CBeebies Grown-ups Feed

Marking Remembrance Week on CBeebies and C��tv

2017-11-06T10:11:32+00:00

C��tv and CBeebies Controllers Cheryl Taylor and Kay Benbow have commissioned a dialogue-free, two minute animated film called ‘Poppies’, as a ��tv Children’s tribute of Remembrance.

During the week of Remembrance 2017, you will be able to watch the full video on the CBeebies website here. It is also available on ��tv iPlayer until 19 November.

Why?

Such a tribute was a ‘first’ for ��tv Children’s. Given our young audience, war is something of a difficult area. However, it was a viewer’s letter to our Scheduling department that really got us talking about the possibility of marking this special day. We felt that the time was right to actively involve our viewers in the act of Remembrance.

How?

‘Poppies’ is a beautiful, atmospheric and ethereal piece which sees war as experienced by the animal inhabitants of a WW1 battlefield. Conflict is implied in changes of tone - in music, colour and emotion - as we transition from peace to war and return once more to peacetime. The ending is both poignant and quietly hopeful.

‘Poppies’ is set to a breath-taking and evocative score composed by Nottingham-born (and Oscar-winning) Steven Price (Gravity, Fury) and recorded by the ��tv Philharmonic Orchestra. The watercolour style is very soft and tactile. The hand-drawn animation of the rabbits adds to the gentleness of the piece. While the tone changes as the darkness of war prevails, we hope that the friendly feel of the animals will undercut any fearfulness the audience might have felt. Our intention is to engage even our youngest viewers to quietly focus for two minutes, while older viewers will be more aware of the context and deeper meaning of the film.

Poppies will be broadcast simultaneously on the CBeebies and C��tv channels and websites at 11am on Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th November. A behind the scenes film explaining the context of Poppies for parents and caregivers has been commissioned as a companion piece.

Who's who in this year's CBeebies Christmas Show -The Snow Queen.

2017-10-20T08:55:36+00:00

The 2017 CBeebies Christmas Show has broken its own record for being the most popular ticket in town. CBeebies’ The Snow Queen has attracted 374,564 ticket requests across all three showings of this year’s show at Curve theatre in Leicester.

Last year 257,211 people applied for tickets to the panto but The Snow Queen beat this figure on the opening day, with a record breaking 262,000 people applying for tickets.

Kay Benbow, Controller of CBeebies said “We are thrilled by the year-on year increase in ticket applications and are absolutely amazed by this year's huge number. It really shows the popularity of the CBeebies Christmas show and just how much it means to our youngest audience and their families.”

Dr Ranj Singh, who joins the production this year to play Kai, added: “I’m absolutely blown away by how many people have applied to come to the CBeebies Christmas Show this year. It just goes to show how amazing our audience are, and how much the shows mean to them. I can’t wait to get onto that snowy stage... I’ve been singing my socks off already!

This year's cast of characters

The show pulls together many of CBeebies most popular actors and presenters with a few faces who are new to this year’s show:

The Snow Queen – Rebecca Keatley – Let’s Play
Gerda – Cat Sandion – Magic Door
Kai – Dr Ranj Singh – Get Well Soon
Grandfather – William Vanderpuye – Apple Tree House
The Ravens – Andy Day – Andy’s Adventures & Steven Kynman – Justin’s House

Reindeer – Justin Fletcher – Something Special
Wise Woman – Maddie Moate – Do you know?
Robber – Gemma Hunt – Swashbuckle
Robber – Joseph Elliott - Swashbuckle
Robber – Richard David-Caine – Swashbuckle

Summer Witch – Jennie Dale – Swashbuckle

Ten children from Leicester are also joining the cast for the show this year. There were over 250 audition tapes sent in from local children all keen to appear on stage and show off their singing and dancing ability.

The CBeebies Christmas Show has rapidly grown in popularity over the years and last year it was the second most popular show behind Strictly Come Dancing.

Ticket applications through the years:

Christmas Carol 2013: 42,205
Peter Pan 2014: 149,532
Alice in Wonderland 2015: 184,279
The Nutcracker 2016: 257,211
The Snow Queen 2017: 374,564

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said, “We’re delighted to host this year’s CBeebies Christmas show ‘The Snow Queen’ here at Curve in Leicester.

“We can’t wait to welcome so many children and their families through our doors to enjoy what is set to be a fantastic event with CBeebies to really kick start the festive season at Curve!”

Alexa and her family- Our Family CBeebies

2017-04-28T14:23:19+00:00

Alexa is 4. She lives with her dad James, and little brother Archie. Her mum Rebecca died in 2014, she had cancer. Here, James talks about his family.

Can you tell us about Alexa’s Mum?

That day in December 2014 was the hardest day of my life. I knew it was coming, but it was still a shock when my wife, Becca, died. She had been diagnosed with cancer in April 2014; and the horrible disease took her life that same year.

