WordWorld | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Genre | |
Created by |
|
Directed by | Olexa Hewryk |
Narrated by | H.D. Quinn |
Theme music composer | Billy Straus |
Composers |
|
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 45 (90 segments) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers |
|
Running time | 28 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | PBS Kids |
Release | September 3, 2007 – January 17, 2011 |
WordWorld is an American children's CGI animated television series based on the books and the wooden puzzles of the same name. Created by Don Moody, Jacqueline Moody, Peter Schneider and Gary Friedman, the show was produced by The Learning Box and WTTW National.
WordWorld aired on PBS Kids from September 3, 2007 to January 17, 2011, with PBS later airing reruns on the national 24-hour PBS Kids channel from January 16, 2017 to October 2, 2022. 45 episodes were produced.
In the series, when letters are combined to spell words, they morph into the shape of the corresponding object. The animal characters and many objects are made of letters, and are respectively called WordFriends and WordThings. The main setting is a planet named WordWorld; despite its name, WordFriends and WordThings also exist in outer space. In each episode, the characters have a cartoonish adventure, and ultimately must "build a word" using synthetic phonics to solve a problem. Some episodes focus on concepts such as rhymes, compound words, and plural formation with -s.
WordWorld is designed to teach children how to spell. In non-English speaking countries, it is designed to teach children English as a second language.
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | ||||
1 | 26 | September 3, 2007 | December 1, 2008 | ||
2 | 14 | February 13, 2009 | December 28, 2009 | ||
3 | 5 | October 4, 2010 | January 17, 2011 |
No. In Series | No. In Season | Title | Original Air Date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Runaway O/Happy Birthday, Dog!" | September 3, 2007 | |
"Runaway O". Build a Word: "BOX" "Happy Birthday, Dog!". Build a Word: "CAKE" Music video: "Dancing Dog" | ||||
2 | 2 | "There's an Ant in Every Giant/Chef Sheep" | September 4, 2007 | |
"There's an Ant in Every Giant". Build a Word: "ANT" "Chef Sheep". Build a Word: "POT" Music video: "Dancing Dog" | ||||
3 | 3 | "Rocket to the Moon/The Birds" | September 5, 2007 | |
"Rocket to the Moon". Build a Word: "ROCKET" "The Birds". Build a Word: "BIRD" Music video: "Dancing Dog" | ||||
4 | 4 | "The Mystery of the Disappearing Pie/Duck's Family Reunion" | September 6, 2007 | |
"The Mystery of the Disappearing Pie". Build a Word: "BEAR" "Duck’s Family Reunion". Build a Word: "TRUCK" Music video: "Dancing Dog" | ||||
5 | 5 | "Sh-Sh-Shark!/Dog Wants to Play Ball" | September 13, 2007 | |
"Sh-Sh-Shark!". Build a Word: "SHOE" "Dog Wants to Play Ball". Build a Word: "BALL" Music video: "Dancing Dog" | ||||
6 | 6 | "Pies, Pies, Pies!/Waterlogged" | September 14, 2007 | |
"Pies, Pies, Pies!" Build a Word: "PIES" "Waterlogged". Build a Word: "LOG" Music video: "Dancing Dog" | ||||
7 | 7 | "Dog's Camping Adventure/V is for Vacation" | September 17, 2007 | |
"Dog's Camping Adventure". Build a Word: "TENT" "V is for Vacation". Build a Word: "VINE" Music video: "Ride the Slide" | ||||
8 | 8 | "Snug as a Bug/Nightlight" | September 18, 2007 | |
"Snug as a Bug". Build a Word: "RUG" "Nightlight". Build a Word: "NIGHTLIGHT" Music video: "Ride the Slide" | ||||
