My Week with On Demand: English and Spanish

Images from HolaSproutitos.com

On September 26, 2005, a new nighttime programming block debuted on the then-recently launched PBS Kids Sprout channel. The block featured host Melanie Martinez (who was fired for two PSAs she previously appeared in), Hush the Goldfish, and a "Helping Hand" who told stories, played games, made crafts, and introduced shows from 6PM to 9PM during The Good Night Show. Star, Lucy the Firefly, Leo (Noel MacNeal), and Nina (Michele Lepe) were all later introduced as time went on - Star was introduced shortly before the Martinez PSA scandal. Each night, Nina and Star met a different theme through songs, stories, games, crafts, stretches, constellations, and artwork. In 2009, there was controversy about the block keeping kids awake, when President Sandy Wax said it was a tool to help parents get their kids ready for bed. The Good Night Show was popular with viewers and their parents for years, and proved that television can be a tool to help get kids ready for bed. It was Sprout's longest running block, going on for eleven years until it was moved on demand in March 2017.

With its wide success, it was no surprise that Sprout was making a sequel series for on-demand. This new series would help Spanish-speaking kids learn English and vice versa.

¡Hola Sproutitos! premiered on Sprout on Demand on Time Warner Cable in either 2009 or 2010, and starred Nina, Lucy, and some real kids. The theme song was sung in both English and Spanish using words for movement actions in both languages. The intro was made by Trace Pictures, who also made Sprout's other intros at the time.

Image from Facebook

At the beginning of each show, a Spanish guitar riff would be heard and Nina, in a park, would pull out clues for today's theme in a backpack. The themes ranged from baseball to bedtime. In the "Bedtime" episode, Nina changed into her Good Night Show pajamas and wore them for the episode. She also sang "Ready for Bed." Throughout the episode, Nina and the kids (referred to as "Sproutitos") would talk about the theme in both English and Spanish, while Lucy would light up the way to episodes of Sesame English, an ESL show from Sesame Workshop. (source)