It was a very difficult time for the whole family, Becca's parents didn't expect to bury their 34 year old daughter, nor me my wife and the children their mother. But between us all we managed to find a way through it.

I am very fortunate to have received amazing support from the children's grandparents, who were great throughout Becca's illness, and continue to support me & the kids today. I started to see a counsellor in the run up to Becca's terminal diagnosis after talking to a friend

What advice would you give to families in a similar situation?

I have learnt a lot about myself and my children over the past few years, and have had some very hard lessons. But with help from family and friends, we get through it. If I can offer any advice to newly bereaved parents it would be this:

In the very early days, you are likely to be in shock and existing on auto-pilot. So if all you can do is keep everyone fed, watered & safe. Enough is Good Enough.
Be kind to yourself. If you need some time on your own, take it. Give yourself a break, emotionally and physically. You don't need to be a Super-Dad or Super-Mum. Enough is Good Enough.
And if you find yourself doubting your abilities as a parent, put other people in your shoes, and think about how you would see them in your situation.

Remember to:

Be kind to yourself.
Ask for help.
You don't need to be super-dad or super-mum.
Embrace your friends who are also parents.

If your family is dealing with bereavement, the following charities might be of help.

Child Bereavement UK: http://childbereavementuk.org
Winston’s Wish: https://www.winstonswish.org.uk

If you would like to know more about children’s understanding of bereavement, and how to talk to them about death, these links might be useful:

"Time for Teletubbies!" David Walliams and Rochelle Humes join the show.

2017-01-08T15:40:57+00:00

Author, actor and presenter David Walliams and singer/ TV presenter Rochelle Humes are the latest British stars to join the voice cast of the hit CBeebies series Teletubbies.

The two will join the existing cast of Jim Broadbent, Fearne Cotton, Jane Horrocks, Daniel Rigby and Antonia Thomas as they lend their voices to Teletubbies’ distinctive and much-loved Voice Trumpets. Walliams and Humes will feature in the second series, which will air on CBeebies in spring 2017. 2017 is a significant year for Teletubbies as it will be 20 years since the original series first appeared on British television.

In addition to showcasing the new voice stars, the second series will introduce a number of new elements including: a new area of Teletubbyland called the Hidey Hup – a beautiful hidden glade containing equipment for physical Teletubby fun including the Tubby Bouncy, Tubby Slidey, Tubby Uppy Downy and the Tubby Spinny; a brand new way of getting around in their new ‘honk honk’ Tubby Car; and a new signature song for the adorable and intrepid little Tiddlytubbies – Mi-Mi, Daa Daa, Baa, Ping, RuRu, Nin, Duggle Dee and Umby Pumby. Viewers can also look out for the story of pink tubby custard turning green and a very special Tubby Custard ride carriage for Noo-noo!

David Walliams said: “It’s really thrilling to be asked to take part in Teletubbies, it’s such an iconic show and it’s watched all around the world by millions and millions of children, it was just too good a thing to turn down.”

Rochelle Humes said: “I’ve always been such a big fan of the Teletubbies. My sister and I used to watch it together when we were younger and as I now have a little girl, it was a real ‘no-brainer” to be part of it. I jumped at the chance to be involved.”

Kay Benbow Controller CBeebies said: “We are thrilled to welcome David and Rochelle to join the fun in Teletubbyland. The series has already attracted a stellar cast of British talent and David Walliams and Rochelle are no exception. We can’t wait to hear how their distinctive voices and personalities add another layer of fun and magic to the show”.

Award-winning UK production company, Darrall Macqueen, is producing 60 more episodes of the iconic show for DHX and CBeebies making a total of 120 episodes across the two series.

CBeebies Bedtime Story: Ore Oduba

2016-11-20T16:43:21+00:00

Strictly Come Dancing star and ��tv Sport presenter Ore Oduba took off his dancing shoes to chat to us about reading the bedtime story on CBeebies, and how he chose which of his childhood favourites to read...

Hello! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi, I’m Ore. I’m a huge sports fan and I’m really lucky to do a job that I love. I’m a sports TV presenter at the ��tv and work on lots of different shows, including ��tv Breakfast. That does mean sometimes I have to wake up REALLY early in the morning, but I work with a wonderful team and it’s a great show.

What was it like reading the bedtime story on CBeebies?

I really enjoyed it. I know how much you all love the Bedtime Hour, especially Bedtime Stories, so I had been looking forward to it. Lots of brilliant people have read before, so it was an absolute pleasure to do it as well. I hope you and your little ones enjoy the stories!

Can you tell us a bit about the story ‘Fat Puss’ and why you chose it?

Fat Puss is such a great character. It was one of my favourite books when I was growing up - my friends and I used to read it together - so I was really glad to get to read it it on CBeebies. We loved the pictures in the book too, some of them are very funny. The illustrations really help tell the story.

Why do you think the story sends out a positive message?

