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| logo = Cartoonito - Logo 2021.svg
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2021|9|13}}
| closed_date = {{end date and age|2025|5|23}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Felt |first=Klein |date=2025-05-23 |title=Warner Bros. Just Shut Down a Beloved TV Brand |url=https://thedirect.com/article/warner-bros-tv-brand |access-date=2025-06-02 |language=en}}</ref>
| picture_format = [[1080i]] [[High-definition television|HDTV]]<br />(downscaled to [[Letterboxing (filming)|letterbox]]ed [[480i]] for the [[Standard-definition television|SDTV]] feed)
| network = [[Cartoon Network]]
<!--Please make sure that the Availability section is completely identical to the one for Cartoon Network -->| online_chan_1 = [[YouTube TV]], [[Hulu + Live TV]], [[Sling TV]]
}}
'''Cartoonito''' (also known as '''Cartoonito on Cartoon Network''') wasis an American weekday morning programming block on [[Cartoon Network]] and a content hub within the [[Max (streaming service)|Max]] [[Streaming television|streaming service]] that launched on September 13, 2021 and shut down on May 23, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mercedes |date=August 16, 2021 |title=Cartoonito Pre-K Block Debuts Sept. 13 on HBO Max & Cartoon Network |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/cartoonito-pre-k-block-debuts-sept-13-on-hbo-max-cartoon-network/ |publisher=[[Animation Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Valentine |first=Evan |date=May 23, 2025 |title=Cartoon Network Ends Major Programming Block |url=https://comicbook.com/anime/news/cartoon-network-cartoonito-shut-down/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |publisher=[[ComicBook.com]]}}</ref> It aired series aimed at children aged 2 through 6, and was the first dedicated preschool block to air on Cartoon Network in over fifteen years.
==History==
===Background===
In 1996, [[Cartoon Network]] created a Sunday morning block of preschool programs, consisting of ''[[Big Bag]],'' (a live-action/puppet television program by the [[Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]]), and ''[[Small World (American TV series)|''Small World]]'']], (an anthology of foreign children's shows), and. ''[[CaveBig Kids]]Bag''. However,and ''BigSmall BagWorld'' ranmoved untilto the 11:00 a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|ET]] hour on weekday mornings in 1998, whilebefore ''Smallmoving World''back ranto untilSunday 2002mornings later that year. OnceAfter ''Big Bag'' and ''Small World'' left theCartoon Network's lineup in 2001 and 2002 respectively, itsan spaceunbranded waspreschool filledblock byon weekday mornings consisting of ''[[Baby Looney Tunes]]'', ''[[Pecola (TV series)|Pecola]]'', ''[[Sitting Ducks (TV series)|Sitting Ducks]]'', and ''[[Hamtaro]]'' inwas 2003.created Theduring blockthe moved2002-03 to weekday morningstelevision thereafterseason.
On August 22, 2005, Cartoon Network debuted ''[[Tickle-U]]'', the network's first official attempt at weekday-morning preschool [[Block programming|programming block]]. The block aired from 9 to 11 a.m.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 August 2005 |title=Cartoon Network Unveils 'Tickle U.' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/cartoon-network-unveils-tickle-u |access-date=8 April 2018 |publisher=[[Fox News]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Linn, Susan |date=15 August 2005 |title=Cartoon Network's "Tickle U" Is No Laughing Matter; CCFC Urges Families to Stay Away From New Preschool Programming |url=http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/cartoon-network%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Ctickle-u%E2%80%9D-no-laughing-matter-ccfc-urges-families-stay-away-new-preschool |access-date=8 April 2018 |publisher=Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood |archive-date=July 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708022901/http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/cartoon-network%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Ctickle-u%E2%80%9D-no-laughing-matter-ccfc-urges-families-stay-away-new-preschool |url-status=dead }}</ref> and featured a mix of domestic and foreign-imported series, with interstitial segments hosted by two [[Computer animation|CGI]] characters: a red [[butterfly]]-like creature named Pipoca (voiced by [[Ariel Winter]]) and a yellow [[rabbit]]-like creature named Henderson (voiced by [[Tom Kenny]]).
