There is nothing wrong, as far as Islam is concerned, in children’s cartoons/videogames and toys. However, it is the responsibility of the parents to be watchful of their children’s behavior and to keep them away from cartoons/games/toys that disseminate violent behavior as well as other bad traits. In addition, the parents should direct their children to use such cartoons/games moderately and link them always to cartoons/games that help spread morality and religiosity to the best of their abilities.
In this context, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, director of the Islamic Center of South Plains, Lubbock, Texas, states the following: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) allowed children to use three-dimensioned models and toys in the form of humans, animals, and birds. The hadith mentions that he came to `A’ishah and she was playing with some toys of that kind (animals, humans, etc.) and one of them was a model of a horse with two wings. He asked her, “Is this really a horse with two wings?” She said, “Don’t you know that Sulaiman had horses with wings?” Thereupon the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) laughed. The hadith is an authentic one and is reported by Al-Bukhari.
therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the use of such toys in his house, and by the same token, we are allowed to use them for our children.
Finally, although the players in the video games or characters in cartoons may look like the real ones, but there is a far cry between the two. In brief, playing video games or watching cartoons is permissible as long as Islamic ethics are considered.