Why Dutch children’s television, children’s radio, and podcasts can help your expat child speak Dutch
When your child learns Dutch at an (online) language school or with a tutor, the most important thing is that he can use the language right away. Immersion in Dutch will speed up his learning process considerably.
This can be done in various ways, such as playgroups, hobby and sports clubs, and participating in as many Dutch social events as possible.
One way is to know the proper programs your child can watch and listen to in Dutch. We often get questions from parents within our online Dutch school about suitable and, of course, fun programs.
Dutch Children’s Television: Popular Programmes for Expat Children
This blog has created a varied overview of the most well-known programs in this field. Of course, we are not exhaustive, and we would appreciate it if you could give us a tip.
Below, the programs are arranged by age. A disclaimer is that I advise every parent to look at the links for themselves first. Every child is different, and so is every parenting. I think it is essential that you check if the link fits your child.
This overview is followed by some valuable tips on watching and listening interactively to make this experience even more educational for your child or youngster. Don’t miss these!.
Best Dutch Children’s Television Programmes for Expat Children (By Age)
We have made a selection of Dutch children’s and youth programs on television, most of which you can also watch online.
1. Dutch children’s television for expats: preschoolers, toddlers, up to 4 years old
Popular, well-chosen Dutch programmes for toddlers (ages 1–4) are designed for young children. They usually have a calm pace, lots of repetition and simple visuals, which makes them ideal for early language exposure. You can find many of these programmes on NPO Zappelin and on platforms such as Netflix and YouTube.
Well-known favourites such as Nijntje, Bumba, Het Zandkasteel, Sesamstraat and Woezel & Pip fit perfectly with a toddler’s world. They gently support Dutch language development, while also helping children recognise emotions and learn basic everyday skills.
Below, you’ll find a practical overview of some lovely Dutch TV programmes for toddlers.
Calm, educational and playful Dutch TV for toddlers
Watching Dutch TV together can be a low-pressure way to expose your child to the language — even if you don’t speak Dutch yourself. Below you’ll find a practical overview of Dutch TV programmes for toddlers (ages 1–4), grouped by style, with age guidance and parent tips.
Calm & Educational
NPO Zappelin / Zappelin.nl: ideal for early Dutch exposure!
Het Zandkasteel (2–4 years)
Simple conversations and everyday situations support early Dutch vocabulary and social-emotional development.
Parent tip: You don’t need to translate — just watch and point to objects or repeat key words.
Sesamstraat (2–4 years)
A classic with short sketches focusing on language, numbers and emotions.
Parent tip: Even one short segment is enough — no need to watch a full episode.
Tik Tak (1–3 years)
Very calm and visual, with little spoken language. Great for focus and routine moments.
Parent tip: Ideal if your child is easily overstimulated.
Nijntje (1–3 years)
Clear language about colours, shapes and numbers in a familiar world.
Parent tip: Repetition is a strength here — toddlers love recognising patterns.
Woezel & Pip (2–4 years)
Gentle stories about friendship and feelings.
Parent tip: Afterwards, name emotions in your own language — emotional understanding transfers easily.
Interactive & Cheerful
More movement, music and humour
Bumba (1–2.5 years)
Bright, playful and highly repetitive — perfect for first Dutch sounds and words.
Parent tip: Short viewing moments work best.
Buurman & Buurman (3–4 years)
Funny problem-solving stories are often enjoyed by slightly older toddlers.
Parent tip: Ask simple questions like “What went wrong?” — even in English.
Op stap met Dirk Scheele (2–4 years)
Songs and language are combined in a relaxed, engaging way.
Parent tip: Singing along (even imperfectly) really helps language confidence.
Brandweerman Sam (3–4 years)
More adventurous stories are often a hit with children who want a bit more action.
Parent tip: A great stepping stone before primary-school-age content.
Thematic & Development-Focused
Stories, books and imagination
Dropje (2–4 years)
Short stories that introduce new words and everyday themes.
Parent tip: Pause occasionally and let your child react — comprehension comes before speaking.