I think anyone who reads this story will love Fat Puss, just like I do. He’s friendly and generous – he’ll do anything he can to help. He always tries his best, even though he’s a bit bigger than some of the others. And he’s a very good friend to everyone.

Ore Oduba reads Footballer Fat Puss on Sunday 20th November 2016 at 6.50pm.

2016 Christmas Show: CBeebies’ The Nutcracker

2016-10-04T11:53:24+00:00

Jon, Producer

Christmas again? Already?! How time flies! Well, as soon as the stage was swept after the Alice in Wonderland panto last year and with the sound of applause still ringing in our ears, we started planning the 2016 production of … CBeebies’ The Nutcracker!

So, Jon, why was the CBeebies' The Nutcracker chosen?

Nearly everyone has heard of The Nutcracker – and hopefully you’ve started humming the tune of the Sugar Plum Fairy right now – but when asked what the story is, people’s memories tend to go a little fuzzy! It’s most well-known as a ballet of course, but we’re staging a contemporary production – a modern take on this story set on Christmas Eve.

It will have music and dance at its heart, as we tell the story of a brother and sister who are magically transported by their adventurous Uncle to a Land of Sweets – learning how precious it is to work together and be with loved ones at Christmas time.

What CBeebies Treatment can we expect to see on it?

I can promise it will be full to the brim of Christmas cheer and heartily encourage you to settle down to watch it, adorned in your Christmas jumpers, and with your favourite toys alongside you – for this is a magical tale of toys coming to life!

This year we’ve got many CBeebies stars in the cast of course, but we’re also going to be welcoming some people you won’t recognise from the channel.

We have got two professional dancers joining us, a special storytelling band, and some younger members of the Sheffield People’s Theatre. It’s going to be a busy stage (!) but that just makes for a visual feast giving you lots to spot as you watch it over and over again!

Which theatre is it at this year?

We’re staging the production at The Crucible theatre in Sheffield. The avid fans among you might remember that we staged A Christmas Carol panto there 3 years ago. It’s such a fantastic theatre where the audience surround the stage, and we love how intimate the performances there are, so we felt it high time to return and lay on another spectacular there.

How can we get tickets to the CBeebies Panto 2016?

As in previous years we’re running a ticket ballot for the CBeebies Christmas Show so you all have a chance of joining us in Sheffield to see the production being filmed between the 4-5th November … keep your eye on our CBeebies Grown-ups Facebook and Twitter for updates on the ballot.

Last year we had a staggering amount of interest for our Christmas Show – where nearly 200,000 ticket applications for the CBeebies Panto were received: putting it second only to Strictly Come Dancing on the ��tv ticket request charts! I think we can top a quarter of a million applications this year which would be incredible! It just goes to show how families have this production as part of their own Christmas tradition and how well loved it is. I’m choosing to see that as a great privilege to produce the production, and not dwell too much on the enormity of the responsibility!

As always, there are a few surprises that we don’t want to give away! But I’ll tease you by saying I’m really excited by the professional dancers we have joining us. They’re going to both provide an unexpected twist to our treatment of the story – and I’m sure that they’ll give a performance that your little ones will enjoy watching time and again!

I can’t wait to get to Sheffield and join the cast and team – there’s a fantastic company of theatre folk behind the show and when we get together we’re all one big family! It’s an awesome achievement to rehearse, stage and film a 45min musical in just the 6 days we have together – but it’s all down to some seriously talented people, planning everything to the last detail, and putting in a huge amount of work.

But to see the reactions on children’s faces, to hear the applause and to receive comments from families who officially “start” Christmas when they watch the production on TV – that makes it all worth it!

Thanks Jon – good luck!

For grown-up chatter, behind the scenes fun and TV times updates, follow CBeebies Grown-ups on Facebook and Twitter. The ballot for this year's CBeebies Christmas Show tickets is now closed, but you can sign up to ��tv Shows and Tours Mailing list and receive notifications about upcoming CBeebies events. You may want to check your spam/promotions email folder to make sure an email doesn’t end up in there!

CBeebies autumn schedule changes

2016-09-22T11:49:26+00:00

Attention all grown-ups!

The summer holidays are now well and truly over, the kids have settled into their routines and autumn has just begun… and it’s also time for some exciting changes to the CBeebies autumn schedule.

From Monday 26 September, our new weekday mornings and afternoons will look like this:

09:00 Mr Bloom: Here and There
09:15 Bing
09:20 Wussywat The Clumsy Cat
09:25 Woolly And Tig
09:30 Twirlywoos
09:45 Something Special: We're All Friends
10:05 Let's Play
10:25 My Story
10:40 Mister Maker's Arty Party
11:00 My Pet and Me
11:15 Get Squiggling! Letters
11:25 Numtums
11:30 Tilly and Friends
11:40 Waybuloo
12:00 Big Barn Farm
12:15 I Can Cook On The Go
12:30 Grandpa In My Pocket
12:45 Charlie And Lola
13:00 Mr Bloom: Here and There
13:15 Bing
13:20 Wussywat The Clumsy Cat
13:25 Woolly And Tig
13:30 Twirlywoos
13:45 Something Special: We're All Friends
14:05 Let's Play
14:25 My Story
14:40 Mister Maker's Arty Party
15:00 My Pet and Me
15:15 Little Human Planet
15:20 Get Squiggling! Letters
15:30 Swashbuckle

Don’t worry if any of your family’s favourites are no longer on at your usual time, you can also watch CBeebies programmes on ��tv iPlayer anytime and on the kids iPlayer App.

Happy viewing!

CBeebies Schedule Changes

2016-09-02T15:55:54+00:00

Attention all grown-ups!

The summer holidays are over, the kids are back at school and autumn is on its way…it’s also time for some exciting changes to the CBeebies schedule.

From Monday 5 September, our new weekday mornings look like this:

06:00 Show Me Show Me
06:20 Baby Jake
06:30 Alphablocks
06:35 Dinopaws
06:45 Raa Raa The Noisy Lion
07:00 Teletubbies
07:15 Bing
07:25 Postman Pat
07:40 The Furchester Hotel
07:50 Octonauts
08:05 Go Jetters
08:15 Hey Duggee
08:25 Justin's House
08:50 Everything's Rosie

We hope you have a happy morning. Don’t worry if any of your family’s favourites are no longer on in the morning, you can also watch CBeebies programmes on ��tv iPlayer anytime and on the kids iPlayer App.

Happy viewing!

Visiting a museum with your child

2016-08-11T10:24:04+00:00

When he was three years old, my son was thrown out of an Aztec exhibition for shouting ‘monster!’ at a statue (which did look a bit like a monster).

I wrote about the incident in my newspaper column because I was so angry about it. Hundreds of families got in touch to say that they, too, were fed up of being treated in a similar way when they took their children to museums and galleries.

As a result, I set up Kids in Museums – a charity to give a nationwide voice to families who want museums to welcome them.

It’s easy to assume that two year olds can’t appreciate art, but my little boy was thrown out because he was appreciating the exhibition. Even though his comment was loud, it was completely appropriate – the statue did look like a monster!

I feel that you’re never too young or too little for art, and if you haven’t taken your family to a museum recently, I urge you to go as soon as possible, because I guarantee it’ll be worthwhile.

At one time, museums were unwelcoming musty old buildings, with crumbling objects sitting in glass cases, and large signs saying ‘Don’t Touch’ – but they are changing.

Explore your local museum – it’s likely they’ll have family events and workshops, family trails to follow, interactive displays, Saturday clubs, backpacks stuffed with jigsaws and puzzles to help you explore the galleries, cafes with children’s menus and useful websites to help you plan your visit.

Visiting a museum can be a great activity for your child to do with their grandparents, too. My mother (aged 80), recently took her 12 year old twin grandchildren to the Imperial War Museum in London.

Brought up in Liverpool during the Second World War, she rarely talked to us about her childhood, but when she saw a replica 1940s house at the museum, she began to tell the twins about what her own room looked like as a child, how her family had kept food cold without a fridge, and how she’d had a radio just like the one in the display.

The next weekend, she arrived at our house clutching a battered brown envelope – she’d gone into her attic and found her old National Registration Identity Card. She showed it to the twins, and talked to them about the bombings and the loss she’d experienced.

I hadn’t ever heard her speak like this before, and it wouldn’t have happened without their visit to the museum.

Museums can be brilliant at enabling conversations between different generations that might otherwise be awkward or lack real meaning for children.

If I had to give one tip for a successful museum visit, it would be don’t leave the gift shop for last.

Go there at the beginning of your visit, and let your child pick out their very favourite postcard (it shouldn’t cost much, usually under £1).

Then go and hunt for the actual item in the museum. Your child will be more motivated to find it because they picked it out themselves, and it will stop them tugging on your sleeve asking when you’ll be going to the shop.

By Dea Birkett, Kids in Museums

Have your very own museum adventure with Teacup Travels

Did you know that all the adventures in CBeebies' Teacup Travels are inspired by real-life historic objects from museums around the UK?

Download the Museum Map here and see if you and your child can find one of Great Aunt Lizzie's treasures from the show at your local museum (or one you're visiting on holiday).

If you visit your local museum, come and tell us about it on the CBeebies Grown-ups' Facebook or Twitter page - we'd love to see your #museumselfie!

Find where you can see all the artefacts featured in Teacup Travels

Joanna Rowsell: 5 steps to teach your child to ride a bike

2016-08-05T13:50:07+00:00

Is your little one itching to get on two wheels? Riding a bike is a lifelong skill that can be picked up early - great for boosting confidence and developing independence, as well as being a fun way to get active.

