In “Ladybug Festival,” Kai-lan and her friends are hiking through the woods to the big Ladybug Festival.  Tolee knows the way, but Rintoo and Hoho talk so loudly that they can’t hear Tolee tell them which path to take.  A frustrated Tolee refuses to continue hiking with his friends.  Kai-lan and the viewer must help Rintoo and Hoho listen to Tolee so they don’t miss the festival filled with ladybug bumper cars, popsicles and a special ladybug fan dance.  

The episode will air at 8 p.m.

The month features the premiere of a new episode of Wow Wow Wubbzy titled A Great and Grumpy Holiday/The Super-Special Gift. In the episode Wubbzy and his friends go up to Mt. Zubba Bubba to get a Christmas tree for Wuzzleburg Square and are chased off the property by Old Man Grumpus.  Wubbzy sets out to soften Grumpus’ heart by decorating the perfect tree to surprise him. Grumpus is still as mad as a hornet until he sees Wubbzy’s present: his very own small-scale train.  The humbugger is so delighted that he brings the decorated tree down to Wuzzleburg for the big Christmas celebration.

The complete schedule follows:

December 5th

9:00 a.m. The Backyardigans “The Yeti”

9:30 a.m. Go, Diego, Go! “Diego the Hero”

10:00 a.m. The Wonder Pets! “Save the Penguin”

10:30 a.m. Dora the Explorer “South Pole”

11:00 a.m. Ni Hao, Kai-lan “The Snowiest Ride”

11:30 a.m. Max & Ruby “Max’s Mix Up/Max’s Snow Bunny/Max’s Snow Day”

12:00 pm. Dora the Explorer “Dora Saves the Snow Princess”

1:00 p.m. The Backyardigans “The Yeti”

1:30 p.m. Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! “A Great and Grumpy Holiday/The Super-Special Gift” (premiere)

December 12th

9:00 a.m. The Backyardigans “Secret of Snow”

9:30 a.m. Go, Diego, Diego! “Diego Saves Christmas

10:00 a.m. The Wonder Pets! “Save the Nutcracker”

10:30 a.m. Dora the Explorer “A Present for Santa”

11:00 a.m. Max & Ruby “Max & Ruby’s Christmas Tree/Grandma’s Present/Max & Ruby’s Snow Plow”

11:30 a.m. Yo Gabba Gabba “Christmas”

12:00 p.m. Dora the Explorer “South Pole”

12:30 p.m. Go, Diego, Diego! “Diego Saves Christmas”

1:00 p.m. The Backyardigans “Secret of Snow”

1:30 p.m. Wow Wow Wubbzy! “O Figgity-Fig Tree/Snow Day”

December 19th

9:00 a.m. The Backyardigans “The Snow Fort”

9:30 a.m. Go, Diego, Go! “Macky the Macaroni Penguin”

10:00 a.m. The Wonder Pets! “Save the Reindeer”

10:30 a.m. Dora the Explorer “South Pole”

11:00 a.m. Ni Hao, Kai-lan “The Snowiest Ride”

11:30 a.m. Yo Gabba Gabba “Christmas”

12:00 p.m. Dora the Explorer “A Present for Santa”

12:30 p.m. Go, Diego, Go! “Macky the Macaroni Penguin”

1:00 p.m. The Backyardigans “The Snow Fort”

1:30 p.m. Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! “A Great and Grumpy Holiday/The Super-Special Gift”

The show aimed at 2 to 5 year olds focuses on a five year old girl named Kai-lan. The series explores the colorful aspects of her upbringing and background, and her relationships with family, friends, and the world around her.

The characters of the show include:

• YeYe:  YeYe is Kai-lan’s grandpa.  He provides her with guidance, but let’s her find her own answers while he learns from her as well.
• Rintoo:  Rintoo is a five year old tiger who loves to play with his best friend Kai-lan.  He is impulsive with much bravado but also sweet and caring.
• Tolee:  Tolee is a koala who always puts his friends first.  He sometimes worries too much, but can’t wait to be part of games and activities.
• Hoho:  A three year old monkey is the youngest of Kai-lan’s friends.  He loves to be the center of attention.
• Lulu:  The oldest of the group, Lulu is a six year old pink rhino who loves to dance and is eager to help out.

Preschoolers will learn many mandarin words and phrases, as well as how to deal with issues such as taking turns, disappointment and jealousy.

The initial season has 20 episodes.

More on Ni Hao Kai-lan:

Review: ‘Ni Hao, Kai-lan’ like Mandarin Dora

Being authentic is admirable, but whether “Ni Hao, Kai-lan” succeeds or not depends less on that or even the “emotional intelligence curriculum” than it does on whether the 2-t0-5 demo finds Kai-lan and friends entertaining. It may be visually pleasing and sweet at its heart – good and good for you, as they say – but if Kai-lan, Rintoo, Tolee, Hoho, Lulu and Gramps can’t set the hook in those kids from Kansas, this series will be forgotten faster than the French you learned in high school.

Chinese-speaking Kai-lan joins network who teaches little kids Spanish with Dora, Diego

For anyone interested in China, “Ni Hao, Kai-lan” is a dramatic illustration of how much Chinese culture — like Irish, German, Italian and so many other immigrant cultures before it — is not only present in America but is part of us. That’s part of why Jade-Lianna Gao Peters, the 11-year-old Milwaukee girl who voices Kai-lan, is excited about what American kids unfamiliar with Chinese culture can glean from the show.