links to German kids programmes?

[picc]

Just looking for some pointers.
I'm English, but DH is German. He speaks to the DCs 99% of the time in German, but we're living in England so, inevitably (?), DS1 (3yo) basically speaks English most of the time.
DS1 doesn't really watch much TV, but when he does, I find little clips on Youtube or whatever: Postman Pat, Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig etc

I'd really like to find some stuff for him to watch in German, but don't know where to start.
Any tips? or names to search for?
He like trains, if that helps! ;-)

(DH is a bit out of touch as hasn't lived in Germany for about a decade and can only remember watching some Sandman programme.....) :)

hmmm, this sounds just like my family (except DS is 5!)

MIL has given us German DVDs - Thomas, Bob the Builder etc. We also found Sesame Street good because it is more educational.

That said, DS has always been ahead of the curve in his speaking and so was always very resistant to speak German (he couldn't make himself understood in the same way) and has only just started showing an interest in German

That's interesting. Thanks :)
Yes, I've got to admit, I'm not worrying too much about the fact he's only speaking English at the moment because, firstly, he's only really been speaking properly and fluently for about 6 months (he's only just 3) and, secondly, he seems to understand everything DH says.
I understand that it makes 'sense' for him to speak in English.
But I want to support the German, and make it as fun as possible. It's such a treat for him to watch TV at the moment, that it'd be great to find some German stuff.
Will search for Thomas and Bob the Builder in German.... good idea

Do you speak German? I don't and DH works long hours so this is a real barrier at the moment.

Have you got any classes you can take him to?

Yes I do, but only a little.
When we're in Germany I 'speak' German (in the loosest sense of the word! ;-) ), and DH often says things to me in German at home.
We also have quite a few German friends that live locally (there's a big university in town, so quite a lot of Europeans living here).
But DS has never watched anything in German, only in English.
I guess I could look for some DVDs or something. We just don't really watch any TV, so it'd never occurred to me before. Thomas the Tank Engine in German would just be ideal! Didn't realise it existed :)

Aha! thanks for the inspiration.
In case anyone searches later and wants something similar, this is a starting point

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thomas+und+seine+freunde&oq=thomas+&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=12479l12479l0l17268l1l1l0l0l0l0l151l151l0.1l1l0

It links to some Thomas episodes in German.

Thanks EverybodysSnowyEyed :)

oops! should've done a better link:

a you tube search for Thomas the Tank Engine in German

www.amazon.de/Thomas-seine-Freunde-große-Entdeckung/dp/B002MPD0KS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1328732324&sr=8-3

they also do the magazines so when he's older if a relative can send it over regular that would be good

It sounds wrong when it's not in a Scouse accent!

:) !! that's what I was just thinking!...

thanks for link...

I use the amazon.de site a lot to get ideas!

I found Thomas didn't work as DD was used to hear it in English and just didn't got the idea of him being able to speak German as well.

Octonauts is running in Germany as well.

We like the DVD Augsburger Puppenkiste, often episodes of 30 minutes or so. Your DH should remember them :-) Otherwise popluar is Petterson & Findus

You could try looking at the Kika-Website, that's the German version of Cbeebies and see what is currently running. Otherwise SuperRTL brings a lot of children programs. But I am not sure if you can see it on the Internet as, like BBC programm, they are regulated by TV license and often have blocks for foreign PCs.

Ah! Brilliant. Will investigate all those...
Will try out 'German Thomas' tomorrow.
Am hoping it'll be fine, as I showed him Peppa Pig in Polish once by mistake (it's the only one I could find with a train in it) and he didn't bat an eyelid! (??)

Hey,

if it doesn't have to have trains in it I can recommend "Bibi Blocksberg" and "Benjamin Bluemchen", "Pumuckl"... Your husband could have a look on www.kika.de/scripts/fernsehen/a_z/index.cfm ... There are many German children programmes listed.

Brilliant. Thanks. Will have a look at these.
I think I could try showing him something without trains in ;) I just didn't know where to start.
These are a useful starting point, thanks :)

Die Sendung mit dem Maus is good, Gustav (a dog) is lovely, and have a look at www.toggolino.de for infos around the most popular characters (including Thomas and Chuggington).

Just seen this. Thanks :) Will investigate...

For longer things buy DVDs on amazon.de - they'll often have the English soundtrack too whilst English versions mostly don't bother with the German. That way you can enjoy both languages.

My daughter loves "Findet Nemo", and I'll get her Das letzte Einhorn soon, too.

We like watching Sesamstrasse on youtube, the Count singing about bones in German is her favourite:

Sendung mit der Maus website is good.
Songs on YouTube - e.g. Hoerst du die Regenwuermer husten - there are lots ...
Die Schluempfe
Fairy tale movies - Die Sieben Geisslein, Tischlein deck dich
Can't think of any more right now.

Early Start Languages sell the German Hungry Caterpillar in book and DVD format, which would be perfect for little ones! It is also available in French and Spanish too.

Programmes that the DC used to watch on KiKa when they were younger:

Die Sendung mit der Maus
Biena Maja
Jim Knopf (complete with that great Prinzen soundtrack) - very good for train fan as Lukas is a train driver and the train is called Emma!
Momo (book written by Michael Ende)
Nils Holgersson
Petersson und Findus (great books too)
Pippi Langstrumpf
Der kleine König
Lauras Stern (unbearably middle class and possibly less interesting for boys)
Vicki der Vikinger (also two films released recently). Vicki is a boy!
Benjamin Blümchen

The great thing about the Sandmann is comparing the East German and West German versions!

The KiKa website is quite good and has back episodes of some programmes.

I can also recommend as a radio station Radio Teddy, which is Berlin based but available digitally. Lots of German kids' music (yuk), aimed at 3 to 10 yo, also simple news aimed at kids.

Films in cinema:
Bibi Blocksberg
Briefe von Felix, also as TV series
Hände weg von Mississipi (and anything by Cornlia Funke, but more for older kids)