16 Best Cartoons for Learning English

Cartoons are just as great for learning English as other shows or movies, because there’s so much you can learn from children’s content. Some are mostly for children, like Disney movies. And some cartoons cater to an adult audience, so you may even come across intense themes or an inappropriate joke or two while you are using them to learn English.

So let’s talk a bit more about some of the best cartoons for learning English and why you should add them to your language learning schedule.

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1. “Martha Speaks”

Where you can watch it: PBS Kids, Amazon Prime and YouTube

What it is: “Martha Speaks” is a show about a dog that learns how to speak after eating some alphabet soup. This show is meant for teaching new words, and each episode has vocabulary words explained before and after the episode. These words are used multiple times during the episode so you won’t ever forget them.

The best thing about “Martha Speaks,” though, is how clever it is. This show does not “dumb down” its content just because it’s for kids. Instead, it’s really funny to watch. Even the opening credits are silly!

2. Cartoon Clips on FluentU

Where you can watch it: FluentU

What it is: FluentU is a language learning program that uses short video clips from authentic content to teach English.

FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

It uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the English language and culture over time. You’ll learn English as it’s spoken in real life.

FluentU has a variety of engaging content from popular talk shows, nature documentaries and funny commercials, as you can see here:

FluentU makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you'll see this:

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It even reminds you when it’s time to review! Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

 

Try FluentU for FREE!

3. “Word Girl”

Where you can watch it: PBS Kids, Amazon Prime and YouTube

What it is: “Word Girl” is another show that teaches vocabulary words. In this show, a girl superhero fights bad guys through the power of words. The episodes are drawn in a very unique style and they explain new English vocabulary words as they use them. 

4. “Doki”

Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime and YouTube

What it is: It’s expedition time! An expedition is a voyage or a journey, and Doki and his friends go on one every episode. Doki and his team explore different parts of the world and learn about new cultures and words associated with them. This is a fun cartoon if you want to learn about not just new words, but also new cultures.

5. “Postcards From Buster”

Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime and YouTube

What it is: If you enjoy learning about cultures and traveling but don’t like the style of “Doki,” you might enjoy “Postcards From Buster” instead. This show stars Buster, the bunny from another kid’s show called “Arthur.” “Arthur” is mostly about social interactions and friendship, but Buster’s show is about his travels around the world with his father.

“Postcards From Buster” has an interesting style that mixes cartoons with videos of real people, as you can see in this episode preview. It’s a nice way to see some cartoons and real people talking.

6. “Adventure Time”

Where you can watch it: Cartoon Network and Hulu

What it is: “Adventure Time” is a very strange show. It’s the kind of show where, as they say, “you either love it or you hate it.” It’s an energetic cartoon about a young boy and his very stretchy dog, who go on adventures in a magical land together, fight monsters and learn the importance of friendship.

“Adventure Time” is one of those “layered” shows—sometimes it doesn’t feel like a kid’s show. It also has some made-up words, so watch out for those! Otherwise it’s a great fantasy show with natural dialogue that can go from normal to weird in seconds.

7. “Regular Show”

Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime

What it is: “Regular Show” is another show that feels more like it’s supposed to be for adults. This cartoon is about human-like animals and other assorted characters who work in a park and get into all kinds of bad situations, usually because of their laziness.

Like “Adventure Time,” “Regular Show” is a little strange, and has some jokes that kids wouldn’t get (understand). Unlike “Adventure Time,” this show has very dry humor. If “Adventure Time” isn’t for you, this one might be!

8. “Dexter’s Laboratory”

Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime

What it is: Dexter is a boy genius with a secret laboratory where he invents all kinds of amazing technologies. If his sister Dee Dee doesn’t destroy them all first! This show is a bit older than the others, but it’s just as funny and charming today.

“Dexter’s Lab” doesn’t teach words but Dexter is extremely smart and he talks like it, using bigger and more complicated words (and a German accent!).

9. “Phineas and Ferb”

Where you can watch it: Disney+, Amazon Prime and YouTube

What it is: Phineas and Ferb are half brothers who are having one crazy summer adventure. Every episode follows the same formula, so it’s easy to keep up with, and it repeats a lot of the same phrases and words. Sometimes they even break into song!

Phineas and Ferb are always doing creative and scientific things that people tell them they shouldn’t do because they’re too young. It’s a good reminder that you can do anything if you try hard enough—a good thing to remember when you’re learning English!

10. “Inspector Gadget”

Where you can watch it: See the new show on Netflix. You can also find the old episodes on Amazon Prime.

What it is: “Inspector Gadget” is clumsy and terrible at his job as a secret agent, but he’s also a robot so it’s not really his fault. This old cartoon has really fun animations and silly moments. This show has a lot of action!

Netflix brought “Inspector Gadget” back in an exclusive remake available only through a Netflix subscription. It’s just as much fun and silliness as the older version, and even throws in a lot of pop culture references—a must watch if you have Netflix.

11. “Teen Titans” or “Young Justice” (and Other Superhero Shows)

Where you can watch it: “Young Justice” can be found on Amazon Prime, “Teen Titans” is found on Cartoon Network and Amazon Prime. 

What it is: You probably know Batman and Superman, but what about the smaller superheroes like Robin? There are a few shows that focus on younger, teenage superheroes—like “Teen Titans” or “Young Justice.”

These shows are full of action and are perfect if you prefer your cartoons a bit darker (especially “Young Justice”). There are lots of bad guys fighting and trying to destroy the world, but there are also everyday problems and themes like friendships and relationships. Thanks to that, the dialogue is very natural and easy to learn from.

12. “Avatar: The Last Airbender”

Where you can watch it: Netflix. The story continues with “The Legend of Korra” (with new and old characters) which is on Netflix as well.

What it is: “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is a fantastic American anime. Anime is a type of cartoon that’s originally from Japan, and it usually has a very recognizable style: huge eyes, not too many details in the face and crazy colored hair. Of course, not all anime looks like this, and “Avatar” is one of those anime shows that looks wonderful even if you’re not a fan of anime.

“Avatar” tells an epic story about a divided nation at war and a young boy who has the power to stop the fighting and bring peace to the land. It’s a wonderful show that’s loved by both kids and adults, and it has lots of conversations and plenty of action—and some silly moments, of course. Best of all, it has an interesting story that will keep you wanting to watch more.

13. “The Wild Thornberrys”

Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime

What it is: Eliza is a normal 12 year old girl who can speak to animals. This is a pretty nice trick to know when your parents film nature documentaries, but it’s tough for her since she has to keep it a secret. She gets into some crazy situations with her family. Did we mention her best friend is a chimpanzee?

14. “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power”

Where you can watch it: Netflix

What it is: This is a remake of a classic cartoon from the 1980s. Adora, the main character, gets the abilities to turn into She-Ra when she discovers a magic sword. Her whole life she was taught that princesses were evil, but she ends up siding with them once she learns that the people who raised her are the bad ones. 

The cartoon is very colorful and it sounds like a cute show about princesses. But the series is made for older kids and, if you’re an older viewer, you’ll notice LGBTQ+ topics, childhood abuse and other more mature themes. 

15. “The Owl House”

Where you can watch it: Disney+ 

What it is: One day, instead of ending up at summer camp, Luz crosses through a portal into a world where magic is real. She befriends an outcast witch called Eda and her companions King and Hooty. They become like a family for Luz and she decides that she wants to try to become a witch, even though she’s human.

This is a show that keeps getting better as you watch it, with lots of adventures and unexpected twists, so make sure you watch it to the end! 

16. “The Amazing World of Gumball”

Where to watch it: Cartoon Network and Hulu

What it is: This show follows 12-year-old Gumball, a blue cat, in a town called Elmore. He often has adventures with his brother, Darwin, who’s a goldfish, and the other residents in the town. While very quick-paced and funny, it also has more serious topics such as growing up, cyberbullying and even philosophy. 

One of the most interesting and unique things about the show is that it’s a mix of animation styles, like stop motion, puppetry and more. Some of the side characters also have funny accents, so it’s a good way to practice your listening comprehension. 

Children’s cartoons are fun to watch and educational. Check out our recommendations to practice listening to English, and have fun while you’re at it!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)