Jim Henson's Pajanimals facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Henson's Pajanimals
Genre	Children's
Created by	Jeff Muncy
Directed by	David Gumpel
Starring	John Kennedy Donna Kimball Alice Dinnean-Vernon Victor Yerrid
Opening theme	"Pajanimals Theme"
Ending theme	"La-La-Lullaby"
Composer(s)	Michael and Patty Silversher
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	52
Production
Executive producer(s)	Brian Henson Lisa Henson Alex Rockwell Halle Stanford Andrew Beecham
Producer(s)	Colin Williams
Running time	3 minutes (2008) 11 minutes (2011–2013)
Production company(s)	The Jim Henson Company (2008) 4Kids Entertainment (2008) Sixteen South (2011–2013) John Doze Studios (2011-2013) Ingenious (2011-2013)
Distributor	The Jim Henson Company
Release
Original network	PBS Kids Sprout
Original release	November 2, 2008 (2008-11-02) – March 8, 2013 (2013-03-08)

Jim Henson's Pajanimals is an American children's TV show created by Jeff Muncy. The name "Pajanimals" is a mix of the words Pajamas and Animals. The show first aired on PBS Kids Sprout (now Universal Kids) in the United States. It also played on Nick Jr. in the United Kingdom. The amazing characters were made by Jim Henson's Creature Shop at The Jim Henson Company.

About the Show

The show follows four friendly animal friends called the Pajanimals. They spend their last moments of playtime before bed together. Each night, they sing songs and learn important lessons. To do this, they travel to magical, whimsical lands. The main characters are Apollo, Sweetpea Sue, Squacky, and Cowbella.

Meet the Characters

Main Characters

• Apollo (performed by John Kennedy in the shorts and Michael Winsor in the series) - Apollo is a friendly green and purple dog. He is the leader of the Pajanimals. He loves looking at the night sky and playing with his rocket flashlight. When they fly through the sky, his bed turns into a rocket ship!

• Squacky (performed by Victor Yerrid in the shorts and Olly Taylor in the series) - Squacky is an energetic and excited blue and yellow duck. He often adds "squack" to words, like "squacksolutely." He sleeps with his special blankie, which also becomes his cape when he pretends to be Super Squacky. His bed can turn into a submarine for underwater adventures.

• Sweetpea Sue (performed by Donna Kimball in both the shorts and series) - Sweetpea Sue is a quiet and smart pink and orange horse. She has a soft Southern accent and is the oldest of the group. She always sleeps with her stuffed daisy pillow, Daisy Puff. Her bed transforms into a hot air balloon for flying.

• Cowbella (performed by Alice Dinnean-Vernon in the shorts and Sarah Lyle in the series) - Cowbella is a purple and white cow. She loves princesses, unicorns, and all things sparkly and girly. She sleeps with her stuffed unicorn named Princess Lucy. Her bed can become a beautiful carriage for their sky travels.

Supporting Friends

• Mom and Dad - These are the parents of the Pajanimals. You hear their voices, but you never see them on screen. Mom often sings the "La-La-Lullaby" song at the end of most episodes.

• Bedtime Bunny (performed by Donna Kimball) - A sleepy white rabbit who lives in the Land of Hush. The Pajanimals often visit her for advice when they have trouble sleeping. She sometimes falls asleep during their chats!

• Jerry Bear (performed by Victor Yerrid) - A friendly yellow bear from the Friendly Forest. He gives great bear hugs and helps the Pajanimals with their bedtime worries.

• • Otis Owl (performed by Paul Currie) - An owl who is good friends with Jerry Bear. He first appeared in season 2 and gives a loud hoot when he's excited.

• Moon (performed by Michael Winsor) - The Moon is a wise, glasses-wearing character in the night sky. The Pajanimals often ask him for advice about their feelings and bedtime problems.

• Mr. Happy Birthday (performed by Josh Elwell) - A dark blue and yellow porcupine who is the mascot of all birthdays. He lives in Birthday Land and helps the Pajanimals with birthday-related worries. His quills sometimes pop balloons!