If you're not sure how to start teaching your child to cycle, Olympic gold medallist Joanna Rowsell is here to help with some top tips to get you going...

istockphoto.com/vicheslav

1. One thing at a time: cycling requires children to master a series of skills, then bring them all together to balance, pedal and steer all at the same time! When they're learning, it's much less stressful to break these skills down and tackle them one at a time.

2. Begin with balancing: a great first step is to try removing the pedals from your child's bike. This leaves them free to concentrate on balancing, and they can have fun pushing off with their feet and gliding along. When their confidence has grown to the point where they're moving without wobbling or putting their feet down to balance, it's time to reattach the pedals and move on!

3. Pedalling: take it slowly and make sure that your child has got to grips with each skill before progressing to the next thing. Once they're comfortable with balancing, introduce pedalling and encourage your child to ride short distances in a straight line. Try to find a place where they can travel a short way without needing to steer or brake, so that they can focus on learning to pedal (and be aware that it might take a while!)

4. Negotiating obstacles: when your child can pedal confidently in a straight line, move on to steering. You could set up some obstacles for them to cycle around (something small and soft is a good idea at this stage). At first, make sure that the gap between the obstacles is large enough for your child to negotiate with very little movement of the handlebars.

5. Ride together: once they've grasped the basics, one of the best ways to build your child's cycling confidence is through practice and having fun – so you could head out for a family ride together. You needn’t go far – choose a route you're comfortable with. If you're looking to improve your own cycling skills and confidence before venturing out, you could always find a local cycle training instructor near you or do a Bikeability course.

Ready to ride?

Test your child's knowledge with this fun quiz all about bikes

Family cycling - Sustrans guide to cycling with kids

Improve your cycling with British Cycling, Scottish Cycling, Welsh Cycling or Cycling Ireland.

Get Inspired – more ideas for getting active from the ��tv.

A collection of awesome authors' interviews

2016-07-07T07:00:00+00:00

Shirley Hughes - author of Dogger and Alfie

We asked Shirley Hughes about what inspires her illustrations, what has made her characters appeal to generations of children, and how she has juggled her work with motherhood and grandmotherhood... Read more

Eric Carle - author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar

For World Book Day last year we talked to author and illustrator Eric Carle as his world-famous book The Very Hungry Caterpillar celebrated its 45th birthday. Read more.

Bernard Cribbins talks storytelling

We all love hearing a good story but what is it that makes a great story to read aloud to your child – and how can you make sure that your little one is riveted to your tale? We talked to master storyteller Bernard Cribbins about the importance of telling stories to children… Read more.

Giles Andreae

We chatted to 'Giraffes Can't Dance' author Giles Andreae about books, reading and, of course, dancing... Read more.

Mairi Hedderwick - author of Katie Morag

We had a chat with Katie Morag author and illustrator to find out what it’s like seeing her books transformed into a television series… Read more.

Jean Adamson - author of Topsy and Tim

The Topsy and Tim author talked to CBeebies about how it feels to see her much-loved characters brought to the screen in the first time in over 50 years... Read more.

Ted Dewan - author of Bing

We had a chat to the writer and creator of the much loved Bing Bunny books to find out what to expect from the TV series... Read more.

Wussywat’s Clumsy, Clumsy, Clumsy, Clever World

2016-05-09T14:58:20+00:00

Simon Rolph, creator of Wussywat the Clumsy Cat caught up with CBeebies Grown-Ups ahead of Wussywat's second series on CBeebies.

Wussywat the Clumsy Cat is a pre-school show about a curious cat, a very curious cat with a very clumsy disposition. Much like any 3 to 5 year old then!

To accompany the show’s second series, Jen Beaton, Wussywat’s social media manager has kindly taken time out of her busy schedule to share her 10 top tips for safe child-led play and learning with help from Wussywat and his Growth Mindset ideals.

In an increasingly test-led, stats-ridden pre-school world, Jen can attest that a ‘child-led’ philosophy is actually a lot easier than you might think and quite a bit of fun too. As the mother of a 3 and 7 year old, she should know!

1) Watch out for Wussywat’s clumsy moments (there’s 3 in each story). They contain vital clues for Wussywat (and your little ones) to figure out how he can solve the episode’s problem (there’s only ever one of those!)

Clumsy + Clumsy + Clumsy = Clever!

2) Embrace these clumsy moments along with your child’s curiosity. Encourage the anticipation and the excitement, the have-a-go enthusiasm.

Encouraging a child’s interest in a process helps them appreciate and enjoy the journey more.

3) Ask your wee ones how they see Wussywat solving the problem at the end of each episode? Does he work it out for himself? Does he have help from his friends? Or does he engage his friends in the solution?

Wussywat is about teamwork and friendship as much as solving problems.

4) In each episode Wussywat starts out being clumsy and ends up being clever. Ask your little ones why they think Wussywat is a ‘clever cat’ after all those clumsy moments. What does his ‘cleverness’ mean in this context? The reality is that he’s figured something out through deduction and experience.