9 | 9 | "Duck's First Sleepover Party/One Hat Fits All" | October 29, 2007 | |
"Duck's First Sleepover Party”. Build a Word: "BED" "One Hat Fits All". Build a Word: "HAT" Music video: "Ride the Slide" | ||||
10 | 10 | "Dancing Dog/Pig's Big Moonlight Feast" | November 19, 2007 | |
"Dancing Dog". Build a Word: "DRUM" "Pig's Big Moonlight Feast". Build a (Right) Word: "CORN", "PIE", "CAKE" Music video: "Circus Sheep" | ||||
11 | 11 | "Boppin' with the Bug Band/Shuffleword" | November 26, 2007 | |
"Boppin' with the Bug Band". Build a Word: "BELL" "Shuffleword". Build a Word: "PIT" Music video: "Circus Sheep" | ||||
12 | 12 | "W Drought/Princess Sheep" | January 31, 2008 | |
"W Drought". Build a Word: "WATER" "Princess Sheep". Build a Word: "CROWN" Music video: "Take the Stage" | ||||
13 | 13 | "Radio Read-a-Thon/Robots to the Rescue!" | February 15, 2008 | |
"Radio Read-a-Thon". Build a Word: "BOOK" "Robots to the Rescue!". Build a Word: "ROBOTS" Music video: "Take the Stage" | ||||
14 | 14 | "Pl-Pl-Plane/Mail Mix Up" | March 3, 2008 | |
"Pl-Pl-Plane". Build a Word: "PLANE" "Mail Mix Up". Build a (Right) Word: "SAIL, PAIL, NAIL" Music video: "Take the Stage" | ||||
15 | 15 | "Pig's Present/Tick Tock Space Clock" | March 21, 2008 | |
"Pig's Present". Build a Word: “JET” "Tick Tock Space Clock". Build a Word: "CLOCK" Music video: "Monster Maker" | ||||
16 | 16 | "Castles in the Sea/Get Your Coat" | April 7, 2008 | |
"Castles in the Sea". Build a Word: "CASTLE" "Get Your Coat". Build a Word: "COAT" Music video: "Monster Maker" | ||||
17 | 17 | "Superhero Sheep/Pirate Ship" | April 8, 2008 | |
"Superhero Sheep". Build a Word: "SLIDE" "Pirate Ship". Build a Word: "SHIP" Music video: "Monster Maker" | ||||
18 | 18 | "Playing Spies/Wee Little Whale" | May 5, 2008 | |
"Playing Spies". Build a Word: "POOL" "Wee Little Whale". Build a Word: "SUB" Music video: "It's Time to Rhyme" | ||||
19 | 19 | "The Race to Mystery Island/A Star is Born" | May 6, 2008 | |
"The Race to Mystery Island". Build a Word: "BOAT" "A Star is Born". Build a Word: "STAR" Music video: "It's Time to Rhyme" | ||||
20 | 20 | "Back on Track/The Rainbow Birthday Cake" | May 23, 2008 | |
"Back on Track". Build a Word: "TRACK" "The Rainbow Birthday Cake". Build a Word: "CANDLE" Music video: "It's Time to Rhyme" | ||||
21 | 21 | "Bit by Bit/Ride 'em, Cowbear!" | June 23, 2008 | |
"Bit by Bit". Build a Word: "BANANA" "Ride 'em, Cowbear!". Build a Word: "ROPE" Music video: "Pig's Perfect Pizza" | ||||
22 | 22 | "Play Ball!/M is for Map" | June 24, 2008 | |
"Play Ball!". Build a Word: "BALL" “M is for Map". Build a Word: "MAP" Music video: "Pig's Perfect Pizza" | ||||
23 | 23 | "Flying Ant/The Dancing Duck Bonanza" | July 7, 2008 | |
"Flying Ant". Build a Word: "KITE" "The Dancing Duck Bonanza". Build a Word: "STAGE" Music video: "Pig's Perfect Pizza" | ||||
24 | 24 | "The Lost Letter L/Catch that C!" | August 18, 2008 | |
"The Lost Letter L". Build a Word: “LOG” "Catch that C!". Build a Word: "COOKIE" Music video: "Ride the Slide" | ||||
25 | 25 | "A Kooky Spooky Halloween/Sheep's Halloween Costume" | October 6, 2008 | |
"A Kooky Spooky Halloween". Build a Word: "BAG" "Sheep's Halloween Costume". Build a Word: "DUST" Music video: "Monster Maker" | ||||
26 | 26 | "The Christmas Star/A Christmas Present for Dog" | December 1, 2008 | |
"The Christmas Star". Build a Word: "STAR” "A Christmas Present for Dog". Build a Word: "BALL" Music video: "It's Time to Rhyme" |
