I first saw "Puppet Playhouse" at the age of 5 on a neighbor's 5-inch GE TV (with a magnifying glass over the screen so that we could all see it). At that time, I lived near Buffalo, NY. Buffalo Bob's constant references to places around Buffalo brought the context a little closer. Then there were the old time movies, featuring Mickey McGuire and the Tons of Fun.
I also watched The Camel News Caravan, I Remember Mama, Milton Berle and all sorts of programs which stimulated my curiosity and imagination. And all this without the benefit of special effects that are now available. And, more importantly, a lot more imagination at play, than one would find in later years.
Years later when I'm watching my children watch cartoon characters flying around with devastating rays coming from their bare hands, I quickly devise ways to get the kids away from this stuff. My opinion is that (like another commenter) is that my kids missed some pretty neat stuff.