In many ways, a child’s failure while doing is part of an ongoing process of succeeding.

5) It’s a fun quirk of the show that Wussywat will always have three clumsy moments that inform a final clever one. I like to explore times my little ones have clumsy moments and then relate them to what they might have learned.

Familiar learning structures can help children focus on their own choices and help them build confidence in making decisions.

6) Ask yourself, if you left your little ones to tackle a problem or puzzle by themselves, what might happen? Specifically, what might happen to their understanding of that problem? What about your understanding of their learning if you keep yourself out of the picture?

All children instinctively want to learn new things, with or without an adult’s input

7) If you have several children, ask yourself how do they work together in a similar situation? What about when they’re exploring, creating, problem solving and/or playing together?

Sharing and recognising mistakes can often improve confidence and encourage a willingness to have another go.

8) I find it quite fun comparing the characters in the show to children I know. For example there are a few determined girls on our street that remind me of Ird. Oggy is also a delightfully familiar toddler and my youngest is so Wussywat it’s uncanny!

Character recognition enables a child to understand their own potential in relation to others as well as empathise with their limitations.

9) Wussywat is always having fun despite the pickles he often gets into. The slapstick nature of the show offers comedy as a leveler. Ask yourself what made you chuckle today while you were going about normal day-to-day things? What about your children, what makes them laugh?

Humour is a great unifier for learning and helps children appreciate different ways of being.

10) The silly things the characters say to each other is such a mirror of the way our little ones communicate, with us as well as with their friends. The funny words they come up with as they learn new ones are hilarious. Sometimes rude, sometimes profound, I love listening out for the next new ‘toddlerism’ in our house.

Exploring words and speech patterns is one of the first ways a toddler understands communication can be creative and fun.

Wussywat and his friends Ortus, Duckadile, Ird, and Oggy hang out in the Garden exploring new things with interest, appreciation and openness. Most importantly, they have fun along the way; overseen by an ever-watchful ‘nurturing’ narrator.

We can help our little ones achieve child-led discovery too by encouraging and enabling them to take ownership of their achievements- however small, however brilliant by allowing them to safely explore an increasingly uncertain world.

“Wossat, Wussywat?” Progress, possibly? Only time will tell…

Green screen fun, how to pronounce ‘epidexipteryx’ and Hattie's first love...

2016-02-08T13:09:51+00:00

Andy’s back and this time with some Prehistoric Adventures for the little ones! This series is a little different as the first 5 episodes will premiere on iPlayer from the 8th – 12th February and the next 5 will be shown weekdays on CBeebies at 4.30pm from Monday 15th until Friday 19th February.

To find out more about what to expect from the new series we had a chat to the series producer, Adam…

Can you briefly introduce yourself and what you do on Andy’s Prehistoric Adventures?

I’m the series producer; my job is to oversee the whole production from day one right up until the finished show hits your TV screens. Basically, I’m involved with everything that goes on – writing, casting, set design, filming, editing, visual effects… and if you want to know what the most challenging part of working on Andy’s Prehistoric Adventures is? I’d have to say it was learning how to pronounce ‘epidexipteryx’ correctly.

OK – we’ll wait for the show to hear how we pronounce that one! So, what is the difference between prehistoric & dinosaur?

The difference is roughly 65 million years! In this series, Andy isn’t only visiting the dinosaurs he’s also travelling to the time period after they became extinct, which gives him around another 65,000 millennia to explore! It means you’ll get to see lots of strange new animals, such as a type of rhinoceros the size of a small house and a tiny creature that used to bounce around the forests of Europe like a kangaroo. Andy even gets to meet one of his own distant relatives. But don’t worry palaeontology fans; there are still plenty of dinosaurs too!

What new characters can we expect to meet in this new series?

Well, Andy’s been promoted, he’s taken over from Hattie as the head of the museum’s prehistoric gallery and he’s got a new assistant called Jen; she’s a bit of tech wizard and uses computers, 3D printers and projectors to help Andy out. There’s also the Janitor, he doesn’t say much, but you can usually spot him in the background creating havoc! And we mustn’t forget Mrs Pickles! She’s in charge of the whole museum and she knows an awful lot about dinosaurs and ice age beasts, so Andy and Jen always need to make sure their displays are perfect.

Many of our grown-up audience had fun speculating on the relationship between Andy and Hattie? Where has Hattie gone?!

I’ve often been asked this question and I hate to disappoint everyone, but Andy told me there was definitely nothing romantic going on between him and Hattie - although personally, I think it’s up to the viewers to decide whether they believe him or not…! I’m interested to see if there’ll be any speculation about the relationships between our new cast of characters. I certainly have my own theories, but I’m keeping them to myself for now. As for Hattie, her first love has always been dinosaurs, so I expect she’s gone off on a trip around the world to look for more fossils – or maybe she’s gone to work at Jurassic World!

Jen, Mrs Pickles and Andy relaxing on set.