Kikker en zijn vriendjes (2–4 years)
Calm animations based on books by Max Velthuijs, focusing on emotions and friendships.
Parent tip: If you can find the books (even in English), combine reading and watching.
Dikkie Dik (1.5–3 years)
Short, story-like episodes that feel similar to being read to.
Parent tip: Ideal before bedtime or quiet moments.
A note on screen time: Many of these Dutch programmes are available ad-free via the Zappelin app or website, which is highly recommended for young children. Calm, intentional screen time supports language learning far better than fast-paced, commercial content.
2. Dutch children’s television for ages 4-6 years
Zappelin, Zapp, and Schooltv have many suitable episodes and videos. The first two websites allow you to search by episode. The third website allows you to search by age: ideal.
3. Dutch children’s television for ages 7-12
These websites also have multiple search functions. The Youth News has a current daily broadcast that you can watch back reasonably quickly.
Get the list of Summer Videos for children ages 6 – 10 via this link.
4. Dutch children’s television for 13-16 years
5. Dutch children’s television for 16-18 years
Dutch children’s television and radio: Dutch children’s radio online
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Ages 4-6:
Ages 7-12:
For ages 13-16:
Age 16-18 years:
Dutch children’s Kinderpodcasts for expat children
Overview from several podcasts.
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Suitable for 4-6 years:
Podcasts for the youngest children.
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Age 7-12 years:
For children from the age of 7 years.
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From 13-16 years:
16-18 years:
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You can learn a lot from youngsters of this age. If your children are not yet proficient enough in Dutch, you can look at the links from an age back or check out these links for adults..
Adults.
- 5 minuten Nederlands B1+
- Waar komt de pindakaas vandaan?
- Een beetje Nederlands B1 +
- Nieuws in makkelijk Nederlands
- NPO Kennis
- Videos from Bart de Pau
Dutch children’s television: Encouraging language development
7 tips in Dutch children’s television, children’s radio, and podcasts
Now you have a selection of high-quality programs to watch and listen to. When you let your child watch and listen to these alone, quite a lot happens to the child. But you will see that a lot can happen precisely in the interaction while watching and listening.
Seven tips for even more immersion and language development
- Choose a video, story, news item, etc., that matches your child’s interests.
- Look ahead (briefly) yourself and formulate a viewing or listening question for children with little vocabulary, a simple question to answer. A yes-no question or multiple-choice question (answers) lends itself well to this. The more advanced the Dutch, the more elaborate the question may be, so the child will tell more.
Texts available
- Note that items on SchoolTV and Jeugdjournaal sometimes contain nice ‘teaching material’ or text. As a parent, you can, of course, use this.
- Search Google for themes covered in a story or video that match your child’s age. For example, Bevrijdingsdag kinderen 10 jaar. Of literally tekst of vragen bij Bevrijdingsdag voor kinderen van 10 jaar.
Questions
- Actively ask questions about what you see or hear. For example, about the characters and events. For example, does the main character look happy or not? Why not? What can you tell? Also, try to ask open questions: how do you think the story ends? And when the story is over, or the item is finished, what do you think of it? And why?
Words
- Explain difficult words briefly, or write them down briefly so you can talk about them later. Having your own vocabulary is a godsend. Your child can use this at any time: while reading, watching TV, or listening to stories.
Processing
- After the video, the item, the story, etc., provides processing. Think of making a drawing about the story or item. You can also do crafts together. Afterwards, talk together about what was made. What things from the story or item recur? Why does this drawing or craft fit the story? For the older children, you can think of their own newspaper, in which they create one article about what they have seen or listened to. You can move from highly visual to more text-based as the child progresses in their Dutch.
Learn more about the importance of immersion!
Dutch children’s television is a powerful and accessible way to support Dutch language development for expat children. When combined with interaction, repetition and curiosity, television, radio and podcasts become much more than screen time; they become language input that truly sticks. Especially for international families who do not speak Dutch at home, this form of immersion can make a real difference.
If your child is learning or maintaining Dutch, see this link to our article if you want to know more about the importance of immersion in Dutch.
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