Top 10 Cartoons to Boost Emotional Intelligence in Kids and Teens
Published 20 August 2024 at 09:11
Tickikids Blog Singapore > Parenting > Top 10 Cartoons to Boost Emotional Intelligence in Kids and Teens
In today’s rapidly changing world, new qualities are constantly emerging as essential for happiness, success, and resilience in the face of stress and uncertainty! Among these, emotional intelligence stands out as particularly vital. As parents, we not only strive to cultivate this crucial skill within ourselves but also aim to equip our children with the emotional intelligence they need to lead happy and fulfilling lives. Developing the ability to manage emotions in our children is key to helping them navigate life's challenges with confidence and harmony.
Recent research defines emotional intelligence as a unique set of mental abilities that enables individuals to recognise, evaluate, and express emotions; harness emotions to guide thinking; understand emotional dynamics; and regulate emotions in both themselves and others. This framework represents the emotional competence of a well-rounded adult and serves as an ideal model for young adults.
For young children, emotional intelligence manifests in a simpler form—expressing beneficial emotions, recognising emotions in themselves and others, and managing emotional responses when necessary. In the early childhood classroom, emotions are always present. As children learn and interact with teachers and classmates, they rely on their emotional skills to enhance their learning experience. The ability to understand, manage, and express emotions positively contributes to a successful school experience.
Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in kid’s success in forming and maintaining relationships. Kids and teens need to learn how to send and receive emotional signals by understanding and managing their emotions. This skill helps them navigate social interactions, build strong relationships, and stay curious and engaged with the world around them. When they effectively use their emotional intelligence, they are more likely to have satisfying relationships, especially with their peers.
What can we do to promote children’s emotional intelligence?
One of the most effective ways to cultivate emotional intelligence across all ages is through engagement with art. Art, in its many forms, serves as a rich and accessible source of emotional learning, offering opportunities to explore and understand emotions in a way that is both immersive and universal. Books, films, live shows, and cartoons provide different but complementary ways of helping children and teens develop emotional intelligence. Cartoons engage young people in ways that are relatable, entertaining, and educational. Through stories and characters, children can learn to appropriately express, interpret, and regulate their emotions, understand the feelings of others, and navigate social situations with greater empathy and confidence. By modelling various scenarios and emotions, cartoons provide children with valuable insights into the nature of emotions—how they are expressed, the situations that elicit them, and their more personalised causes.
In this digest, TickiKids discusses cartoons for different age groups that are particularly effective in conveying emotional lessons to kids and teens! Think of three famous animated series for preschoolers (marked 4+) and seven full-length cartoons designed for family viewing!
Peppa Pig 4+
Video Credit: Peppa Pig Official Channel
Created by Neville Astley and Mark Baker, Peppa Pig is a British preschool animated series that debuted in 2004. The show follows Peppa, an anthropomorphic piglet, and her family and friends, who are all animals. Episodes revolve around everyday activities like going to playgroup or visiting family. The eighth season began airing in September 2023, and the show has been broadcast in over 180 countries.
Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 4+
Video Credit: Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom Official Channel
Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom is a British preschool series created by Neville Astley and Mark Baker, airing first in 2009. Set in a miniature world hidden among bushes, it features fairies, elves, and other magical creatures. The story revolves around Princess Holly, Ben Elf, and their adventures in the Little Kingdom. The show explores themes of magic versus tradition and features characters like Nanny Plum and Gaston the ladybird.
Bluey 4+
Video Credit: Disney Junior and Bluey Official Channel
Bluey is an Australian animated series created by Joe Brumm that premiered in 2018. The show follows Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy, her family, and friends as they explore the world through imaginative play. Praised for its depiction of family life and positive parenting, Bluey has become a beloved show for its relatable and heartfelt stories.
My Neighbour Totoro
Video Credit: GKIDS Films
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli, My Neighbor Totoro is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film. Set in 1950s Japan, the story follows two girls, Satsuki and Mei, who discover forest spirits, including Totoro, as they cope with their mother’s illness. The film is celebrated for its themes of nature, family, and the comforting presence of the mystical Totoro.
Toy Story
Video Credit: Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers
Toy Story (1995) is the first entirely computer-animated feature film, produced by Pixar and released by Disney. It tells the story of Woody, a cowboy doll, and Buzz Lightyear, a space cadet action figure, as they navigate their rivalry and friendship. This groundbreaking film launched a successful franchise and was recognized by the U.S. National Film Registry for its cultural significance.
Spirited Away
Video Credit: GKIDS Films
Spirited Away is a 2001 Japanese animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. It follows 10-year-old Chihiro as she navigates a mystical world of spirits to save her parents. The film explores themes of identity, resilience, and the transition to adulthood, and is known for its rich symbolism and stunning animation.
Howl's Moving Castle
Video Credit: GKIDS Films
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle (2004) is an animated fantasy film based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones. The film explores themes of war, ageing, and personal growth, focusing on the complex characters and the magical world they inhabit. Unlike the novel, the film emphasises love and the destructive effects of war.
WALL-E
Video Credit: Official Disney Pixar
WALL-E (2008) is a Pixar animated film set in a dystopian future where Earth is uninhabitable due to pollution. It follows Wall-E, a robot tasked with cleaning up the planet, as he discovers a plant that could save humanity. The film, celebrated for its environmental message and heartfelt story, was selected for preservation by the U.S. National Film Registry.
Inside Out
Video Credit: Walt Disney Studios
Inside Out (2015) is a Pixar film that explores the emotions of an 11-year-old girl named Riley as she adjusts to a new city. The film personifies her emotions—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust—as characters navigating her mind. Praised for its insight into emotional development, the film received a sequel, Inside Out 2, in 2024.
Luca
Video Credit: Pixar
Luca (2021) is a Pixar film set on the Italian Riviera, following Luca, a young sea monster who can take human form on land. Along with his friends, Luca experiences a transformative summer in the town of Portorosso. The film is inspired by director Enrico Casarosa’s childhood in Italy and explores themes of friendship and self-discovery.
Start today - build emotional intelligence together by watching cartoons as a family!