Cartoonito facts for kids
Logo used since 2021
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| Owner | Warner Bros. Discovery |
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Cartoonito is a special brand from Warner Bros. Discovery. It creates TV channels and shows for young children, especially preschoolers. The name "Cartoonito" mixes "cartoon" with "ito," a Spanish word meaning "small." So, it means "small cartoon."
As of August 2025, Cartoonito is a TV channel in many places. These include Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and South Korea. It also appears as a block of shows on Cartoon Network in places like the UK, Japan, and New Zealand.
How Cartoonito Started
Early Kids' Shows (1996–2006)
Learning Blocks for Young Viewers (1996–2005)
In 1996, Cartoon Network started a Sunday morning block for preschoolers. It included Big Bag, a show with live actors and puppets. This show was made by the same people who created Sesame Street. Another show was Small World, which showed animated series from other countries.
Later, in 1997, Warner Bros. Animation began making Baby Looney Tunes. This was a preschool series based on popular characters. It aired on Cartoon Network from 2002 to 2005. Cartoon Network also showed other programs for kids aged 4 to 8. These included Hamtaro, Sitting Ducks, and Pecola.
Tiny TV Shows (2003–2006)
In 2003, Cartoon Network in India launched Tiny TV. This was a weekday morning block of cartoons for preschoolers. Some shows were Bob the Builder, Kipper, and Noddy. By 2006, Tiny TV blocks were also on Cartoon Network and Boomerang channels in Australia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Tiny TV stopped airing internationally in 2007.
Tickle-U Block (2005–2006)
Tickle-U was Cartoon Network's first big try at a weekday morning block for preschoolers. It started on August 22, 2005. Shows included Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs and Peppa Pig. These shows often had American voices, even if they were from other countries. The only original show was Firehouse Tales.
The block had two animated computer-generated hosts. One was a red butterfly-like creature named Pipoca. The other was a yellow rabbit-like creature named Henderson. Tickle-U ended on January 13, 2006. Some of its shows continued to air on Cartoon Network until 2007.
Cartoonito's Journey
First Launch (2006–2011)
On September 4, 2006, Cartoon Network Too started a new block called Cartoonito. It showed programs from all over the world. These shows were available in both English and French. Cartoonito became its own separate TV channel on May 24, 2007. It took over the daytime hours that Cartoon Network Too used to have.
Growing the Brand (2011–2021)
In May 2011, Turner Broadcasting System announced plans to bring Cartoonito to more places. This included Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Cartoonito started as a morning block on Cartoon Network Arabic in the Middle East on September 4, 2011. It also aired in English on Boomerang.
In Italy, Cartoonito launched as a 24-hour channel on August 22, 2011. In Spain, Cartoonito also became a 24-hour channel on September 1, 2011. This replaced the Spanish version of Boomerang. However, the Spanish Cartoonito channel closed on June 30, 2013. In France, Cartoonito started as a block on Boing on September 5, 2011. It stopped airing there on July 5, 2013.
Cartoonito also launched in Asia Pacific and the Philippines in December 2012. It was later replaced by Boomerang in January 2015. On January 15, 2018, Cartoonito UK became a 24-hour channel.
Worldwide Reintroduction (2021–Present)
In 2021, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics announced big plans for Cartoon Network. They wanted to include shows for families, girls, and preschoolers. This meant Cartoon Network would compete with other popular preschool brands like Disney Junior. They also announced they would air the new Thomas & Friends series, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.
United States
On February 17, 2021, it was announced that Cartoonito would launch in the United States. It would be on Cartoon Network and the streaming service HBO Max. More than 20 series were planned for its launch. The block officially started on September 13, 2021. It aired for several hours on weekdays and weekends. However, the block was discontinued on May 23, 2025.
Latin America
In October 2021, it was announced that Cartoonito would launch in Brazil. It replaced Boomerang on December 1, 2021. On the same date, Cartoonito also replaced Boomerang for the rest of Latin America.
Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA)
In May 2021, WarnerMedia UK and EMEA announced plans to bring Cartoonito back to their region.
UK and Ireland Rebrand
On February 1, 2022, the British and Irish Cartoonito channel updated its look to match the worldwide rebrand. Also, starting March 1, 2022, a Cartoonito block began airing on Cartoon Network for an hour on weekdays. This block now runs for two hours on weekdays.
Italy Rebrand
On June 5, 2022, the Italian Cartoonito channel also updated its look. It stopped using its old mascots, "The Cartoonitos."
Other EMEA Regions
In the Nordics, Cartoonito started as a block on Boomerang on February 1, 2022. This channel later became Cartoonito on September 4, 2023. The same happened for Boomerang channels in Turkey and the Middle East and Africa.
In Portugal, a Cartoonito block launched on Boomerang on February 21, 2022. This channel fully became Cartoonito on March 23, 2023. In Africa, Boomerang relaunched its Cartoonito block on April 4, 2022. It became a full-time Cartoonito channel on March 25, 2023. In Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, and the Netherlands, Boomerang relaunched its Cartoonito block on September 1, 2022. This Boomerang channel was replaced by a standalone Cartoonito channel on March 18, 2023. In France, Boing was replaced by a Cartoonito channel on April 3, 2023.
Asia-Pacific (APAC)
In Japan, the Cartoonito block launched on March 1, 2022, on Cartoon Network. In Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea, Cartoonito relaunched as a block on March 28, 2022, on Cartoon Network. It focuses on "Humancentric Learning," which helps children learn in a way that supports their unique abilities.
In Australia and New Zealand, a Cartoonito block started on June 27, 2022, on Cartoon Network. A special Cartoonito pop-up channel was available in Australia from March 10, 2023.
On May 2, 2022, another Cartoonito block started on Boomerang Asia. Later, on November 21, Cartoon Network stopped its Cartoonito block. The brand fully moved to Boomerang. Cartoonito still airs on Cartoon Network Philippines. On June 28, 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery Asia-Pacific announced that Boomerang Asia would become Cartoonito. This change happened on July 28, 2023. On July 1, 2024, the South Korean version of Boomerang also became Cartoonito.
Cartoonito Characters
The Original Cartoonitos (2006–2022)
When Cartoonito first started, it had six computer-generated mascots. They were called The Cartoonitos. These characters were Cuba (a red cube), Lolly (a purple cylinder), Ringo (a green ring), Spike (a blue pyramid), Ting (a pink star), and Bubble (a yellow sphere). In the UK, Bubble, Spike, and Ting sometimes spoke French to teach viewers. These mascots were retired in the UK in February 2022 and in Italy in June 2022.
New Characters (2021–Present)
As Cartoonito launched worldwide again, new 2D-animated mascots were introduced. The new characters are Nito (a cyan square), Glob (a multi-colored blob-like figure), Wedge (a magenta triangle), and Itty (a pink circle). These characters first appeared in the US and Latin American versions in 2021. Later, the British and Italian channels also started using them in 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Cartoonito para niños
- Cartoon Network (international channels)
- Cartoonito (international channels)
- Boomerang
- Tiny TV – a former international block from Turner Europe.
