CBC Kids facts for kids

CBC Kids is a special TV block on CBC Television in Canada that shows programs just for kids! It started way back in 1987. This block airs on weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. On Saturdays, you can watch it from 6:00 a.m. to noon. On Sundays, it's on from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

CBC Kids has a French-language partner called Zone Jeunesse. You can find it on ICI Radio-Canada Télé. It airs on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Saturdays from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and Sundays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

History

Hodge Podge Lodge (1987–1994)

From 1987 to 1992, CBC had a two-hour morning block of kids' shows. It was called Hodge Podge Lodge. This name was thought up by Barbara Chernin and Stephen Wrigh. It's not to be mixed up with an older American show that had a similar name.

The Hodge Podge Lodge segments showed colorful animated shapes and art supplies. They moved around to music. In 1992, CBC changed its look. The Hodge Podge Lodge segments were replaced with new ones. These new segments featured a group of animated animals. A new animal character was added, and there was a contest to give it a name!

CBC Playground (1994–2000)

In 1993, Peter Moss became the head of children's programming at CBC. In 1994, the kids' block was renamed CBC Playground. It grew to include more shows from around the world. Some European shows needed new voices. Famous Canadian actors like Martha Henry helped record them in Toronto. CBC planned to have all Canadian shows between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. within two years.

In 1998, CBC Playground was relaunched. It got an extra hour of programming. Two hosts, Lisa Richardson and Drew Carnwath, joined the block. They started using virtual sets, which were very cool! CBC also teamed up with a group called Invest in Kids. They created "Parenting with the Zap Family" segments. These helped share information about how preschoolers grow and learn.

Get Set For Life (2000–2003)

In 2000, CBC Playground changed its name again. It became Get Set For Life. This name came from the campaign it was part of. Alyson Court and Michael Clarke were the hosts for this version of the block.

Kids' CBC (2003–2016)

"Kids' CBC" logo from 2003 to 2016.

Kids' CBC started in 2003. It took the place of Get Set For Life. Alyson Court and Michael Clarke stayed on as hosts until late 2005. But the main focus was on five new hosts. These hosts came from different parts of Canada! They were Patty Sullivan (from Ontario), Joyce Quansah (Quebec), Kush Uppal (British Columbia/Western Canada), Hayley Gene (Manitoba/Prairies), and Dashi Malone (Newfoundland and Labrador/Atlantic Canada).

The look of the show and the studio sets changed a lot. A girl from the Get Set For Life logo was redesigned. She became an animated character named Dot.

In December 2005, a new set was added. It looked like a garden inside a big dome. Malone and Gene were replaced by Mark O'Brien and Holly Bernier.

On September 3, 2007, the garden set was removed. The new set looked like a Canadian village. It had a circle floor and a treehouse! Because of budget changes, the show was hosted only from Toronto. Patty Sullivan continued as host, and Sid Bobb joined her.

New puppet characters were introduced. They showed off different parts of Canadian culture. Each puppet represented a different region of Canada:

• Mamma Yamma is a yam. She represents Ontario. She owns a fruit and vegetable stand in Toronto's Kensington Market.
• Drumheller is a skeleton dinosaur. He represents Western Canada. He comes from the famous dinosaur area near Drumheller, Alberta.
• Saumon de Champlain is a fictional salmon. He represents Quebec. He lives at the Château Frontenac in Quebec City.
• Captain Claw is a lobster. He represents Atlantic Canada. He is a lighthouse keeper in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.
• Canada is a green, animated shape. It looks like the map of Canada itself!

These puppets appeared in many scenes in their home regions. They often taught educational lessons. Mamma Yamma even had famous musicians and TV stars visit her stand! A music album of these live performances was released in 2008.

In 2013, Kids' CBC changed its style again. Drumheller, Saumon, Captain Claw, and Canada were removed. A new theme song called "You and Me and Kids' CBC" was added. New short segments were also introduced.

CBC Kids (2017–present)

On June 23, 2016, CBC announced another big change. Kids' CBC would become CBC Kids in the winter. Hosts Patty Sullivan and Sid Bobb left the show. Mamma Yamma was also removed. CBC Kids officially launched on January 2, 2017.

The current hosts of CBC Kids are Janaye Upshaw and Tony Kim. Victor Verbitsky was also a host until 2018. The current puppet characters are Gary the Unicorn, Cottonball the Cat, Mr. Orlando the Moose, Makeup Monster, and Putter the Computer.

The show now mixes regular children's programs with live-action segments. These segments feature Janaye, Tony, and the puppet characters. They are all part of a show called The Studio K Show.

Marie McCann is currently in charge of children's content at CBC.

Programming

Current programming