25+ Best Spanish Cartoons for Kids That Teach Language

Homeschool Languages
Oct 14
6 min read

Pocoyó is the best Spanish cartoon for beginners thanks to its slow pace and simple dialogue. Other great picks include Minimalitos, Cleo & Cuquín, and Dora. Use subtitles, rewatch episodes, and discuss them afterward to help your child start speaking Spanish naturally.

If you're looking for the best way to sneak more Spanish into your home without adding another thing to your to-do list… cartoons might just be your new favorite tool.

What You’ll Find in This Article

The best Spanish cartoons for toddlers, early learners, and tweens
Which shows are actually helpful for language development (and which just look cute)
Where to stream them (Netflix, YouTube, PBS Kids, and more)
How to turn passive screen time into real Spanish practice
What to do if your child watches but never speaks
Pro tips for parents who don’t speak Spanish fluently (or at all!)

At Homeschool Languages, we’re all about turning everyday moments into bilingual ones, without the pressure. That’s why we include video-based lesson links, puppet scripts, and open-and-go activities inside our curriculum.

👉 Start with our free sample lessons right here and see how easily cartoons can blend into your Spanish-at-home routine.

If you're curious which cartoons are worth watching, how to make them work for your family, and what to try when your kid just stares at the screen blankly, we’ve got all of that (and more) coming up.

Keep reading for the full list!!

Why Spanish Cartoons Can Help, And Why They Often Don’t

Cartoons can be a great tool for language exposure, but they won’t magically get your child speaking on their own.

The truth? Most shows are designed for entertainment, not conversation. Your child might hear Spanish, but if they’re not using it, they’re not learning it. That’s where many families get stuck.

And if you’ve ever said:

“My child just stares at the screen…”
“They like the show, but never repeat anything…”
“I’m not fluent, how do I help?”

The good news is: the solution doesn’t require full fluency, just a few tweaks to how you use cartoons.

Start Here: The Best Spanish Cartoons for Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2–5)

At this age, repetition and rhythm matter more than storyline. These shows keep things simple so your child can follow along, and start repeating what they hear.

Minimalitos – A favorite from Argentina, with animals in preschool using real-life phrases. Great for introducing colors, feelings, and routines.
Pocoyó – With slow narration and simple visuals, it’s perfect for new learners. Try watching with Spanish audio and English subtitles, or vice versa.
Canticos – Animated nursery rhymes with bilingual text. Toddlers love the music; parents love the built-in repetition.
Peppa Pig (Spanish dub) – Known and loved. Its slow, clear dialogue and family-centered plotlines help young learners absorb natural phrasing.
Charlie y los Números – Short, sweet, and focused on numbers and simple vocabulary.

Rewatch the same episode several times across the week!! Familiarity leads to confidence, and confidence leads to speech.

Early Learners (Ages 5–8): Spanish Shows That Build Vocabulary and Confidence

Now we’re looking for shows that keep their attention and spark curiosity.

Cleo & Cuquín – Sibling adventures that help reinforce problem-solving and real-life language. Lots of full sentences and natural conversations.
Elena of Avalor – Colorful, magical, and rich in Latin culture. Great for cultural exposure and values like family and courage.
Los Octonautas (Spanish dub) – Action-packed and science-based, this show builds up animal and nature vocabulary through fun storylines.
Dora la Exploradora – Don’t dismiss this classic! It’s designed for interaction, asking your child to speak and repeat Spanish phrases aloud.
PJ Masks (Spanish dub) – Fast-paced superhero adventures with natural expressions, action vocabulary, and teamwork.

What if your child still won’t speak? That’s actually pretty normal. We’ve seen kids watch Spanish shows for weeks before ever trying a word out loud.

One way we helped? Introducing a puppet who only understands Spanish. It turned watching time into game time.

Fluent Tweens and Confident Learners (Ages 9–12): Ready for More Advanced Spanish?

As kids get older, cartoons can still work, as long as they’re age-appropriate and interesting. These options include more complex dialogue, deeper storylines, and regional accents.

Metegol – An Argentinian animated soccer movie full of fast-paced language, great for building listening endurance.
Anina – A beautifully animated film from Uruguay with poetic language and emotional depth.
Dinopaka – Science meets adventure, with dinosaur vocabulary, time travel, and a teenage lead.
Nocturna – Whimsical, surreal, and full of metaphor, best for older learners ready for artistic storytelling.
La Liga de los 5 – A superhero story from Mexico full of fast-paced dialogue and clever humor.

If your child already understands some Spanish, shows like these help them listen for meaning in context, even if they don’t catch every word.

Where to Stream the Best Spanish Cartoons

Here’s where to find the shows mentioned above:

Netflix

Pocoyó
Bluey (Spanish audio)
Los Octonautas
Metegol
Masha y el Oso (Spanish version)

YouTube

Minimalitos
Dinopaka
Cleo y Cuquín
Canticos
Charlie y los Números

PBS Kids

Oh, Noah! – A fun cartoon for kids learning Spanish as a second language. Noah makes mistakes and learns, just like your child will.

Disney+

Elena of Avalor
PJ Masks
Moana, Encanto, Frozen (Spanish audio available)

Amazon Prime

Anina
Nocturna
David el Gnomo

Turning Cartoons Into Conversation Starters

Watching is great. But watching + talking? That’s where the real learning happens.

Here’s what worked for us:

Preview the vocabulary before watching, pick 2–3 words or phrases your child will hear.
Watch together (even just the first time!) and repeat the key phrases.
Use the same phrases around the house right after.
Ask your child to tell you what the character said, even in English.
Let them act it out with a puppet or toy. Make Spanish feel like play, not pressure.

One mom in our community shared how her daughter ignored Spanish cartoons, until she got to teach the puppet what the characters said. It clicked instantly.

Mistakes We’ve Made (So You Don’t Have To)

You can do everything right and still hit a wall. Here are the traps we’ve personally fallen into:

Choosing shows that are too fast-paced, especially early on
Relying only on subtitles (without interaction)
Expecting the show alone to teach fluency
Watching once and moving on (instead of rewatching to build retention)
Thinking our kids “weren’t learning anything” just because they weren’t speaking yet

This process takes time. But we’ve seen firsthand: once the first phrase pops out (“¡Mira!” or “Quiero más”), it snowballs.

And it usually happens when you least expect it!! Like brushing teeth or climbing into the car!

What If You Don’t Speak Spanish?

This might be the biggest question we hear: “How can I help my child learn Spanish if I don’t speak it myself?”

We get it, because we’ve lived it.

You don’t have to be fluent. You don’t even have to pronounce everything perfectly. What matters is that you’re creating a space where your child feels comfortable trying.

Here’s what we recommend:

Use shows with subtitles. Let your child hear the Spanish, and you read the English. Or flip it. Both work!
Pick just 1–2 words per episode to practice together. Don’t try to “learn it all.”
Let them be the expert. Ask your child to teach you what the character said.
Use a puppet or toy to ask questions in Spanish, even if it’s just “¿Dónde está?”
Pair shows with activities (like coloring sheets, snack time, or pretend play) that repeat the phrases they just heard.

Your child is watching your effort. That’s what gives them the courage to try.

How Cartoons Fit Into Your Language Learning Routine

At Homeschool Languages, we see Spanish shows as a bridge, something that connects screen time to real-time language.

That’s why we design our lessons around conversation starters, puppet dialogues, and play-based activities that give families a way to use Spanish right after watching.

Here’s how to turn it into a simple weekly rhythm: