Večerníček – A Czech Bedtime Classic
- TC
- 24. 8. 2025
- Minut čtení: 3
If you grew up in the Czech Republic, chances are you remember sitting in front of the TV in your pyjamas, waiting for the familiar music and the little paper-boy to throw his letters in the air. Večerníček is a short animated (or sometimes live-action) bedtime story for children, broadcast on Czech Television since 1965. The opening sequence — unchanged for decades — has become an iconic part of Czech culture.
The name Večerníček literally means “little evening story” and refers to a 7–10 minute programme shown just before children’s bedtime. The tradition started in black-and-white, but the idea was always the same: a gentle, wholesome story to end the day.
Famous Fairy Tales from Večerníček
Here are some of the most loved series:
Krkonošské pohádky (Giant Mountains Fairy Tales) – Stories of the mountain spirit Krakonoš, protecting nature and punishing the greedy Trautenberk.
Krkonošské pohádky Krtek (The Little Mole) – Possibly the most famous Czech animated character worldwide, created by Zdeněk Miler. => READING
Bob a Bobek – Two rabbits living in a magician’s hat, travelling and getting into comic adventures.
Jája a Pája – Two little boys and their uncle, living in a small Czech village.
Jája a Pája Káťa a Škubánek – A girl and her talking dog having small adventures.
Mach a Šebestová – Two schoolchildren with a magic phone receiver.
Rákosníček – A green water sprite who lives in a pond.
Pohádky z mechu a kapradí (Fairy Tales from Moss and Fern) – Tiny forest creatures Křemílek and Vochomůrka.
Maxipes Fík – A giant, talking dog with a big heart.
O loupežníku Rumcajsovi – A kind-hearted robber and his family.
MY FAVOURITE:
Bubáci a hastrmani - It is accompanied by Lada's drawings and nicely depicts Czech cultural customs.
Why Večerníček is Great for Learning Czech
Večerníček isn’t just for kids — it’s also an excellent resource for Czech language learners:
Short length – Only a few minutes per episode, perfect for daily practice.
Clear pronunciation – Most are narrated slowly and distinctly.
Repetition – Children’s series often repeat key vocabulary and phrases.
Cultural insight – You’ll learn Czech traditions, humour, and values.
Nostalgia boost – If you talk to Czech people about Večerníček, you instantly have a conversation starter.
How to Learn Czech with Večerníček
Watch with subtitles – Start with Czech subtitles to connect spoken and written forms. Thanks to automatically created subtitles, a lot more films and fairy tales in Czech are now available for students.
Repeat key lines – Pause and mimic pronunciation.
Make a vocabulary list – Focus on everyday words and phrases.
Retell the story – Practice summarising in Czech. You can record yourself, listen to it after and even correct it with your teacher.
Watch the same episode twice – Once for general understanding, once for details. It’s short, and if you have kids, you can all watch it together.
Where to Find Večerníček
Czech Television iVysílání – Official archive: https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/vecernicek
YouTube – Many episodes are uploaded by Czech Television or fans. See the list below.
DVD collections – Popular in Czech bookstores and online shops.
Libraries – Larger city libraries in the Czech Republic often have DVD sets to borrow.
Let me know in the comments which one is your favourite. :)
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