Best Mandarin Chinese Shows Like Ms. Rachel and Blippi for Toddlers
If you’re raising a bilingual toddler or preschooler, you’ve probably heard of Blippi and Ms. Rachel. They are known as the dream team for little kids! Parents are always looking for similar toddler shows in Chinese. Great news! To save you time, I’ve reviewed and put together the best Mandarin YouTube channels similar to Blippi and Ms. Rachel.
These Chinese toddler shows are relatively slow-paced and low on stimulation. If the pace of any show still feels too fast, see my tip on slowing the playback speed at the end of the article.
Mandarin Chinese learning videos like Ms. Rachel
The marvelous Ms. Rachel is known for her sing-along videos that feature sign language and speech therapy techniques. Bilingual parents will be happy ot know that several Mandarin moms have also created slow yet interactive and engaging sing-along shows for toddlers and preschoolers.
宝贝中文 Baobei Chinese
Baobei Chinese Sing and Learn Mandarin is gently paced like Ms. Rachel’s YouTube channel. I like that each video is shorter (10 to 30 minutes), and her voice is mellow and pleasant. Closed-captioning is available in English, but only some videos have Chinese subtitles. Watch 宝贝中文 in Chinese on YouTube.
悦儿姐姐 Tiny Mandarin Stars
悦儿姐姐 Tiny Mandarin Stars another channel inspired by Ms. Rachel’s Songs for Littles on YouTube. Her slow speech and dynamic hand gestures can help toddlers learn new Chinese words. Some of her videos include simplified Chinese subtitles. Watch 悦儿姐姐 in Chinese on YouTube.
米宝星 Mibao Star
米宝星 Mibao Star
米宝星 Mibao Star is a Chinese YouTube channel with Mandarin songs for toddlers and young kids. Although she lip-syncs the Chinese songs, the dancing and hand motions can be fun to learn along with the lyrics. Subtitles are in simplified Chinese and Pinyin, with closed-captioning available in English. Most videos are 3 minutes long. Watch in Chinese on YouTube.
阿里米米 Alimimi
AliMiMi is the oldest Mandarin YouTube singing channel for toddlers. Although the Mandarin audio is not as crisp as the others, many kids enjoy her happy dancing. However, she makes her videos more accessible with simplified Chinese and English subtitles. Some videos have Pinyin. Most videos are 5 minutes long. Watch AliMiMi in Chinese on YouTube.
Kelly Laoshi 老師
Kelly Laoshi 老師 is a Taiwanese American preschool teacher and mom who makes Mandarin learning fun with dynamic facial expressions, silly sounds, and hand movements to engage young viewers on everyday topics. Watch Kelly Laoshi 老師 in Chinese on YouTube.
Mandarin Chinese YouTube shows like Blippi
Blippi is a wildly popular children’s show known for his high, childlike energy and signature blue and orange outfit. He teaches toddlers and little kids about the world through adventurous visits to zoos, fire stations, museums, and other places.
比利皮 Blippi 中文版
The incredibly popular Blippi has a YouTube channel dubbed in Mandarin Chinese. Follow Blippi’s adventures and learn about science, nature, museums, playgrounds, farms, and more. (Note: since the show is dubbed, the downside is that the narration does not match the actors’ mouth movements.) Watch the Blippi show in Chinese on YouTube.
媽媽老師 Mama Laoshi
媽媽老師 Mama Laoshi is the closest original Mandarin Chinese show similar to Blippi. Created by Taiwanese American mama Nancy Chang, kids can learn Mandarin Chinese through daily routines and fun activities. A few words are captioned in traditional Chinese, and Nancy’s accent is Taiwanese Mandarin. This is one of the very best Mandarin Chinese shows for toddlers and little kids. Watch 媽媽老師 on YouTube.
Other cute Chinese shows for toddlers
Although these adorable cartoons don’t feature real people, many families love them for their positive messages about friendship, kindness, and caring for the world around us.
Octonauts 海底小纵队
Octonauts 海底小纵队 is an animated series about a team of cute animals who explore the ocean, help sea creatures in trouble, and learn about marine life along the way. It’s both entertaining and educational, exposing kids to concepts of ocean animals, science, and habitats while following fun rescue missions and problem-solving adventures. Watch Octonauts in Mandarin on YouTube or Netflix.
Bluey 布鲁伊
Bluey 布鲁伊 is a sweet and funny Australian cartoon about a lovable puppy and her family. The episodes are centered around imaginative play, everyday family life, and the small but meaningful lessons children learn through daily experiences. The show feels just as relatable and heartwarming for parents as it is for kids. Watch Bluey in Mandarin on Disney+. At this time, Mandarin dubbing is not availble on YouTube, but you can find over a dozen other languages on the official Bluey website.
Common questions about watching Ms. Rachel and Blippi shows in Mandarin Chinese
Can babies and toddlers learn Mandarin from Ms. Rachel and toddler TV shows?
Research currently shows no evidence that children under the age of 3 years can learn significant speech and communication skills from videos like Ms Rachel.
KQED also reports that in another study, “researchers exposed English-speaking 9-month-old infants to Mandarin Chinese through one of three methods: 1) a live speaker, 2) the same speaker on a video, and 3) an audio recording. The infants show no evidence of learning from either the video or audio recording, but only from the live speaker.”
Is it okay for toddlers to watch shows like “Ms. Rachel” and Blippi in Chinese?
Of course! As a pediatrician and mom, my children have definitely watched a variety of age-appropriate shows over the years. Too often, parents are overwhelmed, trying to balance the safety of their child while cooking dinner, doing chores, completing work responsibilities, and taking care of basic needs like going to the bathroom.
What can parents and caregivers do to boost Mandarin language skills for babies and toddlers?
Parents and caregivers can emulate the techniques used by Ms. Rachel, such as talking slowly and clearly, and using gestures and body language to enhance communication. Whenever possible, watching shows with the child is more helpful than having the child watch alone. Pause and take a moment to share what you notice about the show, and model ways to interact, such as clapping, dancing, and singing along.
How to slow down Chinese shows on YouTube
If the Ms Rachel and Blippi shows in Mandarin Chinese are too fast for your child, here’s how to slow down YouTube videos.
- Click on the gear icon (settings) in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Click “Playback speed.”
- Decrease the speed to 0.75.
- If that is too slow, click on Custom.
- Use the slider to adjust the speed by 0.05 increments.
Is it safe for my child to watch Mandarin shows on YouTube?
YouTube has a dedicated app for kids, but Chinese shows are often unavailable there.
Consider upgrading to YouTube Premium for ad-free viewing or subscribing to Disney+, Netflix, or Amazon Prime. Otherwise, parents should watch YouTube shows with kids to monitor and skip over pesky and inappropriate YouTube commercials.
Parents who prefer to avoid screen time can play videos with the screen face down, using the device as an audio player.
How long should kids watch Chinese YouTube shows?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
- <Age 18 months: None (except for video-chatting with relatives)
- Age 18-24 months: Limited, high-quality screen time with caregivers.
- Age 2-5 years: <1 hour per day with caregivers to ensure understanding.
- >Age 6 years: Set a specific time limit in your child’s schedule. Talk about how excessive videos at any age can hurt a child’s behavior, mental health, weight, vision, and sleep.
To learn more about the effects of media on children:
- Watch: TEDx video by health expert Dr. Dimitri Christakis
- Read: 10 tips to protect eyes during screen time from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
