Animated series facts for kids

Scooby-Doo is a long running animated series, starting in 1969 it is still being made today

An animated series is a group of animated shows that share a common title. These shows usually have the same main characters and a similar story idea. Each show in the series is called an episode.

Some series have a set number of episodes and then they end. Others are "open-ended," meaning they can keep going for a long time. You can watch animated series on television, in movie theatres, on direct-to-video releases, or online. Just like animated movies, these series come in many different genres. They are also made for different target audiences, from children to adults.

Watching Animated Series on TV

The Flintstones was a popular animated series in the 1960's

Animated TV series are shown regularly. They might appear once a week or even every day. The time they are shown can change. Some are "saturday-morning cartoons" for kids. Others are shown in "prime time" (evenings) or late at night. They can be on weekdays or only on weekends.

The length of each episode can be different. Many series are made to be about 22 minutes long. This allows for commercials to fill a half-hour TV slot. On streaming services like Netflix, episodes might be a full 30 minutes since there are no commercials. Some short series, especially in Japanese animation, are only about five minutes long.

TV networks sometimes group shows together. This means a series might appear in different ways or at different times.

Historically, animated TV series were mostly for comedy. These were often called "cartoons." But now, animated series cover many other genres. These include action and adventure shows like Speed Racer and G.I. Joe.

The first animated TV series ever was Crusader Rabbit.

Animated sitcoms, which are funny shows about everyday life, first appeared in the 1960s. Famous examples include The Flintstones (1960–1966) and The Jetsons (1962–1987).

Popular TV Channels for Animation

A popular Australian animated series for kids is Bluey

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is a popular animated series for kids on Netflix

The 1980s and 1990s were a great time for animated shows. Many TV channels and media companies started creating special channels just for cartoons and anime. Some examples of channels that show animated series today include:

In the 1990s, animated shows started to have more mature content. These shows were not just for children anymore. Examples include The Simpsons, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rocko's Modern Life, King of the Hill, South Park and Family Guy. The show ReBoot also changed. It started as a kid-friendly show but then became darker and more mature for older viewers.

Animated Series in Movie Theaters

Some animated series were first shown in movie theatres. A famous example is the Tom and Jerry animated cartoon short films. These were shown in movie theaters from 1940 to 1967.

Web Series

Animated web series are shows made specifically for streaming services. They are designed to be watched online. An early example of a web series is Happy Tree Friends, which started in 1999.

See also

In Spanish: Serie de dibujos animados para niños