Anime recommendations for 1-year-olds: Let’s use them as support for childcare
When children turn one, they become more active, and you can’t take your eyes off them even for a moment.
Playing with them and keeping them safe can be exhausting for caregivers.
When you want a little breather or a calm moment to relax, letting them watch some anime is one option.
Here’s a roundup of anime content that one-year-olds can enjoy.
If you create time for your child to enjoy anime, you’ll likely find more breathing room in your parenting routine.
Let’s make good use of anime.
- [Age 2] A Special Feature on Anime to Enjoy with Your Child!
- [For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection
- [Age 5] A roundup of anime for 5-year-olds that will draw them into the story
- [Age 3] A roundup of anime for 3-year-olds that adults can enjoy too
- [Age 4] Fun for grown-ups too! A roundup of anime for four-year-olds
- [Childcare] Fun Songs for 2-Year-Olds to Sing! Recommended Song Collection
- Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs enjoyable from 0 months
- [For 0-year-olds] Recommended songs for babies: A special feature on bonding play and traditional nursery rhymes
- Sing and dance along to popular songs! Recommended hits from kids’ TV shows.
- [For 3-year-olds] Songs to sing at nursery schools and kindergartens! Popular and recommended songs
- [Preschool] Recommended choral pieces for 3-year-olds
- [Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
[Age 1] A roundup of anime kids can enjoy! Use it as support for childcare (1–10)
Toretans
Toretans, highly recommended for kids who love trains, are original train characters who love adventures, modeled after JR East train cars.
The name comes from a mix of words: “to-re” from train, “tan” from tanken (exploration), and “zu” from friends! On the official Toretans YouTube channel, the cute Toretans friends share not only train-related videos, but also a wide range of educational content like songs, quizzes, English, and puzzles.
Even children who usually aren’t interested in anything but trains will be captivated by this channel, where many different train-car characters appear.
You can learn so much together with Toretans—be sure to check it out!
Nokkana Animation
Nokkana Animation is an educational YouTube channel for children that delivers content useful for learning.
In addition to nursery rhymes, it offers a wide range of videos on vehicles, animals, English, and more.
Each video is short, so even parents who are hesitant about long screen time can let their children watch without feeling guilty.
The simple yet cute and easy-to-understand animations, along with repetitive wording, make it easy for young children to grasp and naturally learn a lot while having fun.
It’s an ideal channel for 1- to 2-year-olds who are just starting to say words.
Sopo Art Park
In Finnish, Sopo means “cute.” Sopo Art Park is an artsy educational program where children ages 0–3 can watch videos and learn as if they were playing in a park.
Each video features animated scenes that incorporate a variety of themes—colors, numbers, animals, food, and more—whose motion and color palette are truly works of art.
It’s packed with engaging elements that captivate kids and keep them absorbed.
There are also videos that support busy caregivers, like “Helping Solo Parenting!” and “Soothing a Crying Baby!” When you’re feeling worn out from childcare or need a little comfort, don’t push yourself too hard—watch these videos with your child and enjoy a calm, relaxing time together.
[Age 1] A roundup of anime kids can enjoy! Let’s use it as support for childcare (11–20)
Curious George
The animated series “Curious George” is based on the picture book series “Curious George.” The protagonist, George, is a little monkey, so he doesn’t speak.
But through his gestures and expressive face, you can tell what he wants to do and what he’s thinking.
In these charming stories, George dives into all kinds of adventures and mishaps—and solves them—making the show hugely popular with children! The lack of dialogue sparks the imagination and draws viewers into George’s world.
If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to give it a try.
Space Something-or-Other Kotetsu-kun
‘Space Something Kotetsu-kun’ follows Kotetsu, who dreams of becoming an astronaut, and his friends as they grow through their experiences at a space training facility.
Within the cute characters’ interactions, important messages about friendship, hard work, and pursuing one’s dreams are woven in naturally.
You’ll enjoy both the realistic trials of various animals—like fennec foxes, dogs, and bears—aiming for space and taking exams, and the youthful camaraderie among the group.
It can spark interest in science and space, fostering curiosity with educational elements.
With its bright, briskly paced story, it keeps children engaged and is packed with uplifting, positive content.
Rilakkuma
This is a soothing, feel-good anime featuring the nationally beloved Rilakkuma, perfect for spending some laid-back time.
It portrays the everyday life of Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, and Kiiroitori in a shared house, sprinkled with chuckle-worthy moments and heartwarming scenes amid their casual interactions.
The dialogue and movements are gentle, with subtle emotional shifts expressed with care.
The color palette is soft and calming.
Another highlight is its warm, reassuring world that children can enjoy safely.
Each character’s individuality is endearing, making it a show that leaves you feeling relaxed and comforted after watching.
Punitunes
A cute work that depicts everyday life spent with Puniruns, soft and mysterious little creatures.
The colorful, squishy-looking characters are full of expression and move adorably, making you feel happy just by watching them.
Each episode is self-contained and moves at a brisk pace, and through the Puniruns’ interactions you can feel themes of friendship and kindness, making it perfect for children.
Its bright music and pop-styled world are also appealing, and every episode brims with the fun of new discoveries.
It’s an anime packed with squishy cuteness and gentle humor—highly recommended for relaxing time with kids.