No. In Series | No. In Season | Title | Original Air Date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
27 | 1 | "My Fuzzy Valentine/Love, Bug" | February 13, 2009 | |
"My Fuzzy Valentine". Build a Word: "HEART" "Love, Bug". Build a Word: "BUG" Music video: "Fruit Cha-Cha" | ||||
28 | 2 | "Duck Saves Spider’s Web/Caterpillar Gets A Home" | March 31, 2009 | |
"Duck Saves Spider’s Web". Build a Word: "WEB" "Caterpillar Gets a Home". Build a Word: "BOX" Music video: "Fruit Cha-Cha" | ||||
29 | 3 | "Bugs to the Rescue!/Sheep's First Bike Ride" | April 13, 2009 | |
"Bugs to the Rescue!". Build a Word: "BALLOON" "Sheep's First Bike Ride". Build a Word: "BIKE" Music video: "Fruit Cha-Cha" | ||||
30 | 4 | "Duck's Hiccups/Achoo!" | May 11, 2009 | |
"Duck's Hiccups". Build a Word: "GLASS" "Achoo!". Build a Word: "ANTS" Music video: "Fruit Cha-Cha" | ||||
31 | 5 | "Get Well Soon Soup/Mmm-Mmm-Milk!" | May 12, 2009 | |
"Get Well Soon Soup". Build a Word: "BED" "Mmm-Mmm-Milk!". Build a Word: "MILK" Music video: "Get Up and Move" | ||||
32 | 6 | "Get Set for ET/Duck Plays the Piano" | June 15, 2009 | |
"Get Set for ET". Build a Word: "JET" "Duck Plays the Piano". Build a Word: "PIANO" Music video: "Get Up and Move" | ||||
33 | 7 | "Shark's First Day of School/Shark's First Loose Tooth" | July 13, 2009 | |
"Shark's First Day of School". Build a Word: "FLAG" "Shark's First Loose Tooth". Build a Word: "PILLOW" Music video: "Get Up and Move" | ||||
34 | 8 | "Duck at Bat/You Can Never Have Too Many OO's" | July 14, 2009 | |
"Duck at Bat". Build a Word: "BAT" (Happened twice) "You Can Never Have Too Many "OO"s". Build a Word: "ROOF" Music video: "Get Up and Move" | ||||
35 | 9 | "The Best Nest/Duck's Family Reunion" | September 7, 2009 | |
"The Best Nest". Build a Word: "NEST" "Duck's Family Reunion". Build a Word: "TRUCK" (Repeat of a Season 1 episode) Music video: "Take the Stage" | ||||
36 | 10 | "Bed Bugs/Snug as a Bug" | September 8, 2009 | |
"Bed Bugs". Build a Word: "BED" "Snug as a Bug". Build a Word: "RUG" (Repeat of a Season 1 episode) Music video: "It's Time to Rhyme" | ||||
37 | 11 | "Totally Terrific Duck/A Star is Born" | October 12, 2009 | |
"Totally Terrific Duck". Build a Word: "TIE" "A Star is Born". Build a Word: "STAR" (Repeat of a Season 1 episode) Music video: "Fruit Cha-Cha" | ||||
38 | 12 | "Dog's Having a Party/Dog Wants to Play Ball" | November 9, 2009 | |
"Dog's Having a Party". Build a Word: "HORN" "Dog Wants to Play Ball". Build a Word: "BALL" (Repeat of a Season 1 episode) Music video: "Ride the Slide" | ||||
39 | 13 | "Welcome Home, Duck/The Lost Letter L" | November 10, 2009 | |
"Welcome Home, Duck". Build a Word: "ROCK" "The Lost Letter L". Build a Word: “LOG” (Repeat of a Season 1 episode) Music video: "Get Up and Move" | ||||
40 | 14 | "Bear's Bed Sled/Sh-Sh-Shark!" | December 28, 2009 | |
"Bear's Bed Sled". Build a Word: "SLED" "Sh-Sh-Shark!". Build a Word: "SHOE" (Repeat of a Season 1 episode) Music video: "Take the Stage" |
No. In Series | No. In Season | Title | Original Air Date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
41 | 1 | "A String’s the Thing/J-J-Jelly" | October 4, 2010 | |
"A String’s the Thing". Build a Word: "STRING" "J-J-Jelly". Build a Word: "JAR" Music video: "Ride the Slide" | ||||
42 | 2 | "Hide and Seek/Kite Flight" | October 5, 2010 | |
"Hide and Seek". Build a Word: "LAKE" "Kite Flight". Build a Word: "KITE" Music video: "Get Up and Move" | ||||
