[Age 4] Fun for grown-ups too! A roundup of anime for four-year-olds
By the time they turn four, children start noticing deeper aspects of characters and stories, allowing them to fully enjoy picture books, animated shows, and other narratives.
Why not pick some anime you’d like four-year-olds to watch?
Here, we’ve gathered titles that kids can watch safely and comfortably.
You’re sure to discover shows they haven’t seen yet or haven’t really explored.
These are all series that adults can enjoy too, so watch together and share the world of anime with your children.
- [Age 3] A roundup of anime for 3-year-olds that adults can enjoy too
- [Age 5] A roundup of anime for 5-year-olds that will draw them into the story
- [Anime] For toddlers! A roundup of anime works to enjoy with your kids
- [For Age 4] Must-Read in January! Picture Books to Enjoy Winter
- For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts
- [Age 2] A Special Feature on Anime to Enjoy with Your Child!
- For 4-year-olds! A collection of indoor home play ideas that make time inside fun
- A collection of recommended picture books to read with 4-year-olds that will make the wait for Christmas exciting
- May: Craft Ideas That Excite 4-Year-Olds!
- [Childcare] A collection of recommended melodica (pianica) songs for 4-year-olds
- [March] Recommended for 4-year-olds! Picture books that will make you smile and grin
- [February] Recommended picture books for 4-year-olds: Works that let children feel winter at preschool
- [For 4-Year-Olds] Recommended Spring Picture Books | Engaging with the World and Friends
[Age 4] Fun for adults too! Anime picks for 4-year-olds (1–10)
Hanakappa
Hanakappa is an animated show broadcast on NHK Educational TV (E-Tele).
The main character is Hanakappa, a kappa boy who can make various flowers bloom on his head.
The stories unfold around the flowers he blooms.
From the commotion he causes with friends to the back-and-forth with a group aiming to get the “Waka-ran” that Hanakappa occasionally blooms, there are plenty of exciting, heart-pounding adventures that will surely captivate children.
Watching Hanakappa grow through the stories will likely resonate with parents raising kids, too.
If you like, try watching it together as a family.
Sesame Street
Sesame Street was created in the United States as an early childhood education program.
It features Muppet characters with distinct personalities and is popular among American children.
Well-known, charming characters include the ever-cheerful Elmo and the gentle, yellow Big Bird.
Beyond animation, you can also learn English songs sung with Sesame Street characters and children, as well as topics like nutrition and annual events.
It also seems like a great way to experience different cultures.
Baby Bus
BabyBus teaches children essential knowledge and information—such as early learning, daily routines, and disaster preparedness—through animation.
It’s a very popular animated series available not only in Japan but also in 12 languages worldwide.
Well-known characters include the pandas Kiki and Miumiu, as well as Chief Labou, a Labrador Retriever police officer.
There are many engaging videos perfect for four-year-olds who are starting to enjoy story-driven content, so be sure to check it out.
There’s an official YouTube channel where you can watch for free.
[Age 4] Fun for adults too! Anime roundup for 4-year-olds (11–20)
Butt Detective
Butt Detective is an animated series based on Troll’s children’s book Butt Detective.
The famed sleuth with a bottom-shaped face, Butt Detective, teams up with his slightly clumsy assistant, Brown, to brilliantly solve cases.
It’s a funny twist that Butt Detective’s special move is a fart.
The show also features a game where you can look for butt-shaped objects.
The opening theme, “Pupっとフムっとかいけつダンス” (Pup and Hm: The Solution Dance), is hugely popular as a dance song!
Moominvalley Friends
The Moomin series unfolds around the adorable fairy-like Moomin family.
It features distinctive characters, but there are no strict rules about how things should be—friendship and family take shape in a free, open environment.
You might even learn about elements that connect to diversity through the stories.
Even when various events or incidents occur, the series conveys the importance of creating your own sense of joy and finding ways to enjoy everyday life.
Even if something that happens isn’t good for you, the Moomin way is to view it with a positive mindset.
Find hints you can bring into daily life together with your children by learning from Moomin.
LEGO Friends
Many of you have probably played with LEGO bricks before.
Among LEGO sets, LEGO Friends offers playsets that tie in with the animated series.
They’re not just cars and dinosaurs aimed at boys; they let all children, including girls, express familiar experiences and ideas they come up with.
What’s more, the LEGO Friends anime takes the era and social context into account, and its characters are very appealing.
Through the show, kids also have opportunities to learn about differences in skin color and culture, as well as about people with physical disabilities or mental health challenges.
Snowtime！
Set in a small village, it all begins when the children plan a grand snowball fight centered around a “snow fortress” to make memories over their winter break.
A boy named Luke is chosen as the team leader, but he accidentally hits Sophie, a transfer student, with a snowball, leading her to become the leader of the rival team.
As friendship, budding romance, and competitiveness intermingle, the snowball fight gradually escalates into a serious battle.
What was supposed to be a game takes an unexpected, sorrowful turn, and through it the children come to realize there are things more important than winning or losing.
This story of growth and bonds, set against a snowy landscape, gently reflects both the purity and the pain found in a child’s world.