So, Mrs Pickles - is she related to Mr Pickles in Andy’s Wild Adventures?

Yes, absolutely! It’s the Welsh accent that gives it away. I assume they’re husband and wife, but as one runs a busy animal park and the other is in charge of the National Museum, they probably don’t get much chance to see each other. And speaking of Andy’s Wild Adventures, if fans keep their eyes peeled during Prehistoric Adventures, they might just catch a very brief glimpse of Kip in one episode. I’m not saying which one though!

Filming and acting with a green screen must create some unusual scenarios; any funny stories you can share?

Filming on a green screen is pretty ridiculous; everyone is running around pretending there’s a giant dinosaur stomping past when there’s absolutely nothing there – it’s like being back in the playground at primary school. But the most ridiculous thing of all is the green screen suit, which lucky crew members have to wear when they need to be in shot without the cameras picking them up. It’s basically a skin tight, stretchy green leotard that covers your entire body, even your face! Let’s just say it doesn’t leave much to the imagination!

Andy having a little green screen fun (unfortunately the stretchy green leotard pictures didn't get through our censorship process!)

Don't miss Andy's adventures exclusive to CBeebies iPlayer from 8th February!

Andy's Prehistoric Adventures

Andy's Wild Adventures

Rory in the Danger zone!

2016-01-12T16:58:33+00:00

Can you tell us a bit about what you are doing?

Having just finished filming our second series, we headed to Malawi to film two My Pet and Me African specials. The animals we focus on are wild, living in the utterly beautiful Liwonde National Park. I had the massive privilege of going elephant tracking with a safari guide called ‘Danger’ (what a brilliant name!) and Glory, his daughter. Don't spoil the surprise for your kids, but we did find elephants (and lots of them!!), the first time I've ever seen them truly in the wild, rather than on a game reserve.

Why did you pick Malawi and what is it like?

Last year our Animal Consultant on the show, Adam Tjolle, did a vet exchange in Malawi which got our Producer Rachel thinking....and the rest, as they say, is history. Arriving there made me realise it was the ideal place to make a My Pet and Me special. It's called 'The Warm Heart of Africa' because of the kindness of the people and the wildlife of Liwonde National Park, which is in the south of the country. It was like a drawing from a children's book of African animals and landscapes...hot red sunsets, baobab trees and termite mounds punctuating the horizon, huge lines of marching elephants of all sizes, hippos popping their heads out of the water and wiggling their ears, warthogs snuffling around on the ground, crocs basking on the riverbanks and African fish eagles smashing into the water to catch fish. With nature putting on a show like that every day, I think the choice of Malawi was perfect!

What's involved in the "caring" for wild animals?

Clearly, caring for a wild animal is different from caring for a pet. Wild animals aren't owned by anyone, but the responsibility to protect them lies with everyone, so the 'care' is essentially about conservation - protecting the habitats of these animals to make sure they can continue to live. This means not just looking at an individual species in isolation, but ensuring that the whole system is properly looked after, so that everything from plants to prey to top predators can thrive.
I hope in a small way this show might encourage children to explore and protect the natural world around them. We're more in need than ever for children who want to defend wildlife.

Why is poaching such a big problem?

Poaching is thought to kill around 40,000 elephants every year and over the past decade the African elephant population has seen an estimated decline of 60% - and poaching has surely played a role in this.

In Africa, the biggest issues seem to be in the central region, with armed groups using the illegal ivory trade to finance their operations. Rangers and guides on the front lines in national parks have been killed trying to protect elephants. It's heartbreaking.

Educating children about the issues will hopefully help to eliminate the ivory trade sooner rather than later.

Poaching is a continuing problem in Malawi

Can you tell us about the conservationist dad and his child?

Danger has worked in the National Park for over 10 years, his passion for and knowledge of the Malawian bush is incredible, such an uplifting thing to see in action. Elephants are his favourite animal because he likes that you can understand what they're feeling by observing their behaviour. His passion and knowledge clearly rubs off on Glory, who at 8 years old already knows how to track elephants and she kept me right!

They live within the National Park, so they are living in amongst a wildlife spectacle every day. In spite of that, they are never blasé about it. Their enthusiasm and connection with nature is totally inspiring.

Can you describe the feeling you had when you spotted elephants on the wild?

Total elation! There's the initial excitement and wonder of seeing such a large, majestic animal out there doing its thing - all flapping ears, trumpeting and surprisingly gentle footsteps - but I think the knowledge that these animals were wild and free made it particularly special. From a young age we become familiar with what an elephant looks like from books, TV and maybe zoos as well...but I don't think anything can beat seeing a herd out grazing, babies still feeding from their mothers with a stunning landscape as a backdrop. Utter magic!

How should parents in the UK explain to their children why conservation is important?