43 | 3 | "The Really Red Ruby/Firefighters to the Rescue" | November 1, 2010 | |
"The Really Red Ruby". Build a Word: "ROCK" "Firefighters to the Rescue". Build a Word: "FIRE" Music video: "Pig's Perfect Pizza" | ||||
44 | 4 | "Think in the Rink/X Marks the Spot" | November 2, 2010 | |
"Think in the Rink". Build a Word: "RINK" "X Marks the Spot". Build a Word: "X-RAY" Music video: "Fruit Cha-Cha" | ||||
45 | 5 | "Race to the Spaceship/Sandbox Surprise" | January 17, 2011 | |
"Race to the Spaceship". Build a Word: "SPACESHIP" “Sandbox Surprise". Build a Word: "SANDBOX" Music video: "Get Up and Move" |
Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the series 5 out of 5 stars; saying that, “This show is perfectly suited for preschoolers' learning level, and it will entertain them as it reinforces their knowledge of letters, sounds, and simple words. With its imaginative design and with the various font styles used to create the letter-based objects, the WordWorld package is delightful enough to draw in parents almost as readily as kids.” [1]
2009 Emmy Award Winner Outstanding Children's Animated Program Outstanding Writing in Animation [2]
2008 Emmy Award Winner Outstanding Achievement in Main Title [2]
Three 2007 Parents’ Choice Awards: Gold Welcome to WordWorld DVD Rocket to the Moon/The Birds DVD WordWorld Television Series [2]
Creative Child Magazine – Creative Toys Awards 2008 Preferred Choice Award: Barn Bucket Set 2008 Seal of Excellence Award: Pull-Apart Plush [2]
2004 Preferred Choice Award: Pull Apart Plush [2]
2008 Toy Wishes Magazine All-Star Award WordPuzzle with Sound: Duck's Beach Party [2]
Interactive Media Awards 2007 Best in Class: PBS Kids WordWorld Website [2]
Teletubbies is a British children's television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for the BBC. The programme focuses on four differently coloured characters known as the Teletubbies, named after the television screens on their bellies. Recognised throughout popular culture for the uniquely shaped antenna protruding from the head of each character, the Teletubbies communicate through gibberish and were designed to bear resemblance to toddlers.
Cyberchase is an animated science fantasy children's television series that airs on PBS Kids. The series centers around three children from Earth: Jackie, Matt and Inez, who are brought into Cyberspace, a digital universe, in order to protect it from the villainous Hacker. They are able to foil Hacker's schemes by means of problem-solving skills in conjunction with basic math, environmental science and wellness. In Cyberspace, they meet Digit, a "cybird" who helps them on their missions.
Between the Lions is an American animated/live-action/puppet educational children's television series designed to promote reading. The show is a co-production between WGBH in Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd., in New York City, in association with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, the distributor from seasons 1–10, in Mississippi. The show won nine Daytime Emmy awards between 2001 and 2007. Although it is created by alumni of the fellow PBS children’s show Sesame Street, Between the Lions was not created by Sesame Workshop, nor was it produced with their involvement in any way. The show ran on PBS Kids from April 3, 2000 to November 22, 2010, taking over the schedule slot held by The Puzzle Place upon its debut. This TV show was a companion piece to Sesame Street aimed at slightly older children.