Programs on Tickle-U included [[Warner Bros. Animation]]'s ''[[Firehouse Tales]]'' (its sole original series), Canadian co-productions ''[[Gerald McBoing-Boing (TV series)|''Gerald McBoing-Boing'']]'' and ''[[Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs]]'' (with [[Teletoon]] and [[Treehouse TV]]), and British series ''[[Gordon the Garden Gnome]]'', ''[[Little Robots]]'', ''[[Peppa Pig]]'' and ''[[Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!]]'', some of which were re-dubbed for American audiences. The block was criticized by the [[Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood|CCFC]], for its marketing strategies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-08 |title=Cartoon Network's "Tickle U" Is No Laughing Matter; CCFC Urges Families to Stay Away From New Preschool Programming {{!}} Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood |url=https://commercialfreechildhood.org/cartoon-network%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Ctickle-u%E2%80%9D-no-laughing-matter-ccfc-urges-families-stay-away-new-preschool |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708022901/https://commercialfreechildhood.org/cartoon-network%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Ctickle-u%E2%80%9D-no-laughing-matter-ccfc-urges-families-stay-away-new-preschool |archive-date=8 July 2017 |access-date=2021-02-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tribune |title=Network hopes to help develop preschoolers' sense of humor |url=https://www.eastvalleytribune.com/get_out/network-hopes-to-help-develop-preschoolers-sense-of-humor/article_5ca943f4-6171-50b7-a954-bb8a4abc6508.html |access-date=2020-12-17 |website=East Valley Tribune |date=October 25, 2005 |language=en}}</ref> Tickle-U ended on January 13, 2006; some of its programs still aired on Cartoon Network until 2007 and in the United Kingdom on [[Cartoonito (British and Irish TV channel)|the native Cartoonito channel]].
===Launch===
On June 14, 2021, Cartoonito's [[YouTube]] channel uploaded videos featuring new [[Station identification|idents]] of the block's appeared on videosprograms (which includesincluded ''[[Esme & Roy]]'', ''Mush-Mush & the Mushables'', ''[[Care Bears: Unlock the Magic]]'', and ''[[Love Monster (British TV series)|Love Monster]]'') on Cartoonito's [[YouTube]] channel, and a newsletter was announced, with a new banner and avatar on the Cartoonito YouTube Channel in July.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrFslqncMIdjD2WfB6pAcEg|title=Cartoonito - YouTube|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref> A trailer for the block was released on July 29, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/|access-date=2021-07-30|website=www.youtube.com|language=en}}</ref><ref name="awn">{{cite news | url=https://www.awn.com/news/cartoonito-debuts-program-trailer-and-sneak-peek-clips | title=Cartoonito Debuts Program Trailer and 'Sneak Peek' Clips | work=Animation World Network | date=July 29, 2021 | accessdate=August 21, 2021}}</ref>
===Scheduling===
On August 16, 2021, the launch date was announced for September 13, 2021; ''[[Baby Looney Tunes]]'' would be the first show to air on the block. The television block initially ran for 8 hours (6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|ET]]/[[Pacific Time Zone|PT]]) on weekdays and 2 hours (6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. ET/PT) on weekends.<ref>{{cite web|last=Milligan|first=Mercedes|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/cartoonito-pre-k-block-debuts-sept-13-no-hbo-max-cartoon-network/|title=Cartoonito Pre-K Block Debuts Sept. 13 on HBO Max & Cartoon Network|publisher=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=August 16, 2021|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}</ref>
The block, originally eight hours in length between 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|ET]]/[[Pacific Time Zone|PT]] weekdays and two hours (6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. ET/PT) on weekends, premiered on September 13, 2021 with an episode of ''[[Baby Looney Tunes]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Milligan|first=Mercedes|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/cartoonito-pre-k-block-debuts-sept-13-no-hbo-max-cartoon-network/|title=Cartoonito Pre-K Block Debuts Sept. 13 on HBO Max & Cartoon Network|publisher=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=August 16, 2021|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}</ref> From there, the block would lose time due to viewer and ratings feedback, with the 1:00 p.m. hour returning to Cartoon Network on November 16 of the same year, then the noon hour on December 20. The weekend schedule was entirely retired on January 29, 2022, followed by the 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon block two days later.<ref>{{Cite web|title="Cocomelon" Joins Cartoon Network's Cartoonito Block – Nickandmore! News|date=January 27, 2022 |url=https://www.nickandmore.com/news/cocomelon-joins-cartoon-networks-cartoonito-block/|access-date=2022-02-03|language=en-US}}</ref>
