I’m trying to learn French and to keep me motivated I’m trying to teach my toddler French, too. Well I do my best, but I also have him hang out with other people who ACTUALLY speak French and we incorporate French TV and music time almost daily. I can’t say that he’s picking it up at the same rate as English, but he does know a handful of phrases and words like: “Ca va”, “a bientot”, “au revoir”, “chapeau” and “cerf volant”. And at 18 months, I think that’s just fine. If you’re trying to make French part of your little monkey’s daily routine and are searching for the best resources for French for toddlers, here are the shows that we like to queue up on YouTube. You can also follow the Metro Mom Club French Learning Video Playlist to stay up on my latest finds.

Petit Ours Brun – Our first love. This was recommended to me by a woman who I almost hired as a French tutor but she was too busy building her house and funk DJ empire here in NYC. Ah, living in Williamsburg is such a funny thing sometimes. But, she said this was a great learning tool and I agree. Pace can sing along with half of the intro song, now. We like to watch this hour long compilation (usually just the first few episodes) over and over to help him understand the dialog. One episode also repeats but I don’t mind it. I think the repetition is tres importante!

TroTro – The loveable little donkey, TroTro, and his family and friends make learning French simple and fun. And, the theme song will have your tot bopping along in no time. The episodes are only 2 minutes long which makes this a perfect fit for the youngest French students. This compilation is great to just leave on in the background while your little one plays by himself. Or, we’ll sit down and watch a couple of the episodes together. My little guy actually asks to “regarde TroTro” every day. J’adore ca!

Peppa Pig – Full of simple language and expressive, active scenarios, this show makes it easy to learn vocabulary and conversation. I would even recommend this to adult French learners if they aren’t put off by cartoons. This compilation is about 40 minutes but, as always, watch however many minutes you’d like. You may find your little one asking for more because these little piggies are pretty likeable and interesting!

Samsam – Possibly for a slightly older toddler/kid set but worth the mention. The theme song will have parents wanting to watch again and the wacky characters and far out adventures will keep both parents and kids engaged. This is definitely for more advanced French learners, but worth keep bookmarked for when that day arrives. It’ll be here before you know it!

We also like to play this CD of Songs in French for Children during playtime or lunch time. Sur le Pont D’Avignon is a family favorite!