For nearly as long as television has been around, programs have been made especially for children.
Kids’ TV is a big part of the world of grown-ups, too, from sleep-deprived parents who shudder at a particular theme song to adults who find themselves suddenly all in their feels over a show’s touching themes or lessons. There’s also the simple fact that kids’ TV shows are enriched with warm and fuzzy nostalgia.
But whether it be a lullaby in cartoon form or a live-action tweenage adventure, whoever’s holding the remote is likely to have their own favorite children’s TV program — but just what might be the most beloved kids’ shows of them all? We used local Google search volumes across the world to discover the most popular kids’ TV shows in every country.
Don’t sit too close to the screen as you read through our findings, though, as you may get square eyes…
What We Did
Data analysts at TheToyZone began their research by creating a seed list of kids’ TV shows on various popular networks like Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney, Cbeebies and Netflix. Next, they gathered the average volume of Google searches for each TV show in every country (i.e., how often locals search for a particular show online). This gave us the most popular TV show in every country based on search volume. We also discovered the most popular shows by network per country.
Key Findings
- Naruto is the most popular kids’ TV show in 83 countries — more than any other programin the world. CoComelon is the next-most popular (top in 49 countries).
- Adventure Time is the most popular children’s show in the U.S. — the only country in the world to favor it.
- Some countries in Europe favor homegrown shows over imports, like Tutas Lietas in Latvia, Bamse in Sweden and Nu, pogodi! in Russia.
- Favorite shows differ by network. Sonic Prime is the most popular Netflix show in 52 countries (more than any other Netflix show).
The World Can’t Get Enough of Naruto and CoComelon
With TV channels, YouTube and streaming services galore offering countless children’s TV programs, you’d think the title for the world’s most popular show across 158 countries would vary somewhat — but two shows in particular dominate our world map based on the volume of local searches: Naruto (top in 83 countries) and CoComelon (49 countries).
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Based on a popular Japanese manga series, Naruto follows the adventures of the young ninja Naruto Uzumaki in his quest for leadership in his village. “The emotional resonance, compelling storyline, well-developed characters, dynamic action sequences, and intricate powers and plots all seamlessly come together,” writes one fan on Reddit, lending some insight into why the show is so popular. “It weaves a tale of friendship, resilience, selflessness, and dedication to saving the world.”
CoComelon, meanwhile, is a bonafide YouTube sensation, a channel that churns out brightly colored and musical animations. So popular is the series that one video in particular (the Bath Song) is the fourth most-watched YouTube video of all time, having racked up a staggering 6.58 billion views.
Adventure Time Is the Most Popular Kids’ TV Show in the U.S.
North America reflects what the rest of the world seems to think: when it comes to children’s TV shows, Naruto and CoComelon are top dogs. Among the countries where CoComelon is the most popular are Belize and Jamaica, while Naruto counts Canada, Mexico and Panama as fans.
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The only stand-out on the entire continent is Adventure Time, placed as the most beloved kids’ show in the U.S. This fantasy-adventure cartoon was a hit from the get-go, spawning a total of 283 episodes from a one-off short film that went viral in 2008. Originally geared toward children, the show — set in a colorful, post-apocalyptic landscape — counts adults as a large part of its fanbase.
Dragon Ball s a Unique Favorite in South America
Turning our attention to South America, we discovered that both Bolivia and Ecuador favor Dragon Ball over any other kids’ TV show. Following the protagonist Goku over multiple chapters, the Dragon Ball series is part of one of the world’s highest-earning media franchises.
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Like Naruto (the most popular kids’ TV show in seven South American countries), Dragon Ball falls into the category of anime, a particular type of Japanese animation. According to writer Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, historically, Latin American TV stations would buy the broadcast rights to Japanese-imported anime (which were cheaper than U.S. cartoons) and dub them for broadcast locally.
Local Kids’ TV Shows Are the Most Popular in Russia, Latvia and Sweden
In Europe, kids spend an average of one hour and 39 minutes watching TV each day — but what’s the most beloved children’s program in each country there? Our map tells the tale, showing that — while Naruto and CoComelon dominate — some countries prefer homegrown TV shows.
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Nu, pogodi! takes the top spot in Russia, a cartoon series that launched in the Soviet era and follows a villainous wolf in his tireless quest to catch a hare. Don’t take just our word for it: one poll in 2014 found it to be “Russia’s favorite cartoon.” Meanwhile, Tutas Lietas ranks as Latvia’s favorite children’s TV show and Bamse takes the title in Sweden, a show that began life as a newspaper comic strip in 1966.
Looney Tunes among the Middle East and Central Asia’s Favorite Kids’ Shows
Like in other world regions, CoComelon and Naruto dominate our map of beloved children’s TV shows in the Middle East and Central Asia. There are a few outliers, though:Looney Tunesin Palestine, Rafadan Tayfa in Turkey and Ben 10 in Turkmenistan.
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While the long-running Looney Tunes show and Ben 10 are American imports, Rafadan Tafya is native to Turkey. Having launched in 2014, this animated show that’s set in the ‘80s follows the titular gang of six kids as they explore a neighborhood in Istanbul, learning lessons and resolving issues in each episode. According to one study, the show’s main themes include helpfulness and solidarity.