Through the summer of 2022, the block ended at 11:00 a.m. until the resumption of the academic year on September 5. A month later on October 3, the 6:00 a.m. hour was abandoned for Cartoon Network content, leaving it as a four-hour block going into 2023. It underwent two additional cuts, with 2½ hours removed on March 13 with a new 9:00 a.m. endtime, then another half-hour cut on February 19, 2024, resulting in the block airing for only an hour between 7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m. until its summer hiatus on May 23, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedules |first=CN News/ |title=CN News Schedules |url=https://twitter.com/cnschedules/status/1528532751900676096?lang=en |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>
On November 16, 2021, the weekday schedule decreased to 7 hours (ending at 1:00 p.m. ET/PT). It later lost another hour (ending at 12:00 p.m. ET/PT) on December 20, 2021. On January 29, 2022, the weekend schedule has been retired, while the weekday schedule lost yet another hour (ending at 11:00 a.m. ET/PT), reducing Cartoonito to a total of 5 hours as of January 31, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title="Cocomelon" Joins Cartoon Network's Cartoonito Block – Nickandmore! News|date=January 27, 2022 |url=https://www.nickandmore.com/news/cocomelon-joins-cartoon-networks-cartoonito-block/|access-date=2022-02-03|language=en-US}}</ref>
On September 1, 2025, the block will return from hiatus with it now airing for only half-hour.
On June 6, 2022, the schedule lost another hour (ending at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT) but reverted on September 5.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedules |first=CN News/ |title=CN News Schedules |url=https://twitter.com/cnschedules/status/1528532751900676096?lang=en |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref> However, October 3 marked the first time the start-up changed. Instead of the usual 6 a.m. time slot, Cartoonito would begin at 7 a.m. after a regular Cartoon Network program, retaining its 4 hours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedules |first=CN News/ |title=CN News Schedules |url=https://twitter.com/cnschedules/status/1577123104475578368 |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>
On March 13, 2023, the schedule was reduced from a 4-hour block to a 90-minute block (starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 9:00 a.m. ET/PT).
On February 19, 2024, the schedule was once again reduced from a 90-minute block to a 60-minute block (starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 8:30 a.m. ET/PT).
==Programming==
{{Main|List of programs broadcast by Cartoonito}}
Cartoonito featuresfeatured co-productions and acquired programming, in addition to original series exclusive to the program block on Cartoon Network. Currently, Cartoonito's lineup includesincluded ''[[Bugs Bunny Builders]]'', ''[[Batwheels]]'', and ''[[Jessica's Big Little World]]''; with ''[[Sesame Street]]'' exclusive to Max.
==Related services==
|-
| style="text-align: center; width:200pt;" |'''Cartoonito on Demand'''
|A [[Video on demand|video-on-demand]] service, which launched concurrently in 2021, and iswas available to most subscription-based providers. The service offers select episodes of Cartoonito programming seen on Cartoon Network.
|-
| style="text-align: center; width:200pt;" |'''Cartoonito App'''
{{Main|The Cartoon Network, Inc.}}
Since its inception, Cartoonitoin hasthe rolledUnited States, Cartoonito outrebranded across European territories through various nations and regional feeds. Following its global reintroduction in 2021, the brand has expanded to regions such as Latin America, Africa, and several Asia-Pacific countries.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=February 17, 2021 |title=WarnerMedia Kids & Family to Debut Cartoonito, New Preschool Programming Block Based on Humancentric Learning to Launch this Fall on Cartoon Network and HBO Max |url=https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us/media-release/cartoon-network-9/warnermedia-kids-family-debut-cartoonito-new-preschool-programming-block-based |access-date=February 25, 2021 |website= |publisher=[[WarnerMedia]] |language=en}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Disney Junior]]
* [[Nick Jr. Channel]]
* [[Noggin (brand)|Noggin]]
* [[Universal Kids]]
[[Category:Cartoonito|United States]]
[[Category:2021 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:2025 disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Cartoon Network programming blocks]]
[[Category:Preschool education television networks]]
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