• Ellie Octopus (performed by Sarah Lyle) - A purple octopus who lives in the Big Blue Sea. She gives the best "octopus huggles" and helps the Pajanimals learn about their feelings.

• Coach Whistler (performed by Paul Currie) - A dark blue walrus coach with a whistle. He lives in the Land of Play and is all about team spirit. He helps the Pajanimals with challenges like sharing and trying new things.

• Edwin (performed by Paul Currie) - An orange-skinned, glasses-wearing man from Storybook Land. Edwin often pretends to be different characters, like a knight or a king, to help the Pajanimals solve their problems.

• Granny Pearl (performed by Donna Kimball) - An elderly green sea turtle who lives in the Big Blue Sea. She is a wise character who helps the Pajanimals in season 2.

• Hank and Frank (performed by Victor Yerrid and Paul Currie) - Two brown beaver brothers who work as construction workers in the Land of Build-It. They help the Pajanimals learn about teamwork and responsibility.

Who Are the Puppeteers?

The talented people who bring the Pajanimals to life are:

• Victor Yerrid - Squacky, Jerry Bear, Hank Beaver
• Sarah Lyle - Ellie Octopus, Cowbella
• Michael Winsor - Moon, Apollo
• Donna Kimball - Sweetpea Sue, Bedtime Bunny, Granny Pearl
• John Kennedy - Apollo
• Alice Dinnean-Vernon - Cowbella
• Paul Currie - Coach Whistler, Edwin, Frank Beaver, Otis Owl
• Josh Elwell - Mr. Happy Birthday
• Olly Taylor - Squacky

Episode Adventures

The Pajanimals show started with short videos and later became longer episodes. Each episode helps kids learn about common feelings and how to get ready for bed.

Short Adventures (2008)

These short videos were about 3 minutes long. They introduced the Pajanimals and their bedtime routines.

• Stick to the Plan - Sweetpea Sue helps her friends follow steps to get ready for bed, like bathing and brushing teeth.
• Stay in Bed (Put On Your Sleepy Head) - Squacky wants to get out of bed, but his friends remind him that nighttime is for sleeping.
• What's That Sound? (Night Will Sing Us All to Sleep) - Apollo is scared of night sounds. His friends help him hear how these noises can be like a soothing lullaby.

Season 1 Episodes (2011–2012)

These episodes were about 11 minutes long and explored different feelings and bedtime challenges.

• Blankie in the Laundry – Squacky feels sad when his favorite blankie is being washed.
• Tomorrow is Brand New – Apollo is having a bad day. The Pajanimals visit the Moon to learn how to feel better.
• The Not-So Great Outdoors – Squacky is scared of going outside. Jerry Bear helps him understand that the outdoors can be fun.
• An Octopus Hug – Sweetpea Sue is afraid of octopuses. The Pajanimals meet Ellie Octopus to help Sweetpea Sue overcome her fear.
• Winning Isn't Everything – Apollo gets upset when he keeps losing games. Coach Whistler helps him learn that trying your best is what truly matters.
• Under the Bed – Squacky is scared to get his ball from under his bed because he thinks a monster lives there. Edwin helps him face his fears.

Season 2 Episodes (2012–2013)

This season continued with new adventures and lessons for the Pajanimals.

• The Wonderfully Different Squacky – Squacky worries about being different from his friends. Granny Pearl helps him see that being unique is wonderful.
• Off To My School Adventure – Sweetpea Sue is nervous about starting school. Jerry Bear helps her feel better by sharing his own first-day-of-school story.
• Oops – Squacky has an accident and wets his bed. The Moon helps him understand that accidents happen and it's okay.
• Team Fort – Apollo and Squacky argue with Cowbella and Sweetpea Sue while building a fort. Hank and Frank the Beavers help them learn to work together.
• Joy to the World – Squacky is so excited about Christmas presents that he can't sleep. The Moon helps him calm down and enjoy the holiday spirit.