Sneak Peek! Check Out Clips From Four Cartoonito Holiday Specials Your Preschooler Will Love
From a Sesame Street-style “Nutcracker” to a Bat-tastic Christmas, these festive episodes will have your whole family feeling very merry.
There’s no doubt about it — the holidays are a magical time for preschoolers. The twinkling lights, the presents, the general merriment… just seeing this season through their eyes is enough to make even the most jaded of us get a little twinkle in our eyes, too. One really fun way to lean all the way into your preschooler’s spirit of wonderment? Holiday cartoons. This December, Cartoonito is celebrating this special time of year with four all-new holiday specials and episodes the entire family can enjoy.
And, listen, there’s no place for mom guilt at the holiday TV table. You’re doing roughly one million things in December, from covertly wrapping presents under the cover of night to baking all the things. There’s no shame in letting your little one enjoy some festive screen time under your watchful eye while you get things done nearby. Plus, Cartoonito — the preschool block on Cartoon Network and HBO Max — definitely qualifies as guilt-free kids’ programming. Inspired by positive psychology and 21st-century learning, this hub’s shows and specials are rooted in the proprietary preschool educational framework of Humancentric Learning. What’s that? Well, it “aims to support every child’s humanness by celebrating their unique selves and encouraging them to treat others with compassion, respect, and fairness.”
So, mark your calendar, because the following fun, festive, and educational Cartoonito specials are headed your way — and Scary Mommy has exclusive sneak peeks at all four.
1. Sesame Street’s “The Nutcracker”
This classic story never gets old! In this special, the tale gets a Sesame Street spin as Elmo and his puppy Tango go on an extraordinary adventure. It all starts after Elmo’s family holiday party, when his dad, Louie, reads The Nutcracker to the duo as they drift off to sleep. Sweet dreams set in… and that’s where the real magic begins. Ultimately, the 30-minute special is a celebration of the greatest gift of all: friendship.
Sesame Street’s “The Nutcracker” premieres Dec. 1 on Cartoonito on HBO Max.
2. Sesame Street Mecha Builders’ “Yip Yip Tree Tree/The Snowman Scarecrow”
If you haven’t seen Sesame Street’s Mecha Builders yet, this is your sign to start watching with your preschooler ASAP. The beloved program’s first animated spinoff, The Mecha Builders follows Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby as robot heroes-in-training who use their STEM superpowers to solve problems. In this special holiday episode, they must work together to save the holidays after the ornaments on the Pretty Big City tree break. Then, their problem-solving superpowers come back into play at Zee and MacBarm’s gift exchange, where the snowman scarecrow Zee made for MacBarm keeps blowing away!
Sesame Street’s Mecha Builders’ holiday special premieres Dec. 5 on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and streams Dec. 6 on Cartoonito on HBO Max.
3. Bugs Bunny Builders’ “Looneyburg Lights”
Did you know that Bugs Bunny Builders is Looney Tunes' first-ever educational series and the first Looney Tunes preschool show in over 20 years? And, really, who doesn’t love Looney Tunes? In this festive episode, the Looney Builders set out to host a big holiday lights festival in Looneyburg Park. Unfortunately, an unexpected snowstorm threatens to derail all of the holiday fun. Don’t worry, though; the Looney Builders are on it.
Bugs Bunny Builders’ “Looneyburg Lights” premieres Dec. 5 on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and streams Dec. 6 on Cartoonito on HBO Max.
4. Batwheels’ “Holidays on Ice”
DC’s first-ever Batman preschool series brings in the holidays with a Bat-tastic special! When bad guy Mr. Freeze wants to ruin Christmas in Gotham City, the Batwheels must mobilize to thwart the villain’s evil plots. But when Batwing gets frustrated by the Batwheels’ distracting love for holiday festivities, he decides to “go solo.” Spoiler alert: It doesn’t take long for the group to realize stopping Mr. Freeze is easier as a team.
Batwheels’ “Holidays on Ice” premieres Dec. 5 on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and streams Dec. 6 on Cartoonito on HBO Max.
Other Holiday Viewing
If you can’t get enough of holiday cartoon-ing with your kid, you came to the right place. Cartoonito’s festive lineup also includes winter-themed episodes of Thomas and Friends All Engines Go, Lellobee City Farm, and Blippi Wonders.
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