Dragon Tales is an animated educational fantasy children's television series created by Jim Coane and Ron Rodecker, developed by Coane, Wesley Eure, Jeffrey Scott, Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser, and produced by the Children's Television Workshop, Columbia TriStar Television and Adelaide Productions. The series focuses on the adventures of two siblings, Emmy and Max, and their dragon friends Cassie, Ord, and Zak and Wheezie.
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, or Jakers in Europe, is an animated children's television series. The series was broadcast on PBS Kids in the United States, and on CBBC and CBeebies in the United Kingdom. It was also broadcast in Australia on ABC Kids. The series ran for three seasons and 52 episodes total from September 7, 2003, to January 23, 2007, with reruns airing through August 31, 2008. Reruns aired on the Qubo television network from June 30, 2012 to March 26, 2017.
Zoboomafoo is a live-action/animated children's television series that originally aired on PBS from January 25, 1999, to November 21, 2001. It was formerly shown in public television and was regularly shown on PBS Kids Sprout until 2012. A total of 65 episodes were aired. A creation of the Kratt Brothers, it features a four-(later five)-year-old talking lemur named Zoboomafoo, performed by Canadian puppeteer Gord Robertson, and mainly portrayed by a lemur named Jovian, along with a collection of returned animal guests.
Curious George is an American children's animated television series based on the children's book series of the same name for PBS Kids which features Jeff Bennett as the voice of Ted Shackelford. Frank Welker, who voiced George in the 2006 feature film, reprises the role in the series. The show premiered on PBS Kids on September 4, 2006, and originally ended after nine seasons on April 1, 2015 before returning in 2018. Later seasons were released on Peacock, and the series concluded on March 17, 2022 after a total of 15 seasons.
Yo Gabba Gabba! is a children's musical television series created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz and developed by Kay Wilson Stallings. The series is about five costumed toys come-to-life and their friend DJ Lance Rock. It is co-produced by the Magic Store and Wildbrain Entertainment. Its first episode premiered on Nickelodeon on August 20, 2007, as a part of its Nick Jr. block. Its original run ended on November 12, 2015.
Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman is an American live-action/animated television series that aired on PBS Kids Go! and is largely targeted toward children ages 6–10. It is a reality-game show hosted by Ruff Ruffman, an animated anthropomorphic dog who dispenses challenges to the show's real-life contestants. The series ran from May 29, 2006, to November 4, 2010 on PBS across five seasons and 100 episodes, and featured 30 contestants. Although a sixth season was planned, with auditions taking place in January 2010, WGBH announced on June 14, 2010 that the series would end due to lack of funding. In June 2008, the series received its first Emmy for Best Original Song for its theme.
Phineas and Ferb is an American animated musical-comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. It aired on the networks for four seasons between 2007 and 2015, and is expected to return for two additional seasons. The series follows stepbrothers Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher during summer vacation. Every day, the boys undertake the construction of a grand project, or embark on a spectacular adventure, to make the most of their time on vacation. This annoys their controlling older sister, Candace, who frequently tries to expose their schemes to her and Phineas's mother. The series follows a standard plot system; running gags occur in every episode.
Mark Risley is an American writer, animator, storyboard artist, producer and director specializing in children's television. He is best-known for his work on Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, The Mr. Men Show, Space Racers, and Yo-kai Watch.
WordGirl is an American animated children's superhero television series produced by the Soup2Nuts animation unit of Scholastic Entertainment for PBS Kids. The series began as a series of shorts entitled The Amazing Colossal Adventures of WordGirl that premiered on PBS Kids Go! on November 10, 2006, usually shown at the end of Maya & Miguel; the segment was then spun off into a new thirty-minute episodic series that premiered on September 3, 2007 to August 7, 2015 on most PBS member stations. The series of shorts consisted of thirty episodes, with 130 episodes in the full half-hour series.
