Best Chinese Netflix Shows for Kids to Learn Mandarin

As a pediatrician and mom raising bilingual children, I’m grateful for fun and educational Chinese shows to support my kids’ second language at home. Thankfully, the best Netflix shows for kids have Mandarin Chinese dubbing.

Kids’ shows on Netflix make diversity and Chinese language accessible to families in small, non-diverse towns like ours. At the same time, our children can relate to friends who chat about Netflix shows in English.

You can easily download Netflix shows for long trips and flights while sneaking in a dash of Chinese learning! With this ultimate guide to Chinese Netflix cartoons and live-action shows, your kids will always have something to watch.

How-To Menu: Change Netflix Language | Age Ratings | Playback Speed

Mandarin Netflix Shows: Animal Cartoons | LEGO Cartoons | Vehicles/Robots | Animated People | Real People

How to change Netflix language to Mandarin Chinese

To watch Netflix shows with Chinese audio and subtitles, follow these three steps:

Tap “Audio & Subtitles” or the speech bubble icon.
Under audio, choose “Mandarin” OR “Mandarin (Guoyu / Taiwanese accent).”
Under subtitles, choose Simplified Chinese OR Traditional Chinese.

*Note: Not all videos are available in Mandarin Chinese due to licensing contracts. Also, some seasons or episodes of a Netflix show may not be available in Chinese.

Netflix age ratings for Chinese children’s shows

For reference, maturity ratings for Netflix shows are defined in the table below. Age recommendations are based on Common Sense Media reviews and our family’s experience.

TV-Y	Suitable for all children. Designed for a very young audience, including children from ages 3-6.
TV-Y7	Suitable for ages 7+. Geared for children who can distinguish between make-believe and reality. Contents may include mild fear or fantasy violence.
TV-G	Suitable for general audiences. Not designed specifically for children, but appropriate for most ages. May contain little or no violence, no strong language, and little or no sexual content.

All of the Netflix shows in this article are rated TV-Y, TV-Y7, or TV-G. However, please consider your child’s individual needs and determine whether or not a show is appropriate.

Best Chinese Netflix cartoons for kids on Netflix

Does your child prefer cute animal heroes, LEGO characters, busy vehicles, brave robots, or animated people? These popular Chinese Netflix shows are geared for toddlers, preschoolers, Kindergarteners, and elementary school-aged kids.

Best Mandarin Chinese animal cartoons for kids and toddlers

Beat Bugs

(TV-Y • Age 4+) Friendly, silly bugs learn important lessons in Mandarin to the tune of famous Beatles songs in English.

Creature Cases

(TV-Y • Age 4+) Brave animals solve mysteries around the world with humor and wisdom.

Dragons: Rescue Riders

(TV-Y • Age 5+) This cute and adventurous show is based on the movie How to Train Your Dragon.

Go, Dog. Go!

(TV-Y • Age 3+) Hilarious, friendly pups face challenging adventures while learning to help their town.

Llama, Llama

(TV-Y • Age 4+) Charming stories about family, friends, and learning based on the popular book series.

Octonauts

(TV-Y • Age 4+) Brave and adorable ocean animals learn about teamwork, marine life, and friendship.

Peppa Pig

(TV-Y • Age 3+) Learn Mandarin with Peppa Pig through everyday adventures on this show that follows the Chinese book series.

Puffin Rock

(TV-Y • Age 3+) A sweet bird family explores nature and learns the importance of love and relationships.

Shark Dog

(TV-Y • Age 5+) Max and his beloved hybrid pet tackle silly escapades in this fun Chinese Netflix show for kids.

Shimajiro

(TV-Y) A friendly tiger and his animal friends learn about family and friendship through their fun adventures.

If you love Shimajiro, check out our 巧虎 Ciaohu Tiger Chinese Kids Show and Magazine Review.

Treehouse Detectives

(TV-Y • Age 3+) Lovable bear siblings follow clues to help their animal friends in nature.

Word Party

(TV-Y • Age 3+) A slow-paced show featuring cute baby animals that teach children new vocabulary.

Best Mandarin Chinese LEGO cartoons on Netflix

Following your child’s interests is critical to encouraging the minority language. While these aren’t the most educational options, kids are more likely to watch Chinese shows they like.

LEGO Bionicle: Journey to One

(TV-Y7 • Age 7+) These episodes feature the Bionicle toys on an adventure to fight evil.

LEGO City

(TV-Y • Age 6+) This wacky LEGO city is filled with action — car chases and flying helicopter rides.

LEGO City Adventures

(TV-Y • Age 6+) More flashy, fun, action-packed show with LEGO cops and firefighters.

LEGO Dreamzzz

(TV-Y) In this fast-paced animated show, Lego people use magic and creativity to fight evil.

LEGO Friends

(TV-Y • Age 5+) A group of girls band together on heroic missions in Heartland City in this Mandarin cartoon set in pink and purple tones.

Lego Ninjago Dragon's Rising Netflix show

LEGO Ninjago Dragon’s Rising Ninjas

(TV-Y7 • Age 7+) Flashy action, silliness, and some cartoon violence. LEGO teenagers use their powers to fight villains.

