Polka Dot Shorts facts for kids

Polka Dot Shorts is a fun children's television series from TVOntario in Canada. It was shown in many countries around the world, including on Smile of a Child. Jed MacKay created, produced, and edited the show. About 180 episodes were made between 1993 and 2001. The series won a Gemini Award in 2000 for being the "Best Pre-School Program or Series".

About the Show

The show is based on an older series called Polka Dot Door. It features beloved characters like Polkaroo, Humpty, Dumpty, Marigold, and Bear. Actors wear big costumes to bring these characters to life. For example, the actor who played Marigold had a background in ballet and circus skills!

Each episode used to start with a human host, Deborah Drakeford. She would introduce the story to a group of children, as if she was reading from a book. Then, the actors in their big costumes would act out the story, while the host read the dialogue. A new character, Bibble, Polkaroo's pet, joined the Polka Dot Door family. Bibble could only make "bibblebibblebibble" sounds, but he used different tones to show how he felt.

In every episode, one of the characters would find a large pair of polka dot shorts. They would always exclaim, "A great big pair of polka dot shorts! How did they get there?" Polkaroo's funny reply was always, "I haven't the foggiest!" Some episodes were even told completely in rhyme!

After the first two seasons, the show changed a bit. The human host was no longer part of the show, and the episodes started right away with the characters. Polka Dot Shorts was shown in the UK on CBBC and Tiny Living. It was also released on video. There was even a live stage show that toured the UK in the early 2000s.

Meet the Characters

Here are the main characters you'll meet in Polka Dot Shorts:

• Polkaroo (voiced by Andrew Sabiston): Polkaroo is a green, kangaroo-like animal. He has yellow hair, a long furry yellow tail, and a red-and-yellow polka dot on his neck. He wears a gown covered in polka dots. Polkaroo appears in every episode and lives in a small house with his pet, Bibble. He loves having his friends over to play and is usually the one who finds the polka dot shorts. Sometimes he speaks in rhyme. If his friends argue, he often says, "Excuse me."
• Bibble: Bibble is Polkaroo's playful pet. He looks like a colorful mop head covered in pom-poms. He often moves around making "bibbly" sounds, which is how he got his name. Bibble enjoys playing pranks, but sometimes his tricks can annoy the others.
• Humpty (voiced by Tony Daniels): Humpty is a big green egg with purplish hair and a white nose. He wears a burgundy suit with pink roses, a tie with a large H, and green boots. Humpty is fun-loving and sometimes a little mischievous. However, he always tries his best to help his friends. When the group feels scared, he often tells them, "Pull yourself together." He is Dumpty's older brother.
• Dumpty (played by Brunella Battista, voiced by Julie Lemieux): Dumpty is Humpty's younger brother. He is brown with a blue checked nose. He wears a cream-colored cap with a D on it, a blue bow tie, and a blue suit with flowers and checks. Dumpty is the youngest of the group. He loves to help and wants to fit in. He sometimes bothers his older brother Humpty, but he cares about him very much.
• Bear (voiced by Brian Moffatt): Bear is a brown bear and Polkaroo's best friend. He wears a green bow tie with white polka dots. Bear loves honey and speaks with a fancy accent. He can sometimes be a bit of a show-off. He often says, "Coincidence, I think not."
• Marigold (played by Alisa Walton, voiced by Deborah Drakeford): Marigold is a kind doll with orange yarn-like hair in pigtails. She wears a green dress with flowers and yellow-and-white striped leggings. Marigold loves gardening and grows many different plants. She often says, "You know what? I'll tell you what."

Episode List

Here are some of the episodes from Polka Dot Shorts:

Series 1 (1994)

• Goodnight Polkaroo
• The Ball That Got Broken
• Just For Two

Series 2 (1995)

• A Windy Day
• Lots Of Spots
• Sandwich
• Seasons Greetings Polkaroo

Series 3 (1996)

• Badge Of Merit
• Bibbles Birthday
• Knock On Wood
• Pardon My Garden
• The Wonderful Marvellous Thing A Me Jig

Series 4 (2004)

• A Champion Chompet