Grandad Albert takes Kim and Gary back to a breakfast time when he was a lad, where the porridge has been cooking on the range all night and bacon is only served for the man of the house.

In the Kitchen

Grandad Albert takes the kids back to see how people travelled about when there wasn't any cars.

Cars and No Cars

Gary doesn't want to have a bath, Grandad Albert tells him all about when he was young, his family didn't even have a bathroom.

Bathtime

The children are arguing about Rapunzel, so Grandad Albert takes them back 400 years to meet Princess Elizabeth, when she was locked up in the Tower of london.

Elizabeth I

Kimberley, Gary and Grandad Albert go out for dinner with Auntie Pat, who is blind.

Auntie Pat is given a menu in Braille, so Grandad tells the children about Louis Braille and takes them back in time to visit him.

Louis Braille

Gary is in hospital after falling off his bike. Kimberley tells Grandad that she wants, Grandad explains that hospitals were not very nice places in the olden days.

Florence Nightingale

There is a fire on the street where the children live, Grandad Albert explains that in the olden days fire was far more dangerous. They travel back to meet the Samuel Pepys during the great fire of london and help him bury his Cheese.

Samuel Pepys

Nikki and Tom are left at their  Grandad's home by their parents, Grandad shows them some old films showing life at the seaside 100 years ago. The children want to find out more about the olden days and so they all walk into the projector screen and find themselves in 1901.

The Promenade

Tom and Nikki see film of a young Grandad swimming in the sea with an old-fashioned rubber ring, and his mother attempting to change under a towel. When they go back 100 years they immediately go off to find a bathing machine and change into their own old-fashioned swimming costumes.

The Beach

Grandad takes Tom and Nikki back to 1901 to explore the attractions of the pier.

Entertainment

Grandad arrives at Matthew and Leah's house. He transports them back to 21st July 1969, the day man first walked on the moon. They meet a west Indian family and try out their huge array of toys including space hoppers and Lava lamps.

1969

Tom and Melissa are fighting who gets to play on the Game Boy Advance, Grandad arrives and takes them to 1953, the day the food ration ended in britian.

1953

Grandad takes Harry and Maddy back to when his own great grandad was a child, the first year of mass education, when the working class were given free schooling. 

They explore some of the wood and metal toys of the era.

1870

Ryan won't let his sister Scarlett join in his play sword fight as "girls can't fight with swords". Grandad arrives and tells them about Boudica, they then travel to AD61 and meet her.

Boudica

Lucy does not want to go to the doctor's for a vaccination, Grandad arrives and takes her and her brother Duncan to meet Dr Jenner.

Dr Jenner

Morgan and Harry are drawing pictures of bridges and boats. Grandad tells them about Isambard Kingdom Brunel, then they travel to meet him.

Brunel

Scarlett and Ryan are having a battle between soldiers and robots. Grandad arrives and tells them about Mary Seacole, who helped injured soldiers during the Crimean War. 

They travel back in time to meet her and help to collect fresh medical supplies.

Mary Seacole

Yasmin wants to be a pilot but Harry doesn't think women can fly planes. Grandad arrives and tells them about Amy Johnson, one of the first women ever to fly a plane.

Amy Johnson

Milly and Jamie are arguing whiel trying to cook the tea. Grandad takes them to meet Mrs Beeton and some of her 20 brothers and sisters.

Mrs Beeton

Millie and Jamie are interested in Grandad's memorial day poppy, so he takes them back to a battlefield of the First World War.

The Unknown Warrior

Grandad takes Harry and Yasmin Charles Darwin.

Charles Darwin

Magic Grandad was an educational programme which originally aired on BBC Two under the title 'Switch On, Switch Off' during Schools section of 1993. The show saw 'Magic' Grandad take his young grandchildren back in time, many of the adventures are about comparing the past and the present and seeing how evidence of what happened in the olden days still survives.  

The show was said to make learning about history "fun for youngsters" and was aimed at children aged 5-7 years. The series was introduced to support the History National Curriculum at Key Stage 1. New seasons have been made periodically to support new areas of the infant history curriculum such as seaside holidays and toys. 

The early season have a companion booklet of teacher's notes with descriptions of the episodes, various suggestions for follow-up work and photocopiable worksheets.

All Episodes of Magic Grandad

All Episodes of Magic Grandad

Season 1

In the Kitchen

Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 1/12/1993

Cars and No Cars

Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 1/19/1993

Bathtime

Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 1/26/1993