A Parents' Guide to Cocomelon Videos

Is your little one's YouTube watchlist due for a refresh? If you've heard of Cocomelon but aren't sure if it’s a good fit for your family, keep reading. Known for its colourful animations and educational videos, this popular channel has captured the attention of young children worldwide—but it’s not without its share of parental debate.

Before pressing play, let’s dive into what makes Cocomelon so appealing, discuss its pros and cons, and share some videos that might make your child’s next watch session a little brighter.

What is the Cocomelon YouTube channel? 

Cocomelon is a YouTube channel exclusively for kids. It features educational and engaging content. The channel started in 2006 under different names before officially becoming Cocomelon in 2018. There is also a show on Netflix.

Today, Cocomelon is the second most-viewed and third most-subscribed channel on YouTube. Dr. Kim Langdon Cull, a medical advisor at the Australian-based parenting resource Baby Toddler Kids, explains the channel's success.

"Cocomelon is a fun and colourful brand that creates educational content—kids just can't seem to get enough of it," she says. "It combines catchy songs, bright animations and playful stories to help little ones learn while having a blast."

Who is Cocomelon for?

Cocomelon appeals to a wide range of young viewers, from babies to preschoolers. However, Cull notes that the content is particularly well-suited for toddlers and preschoolers, typically between the ages of one and five. "The songs and stories are simple and fun, designed to match what kids at this age are curious about," she explains.

What makes Cocomelon so engaging for kids?

Cocomelon's appeal lies in its ability to captivate young minds with vibrant visuals, catchy tunes and relatable scenarios. Addison Arnett, M.Ed., Enrollments and Strategy Manager at Wonderschool, explains, "The show offers bright, colourful visuals that move frequently, drawing children in."

She adds that its repetitive songs and lyrics are particularly effective, noting, "Children's brains enjoy repetition, which aids in learning and memory retention." The show's portrayal of familiar daily routines further enhances its charm. "CoComelon features young children in everyday activities, likely bringing a relatability that children enjoy," Arnett explains.

The debate: Is Cocomelon good for toddlers?

Despite its popularity, Cocomelon has sparked debate among parents and experts. Some parents are just tired of watching it, while others worry about screen addiction, the lack of complex emotions displayed and the fast-paced visuals.

Those visuals are a double-edged sword. Herrera explains, "Though they are effective in attaining and sustaining attention, prolonged exposure to fast-paced visuals may negatively impact information processing and attention span. Balancing these stimulating elements with interactivity is important to maintain the educational value without overwhelming young viewers."

But it's not all negative. According to Dr. Hezekiah Herrera, Ed.D., a K-12 education specialist and special education teacher based in California, "The channel's songs help reinforce foundational skills, such as shapes, colours, letters and numbers, with playful, memorable tunes. The program also integrates social-emotional learning by modelling healthy interactions, including sharing, coping with emotions and conflict resolution."

Herrera says that Cocomelon's bright and colourful animation and repetitive songs can be beneficial to children in some ways, stating, "Bright colours are incredibly effective because young children are at a stage of visual development where bright colours will grab their attention. Such bright colours also have the effect of increasing engagement and helping children recognize the differences between objects and ideas, which promotes cognitive development. Likewise, repetitive songs can play an invaluable role in supporting memory development and language acquisition."

How to watch Cocomelon responsibly 

Cocomelon can be a great resource to introduce your toddler to learning concepts and life lessons. However, Caitlin Slavens, a registered psychologist, says that it's important for parents to limit screen time responsibly.

"For toddlers aged two to five (screen time should be avoided for children under 18 months), the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests about an hour of high-quality screen time per day," says Slavens. "Cocomelon can fit into that as long as it's not crowding out other important activities like playtime, reading or social interactions," says Slavens.

Slavens also says that parents should be present while their child watches Cocomelon content. "Watching videos together is key," she explains.

"Monitor how your child reacts—are they learning new words or concepts, or are they zoning out and melting down when it's time to turn it off? Use a timer or a consistent routine to set boundaries, like one episode before dinner or midday. The goal is to let screens complement real-world learning, not replace it."

Cocomelon characters: Who are they and why do kids love them? 

The main character of the Cocomelon series is JJ.

"JJ is a toddler character designed to be relatable to the show's primary audience," says Theresa Bertuzzi, an expert in early childhood education and co-founder of Tiny Hoppers—a chain of early childhood education centers across Canada. "Other characters are JJ's older siblings, his parents, grandparents, teacher, pets and friends."

Each of the characters featured in Cocomelon videos teaches children valuable lessons. "These include themes of sharing, kindness and expressing feelings," explains Bertuzzi.

