Cartoonito (American programming block)

Cartoonito (also known as Cartoonito on Cartoon Network) is a programming block that airs on weekday mornings. It premiered on September 13, 2021, on Cartoon Network, and a dedicated section on the streaming service Max. Cartoonito targets a preschool audience around 2 to 6 years old. Cartoonito marks the first dedicated preschool block on Cartoon Network in over fifteen years.

Background
In 1996, Cartoon Network created a Sunday morning block of preschool programs. It featured series such as Big Bag, a live-action/puppet television program by the Children's Television Workshop, Small World, and Cave Kids. However, Big Bag ran until 1998, while Small World ran until 2002. Once Big Bag left Cartoon Network's lineup in 2001, Baby Looney Tunes, along with Pecola, Sitting Ducks, and Hamtaro, filled that space in 2003. The block moved to weekday mornings afterward.

On August 22, 2005, Cartoon Network USA debuted Tickle-U, the network's first official attempt at weekday-morning preschool programming block. The block aired 2 hours from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. It featured domestic and foreign-imported series targeted at preschool-age children like its competitors Nick Jr. (on Nickelodeon) and Playhouse Disney (now Disney Junior on Disney Channel). The hosts were two animated 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 the lineup included Firehouse Tales (the only original series), Gerald McBoing-Boing, Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs (both from Teletoon/Treehouse TV and both co-productions), and British series such as Gordon the Garden Gnome, Little Robots, Peppa Pig and Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!, some of which were re-dubbed for American audiences. The block came under criticized by the CCFC, for its marketing strategies. Tickle-U closed on January 13, 2006; some of its programmings still aired on Cartoon Network until 2007 and as part of the schedule of the British variation of Cartoonito.

Launch
On June 14, 2021, new idents of the block appeared on videos (which includes Esme & Roy, Mush-Mush & the Mushables, Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, and 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. A trailer for the block was released on July 29, 2021.

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. ET/PT) on weekdays and 2 hours (6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. ET/PT) on weekends.

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. The block no longer aired on weekends since January 29, 2022, 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.

On June 6, 2022, the schedule lost another hour (ending at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT) but reverted on September 5. 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.

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
Cartoonito features co-productions and acquired programming, in addition to original series exclusive to the program block on Cartoon Network. Currently, Cartoonito's lineup includes Bugs Bunny Builders, Batwheels, and Jessica's Big Little World; with Sesame Street exclusive to Max.

International
Since its inception, Cartoonito has rolled out 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.