Naruto and CoComelon Continue Their Domination in Asia and Oceania
In the rest of Asia and Oceania, it’s the same story: Naruto and CoComelon dominate. Naruto comes top in 17 countries, among them Japan, where the program originates. Here, the manga series on which the TV show was first adapted back in 2002 has sold over 153 million copies.
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Australia, India and New Zealand are the only countries that buck the trend on this map, favoring Bluey, Motu Patlu and Peppa Pig respectively. At the time of writing, audience demand for the billion-dollar British series — which follows the titular piglet and her family — is 8.7 times the demand for the average TV show in New Zealand.
Tom and Jerry Is a Favorite in Africa
Next, we honed in on Africa, finding that Tom and Jerry is one of the few stand-outs on a continental map dominated by… Well, you can guess. This lovable cat-and-mouse cartoon comes top in the Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Zambia.
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Tom and Jerry were first brought to life in 1940 by two animators who went on to found the iconic Hanna-Barbera production company, and today, Tom and Jerry is one of the best-performing shows on Africa’s Cartoonito channel. Actual dialogue is sparse on this show, with slapstick action usually taking center stage. Could that be one reason why the duo are such a hit across language barriers?
The World’s Favorite Kids’ TV Shows by Network
As a kid, having countless TV networks to choose from was a mystical prospect. It made holding the remote control like wielding a magic wand, capable of switching out cartoons for more entertaining ones quicker than you can say abracadabra. So how do the world’s favorite kids’ TV shows change across the networks that air or produce them?
The Cartoon Network Shows Kids Love
Since its inception in 1992, Cartoon Network has blasted colorful ‘toons into the living rooms of homes all across the world, creating a new legion of fans with each generation. But what’s the most popular of the Network’s animated offerings where you live?
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Based on how often TV shows are searched online, Naruto dominates (quelle surprise…), but select countries have their own favorites found nowhere else on the map. In the small island nation of Malta, for example, Popeye comes top. Here, you can also take a boat out to Popeye Village, the quirky set of the 1980 film starring Robin Williams that still stands today.
The Netflix Original Shows Kids Love
Gone are the days when kids would have to call dibs on the TV in a particular time slot to catch their favorite show; now, any gadget-savvy child can stream any show they want at any time on platforms like Netflix, a service that counts some 260 million users worldwide. Our map below reveals each country’s favorite Netflix kids’ show, with Sonic Prime coming top in most (52) countries.
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Sonic Prime follows the adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog as he navigates his way through a shattered universe in search of his pals. It’s certainly popular: in the first half of 2023, viewers across the globe clocked up 82.1 million hours watching season one.
The Disney Shows Kids Love
The Disney channel is a behemoth in the world of kids’ TV, but which of its shows are the most popular around the world? Hannah Montana is a big favorite, coming top in 48 countries, among them France, India and Italy. This show — launched in 2006 — catapulted a young Miley Cyrus to fame and spawned number-one albums and a multi-million dollar concert tour.
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Gravity Falls takes the crown in a further 35 countries including the U.S. Set in asmall town beset with mysteries, this show appeals to adults as well as kids. As Erik Kain writes for Forbes: “I don’t care how old you are, if you’re not watching Gravity Falls you’re missing out on some of the cleverest, most enjoyable television you can find.”
The Nickelodeon Shows Kids Love
When it comes to Nickelodeon shows, Dora the Explorer comes top in 23 countries, among them Cambodia, Ireland, South Korea and the UK. The original series — which ran for over 160 episodes between 2000 and 2019 — follows the adventures of the titular protagonist as she solves riddles and teaches the viewers Spanish or English words (depending on where they’re watching it).
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Meanwhile, superhero-themed Henry Danger is the most beloved Nickelodeon show in 21 countries including Belgium, Italy, Venezuela and Spain. Nickelodeon shows unique to one country on the map include the spooky Are You Afraid of the Dark? in South Africa andBlue’s Clues in Malaysia.
Revealed: The Most Popular TV Shows for Kids by Country
Explore our full results in our interactive table below for an in-depth dive into the world’s most beloved TV shows for kids.
So, the cat’s out of the bag: growing up means realizing that your eyes won’t actually go square from watching too much TV — but for children, it’s still best to keep screen time limited, for which the AACAP offers a range of recommendations for the parents of kids of any age. There’s the added benefit of not binging a beloved show too quickly — a plus for kids and grown-ups alike!
Methodology
To identify the Most Popular Kids’ Show in Every Country, we compiled a seed list of kids’ shows for each country, drawing from popular TV channels such as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney, CBeebies and Netflix. Additionally, we enriched this seed list by incorporating data from Wikipedia and stacker.com.
Initially, our seed list comprised 6,638 kids’ TV shows. Subsequently, we utilized Ahrefs keyword explorer to obtain the average Google search volume for each TV show in every country — adding in ‘series’ or ‘tv show’ to the searches for certain series that would be considered among other forms of media or ambiguous in meaning. Following this, we ranked the TV shows within each country based on their search volume, isolating the top TV show for each.
Please note that the data is correct as of February 2024.
