Education doesn’t stop in the classroom — or on the small screen, for that matter. Like us, most kids tend to crave a little post-work (read: school) relaxation in the form of a couch and a good Netflix show. But learning doesn’t need to end when the TV goes on — and it certainly doesn’t stop with International children’s shows. Whether these series are created for international audiences or set in countries other than the US, the following can expand your kids’ learning experiences even during screen time. Just don’t be surprised if they start speaking in a British accent after watching Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom. (Yes, that can really happen.)
The Show: Oggy is an adorable blue kitten who, alongside his tiny, furry, oddly shaped cat pals can solve any problem that might come their way — whether that’s learning how to grow a plant or saving a family of kittens from a melting iceberg. Country of Origin: Oggy Oggy is produced by Xilam Animation and is Netflix’s first French animated original show. There is no dialogue in Oggy Oggy, so while your kid won’t be able to say “merci” after watching, they’ll undoubtedly pick up on that quirky French physical comedy.
The Show: Cleo & Cuquin are a brother-and-sister duo who, as the theme song states, love to laugh and play all day, pretending to be astronauts, investigators, pilots and other professions in each episode. Cleo, the older sister, normally takes the lead on their adventures, while Cuquin typically leads them into mischief. Country of Origin: Cleo & Cuquin is based on the classic Spanish cartoon Familia Telerin, which first aired in the 1970s. Although this show is not actually in Spanish, kids may be inspired to play with the world around them, like Cuquin, or turn every day into an adventure, like Cleo.
The Show: Masha is a wide-eyed, fearless girl who lives in the forest with a bevy of animal companions. When the Bear (that’s his name, Bear) first encounters Masha breaking into his home, he tries to get her out but quickly learns that she is equally crafty and persistent. Over the course of five seasons, Masha and the Bear travel, encounter new animals in the forest and make Bear’s little house in a tree their own home. Country of Origin: Masha and the Bear is a Russian series loosely based on folklore of the same name. Although Masha speaks English throughout the show’s five seasons, there are no extended conversations of dialogue, which makes Masha’s feisty personality relatable to the most mischievous little ones.
The Show: Be warned, these birds are angry — mainly because they’re trying to protect their eggs from the pesky green pigs intent on stealing them. But when the birds aren’t protecting the eggs in their nests, they’re playing pranks and catapulting each other into the sky. Country of Origin: Angry Birds is based on the phone game, developed by Finnish company Rovio. It’s likely that audience members will be more familiar with the phone game, Angry Birds, which first flew into the app store in 2009.
The Show: Marinette is a slightly awkward teenage girl living in Paris who aspires to become a fashion designer. But she has a secret no one knows about: At night, she fights crime as the superhero Ladybug. Living a double life and protecting Paris isn’t easy, but thanks to the help of fellow superhero Cat Noir (who is secretly Marinette’s crush at school), the duo is able to keep the city safe from crime. Country of Origin: Tiny viewers will get to experience the City of Light in all its animated glory in this quaint French series. With character names like Chloe and Adrien, your little ones might start walking with a Parisian pep in their step after watching this show, but don’t expect them to be completely fluent in French since it’s dubbed in English.
The Show: Talented contestants from Germany compete against each other for a chance to win a grand prize of up to 30,000 euros in this high-energy karaoke-style singing competition. Country of Origin: Although a majority of the songs sung on Sing On! Germany are in English, this show features very real contestants from Germany who speak their native language throughout the show. But let’s be real, singing competitions are exciting to watch, no matter what language they’re in — and no matter what age you are.
The Show: Como is a bird that’s as small as a bean who examines the world around him one item at a time. Watch Como in the series as he answers some necessary questions like, “How hot is a pepper?” and ”How do magnets work?” Country of Origin: This South Korean show is not only endearing for all members of the family (thanks in part to the 3D and 2D animation), but it’s also informative for the youngest and most inquisitive kids. Learning about colors, foods and concepts has never been more entertaining than it is in Curious Como.
The Show: Molcars are guinea pigs combined with cars (yes, really) that embark on some serious adventures in this goofy yet engaging stop-motion animated series. Country of Origin: Each eight-minute episode of Pui Pui Molcar is slightly perplexing — I mean, a guinea pig-car-combination sounds like something you could only dream about — but this one is a very quick and easily digestible watch for even the youngest kids. Although this Japanese show doesn’t have dialogue, your little one will probably be hypnotized by the Molcars, and all of the random stories that transpire on screen.
The Show: In a town surrounded by food, Bread is a cake decorator and barber — a real multitasking entrepreneur if you ask us — who can transform his customers’ looks and, subsequently, their lives at his barbershop. It’s not an easy job, but with the help of some cream, powdered sugar and one crafty assistant, Bread is able to make magic. Country of Origin: Bread Barbershop is a quirky South Korean animated series that might not make any sense to the parents who watch, especially since Bread is quite literally a slice of bread with a mustache who puts whipped cream on the top of his clients’ heads. But, it’s the kind of show that the kids will be obsessed with, based on the absurdity alone.
The Show: Keeping the peace in Train World isn’t easy, but for the Robot Trains, who, as their name suggests, are trains that can transform into robots, every day is an opportunity to protect the townspeople from harm. Country of Origin: Transportation-obsessed little ones will love Robot Trains, a South Korean animated show that puts the focus on train cars and the things they’re capable of doing when they have the added benefit of being robots.
The Show: Fuse, Newt, Pogo, Bubbles, Zee, Slick and Jeff are a close-knit group of friends that, while wearing some very unique outfits, laugh their way through life, especially when they’re putting themselves in bizarre situations. Country of Origin: Oddbods is a goofy but delightful watch from Singapore. There’s no explanation for how the Oddbods have alien encounters or accidentally turn into babies, or why they choose to wear such unique outfits, but it’s funny enough to get a chuckle out of your little one, just based on how bizarre it might seem.
The Show: When a meteor crashes into Earth, a group of zoo animals transform into superheroes with special powers that allow them to take on evil and wrongdoing in their town. Country of Origin: The Crocodile Hunter this is not. Heroes Goo Jit Zu is an Australian cartoon with less accents from down under but a lot more action and a lot of goo. Yes, goo. There are only five episodes of this underrated cartoon show, making it easy to zoom through the series in a short amount of time.
The Show: A toddler’s curiosity in a small town in India leads him to help animals, try new foods and make new friends. Now, that sounds like something that little ones can relate to. Country of Origin: Mighty Little Bheem depicts a culture that’s not as prominently featured in a lot of children’s media in the United States. Even the youngest kiddos can learn a little bit about the fashion, animals and traditions of India.
The Show: Ben Elf and his friend the fairy princess Holly live in the magical Little Kingdom, where flowers and grass grow higher than the tallest of towers. It’s here where they have adventures learning about how to solve problems using the skills and resources that their friends can provide. Country of Origin: Since this show is from the United Kingdom, the characters speak with British accents. Just don’t be surprised if your little ones start mimicking their accents just as easily.
The Show: Booba’s a young, furry creature obsessed with exploring the world around him. He’s able to find joy in all of his daily surroundings, and since he’s always up for an adventure, there’s no shortage of things to see. The Country of Origin: Booba is an animated show from Russia. Booba’s curiosity to explore the world is contagious and might have you wanting to go on adventures of your own.