Note: Ninjago 2022 Seasons 3 and 4 have Mandarin dubbing, but Seasons 1 and 2 do not. Ninjago Masters of Spinjitzu 2011 does not have Mandarin dubbing at this time.

Explore Gift Guide: The Coolest Chinese LEGO Sets for Kids

Best Mandarin Chinese Netflix cartoons about cars, trucks, robots

Ask the Story Bots

(TV-Y • Age 3+) Cute and funny robots answer common kids’ questions about daily life in Mandarin Chinese.

DinoTrux

(TV-Y • Age 7+) Hybrid dinosaur-construction truck creatures become friends and fight off evil together.

Fast & Furious Spy Racers

(TV-Y7 • Age 9+) Teen street racers join forces with the government to take down a gang. This fast-paced show is geared toward older kids; there is some violence.

Go! Go! Cory Carson

(TV-Y • Age 4+) Sweet little cars learn positive life lessons while having fun driving and exploring the town.

Hot Wheels Let’s Race

(TV-Y7 • Age 6+) The mini Hot Wheels toys inspired this Chinese cartoon. The cars have special powers, and the kids learn about racing and facing challenges.

Robocar Poli

(TV-Y • Age 4+) Emergency vehicles and a brave girl, Jin, teach kids about community safety and friendship.

Mighty Express

(TV-Y • Age 4+) Uplifting preschool series about trains and kids that work together to save the day.

Tayo the Little Bus

(TV-Y • Age 3+) Charming, adorable bus friends have fun city adventures with catchy songs.

Transformers

(TV-Y7 • Age 6+) Fast-paced, energetic show about cars that transform into brave, collaborative robots.

Trash Truck

(TV-Y • Age 3+) Gentle-paced show about a boy, his bestie truck, and their imaginary worldly adventures.

Best Mandarin Chinese Netflix shows with animated people

Ada Twist Scientist

(TV-Y • Age 3+) Fun, educational Chinese show encourages a love of science and teamwork in curious kids.

Gabby’s Dollhouse

(TV-Y • Age 4+) A girl enjoys imaginary adventures with cats and crafts in a magical dollhouse.

Hello Ninja

(TV-Y7 • Age 4+) Best buddies transform into masked ninjas and tackle challenges with problem-solving based on the popular picture book series.

Best Animated Netflix Shows Jurassic World

Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous

(TV-Y7 • Age 8+) Teens embark on suspenseful (and sometimes scary) hidden adventures with dinosaurs.

Magic School Bus

(TV-Y • Age 5+) Teacher Ms. Frizzle takes her students on amazing science and nature adventures in this timeless educational Chinese show.

Motown Magic

(TV-Y • Age 4+) A boy learns how to use his imagination to decorate the city with vibrant artwork and great music.

Best live-action Chinese Netflix shows for kids

If your child prefers real people instead of cartoons, these are the best live-action Mandarin Chinese Netflix shows for kids.

Brainchild

(TV-G • Age 7+) This witty, educational show explains science facts in an exciting and relatable way.

Emily’s Wonder Lab

(TV-G • Age 5+) Emily’s mind-blowing STEM experiments will inspire kids to love science while learning Mandarin!

Healing Powers of Dude

(TV-G • Age 7+) A tween boy learns to cope with anxiety with help from his emotional support dog.

Inbestigators

(TV-G • Age 8+) This funny show is about school friends who vlog about their quest to become detectives.

Izzy’s Koala World

(TV-Y • Age 3+) A gentle, caring family rescues cuddly animals on Australia’s Magnetic Island.

Waffles + Mochi

(TV-Y • Age 4+) A fun Netflix show in Mandarin with puppets, kids, and celebrities who explore cooking and culture.

Common questions about Chinese Netflix shows for kids

Is it possible for kids to learn Mandarin Chinese from Netflix shows?

Kids soak up languages like sponges. The more they hear, the more they learn, especially when chatting with Chinese speakers consistently.

But hey, we get it – time’s not always on our side. Other bilingual parenting resources can be expensive and labor-intensive.

Often, age-appropriate shows are the next best option for extra Chinese language exposure. Especially if you’re right there, watching and giggling along.

Research shows that parent-child co-viewing can transform screen time into a lively language lesson.

parents and child watching TV show together as a family

Caregivers also bridge the gap between screen and reality. We’re the ones who connect the dots between the shows they gobble up and the adventures of everyday life.

How do you slow down Mandarin Netflix shows for kids?

If Chinese Netflix shows are hard to understand for you or your child, slow down the video speed.

Tap the speed icon.
Choose the desired playback speed.

How much time should kids spend watching Chinese shows?

Screen time should be balanced with sleep, exercise, and face-to-face interactions. American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following screen-time recommendations:

Age 0-18 months: No screen time except for video chatting with relatives
Age 18-24 months: Watch limited, high-quality shows together with caregivers to ensure understanding
Age 2-5 years: Less than 1 hour per day together with caregivers to ensure understanding. Set a time limit and clear expectations.
Age 6+ years: Set a daily and weekly time limit. Talk to kids about how excessive cartoons affect behavior, creativity, physical activity, weight, vision, and sleep.

What other languages are available for Netflix shows?

Kids can watch certain Netflix shows in more than 60 different languages!

Here are just a few examples: Arabic, Cantonese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Flemish, French, English, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese.