Hotch Potch House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hotch Potch House |
|
|---|---|
| Genre | Preschool animation |
| Created by | Michelle Jones |
| Developed by | BBC Worldwide |
| Directed by | Vivienne Cozens Neil Ben Nigel H Harris |
| Starring | Rebecca Nagan Richard Coombs Francis Wright Tina Gray |
| Theme music composer | Paddy Kingsland Stephen McNeff Sandy Nuttgens Steve Brown |
| Opening theme | "Hotch Potch House" |
| Ending theme | "Hotch Potch House" (instrumental) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 11 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Julie Callanan |
| Running time | 19 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
|
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC Two |
| Original release | 15 January – 25 March 1996 |
Hotch Potch House was a fun BBC television show from 1996. It was made for younger children, like preschoolers. The show used puppets, cartoons, and real-life scenes to teach kids about their feelings.
The main characters were puppets: Raggs, played by Richard Coombs, Shelley, played by Francis Wright (who also worked on Art Attack), and Woolie, played by Rebecca Nagan (from Rosie and Jim). Vivienne Cozens directed the series.
Contents
How the Show Works
The show takes place in a special homemade model house called "Hotch Potch House." Each episode, the house spins around. The camera then stops on a different part of the house. Each part shows what the next part of the show will be about!
- The Eye: When the eye on the house winks, it's time for "Eyewitness." This part shows interesting facts about animals or things in the world.
- The Front Door: The front door brings out the "Letter of the Week." One of the first six letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, E, F) pops out. It then flies off and becomes huge in a cartoon scene.
- The Chimney: Numbers from 1 to 5 fly out of the chimney for the "Number of the Week." The chosen number turns white and grows very big in a cartoon. After that, some singing fruits and vegetables perform a number song!
- The Tree: The tree magically grows, leading to "Activities." This segment shows fun things kids can do.
- The Window: Musical notes pop out of the window for "Songs and Rhymes." This part features popular children's songs.
- The Garden Door: The garden door opens for "Out and About." This segment shows real-life places and activities.
The Mouse House Stories
A special part of the show is called "The Mouse House." It's storytime with five mice: Kevin, Max, Betsey, Lester, and Primrose. They live in a tiny house behind a small brown door. Their friend Nana tells them stories.
Each story begins with Nana's special words: "Find a comfy place to sit, as quiet as a mouse, and listen to a story about a little house. Just in the corner, down by the floor, in Hotch Potch House there's a tiny brown door. Push the door open and step right through - inside the Mouse House there's a story for you!"
Episodes and Their Themes
Hotch Potch House had 11 episodes. Each episode explored a different theme or feeling.
| Episode Name | Main Theme | Original Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hide and Seek | Learning about hiding and finding, and seeing camouflaged animals. | 15 January 1996 |
| Just the Same | Exploring ideas of being similar and different, and saying sorry. | 22 January 1996 |
| Babies | Discovering baby animals and welcoming new visitors. | 29 January 1996 |
| Underwater | Learning about creatures that live in the sea and fish. | 5 February 1996 |
| Round and Round | Understanding things that spin and move in circles, like wheels. | 12 February 1996 |
| Houses | Looking at different types of homes and redecorating. | 19 February 1996 |
| Up in the Air | Exploring things that fly, like balloons and aeroplanes. | 26 February 1996 |
| Melting and Freezing | Understanding how things change with temperature, like ice. | 4 March 1996 |
| Running Water | Learning about water and how to use it. | 11 March 1996 |
| Up and Down | Exploring movement, like going up and down. | 18 March 1996 |
| Bend And Stretch | Learning about how bodies move and getting ready for a party. | 25 March 1996 |
Who Made It Happen
Many talented people helped create Hotch Potch House.
In the Mouse House
- Nana's Voice: Tina Gray
- Animation: Ealing Animation (who also made El Nombre)
- The Mouse Voices: Kevin (James Danaher), Max (Dexter Koh), Betsey (Ashlie Walker), Lester (Tom Fletcher), Primrose (Lily Cole)
Letter / Number of the Week
- Animation: Alan Rogers and Peter Lang (who worked on Pigeon Street)
- Number Song: Steve Brown
Music
- Paddy Kingsland
- Stephen McNeff
- Sandy Nuttgens (for The Mouse House stories)