"Problem-solving is also shown as the characters face simple challenges, such as cleaning up toys or learning to tie shoes. The show also introduces cognitive and language skills by exploring concepts like colours, shapes, numbers and letters. Plus, there are interactive dances that can help develop fine and gross motor skills."

What are the best Cocomelon videos for babies?

Elizabeth Fraley, an expert in early childhood education and the founder of Kinder Ready Inc., an early childhood education platform based in Santa Monica, California, says there are several Cocomelon videos that babies and toddlers can watch. Here's a breakdown of some of the best ones.

Rock A Bye Baby Song

"Looking for Cocomelon videos suitable for your baby to watch? Fraley recommends this one. It has a soothing melody and a repetitive rhythm, which is beneficial for young learners.

Fraley explains, 'This song is a great support for a baby's early language development. The simple lyrics have a calming effect that helps lull babies to sleep, while the rocking motion of the cradling provides comfort and relaxation. The basic language and imagery of the song are also easily understood by babies, although they may not fully comprehend the meaning."

Five Little Speckled Frogs Song

Cocomelon also offers videos that introduce and teach toddlers mathematical concepts. Fraley recommends this video to help toddlers get started with subtraction and number identification skills.

"While the song describes the frogs jumping into the pool one by one, students can learn subtraction in a fun and song-like manner," she says. "The song's repetitious melody and lyrics help early learners to memorize and count with early numbers. Additionally, young learners can improve their early algebraic thinking and gain awareness of spatial recognition. They can also develop sorting skills and learn about one-to-one correspondence."

Yes Yes, Bedtime Song

To help reinforce bedtime routines for toddlers and preschoolers, Fraley recommends this video. "It promotes dental hygiene, bathing, changing into pyjamas, getting in bed and storytime," she explains. "Along the way, the video/song models a teddy bear engaging in the same bedtime routine activities. The lyrics of the song have the children agree and confirm the activities and routines by singing back, "Yes, I want to brush my teeth.'"

Sharing Song

This video is another pick of Fraley's, as she says it's great for strengthening your child's learning skills, as it models prosocial skills like manners and cooperation. "In this song, JJ models sharing various food items off a plate, sharing on the playground and sharing in the classroom," she says. "Sometimes there is not the same number of items for each to share and the song/video models what to do in these instances."

The Stretching and Exercise Song

Fraley also recommends this Cocomelon for encouraging your little one to move. "This song has a catchy beat and rhyme to it, which grabs youngsters' attention and focus throughout," she explains. "The variety of movement is good for light conditioning and the song also promotes following directions and listening, which are important skills for this age group."

FAQs

1. Is Cocomelon educational?

Bertuzzi says that Cocomelon videos can indeed be educational because their content typically focuses on foundational learning concepts. "These include counting, colours, shapes and letters," she explains. "They also incorporate lessons on social skills, manners and emotional development."

2. What age is Cocomelon suitable for?

Some older kids may enjoy watching Cocomelon videos, but Bertuzzi says children between the ages of 2-5 are most suited for Cocomelon. "The show's main characters are under the age of 5, so other shows with more relatable characters that are similar in age are better suited for elementary-aged children," she explains.

3. How much Cocomelon is too much?

While Cocomelon videos can help teach your child ABCs and certain life skills, Bertuzzi says it's important to limit screen time. "It's important to make sure screen time doesn't get in the way of sleep, playtime, or family moments," she recommends. "I'd recommend keeping it to around 30 minutes maximum a day."

4. Why do kids love Cocomelon so much?

Bertuzzi credits Cocomelon's success to the bright, colourful animation that easily grabs kids' attention. She adds, "The catchy songs are also a factor, plus the fact that the characters are relatable to toddlers and young kids."

5. What are the most popular Cocomelon songs?

Cocomelon offers a colourful collection of fun and educational videos that have millions of views. If you're new to Cocomelon, Bertuzzi recommends starting with beloved classics like "Cocomelon Wheels on the Bus" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" — they're sure to get your little ones smiling and learning.

Experts:

• Dr. Kim Langdon Cull is a pediatric expert and advisor at Baby Toddler Kids.
• Addison Arnett, M.Ed., is the enrollment and Strategy Manager at Wonderschool, a child care + early childhood education technology and services platform.
• Theresa Bertuzzi is an expert in early childhood education and is the co-founder of Tiny Hoppers, a chain of early childhood education centers across Canada.
• Elizabeth Fraley is an expert in early childhood education and is the founder of KinderReady Inc., an early childhood education platform based in Santa Monica, California.
• Caitlin Slavens is a registered psychologist and co-founder of Mama Psychologists, an organization dedicated to supporting mothers through the challenges of parenthood.
• Hezekiah Herrera, Ed.D., is a K-12 education specialist and special education teacher based in California.