Ask anyone who grew up in a bilingual household, and they'll tell you that "Dora the Explorer" is overrated and the Gingerbread Man scene in the Spanish dub of "Shrek" is an absolute masterpiece. As a first-generation American, I was encouraged at a young age to be "a citizen of the world," which meant reading not only "The Cat in the Hat" but also its foreign-language counterparts "El Gato Ensombrerado," "Le Chat Chapeauté," and "Il Gatto col Cappello." That, of course, was long before Netflix even existed. Back then, I thought it was a pain to do so much extra reading, but honestly, it's the whole reason I speak four languages now.
So when I was an au pair in college, the biggest piece of advice I gave parents was to let their kids watch Netflix in the language they were learning. Netflix is an incredibly powerful tool — second only to immersion — especially for learning Spanish. It has a huge selection of dubbed and original Spanish kids' shows (including great cartoons in Spanish), all of which offer subtitles in multiple languages to facilitate learning — all you need to do is change the audio. Here are 12 of the best ones currently available to stream — trust me, I spent my childhood watching "Bob Esponja" on repeat ("SpongeBob" in Spanish).
This show follows the adventures of Pocoyó, a preschool boy who is discovering the world for the first time. Accompanying Pocoyó on his day-to-day adventures are his playful animal friends Pato the duck, Elly the elephant, and Pajaroto the bird.
Led by Poli, the city's head police car, the Robocar team of transformer vehicles is always prepared to help whenever disaster strikes. In every episode, the Robocar team performs amazing rescues, protecting the citizens of Broom at all costs while teaching viewers about safety and decision-making during emergencies.
Set in a small, friendly town, a llama and his neighbors navigate familiar everyday activities. From going to the grocery store to putting on red pajamas, everything Llama Llama experiences turns into a new adventure.
There's no shortage of fun in the Porong Porong Forest. Along with a dinosaur, a polar bear, a fox, and a beaver, Pororo the penguin encounters new challenges while learning important lessons about friendship and life in his snowy hometown.
Monty Kazoops and his pet pig Jimmy Jones are all about thinking outside of the box. Boundless curiosities and big imaginations carry these two best friends through tons of unforgettable moments.
The premise of this show revolves around a funny bunny named Simón who lives in a world where it's springtime all year round. With his loving family and his cat Milou by his side, Simón always goes out of his way to enjoy childhood to its fullest.
Cleo is trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up, and luckily her baby brother, Cuquin, is there to support her on her journey of self-discovery. Throughout the series, Cleo and Cuquin try out different professions and learn fun lessons about responsibility.
"Kid-E-Cats" follows the lives of three kitten siblings who love to play, socialize, and explore the town of Catspolis. With their inquisitive minds and the wisdom of their caring parents, Cookie, Pudding, and Candy figure out how to be independent and solve problems.
This series chronicles the adventures of Luna Petunia, an optimistic young girl who prides herself on being fearless and independent. Set in her own fantastical dreamland, Luna encourages everyone she crosses paths with to see the best in every situation, no matter the circumstances.
Dinosaur pals Mazu, Tiny, Bill, and Rocky are in search of a legendary creature, and they need all the help they can get. As they uncover all the mysteries of Gigantosaurus, they face their fears head-on and cultivate a strong friendship.
Morphle is a magical pet who loves spending time with his best friend Mila. Through the power of Mila's imagination, Morphle can transform into anything and everything, and together the two of them make the impossible possible.
"El Gato Ensombrerado" is the Spanish version of the PBS Kids show "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That." Featuring 6-year-old Sally and her new best friend Nick, the Cat in the Hat returns with plenty of unexpected hijinks in store.
