When is the perfect time for learning Russian? It’s always good to start early, especially since young ages! Teaching children something new is always challenging at first, isn’t it? This fact also applies to learning Russian language. Thankfully, with modern technology, there are many unconventional ways children can learn Russian language without even realizing it! One of them is through adorable cartoons.
Why cartoons? Cartoons are simple, easy to understand, not to mention the characters are drawn adorably to attract children. Some cartoons are even embedded with easy-to-follow sing-along songs that children can easily pick up on. Though it’s true that children cannot be exposed to too much television, parents can always set up some time to let their kids watch cartoons and use it as an opportunity to learn Russian language. Plus points: cartoons can also help children conversation, music, culture, and even positive character-building messages!
So let’s just check out these 6 adorable cartoons for children to learn Russian language!
1. Cheburashka, Russia’s most iconic big-eared cartoon character
Anybody in Russia will be familiar with this adorable cartoon, Cheburashka, who is part of the animation called Gena the Crocodile. The animation itself started out as a stop-motion cartoon film back in the 1969, but Cheburashka’s adorable look is still well-known to any child in Russia today. It’s about the daily life of Cheburashka, an unknown creature so iconic for its cute face and large round ears. Cheburashka lives in the tropical forest and that’s where it first meets Gena the Crocodile. This cartoon has a light and understandable story even for young kids, with simple dialogue any youngster won’t have trouble to learn from.
2. Luntik, an educational and musical cartoon
Parents, you might want to introduce this adorable cartoon to your kids! Luntik is great to watch for both children and parents. It has been around since 2006 and has a total of 8 seasons, so there are plenty of episodes for children to enjoy. The titular character is an adorable purple creature who lives in the forest with his bee parents.
This cartoon shows their daily life along with other cute animal characters of different forms, such as insects and frogs. The cartoon itself is filled with colorful animation and fun songs children can dance and sing along to, so they will be engaged as they watch. The dialogue and songs use simple Russian vocabulary for nursery or older kids to understand.
3. Fixiki, the adventures of little people living inside devices
Want to introduce children to a little science and tech while learning Russian language? Children will adore the tiny characters from Fixiki, each drawn with unique and distinct appearances that make them adorable in different ways. Fixiki talks about how different things work so children will be exposed to new knowledge! Aside from that, the dialogue between the characters is simple enough for kids to understand. The cartoon focuses on many different emotions too, so children will learn how to express their feelings better in Russian language.
4. Masha and the Bear, one of Russia’s biggest modern cartoons
Created in 2009 and inspired by a well-known Russian folktale, Masha and the Bear is another light, entertaining cartoon for children to learn Russian language. The adorable main character, Masha, is a sweet yet mischiveous girl living in the forest. The cartoon’s story is mainly about Masha’s daily mischiefs and adventures with a Bear who takes care of her. There are also other supporting characters such as forest animals that children will love. Since the main character herself is a kid, the conversations in this cartoon are simple and easy to be understood, so it’s a great entertainment for learning Russian language without realizing it! It currently has three seasons already, so there are quite a plenty of episodes for children to watch.
5. The Flying Ship, a classic musical cartoon
Children who are fond of music will love this cartoon because of its musical genre! First made in 1979, this cartoon is about a young son who tries to make a flying ship to win the Tsar’s daughter. It is rich in both Russian culture and vocabulary, and the music throughout the short cartoon makes it all the more enjoyable. This cartoon is suitable especially for children who have been familiar with Russian language for quite some time as there are lots of intermediate level dialogue. It also helps children to learn pronunciation and distinguish different Russian words clearly. Give this cartoon a try for older children!
6. Dunno on the Moon, the story of Dunno and his friends trying to build an air balloon
This cartoon is about Dunno, a character from Flower Town, who is a mix of differnt personalities, including ignorant and lazy but also kind and lucky. Dunno likes to create a lot of trouble, such as scaring the whole city with false news, annoying his friends, crashing his friends’ car, and fighting. The main story starts when Dunno and his friends plan to build a hot air balloon to go for an adventure, but Dunno’s mischiveous nature gets them into a lot of trouble as usual. The cartoon is humorous but also teaches children about important things like manners, character, and friendship. The dialogue between Dunno and his friends can be picked up by children and help them passively learn Russian language.
So, those are the 6 adorable cartoons for children to learn Russian language! Some are created decades ago but are still widely watched until today, while some are quite new and the animation is already more sophisticated. Either way, they are filled with adorable characters and simple, light storyline that children can easily understand and help them learn Russian language without even realizing it.
Once again, watching cartoons cannot be your main medium in teaching children Russian language, but it can be a good switch once in a while from typical classroom lessons or books. Children will appreciate the cute characters, tickling humor, and understandable story while still being able to learn new vocabulary and improve on their conversation skills! Also, don’t forget to take your children outside to these best playgrounds for a break after learning, or reward them with some tasty Russian beverages.