CoComelon is one of the most popular shows for babies and toddlers, and word just came out that we can expect a feature film in the next two years!
As cringy as the term, 'iPad kid’ is, many adults across social media have acknowledged the post-pandemic era of children as the iPad kid generation. It’s quite the blanket statement, but there is some truth to the fact that mobile apps, such as YouTube, have become more popular for kids’ entertainment than traditional television. Just as adults might binge-watch episodes of shows on their preferred streaming apps, many toddlers now binge-watch sing-alongs on YouTube or watch other adventure-type videos.
CoComelon started making videos almost twenty years ago, but it really became popular over the past ten years. My first child was born in 2018, and we didn’t have cable, but we’d stream television shows like Doc McStuffins in her early years. When we discovered CoComelon on YouTube, it quickly became one of her favorite shows to watch, and she learned so many words while watching! CoComelon is so entertaining for our tiny humans because the creators remade our favorite nursery rhymes with tons of colorful images and characters. The songs are catchy and teach letters, numbers, manners, and adaptive skills like handwashing and potty-training.
One downside to the show is that it seems to never end, which I think is why so many young children get hooked on it. The songs loop for over an hour, and then the next hour-long episode begins right away. I am very curious what the feature film will be like and what the general storyline will be. Since my daughters are no longer toddlers, they will likely be too old to enjoy the movie, but it could also be a nostalgic experience for kids in the seven to ten range.
Four shows to watch while we wait for the release of the CoComelon movie
1. CoComelon, the original
In addition to over 1,500 episodes on YouTube, Netflix has categorized many of the episodes into twelve seasons, with more to come. The original CoComelon is a compilation of nursery rhymes and learning songs that are best for the baby and toddler age. It may be difficult to monitor your little one's screen time due to the long episodes, so that is something to be aware of. Also, don't be surprised if you start humming these songs, because they are so easy to learn!
2. CoCoMelon Lane
CoComelon Lane is a fun spinoff from the original series of nursery rhymes and also a bit more appropriate for the preschool age. The show has more of a script and storyline than the original sing-alongs, but fans will still see their favorite characters: JJ, Cody, CeCe, Nina, and more! You can watch the twenty-five minute episodes on YouTube, and there are also four seasons streaming on Netflix.
3. JJ's Animal Time
JJ's Animal Time is a shorter series of nursery rhymes, hosted by the star character JJ and his best animal pals. The episodes are about half an hour, and are streaming on Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, and Hulu.
4. CoComelon Classroom
CoComelon Classroom has the feel of shows like Blippi and Ms. Rachel, because it has a real-life Mrs. Appleberry engaging viewers in learning. There are still fun animations to entertain toddlers and young kids. This show is bound to have your little one using their imagination in every episode! Episodes are released weekly on YouTube.