Best Children’s Anime

Summary

• Not all anime is kid-friendly, but shows like Little Witch Academia and School Babysitters are perfect for family viewing.
• For a light-hearted option, Laid-Back Camp offers a soothing look at camping activities with engaging characters.
• Spy x Family combines comedy, action, and drama for a hilarious story of a spy creating a fake family for a mission.

Anime has gained massive popularity over the years. With amazing shows like Naruto, One Piece, and Dragon Ball out there, it’s hard to not see why. Still, not all of these staples of animation are the best choices to put on the television with kids in the room.

A lot of parents or older siblings may be looking for shows they can watch with the younger people in the house, but this is easier said than done. Most anime for kids do not cross over to Western nations, at least in relation to series crafted specifically for preschoolers. However, slightly older kids are spoiled for choice.

Every season contains young kids anime shows that are rarely released outside of Japan. These series will generally be ignored.

Updated May 31, 2025 by Mark Sammut: As the Spring 2025 anime enters its final few weeks, enough episodes have come out to recommend a couple of its shows. Therefore, a section dedicated to the season’s best anime for children has been added.

Best Spring 2025 Anime To Watch With Kids

The Spring 2025 anime season is more than halfway through by this point, and it is mostly shaping up to be decent. As always, the lineup has plenty of content for all demographics, but most series specifically target teenagers rather than adults or children. Consequently, it can be difficult for parents to know which anime they can and should watch with their children.

To help make the process a bit simpler, here are a couple of the best Spring 2025 anime for kids. That said, please still exercise caution, as everyone is different.

Spring 2025’s Kids’ anime like Kaijuu Sekai Seifuku and Nmeneko will be left out since they are very hard to find outside of Japan.

• Anne Shirley – A timeless classic, Anne Shirley is based on L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, a series of novels following the eponymous character as she goes through life, starting from when she is adopted by the Cuthberts. The source material was already adapted into a classic anime in 1979, and the 2025 version is a fantastic revival of this masterpiece. The Answer Studio’s animation is top-notch, and the writing is generally fantastic. Now, it should be noted that Anne Shirley is quite realistic and can get very dramatic, so it is not a pleasant slice of life without any drama. That said, there is no fanservice or unnecessary violence.
• Koupen-chan – Assuming someone manages to find this anime, Koupen-chan is probably Spring 2025’s best anime for young kids, at least if the ones for toddlers are ignored. Now, since the episodes only last a minute, this show will not keep children entertained for long. Still, this is a cute little series that follows a group of adorable creatures during their everyday lives.
• I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level Season 2 – Arguably the best isekai anime of the season, I’ve Been Killing Slimes is primarily a slow-life comedy that revolves around a group of girls who live together, with the powerful Azusa serving as the glue that holds them together. Although not completely devoid of adult humor, the show is mostly just wholesome fluff.
• Yaiba: Samurai Legend – Look, kids like action, especially once they get a bit older. Yaiba: Samurai Legend is intended for teen boys rather than kids, but it is mostly a typical battle shonen with great action, some humor, and a few more adult-oriented jokes. Many adult anime fans grew up with shonen anime, and Yaiba is a decent gateway into that universe.

21

Little Witch Academia

A Magical Action-Comedy

Little Witch Academia originally began as a movie but gained so much popularity it was adapted into an episodic series. The show follows Atsuko and her adventures in learning witchcraft at the Luna Nova Magical Academy. It features a colorful cast of characters that make the story incredibly endearing to all who watch it. It’s also simple to find for anyone with a Netflix account, making it an easy show for potential viewers to see if it follows the three-episode rule.

With cute humor, a sense of wonder, and a slow-building overarching story that provides some tension and action, Little Witch Academia is a good all-around option for pretty much all ages, but especially children who enjoy things like Harry Potter.

20

School Babysitters

Cute & Wholesome

A tragedy-laden backstory aside, School Babysitters is the definition of wholesome and cute. The Kashima siblings are accepted into an academy at no additional cost, with the only requirement being that Ryuichi helps out at its daycare. Considering his brother, Kotaro, will be spending most of his days at this facility, it is not a bad deal for Ryuichi, and he also gets to meet a bunch of fellow students who leave their siblings at the daycare.

School Babysitters is a slice of life comedy with a lot of heart. The show does an impressive job of fleshing out its rather large cast, granting both the teenagers and children time to shine. As long as they are not expecting action, most kids will probably not stop smiling as they watch these characters.

19

Silver Spoon

Mature Fun For The Whole Family

It’s hard to look at Silver Spoon and realize it was created by the very same woman who brought Full Metal Alchemist to life but it’s absolutely true. This show can be a great way to introduce young anime fans to Hiromu Arakawa with a story that isn’t as intense or violent.

