A couple months ago we came across Magic School Bus while looking for something different. After watching the first episode, it quickly became one of my 5 year old son’s favorites. He is a big fan of science and nature, and the stories and settings are very engaging and accessible.
For those unfamiliar with the premise, Ms. Frizzle takes her elementary school class on adventures in a magical school bus. The bus can shrink, grow, and pretty much accomplish anything (ala Rocket on Little Einsteins). The curriculum was largely science based with adventures looking at friction, germs, and the oxygenation of blood. The show aired for four 13 episode seasons from 1994 through 1998 on PBS.
Ms Frizzle was voiced by Lily Tomlin, and Malcom Jamal Warner had a recurring role as the show’s animated producer. Other guest voices included Ed Asner, Rita Moreno, Dan Marino, and Alex Trebek. The catchy, upbeat theme song is peformed by Little Richard.
While the show is aimed at the older preschool/kindergarten set, it does provide a nice change of pace if you’ve had your fill of Nick, Noggin, and Playhouse Disney. The show airs on Discovery Kids weekdays at 7:00am, 1:00pm, and 1:30pm.
For more information:
Scholastic Web Page
Discovery Kids Magic School Bus Page
Wikipedia Entry
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With the Frizz?! No way!
Just kidding. Actually, I quite enjoyed this show and it’s neat that it lives on with Discovery Kids.