I think every parent can find their own way - but really, in many ways it is less about lengthy explanations and more about experiences. That doesn't mean you shouldn't talk about it - clearly you should - but I'm a big advocate of letting kids explore whatever nature they have access to, whether it's a bird feeder on the window or balcony of a flat, a local park or a national nature reserve. Kids will naturally forge their own connections given half a chance: by playing and exploring among the grass and trees, along the seashore, wherever it may be. The tiniest bug, which might seem gross or insignificant to an adult, can be a source of great intrigue and joy to a child. The best you can do is hide your distaste at a slug being brought home and give them (and yourself) the opportunity to learn about nature using free resources online or at the local library.
The transition from talking about protecting a blackbird in the UK to an elephant in Malawi isn't such a leap.

What could parents and children here do to help?

There are lots of great charities that support conservation work in Africa (and beyond), and some even have children's memberships that allow you to support conservation while fostering your child's interest in nature.

If you're lucky enough to be able to travel to a country with elephants or other threatened animals, choose your provider carefully to ensure that they're scrupulous, with solid conservation principles at their core.

Mr Tumble is back with the 10th series of Something Special!

2015-12-31T14:52:26+00:00

What’s new for this Something Special Series?

Hello! I’m Claire Taylor and I’m the Producer of Something Special – We’re All Friends Series 10. Having directed 4 previous series of Something Special (5, 6, 7 and 8), it is a real honour to be producing the 10th series as I have a lot of love for this programme.

I started working on the series in May this year coming up with the programme themes and thinking of sensitive ways I could refresh and develop this very special series.

My APs and researchers travelled the country, finding wonderful children, families and stories to fit within my themes. Followed by 12 weeks of filming with Justin and the children in Scotland, Wales, the North East, the North West, the Midlands and the South!

We hear this series starts with a special party episode. Tell us more!?

It sure does! This series will be the 10th series of “Something Special” so we had to do something big to celebrate!

Our new series will launch on Monday 11th January at 09:45 with a 25 minute special Party Episode! Tune in to watch the big surprise and find out what is inside the giant birthday present?!?

The shoot day was epic with a production team of over 30 and involving 2 special needs schools and 1 mainstream school. With face painting, bubbles, balloon modelling, soft play, games and lots of singing and dancing, everyone had a brilliant time!

What can we expect to see that’s familiar in this series?

Mr Tumble returns with all of his family – Aunt Polly, Lord Tumble, Grandad Tumble, Fisherman Tumble, Chef Tumble and Baker Tumble all make an appearance.

Series 10 is full of songs, including the familiar Hello and Goodbye Songs and popular Friends Song from Series 9 (this will not feature however, in our Party Episode or Bedtime Episode as they are extra special eps).

The much loved format remains the same – Justin and his friends look for 3 special things on the Tumble Tapp, there are 3 signing moments within each programme and Mr Tumble is sent a surprise back by Justin and his friends in the magical spotty bag.

What can we expect that’s new in this series?

New colourful graphics make this series look all shiny. There is a new ‘looking game’ within each programme with new graphics based on the ever popular Tumble Tapp. Rather than wave or cheer, our young viewers will be asked to wave or shout BOO – when they see the item revealed behind a coloured spot.

If you want to get practising at home, here’s how our new rhyme goes:

“Was the mouse behind the red, green or blue

When you see it wave or shout BOO”

Also, look out for the extra nursery rhyme treat at the end of every episode! Mr Tumble is sent back a surprise which inspires him to sing and sign a nursery rhyme before we say goodbye!

It was quite a challenge (to say the least) to find 25 nursery rhymes to fit within each theme! Having a 2 year old myself, I know how popular nursery rhymes are and really hope they are a welcome addition to Series 10! You will be able to find 15 of the 25 rhymes on our website in January 2016 too – which were specially shot and animated – they are really sweet!

Each week you will see a Routine Episode on a Friday (Breakfast, Lunchtime, Teatime, Bedtime) – look out for Bedtime on Friday 15th January (your little ones might be wanting to go back to bed afterwards it is that twinkly!) – we hope you like Mr Tumble’s new PJs and Tumble Ted’s matching pair!

Finally, look out for the new Tumble family of toys: Lord Monkey, Polly Dolly, Tumble Ted and The Puppy!

We often hear lovely stories of how Something Special has helped young children, this must mean a lot to Justin and the whole crew?

It certainly makes all the hard work very worthwhile! We have met so many amazing and inspirational children, parents, teachers and schools along the way – I want to say a personal and very big thank you to every single one of them for making this series such a wonderful experience to create.

Many a deep breath has to be taken on the filming days when we witness the children meeting Justin for the first time. One little girl, actually said some words for the very first time. That was a really emotional moment witnessing the look on her mum’s face. Moments such as this made us all realise the power of ‘Something Special’ and the ‘voice’ our programme gives to so many children.

We are are all so immensely proud of being part of making Series 10 and hope it continues to be such an important show for CBeebies and as loved by its audience.

Visit the Something Special web page