If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Angela Santomero and Samantha Freeman are the creators of Super WHY. The duo worked together on Blue’s Clues and wanted to take that show’s emphasis on educational research and do the same thing with Super WHY!. The two learned from Rosemarie Truglio, the VP of education and research for Sesame Street.

“This show is designed to be education, whereas some shows use research more for appeal,” explains Freeman. “Appeal is also part of our goal; but it’s there to help them learn.”

Taking Reading to New Heights

Share This

Blue’s Room has had 5 half hour specials, but the first season debuted in 2007,

Season 1 - 2007 - 10 Episodes

1. Blue’s Farm Playdate: Blue and Sprinkles help Old McDonald by taking care of his farm animals while he’s away.
2. Shape Detectives: Blue, Sprinkles, and Joe are play detective to help Roar E. Saurus find the shapes from his painting
3. Masterpiece Museum: The playroom transforms into an art museum to house the works of Polka Dot’s friends.
4. Away Great Playdate: Blue and Sprinkles learn about transportation when they return a hat to a friend.
5. Music Stars: Blue and Sprinkles create a music act.
6. Sprinkles Sleepover: It’s bedtime and Sprinkles can’t fall asleep.
7. Little Red Riding Blue: The wolf (Joe) is trying to get Blue and Sprinkles’ banana bread in this variation of Little Red Riding Hood
8. Knight of the Snack Table: King Joe has 4 missing dragons so Blue and Sprinkles go on a quest to help him, and earn a coat of arms.
9. Mathstronauts: It’s time to blast off, but blue and Sprinklkes need to find the missing countdown numbers.
10. World Travelers: Sprinkles needs to travel the world to find 3 keys to open an amazing suitcase.

Share This

Children’s Media Consultant takes a look at Hi-5 and generally likes what she sees:

When executed successfully, the meter and rhymes inherent in songs can grab the attention of young viewers and encourage them to participate with what is occurring on screen. Refrains give further chances for viewers to grasp educational messaging. All of this is not only present in Hi-5 but an integral part of its storyline and structure.

While I’m not a big fan of the show myself, my kids get their days started watching. And if it comes down to Hi-5 or the Wiggles, I’d just assume it be Hi-5.

Share This

Jack’s Big Music Show will premiere it’s second season on January 6th with the episode Snow Day.

The episode follows the same format as the first season. Jack and Mary are already for a Hawaiian Beach Party. Only Mel’s sand machine breaks and instead the clubhouse is filled with snow. Even when Mel gets the machine ot stop making snow, the gang need the help of Prudence (who you’ll remember as the Music Genie from season 1) to get rid of the snow by way of song.
(more…)

Share This

In an interview in the New York Post Shane and David indicated that they might not do a second sason.

Doing more episodes “is a big question for us,” says Dundas. “We’re really not kid’s entertainers and the last thing I want is to be boxed into any particular area. There are enough Wiggles out there.”

The article goes on to say that Nickelodeon will make a final decision in February about the show’s future.
Upside Down Show

Share This

There’s lots of Go Diego Go news from Nick Jr. First, the station announced that production is beginning on a 3rd season of the show. The new season will have 20 episodes including 2 hour long specials.

A new episode, titled Great Jaguar Rescue will premiere Monday, January 15 at 9:30am with a repeat showing at 11:30am. The premiere of the show will also mark the release of the DVD by the same name featuring that episode and 3 others.

And for even more Great Jaguar Rescue stuff, beginning January 5th there will be a new Go Diego Go game on NickJr.com.

All of this is leading up to the launch of Go, Diego, Go Live! The Great Jaguar Rescue . The national tour kicks off February 1st in Louisville, Kentucky.

Share This

Sam Moran, the former understudy who is assuming Greg Page’s spot in the Wiggles will continue to wear the yellow shirt. Murray Cook, the red Wiggle, said they decided to keep the color the same because kids wouldn’t notice the change.

“Children tend to center on one thing, so if he’s wearing the yellow skivvy [shirt], he’s got black hair — he’s pretty much Greg,” Cook said.

Share This

On September 8th, 1996 Blue’s Clues made it’s debut on Nickelodeon. Flash forward 10 years and Blue’s Clues is still going strong. To celebrate the event, there will be a special hour long prime time episode where Blue get’s a new baby brother.

The episode titled Meet Blue’s Baby Brother will premiere on Sunday August 6th at 8:00pm. It will be replayed the following day at 10:00am on Nick Jr. and 2:00pm on Noggin.

The episode features everything that parents and kids have come to expect from Blue’s Clues. The show begins at a party in Blue’s Room. The party is to celebrate the arrival of Blue’s new baby brother. But to find the new dog, Joe and Blue skidoo to Puppyville. While there they befriend a shy puppy named Sprinkles and they go on a hunt for special Gold Clues that will help Blue find her brother. Along the way Sprinkles (and viewers) learn about letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. After each lesson sprinkles earns more spots and the audience learns more clues. By the end, not only has Sprinkles learned a ton, he also has more confidence. He can do anything, that he wants to do.

During a time when new preschool shows are being debuted all the time, Blue’s Clues has remained a constant for a decade. Researchers have found that Blue’s Clues vieweers were more adept at concepts such as sequencing, matching and numerous other skills. Viewers also demonstrated abilities to apply problem solving strategies from the show to similar tasks later on.

In addition to the hour long episode, Nickelodeon is celebrating in other ways. A documentary Behind the Clues: 10 Years with Blue debuted on July 27th and will be shown on August 6th preceding the prime time special. It is also available at NickJr.com. Also, the first season of Blue’s Clues is available for download from iTunes.

Share This

Melanie Martinez, host of The Good Night Show was fired after she let her bosses know about her work in spoofs called The Technical Virgin. 

PBS kids’ show host gets fired for appearing in raunchy Web video | News.blog | CNET News.com

Share This

Miffy and Friends will be featured in an exhibit at the Chicago Children’s Musuem. The exhibit features Miffy’s house and garden, a puppet theater, and a school area with crafts and reading tables. The exhibit is currently open and will run until September 4th.

Share This