The Mighty B! is an American animated television series created by former SNL cast member Amy Poehler, Cynthia True, and Erik Wiese for Nickelodeon. The series centers on Bessie Higgenbottom, an ambitious Honeybee girl scout who believes she will become The Mighty B if she collects every Honeybee badge. Bessie lives in San Francisco with her single mother Hilary, brother Ben and dog Happy. Poehler provides the voice of Bessie, who is loosely based on the character Cassie McMadison, who Poehler played on the improvisational comedy troupes Upright Citizens Brigade and Second City before she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live.
The Future Is Wild is an animated adventure television series based on Canadian 2003 joint Animal Planet/ORF (Austria) and ZDF (Germany) co-production The Future Is Wild, developed by Nelvana, Teletoon and IVL Animation, in association with Discovery Kids and directed by Mike Fallows, with characters and creatures designed by Brett Jubinville. It is made in CGI animation.
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! is an animated musical preschool children's television series featuring Martin Short as the voice of The Cat in the Hat, that premiered on Treehouse TV in Canada on August 7, 2010, also airing on YTV in Canada on weekday mornings from 2012 to 2013, and on PBS Kids and PBS Kids Preschool in the US on September 6, 2010. It also aired on CITV and Tiny Pop in the UK, and Disney Junior in India. The show is based on Random House's Beginner Books franchise and The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, itself based on the 1957 children's book The Cat in the Hat.
T.U.F.F. Puppy is an American animated action children's television series created by Butch Hartman. It's on October 2, 2010, along with Planet Sheen, which premiered a half hour earlier. T.U.F.F. Puppy is Hartman's third animated show for Nickelodeon, after The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom and also before Bunsen Is a Beast. The show was cancelled after 3 seasons and aired its final episode on April 4, 2015. As of January 1, 2024, it has been removed from Paramount+.
Peg + Cat is an animated children's television series based on the children's picture book "The Chicken Problem", which was published in 2012. The series, which featured the voice acting of Hayley Faith Negrin and Dwayne Hill, was created by Billy Aronson and Jennifer Oxley and produced by Fred Rogers Productions and 9 Story Media Group. It debuted on most PBS stations on October 7, 2013, as part of the revamped PBS Kids brand, and aired 63 episodes through April 23, 2018. In Canada the show is broadcast on Treehouse TV.
Let's Go Luna! is an educational animated children's television series created by Joe Murray that aired on PBS Kids. Murray formerly worked on the Nickelodeon animated series Rocko's Modern Life and Cartoon Network animated series Camp Lazlo. It is co-produced by 9 Story Media Group. Judy Greer provides the voice of the titular Luna. In the first season, there are 38 half-hour episodes and a one-hour special. The second season has 26 episodes and premiered on May 10, 2021. Each episode consists of two 11-minute story segments, with a short segment of one of the characters telling a folktale, song or poem from that country in between.
Mother Goose Club is an educational nursery school program that streams on its eponymous YouTube channel and is produced by Sockeye Media LLC. Its YouTube channel has acquired more than 8 billion views and 7 million subscribers since 2009. Episodes of the program have also aired on PBS stations and are available on streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi. The show is made up of a series of educational live-action and animated segments, with a cast of six recurring characters who introduce classic nursery rhymes and other songs to children through catchy tunes, play, and interactive lessons.
Super Why! is an animated superhero preschool television series created by Angela C. Santomero and developed by Santomero and Samantha Freeman Alpert for PBS Kids. Santomero and Alpert additionally serve as executive producers alongside Steven DeNure and Anne Loi. The series was produced by Santomero and Alpert's New York City-based production company Out of the Blue Enterprises in co-production with Decode Entertainment for the first season and DHX Studios Halifax for the second and third seasons. Animation was by Toronto-based C.O.R.E. Toons, Gallus Entertainment and DHX Media. The opening and closing theme songs were written by composers and lyricists Steve D'Angelo and Terry Tompkins, with D'Angelo also providing lead vocals for both. The background score for seasons 2 and 3 was composed by Lorenzo Castelli and Jeff Morrow.