CPTV's National Children's Shows

Now in its 11th season on PBS, Barney & Friends has become a bona fide PBS classic children’s series. Barney, the lovable purple dinosaur and his young friends share adventures featuring songs, dances and games that make learning fun for children. Barney and his dino-pals -- Baby Bop, BJ and Riff -- are joined by a cast of children.

CPTV’s own Larry Rifkin discovered this little-known video series in 1990 and brought it to PBS in 1992.

Bob the Builder is a stop-frame, animated series aimed at preschoolers (two- to five-year-olds). In each episode, Bob and his can-do machine crew tackle a challenging project and finish with a job well done. Along the way, they learn lessons about the value of a positive attitude, problem-solving, and teamwork. Plus, Bob’s “Project Build-It” series introduces concepts of environmental preservation and “green” building to young children.

Each episode follows the adventures of Bob and his machines: Scoop the leader/digger, Muck the digger/dumper, Dizzy the cement mixer, Lofty the crane and Roley the steamroller. Bob’s business partner, Wendy, and Pilchard the cat also help out in the builder’s yard. Other characters include Farmer Pickles, his tractor Travis, and the naughty scarecrow Spud – who is always up to mischief.

Thomas & Friends is a timeless public television series based on the much-loved books by Reverend W. Awdry. Set on the imaginary island of Sodor, the show follows the adventures of Thomas, a cheeky little Tank Engine. Each half-hour features three separate stories focusing on the seven original engines: Thomas, Edward, James, Gordon, Percy, Henry and Toby, plus Emily, the first female steam engine – all under the watchful eye of Sir Topham Hatt, the manager of the Sodor Railway. At the end of each program, the engines are “roll-called” in a musical finale featuring their very own team song.

Thomas’s world is an idealized place with a strong community ethos typified by a universal willingness to embrace good manners, hard work and a desire to be “really useful.” The themes are reinforced by unique graphics, live-action interstitials and songs. The audience empathizes with the hopes, fears, aspirations, achievements and conflicts that the engines experience.

Based on the popular novels by Bonnie Bryant, The Saddle Club follows the dramatic adventures of young girls and their horses. Set amidst the excitement of the equestrian world, each episode takes teen friends Stevie (Sophie Bennett), Carole (Keenan MacWilliam) and Lisa (Lara Marshall) on a journey of personal discovery and growth. As if pressures from the stables, caring for their horses, school, baby-sitting and parents aren’t enough, the threesome are beginning to notice boys for the first time.

CPTV thanks Norwalk-based Docere Palace Studios for its important role in bringing The Saddle Club to American audiences. Docere Palace Studios is a partner of CPTV and The Saddle Club.

Angelina Ballerina is a little mouse who yearns to become a prima ballerina, and through her quest to learn dance, she meets many friends and has many adventures. British actress Finty Williams brings Angelina to life, and Finty’s mother, Academy Award-winning actress Judi Dench, voices Miss Lilly, Angelina’s mentor and dance instructor.

This 13-part children’s television series features a colorful world of loveable puppet characters, irresistible music and laugh-out loud fun to promote safe and healthy habits for kids ages three to seven. SeeMore’s Playhouse is a place where SeeMore and his friends - Basil Wombat, Lottie Lamb, Barb Porcupine, Shades the Wolf, Penny Pup, and Harry Hippo - gather to talk, play, and learn important lessons about growing up safe and healthy.

The information conveyed on SeeMore’s Playhouse reflects the real-life safety and health issues of little ones today and helps children feel self-confident and empowered. The series promotes a wide range of health and safety issues, including fire, bicycle, poison, water, and playground safety, as well as exercise, nutrition, and self-esteem.