile to search for a king’s burial that could reveal clues about the ancient kingdom of Kush.

9/11: One Day in America

Examining the harrowing moments of the historic morning of September 11th, 2001.

Shows for Animal Lovers

A Real Bug’s Life

Adventuring into nine different micro bug worlds around the globe, where the forces of nature play out on a miniature scale and where tiny creatures rely on powers and extraordinary alliances to make it through each day.

Awesome Animals (young kids)

Animals can do all kinds of incredible things. Find out why makes them smart, clever, and awesome creatures in this video series.

Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom

When I mentioned above about wishing Disney Plus & Walt Disney World would do crossover work? Before it came out, this was the kind of show we imagined. In each episode, you’ll get to know various animals and the cast members who lovingly care for them.

Keep Learning about Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• The Animals of the Kilimanjaro Safari
• Travel to the land of Encanto (AK’s newest land, Tropical Americas, in 2027)

Wild: Hawaii, Russia, Nordic, Yellowstone & Chile

In this documentary series, you’ll take a closer look at the wildlife of each of these countries. Each country’s series has three episodes, so there’s plenty to watch if your kiddos enjoy one of them. This would make a great addition to geography for an animal-loving kiddo.

Great Migrations

`Move as millions. Survive as one’. Across more than 20 countries & all seven continents, a National Geographic team traveled to tell the stories of animals and their journeys to survive. If you have an animal lover, you’ll want to watch this as some of the animals featured were caught in behaviors never seen on film before.

Becoming Cousteau

Nature documentaries weren’t my thing. Still, I knew the name Jacque Cousteau. He rightly earned his place as a legend in the world of oceans, documentaries, and nature. Learn more about Cousteau & his life in this documentary.

More Science Shows on Disney+

Nature, Boom, Time (young kids)

This show takes young kids around the United States to learn all the cool things about trees (like the mighty Sequoias), plants (like the kelp forest), and other cool nature-y things (like forest fire prevention).

Brain Games

How do con artists con us? How does your imagination work? Why are we compassionate? Other emotions? Learning about your brain’s processes is anything but boring in this series by National Geographic. Through games & experiments, you’ll find out why your brain does what it does. This is a fun show for the whole family.

Weird but True (young kids)

Hosted by a brother-sister duo, these ecologists encourage young kids to ask ‘how’ and ‘why’ the world works in the ways that it does.

Best Job Ever

National Geographic explorers are curious about our planet, committed to understanding it, and passionate about helping make it better. Now it’s time to get the scoop on the best—and sometimes the worst—parts of their jobs.

Welcome to Earth

No, Will Smith isn’t welcoming those Independence Day aliens to Earth. This time, he’s on an adventure to explore the wonders of the world. From entering a live volcano to plunging to the depths of the ocean (and so much more), his adventurous spirit and wonder shine through.

The National Parks

There are actually three options for you, all from National Geographic. America’s National Parks (Classic, 2015 edition), America’s National Parks (2022 edition), and National Parks: USA. All three take you across the nation to see the natural beauty of the parks. They hit the obvious ones, like the Grand Canyon & Yellowstone. But also parks that don’t normally show up on these types of shows, like Saguaro, Olympic, Katmai (home of our beloved bears), and Hawai’i Volcanoes.

Disneynature Shows

Walt Disney loved animals. Nature, too, but more specifically animals. Long before there was a David Attenborough or Jacque Cousteau making documentaries about the world and creatures around us, there was Walt Disney. Starting in the late 1940s, Disney released numerous animal documentaries in the True-Life Adventures series (many won Academy Awards).

After a hiatus, the Disneynature shows are back and embrace that curiosity and wonder that came from Walt.

Honorable Mentions

These shows have all been on Disney Plus at some point. If Disney brings them back — or you can find them somewhere else — they are well worth watching.

• Science Fair follows a group of high school students from around the world as they work to earn a spot at The International Science and Engineering Fair.
• The intensely curious Jeff Goldblum dug into the real stories and curiosities behind common, everyday items in The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
• Relieve the days of your own middle school on Disney Shop Class. High schoolers compete to design, engineer & build a different creation in each episode.

The Newest Shows…Hand-Picked for Homeschoolers