Everyone has a bedtime routine: eat dinner, take a shower, put on some pajamas, brush your teeth, and finally hop into bed to relax. For people from the Czech Republic, especially kids, their bedtime routine is never complete without Večerniček. This is a children’s bedtime story show showcasing a character in the intro and outro called Večerniček. It always plays before seven o’clock and features one ten-minute long story. Večerniček was created by a team, drawn by Radek Pilař and animated by Antonín Bureš, the music composed by Ladislav Simon, and the show directed by Václav Bedřich. This group collaborated with many other talented authors, leading today to the wide selection of stories Večerniček offers.

The beloved character, Večerniček, is portrayed as a young boy with blue hair, sporting a shirt, yellow pants, and shoes, with his signature triangle paper hat made from newspaper. The intro to Večerniček shows the boy going through the night sky using a variety of different types of transportation while throwing pages left and right, symbolizing that there is a story about to be told. Right from there is where the ten-minute bedtime story begins, culminating with Večerniček making an appearance once more to say “Dobrou noc!” which means “Good night!” in English.

One popular kid’s cartoon that was broadcasted on Večerniček is “Maxipes Fík”, created by Václav Bedřich, about a dog who grows to be very large causing “terror’ on the neighborhood, but inside he is a truly kind and caring animal who ends up venturing out in the world with the help of his family. Another popular cartoon was called “Bob a Bobek” which is made by multiple people but directed by Václav Bedřich, Miroslav Walter, and Ivo Hejcman. The show follows the adventures of two rabbits that live in a magician’s hat. Next up on the list is “Mach a Šebestová” which is written by Miloš Macourek and Jaroslav Doubrava and illustrated by Adolf Born. This cartoon shared stories about two children, Mach and Šebestová, who possess a magical phone that fulfills their wishes, taking them anywhere and allowing them to encounter interesting situations. Lastly, another very good and popular story broadcasted on Večerníček is Krteček by Zdeněk Miler. This cartoon is very widely known and may be the most popular. Krteček showcases stories about a little mole who experiences a variety of adventures with his woodland friends in the forest and several other places. Krtek became a major cultural symbol of the Czech Republic and is known in households worldwide.

With the help of these collaborators providing their diverse cartoons, Večerniček remains the longest broadcasted show in the Czech Republic. Večerniček also claims its importance in gaining cult status and becoming a part of the Czech cultural heritage and the nation’s identity. Večerniček is the bedtime routine for not only children but everyone in the Czech Republic.

Written by: Lucy Vanecko

Works Cited

Petra. “Večerníček - Czech Bedtime Stories.” Czechology, 17 Feb. 2025, www.czechology.com/vecernicek-czech-bedtime-stories/.

Romandash, Written by Anna, et al. “Long Live Večerníček: The Enduring Appeal of a 55-Year-Old Czech Children’s Television Show.” Global Voices, 2 Jan. 2020, globalvoices.org/2020/01/02/long-live-vecernicek-the-enduring-appeal-of-a-55-year-old-czech-childrens-television-show/.

“Vecernicek Celebrates 40 Years.” Radio Prague International, 7 Apr. 2021, english.radio.cz/vecernicek-celebrates-40-years-8629790.