Children's television series are television programs designed specifically for children. They are typically characterised by easy-going content devoid of sensitive or adult themes and are normally broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake, immediately before and after school schedules generally start in the country where they air. Educational themes are also prevalent, as well as the transmission of cautionary tales and narratives that teach problem-solving methods in some fashion or another, such as social disputes.
Bob the Builder is a British animated children's television series created by Keith Chapman for HIT Entertainment and Hot Animation. The series follows the adventures of Bob, a general contractor, specialising in masonry, along with his colleague Wendy, various neighbours, and friends, and equipment, and their gang of anthropomorphised work-vehicles, Scoop, Muck, Dizzy, Roley, Lofty and many others. The series ran from 12 April 1999 to 31 December 2011 in the United Kingdom through the CBBC strand and later CBeebies. The series originally used stop-motion from 1999 to 2009, but later used CGI animation starting with the spin-off series Ready, Steady, Build! (2010-2011). The British proprietors of Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends sold the enterprise in 2011 to US toy-maker Mattel for $680 million.
Dora the Explorer is an American children's animated television series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes, and Eric Weiner that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 14, 2000, and wrapped up on August 9, 2019. The series was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
HIT Entertainment Limited was a British-American entertainment company founded in 1982 as Henson International Television, the international distribution arm of The Jim Henson Company, by Jim Henson, Peter Orton, and Sophie Turner Laing. Orton alone took over the company in 1989 after learning Henson intended to sell the company to The Walt Disney Company. HIT owned and distributed children's television series such as Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder, Pingu, Barney & Friends, and Angelina Ballerina.
Polly Pocket is a toy line of dolls and accessories first founded and designed by Chris Wiggs in 1983 and licensed by Bluebird Toys from 1989 until both entities/properties were acquired by Mattel in 1998.
"Can We Fix It?" is the name of the theme song from the British children’s animated television programme Bob the Builder. It was written by Paul K. Joyce and produced by Hot Animation. The song's title is derived from the catchphrase of the programme's titular character, and the chorus of the song features this phrase prominently, as well as the response, "Yes we can!" Vocals on the song are provided by Neil Morrissey, who voiced Bob at the time of the track's recording. It was released as a single on 4 December 2000 in the United Kingdom.
Handy Manny is an animated children's television series that premiered with its first two episodes consecutively on September 16, 2006, originally as part of Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney block. The show was created by Roger Bollen and Marilyn Sadler, and developed for TV by Rick Gitelson. The show's animation was produced by Canada-based animation studio Nelvana, and features the additional voice talents of Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Kenny, Fred Stoller, Nika Futterman, Kath Soucie, Carlos Alazraqui, Grey DeLisle, and Nancy Truman. The theme song is performed by Los Lobos.
Keith Vincent Chapman is a British television writer and producer, best known as the creator of children's television programmes Bob the Builder, Mighty Express, Fifi and the Flowertots and PAW Patrol.
HOT Animation was a British animation studio owned by HIT Entertainment that specialised in stop motion animation. The studio was first incorporated in September 1997, and was officially established on 1 April 1998 by Jackie Cockle, Brian Little, and Joe Dembinski.
Fireman Sam is an animated children's television series about a fireman named Sam, his fellow firefighters, and other residents in the fictional Welsh rural village of Pontypandy. It was broadcast for the first time in November 1987 on Welsh TV channel S4C and is shown in more than 155 countries across the world.
Timmy Time is a British stop-motion animated television programme for preschoolers created and produced by Bob the Builder producer Jackie Cockle for the BBC's CBeebies and produced by Aardman Animations. It started broadcasting in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2009. It is a spin-off of Shaun the Sheep, itself a spin-off of the Wallace and Gromit film A Close Shave (1995).
Powerhouse Animation Studios, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Austin, Texas. It was founded in April 2001 with a subsidiary called Powerhouse Animation LLC, established in the summer of 2014. The company develops and produces traditional 2D animation, motion comics, motion graphics, art assets, digital paint, illustration for television series, motion pictures, video game cinemas, commercials, advertising campaigns, educational properties, and entertainment companies.
Monster High is an American multimedia-supported fashion doll franchise created by toy designer Garrett Sander and launched by Mattel in 2010. The show is aimed at children ages 7-14, the franchise features characters inspired by monster movies, sci-fi horror, thriller fiction, folklore, myths and popular culture, centering around the adventures of the teenage children of monsters and other mythical creatures attending a high school of the same name.
Thomas & Friends is a media franchise created by Rev. W. Awdry and Britt Allcroft. The franchise revolves around a railway, called the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Island of Sodor. The current title character of the franchise is Thomas the Tank Engine, an anthropomorphised steam locomotive, who works with other engines, including Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby and many others. The franchise began with stories told from Wilbert Awdry to his son. In 1984, it was turned into a television series, which spawned a reboot series, titled Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.
Pingu in the City is an animated children's television series produced by Mattel Creations, NHK, NHK Enterprises, and Polygon Pictures. It is a reboot/continuation based on the stop-motion television series Pingu by Hit Entertainment. The series first aired on NHK Educational TV in Japan from October 7, 2017 to March 30, 2019.
Super Drags is a Brazilian adult animated comedy television series created by Anderson Mahanski, Fernando Mendonça and Paulo Lescaut for Netflix.
Ada Twist, Scientist is an animated preschool television series, based on the eponymous book series by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts. Developed and executive produced by Chris Nee for Netflix, the series premiered on September 28, 2021. A second season was released on January 25, 2022, followed by a third season on September 12, 2022, and the fourth season on April 22, 2023.