Silver Spoon follows Yuugo Hachiken’s adventures at Ooezo Agricultural High School, a place he enrolled in to escape the stress of his everyday life. It can be a great opportunity to learn some realities of farm life for younger viewers while enjoying a lighter story.

18

Laid-Back Camp

Iyashikei Fun For The Whole Family

Although not as exciting as some other anime for kids, Laid-Back Camp is a great all-around family pick that should be able to entertain children, teenagers, and adults; that said, the show might be too slow-paced for very young viewers. This anime is about camping, and it presents a grounded (if slightly idolized) look into the hobby. Ever since she was introduced to the activity by her grandfather, Rin has planned regular solo trips, allowing her an escape from the world and some solitude. One day, she befriends an energetic student named Nadeshiko, who quickly falls in love with camping and joins their school’s outdoor club.

Laid-Back Camp goes from one excursion to the next, showing the characters preparing for the journey before embarking on it. While mostly free from conflict or tension, the anime goes out of its way to realistically depict the effort that goes into planning each trip and the risks of poor preparation. That said, the show mainly revolves around likable characters basking in beautiful vistas while engaging in endearing banter. Laid-Back Camp is comfort food for the soul.

17

Chi’s New Address

Slice Of Life Comedy With An Endearing Protagonist

With over 100 episodes, Chi’s New Address is the perfect choice for anyone searching for a longer series to sink their teeth into. It’s impossible to watch the adventures of this adorable cat and not have a massive smile. This slice of life anime is light enough for kids while still being funny for the adults in the room. Plus, there’s also Chi’s Sweet Adventure for fans who want even more fantastic feline adventures.

As the episodes are short, this series can be completed fairly quickly, but it also means that none of the segments overstay their welcome. They generally all revolve around a family and their eponymous cat, the latter of which is the definition of adorable.

16

My Hero Academia

Superhero Action For Older Children

With the current popularity of superhero stories thanks to MCU movies, it’s incredibly easy to get younger viewers into My Hero Academia. As its title suggests, the anime follows a group of students as they attend a school for heroes, although their lessons rarely take center stage. MHA explores a society that has become dependent on superpowered individuals to protect it, and the fragile peace born out of this relationship.

This series has universal appeal and its theme of helping those in need sends a perfect message to any kids in the audience. Just a fair warning that some of the battles can get pretty intense, so make sure that whatever children are watching can handle a bit of blood and animated violence.

15

How To Keep A Mummy

Adorableness Overload

One day, Sora receives a peculiar gift from his well-traveled father: a baby mummy. Suddenly, the high school student finds himself playing papa to a mythical monster, a situation that naturally spawns almost nothing but adorable and hilarious moments. The cuteness does not stop with Mii-kun either, as Sora’s friends quickly adopt a couple of creatures of their own such as a dragon and an oni.

How to Keep a Mummy is simply pleasant. The anime does not have a mean bone in its body, and it also teaches some good lessons about taking care of pets. Beyond that, the show is genuinely funny, to the point that even some parents might catch the giggles.

14

Haikyu!!

Great Action, Great Humor

On paper, sports anime seem like they should all be great for children; in practice, most sports anime are fine for kids. Shows like Slam Dunk, Hajime no Ippo, Blue Lock, and One Outs are better left for slightly older viewers, especially when parents can turn to more suitable options such as Inazuma Eleven and Captain Tsubasa. Alternatively, kids can just start off with arguably the best sports anime ever: Haikyu!!

Hinata loves volleyball, and he refuses to let his short stature get in the way. Joining a high school with a respected volleyball team, Hinata finally gets the opportunity to fully tap into his passion, and he develops an unexpected partnership with Kageyama, a talented but selfish player. As they strive to take their school to the top, both characters go on journeys that take them to new heights.

13

Doraemon Franchise

A Beloved Classic

Whether it’s the original from the ’70s or the remake released in 2005, Doraemon is an anime classic. It has spawned over forty movies showing it has the kind of staying power to keep audiences hooked on the adventures of this little cat-like robot.

Whatever gadgets from the future he pulls from his four-dimensional pocket are sure to start marvelous zany antics and adventures. The Doraemon shows are difficult to find online, but there are two great movies available on Netflix.

12

Hamtaro

Timeless Humor

Watching these little hamsters on big adventures can keep kids and children at heart entertained for hours. The series has over 290 episodes as well, some of which aired on Toonami in the states, making it a great show to get into for the long haul.

Unfortunately, this series never had its English dub fully completed so fans may eventually have to switch to reading subtitles. At this point, it may be worth looking into a similar hamster anime called Pui Pui Molcar which is considered one of the best children’s anime of all time by critics but never saw an English release.