Looking for Chinese kids’ shows to entertain the kiddos? We’ve compiled a list of our favourite gentle and low-stimulation Chinese children’s shows that are educational and entertaining at the same time.
Keeping kids entertained isn’t easy, and as much as I’d like to avoid screens, I admit that I sometimes do resort to it. This is usually the case when we’re travelling long-distance, when the kids have gone through three maze puzzle books and built a few skyscrapers with their travel-sized magnetic tiles… but we still have some hours to go till we reach our destination.
So out comes the tablet, with a downloaded playlist of parent-vetted and kid-approved shows.
But wait, isn’t screen time… bad?
Not all screen time is created equal. The Singapore Ministry of Health’s 2025 advisory does state that screen time can be beneficial when children engage in active screen use with safe and age-appropriate content.
This is why I choose low-stimulation kids’ shows: they are age-appropriate and educational, so children are learning something instead of passively consuming. To avoid overstimulation, which may lead to addiction and challenging behaviour, I much prefer the ones with a gentler scene pace, muted colours, as well as calm sound effects and background music.
Interested in introducing your children to these shows? I have a list of low-stimulation Chinese kids’ shows that have my children’s stamp of approval, perfect for strengthening their grasp of their mother tongue.
Note: I also have a list of low-stimulation English shows that are great for kids, some of which are shows we grew up watching as well (anyone remember Little Bear?). You can find the list here.
All the best low-stimulation Chinese kids’s shows
毛毛镇 (Mao Mao Town / Wool Wool Town)
This gentle Chinese kids’ animation has strong sustainability themes, where members of the town are constantly plagued by littering and pollution caused by humans. Kiddos can follow their adventures as they try to problem-solve creatively. This is my preschooler’s all-time fave!
宝贝中文 (Baobei Chinese)
If you’re looking for Ms. Rachel-style videos, Baobei Chinese is my toddler’s top choice. Hosted by Aunt Xiao Bao, I love that she speaks calmly and clearly, has catchy songs, and teaches good habits.
熊猫和小跳羚 (Panda and Springbok)
As the title suggests, this series focuses on the friendship between Panda and Springbok, who love going on adventures together. You’ll notice elements of Chinese and South African cultures being featured, as well as some scientific concepts being introduced.
中国唱诗班 (Choir of Chinese Poems)
This is a series of beautifully animated shorts based on six famous Chinese poems. More suitable for older kids, it brings the poems’ meaning to life: covering themes like a mother’s love, Chinese New Year celebrations, life stories of ancient poets, and more. Psst… this is mummy’s favourite.
字有道理 (Words Make Sense)
Suitable for children aged five and above who have started learning how to read and write in Chinese. Each episode is only about a minute long, some with a little storytelling of how each Chinese character evolved from early pictographs to what is currently used.
三十六个字 (36 Words)
A blast from the past. Similar to the above, this 10-minute short film from the 80s features a father teaching his child the evolution of Chinese characters. I find it quite helpful to teach kids how to recognise Chinese words as it animates the pictographs (eg. the Chinese word for “elephant” actually looking and moving like an actual elephant).
Know of any other low-stimulation Chinese kids shows? Drop us a DM on our Facebook or Instagram handles!
