Sprout World Tour

Madeline Fretz - One thing Sprout is known for is airing programming blocks at different times of the day. In between such gold-standard, curriculum-based shows, adult hosts and puppet characters would do preschool-type activities on air such as making crafts, teaching stretches, showcasing viewer-submitted content such as birthday cards, pictures, videos, messages, artwork, and games, and, of course, introducing the shows and talking to the viewers during split-screen credits. I, for one, believe that they should have something like that for kids today.

The thing is: Sprout actually did not invent this concept, and today I'm here to compare Sprout's programming to similar content from around the world. Please note that, while this is mainly a Sprout blog, I do sometimes talk about other children's shows, even non-American ones (i.e. Goodnight Boys and Girls). 

Most early, pre-Sesame Street children's shows would have human hosts and sometimes puppet characters interacting with the viewers, playing games and singing songs. According to Sprout president Sandy Wax, Sprout's original programming was inspired by children's shows of the past, such as Captain Kangaroo, Romper Room, and The Magic Garden, albeit with modern sensibility. A news article about Sprout's launch (which I wrote about) mentions that Kevin's role on The Birthday Show was also considered a throwback to classic children's shows, as he interacted with the viewers.

Non-American English-speaking countries have their own hosted programming similar to Sprout's. The UK's CBeebies, which I wrote a post about, being an example. Like Sprout, CBeebies airs programming blocks at different times of the day with themed programming and friendly adult hosts introducing them while doing things such as reading birthday cards. Both channels even aired the same shows!

Sprout's senior vice president (SVP) of programming was Andrew Beecham, who, prior to working on Sprout, created the host segments of Playhouse Disney UK, which several people who hate me like. The Playhouse segments were hosted by "Big Dave" and "Little Alex," who would talk about a different theme, read viewers' birthday cards, and introduce shows, often accompanied by their puppet friends. Very similar to Sprout's programming. Bear from Bear in the Big Blue House guest starred once, so this could be the genesis of the fact that The Sunny Side Up Show had guest appearances from Sprout characters (the reason why I was scared of Sprout as a little girl). Big Dave and Little Alex would introduce other hosted segments such as "Art Play" and "Bite Size." These segments were adapted in other countries such as Australia.

At the end of the day, Playhouse Disney UK would air a programming block known as "PJ's Bedtime," which I believe was the genesis of The Good Night Show. Like Nina and Star, hosts Dave and Olivia and their puppet co-host PJ Mole would sing songs and tell stories before bed. 

milkshake!, Channel 5's preschool morning block which launched in 1997, is very, very similar to CBeebies and also Sprout, especially The Sunny Side Up Show. It's live(?), the hosts read birthday cards and show viewers' artwork, play games, sing songs, introduce shows, and sometimes host guest appearances from characters.

ABC Kids in Australia (which airs many, if not most, children's programs from America and the UK) has (or used to have) a children's show known as Giggle and Hoot, which again is very Sprout-esque. I'm not the only one who noticed this. On The Ways of the Blue Dog on Tapatalk, user Jumpman256 (hi, Jumpman!) talked about this program and noted that it was both similar to and different from Sprout, and I'd have to say, I'm with him.

Jumpman said that the show aired both day and night - during the day, it was like The Sunny Side Up Show, but at night, it turned into The Good Night Show. Giggle and Hoot is very similar to The Good Night Show in many ways. The set looks like the You and Me Tree, they had bedtime-related songs and segments, aired calm-natured shows, and, like GNS, it's just a human host and a puppet hanging out. In later years, they would add many more puppet characters, including Hootabelle, Hootbeard, Gigglefangs, and Hootagadget. Jumpman also pointed out that Hoot, the main puppet character, spends the night by flying through the nighttime sky, making sure everyone is asleep, and said that it made a lot more sense than what Sprout did with Star - have him sleep all night.

I uploaded a clip of the show to my channel, and it's the video you see above. Elmo and Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street, which ABC Kids aired (and still does), were on the show once, again similar to how The Sunny Side Up Show had guest appearances from Sprout characters. I wonder if they've had other characters as well...

I talked about the mascots of WA's children's programming in my Goodnight Boys and Girls post, and I'm talking about them again today in this post, as their shows are also Sprout-esque. Like The Sunny Side Up Show, the mascots are accompanied by a human host, and together they sing, dance, tell stories, and play games. Examples include Earlybirds and Fat Cat and Friends, Prime's The Saturday Club with Possum, and Romper Room with Big Dog and Miss Kim.

CBC Kids in Canada also has hosts in between their shows, both human and puppet, who wish viewers a happy birthday, sing songs, play games, act out sketches, and introduce shows. Originally, there was Playgrounds with Drew and Lisa, then Get Set for Life with Alyson and Michael, then Kids' CBC with Patty, Michael, and Mamma Yamma, and finally Studio K with Gary the Unicorn, Cottonball the Cat, Makeup Monster, Mr. Orlando, Putter, Tony, Janaye, and Victor (whom I got a signed picture of in 2020). Puppet co-host Mamma Yamma was played by Ali Eisner, who worked at Sprout also played Banjo on The Let's Go Show.

UPDATE (3/24/2022): Whoops! Forgot to mention something once again very Sprout-esque! DR Ramasjang, Denmark's children's channel, is very remiscent of both CBeebies and Sprout, especially the latter. Their program "Godnat, nu sover vi" (Goodnight, now we'll sleep)/"Ramasjang Sover" is remiscent of Sprout's Snooze-a-Thon, except it runs every night from 8PM to 6AM ET.

And lastly, back to America!

The PBS Kids Preschool Block, which aired from 2006 to 2013, was kind of like regular PBS Kids' answer to The Good Night Show and The Sunny Side Up Show. Originally hosted by Miss Lori and her CGI co-host Hooper the Guinea Pig, Miss Rosa (Jennifer Pena) and Mr. Steve Rosonlek(sp?) joined the duo in 2008. As with Sprout's, the hosts would focus on a different theme, sing, dance, tell stories, play games, and introduce shows, including Sprout shows Dragon Tales, Super WHY!, and Sid the Science Kid.

And there you have it - Children's shows from around the world similar to what Sprout offered. I hope you enjoyed reading! Oh, and I'll add more shows here if I remember or you remind me of them. Bye!

Click here to travel to different countries on the Parents and Kids Share Together forum!