Last Updated on April 4, 2022 by Bilingual Kidspot
French Cartoons for Kids
Looking for French cartoons for kids? Cartoons are a great way to give exposure to your little French learners. Many of these French cartoons are traditional cartoons from France, and some are popular children’s cartoons that have been translated into French.
We love to give suggestions of resources that are easily accessible no matter where you live. For this reason you can watch all of these cartoons in French on Youtube, and some of them also on Netflix. We love these and I am sure your kids will too.
10 French Cartoons for Kids
Find below our top 10 French cartoons and animated shows for kids! Make sure to check out more French resources here> Learn French for Kids
Franklin/Benjamin
Most people are familiar with this French cartoon about a loveable turtle and his woodland pals in English. This cartoon is also available in French from both Canada and France!
Each episode of this French cartoon is only 11 minutes long making this a great choice for younger kids as well. Franklin and his buddies spend time at home, school and play- there’s lots of great vocabulary jam-packed in each episode, but the French isn’t spoken too quickly so kids can pick up more new words.
You can find episodes on Youtube by searching “Franklin tortue francais” and Oznoz.
Babar
Many have read or seen illustrations of Babar before but not everyone has seen the cartoons. They’re quite the throwback when you first watch! King Babar and Queen Celeste and their children have plenty of adventures!
Episodes of Babar are about 20 minutes long and have a full plot arc making it an excellent show for early elementary aged kids.
Babar can be found on Oznoz or YouTube by searching, “Babar dessin animé en francais.”
La cuisine est un jeu d’enfants
This is such a traditional French cartoon that is great for a wide range of ages! In La Cuisine est un Jeu D’enfants, two children are learning from a chef, Michael, how to cook all sorts of fun dishes!
This is a great way to learn food and cooking vocabulary. The episodes of this cartoon in French are about 8 minutes long each.
Search “la cuisine est un jeu” on YouTube to check out this fun cartoon in French!
Madeline
When you think children’s books and Paris, everyone automatically thinks of Madeline! Based on the books by Ludwig Bemelmans, this cartoon follows the adventures of a young girl and her friends at a boarding school in Paris. It’s wonderful for preschool and elementary age children.
Madeline can be found on YouTube by searching “madeline cartoon French” or “madeline dessin anime.”
Simon
Simon is another great, short French cartoon about a little bunny named Simon and his family. Simon has fun at school, rides his bike, jumps into leaf piles and plays with his family… all en francais!
You can watch Simon on Netflix or there are also short episodes on Youtube. Find them by searching “simon francais.”
The Magic School Bus and The Magic School Bus Rides Again
Who didn’t love the Magic School Bus as a Kid? Miss Frizzle is back with her younger sister and this time, you can watch the zany adventures and fieldtrips of the students at Walkerville Elementary in French!
This French cartoon is a great option for older kids in elementary school. Watch in French as students travel into space, dive into the deep blue sea or slide down a glacier!
This French cartoon for kids is available on Netflix, and you can also access the original Magic School Bus in French on YouTube by searching, “le bus magique en francais.”
Petit Ours Brun
The traditional French cartoon Petit Ours Brun is based on the popular toddler and preschool books that are beloved by many francophone kids! Petit Ours Brun (Little Brown Bear) lives everyday life with his family.
Most of the animated shows focus on general toddler routines like bedtime, going grocery shopping, going on a picnic or taking a bath. The short episode length makes them great for toddlers but the simplistic nature of the everyday vocabulary makes them a great watch for any kid who is interested.
Petit Ours Brun can be found on Youtube by searching “petit ours brun en francais.”
Cinq Rue Sesame
Sesame Street is such a well-loved show in English but there are so many different non-dubbed Sesame Street productions throughout the world! In French, Sesame Street is called “Cinq Rue Sesame” and it’s every bit as loveable and fun as the English Sesame Street.
Many of the same monsters are there like Elmo and Cookie Monsters but there are also some new friends as well!
You can find Cinq Rue Sesame on YouTube by searching, “cinq rue sesame.” There aren’t as many episodes as your kids may end up wanting to watch so if needed, you can find DVDs on Amazon France. Even though episodes are hard to find, Cinq Rue Sesame is still such a gem!
Caillou
Caillou is the quintessentially French cartoon that pop into most people’s heads and the good news is there are plenty of episodes available on YouTube.
This show is great for the toddler and preschool set. Caillou lives the life of a typical preschooler with his family and their cat, Gilbert. The dialogue in this show is nice and slow so it’s great for early learners hoping to catch some vocabulary!
You can find Caillou on YouTube by searching, “caillou francais full episodes.”
Manon
This is a sweet original French cartoon for kids about a little girl named Manon who spends her days in her countryside home enjoying nature and communicating with her animal friends. Together they work to solve small problems that come their way. Manon is a great show for preschool age kids.
You can find the show on Youtube by searching, “manon dessin animé francais.”
Cartoons in French for your little language learners
French cartoons are a great way to give your little ones the extra exposure to the French language. Although they won’t teach kids a new language from scratch, when coupled with other efforts, watching cartoons in French can do wonders!
In conjunction with French books, games, songs and other resources, these French cartoons for kids can be a great treat for children to relax and watch a show all while being pleased as a parent that they’re getting more foreign language exposure.
Do you have any other French cartoons that your little ones enjoy watching? There are a lot of great ones out there!
Read Next:
- French for Kids Free Materials & Lessons
- French Movies for Kids
- French Songs for Kids
- French Books for Kids
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