StoryBots facts for kids
Quick facts for kids StoryBots |
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| Animated series | Ask the StoryBots, StoryBots Super Songs, Storybots: Answer Time, Storybots: Super Silly Stories with Bo |
| Television specials | A StoryBots Christmas |
StoryBots is a fun American media brand for kids. It includes educational TV shows, books, videos, music, and games. The most famous shows are the Netflix series Ask the StoryBots, StoryBots: Answer Time, StoryBots: Super Silly Stories with Bo, and StoryBots Super Songs.
StoryBots started online and became very popular on YouTube, getting over 620 million views! In 2016, their first TV show, Ask the StoryBots, launched on Netflix. This show has won many awards, like Daytime Emmy Awards and an Annie Award. It also got special mentions from the Peabody Awards and British Academy Children's Awards. StoryBots also made a show called StoryBots Super Songs and a holiday special, A StoryBots Christmas.
The brand was first created by the entertainment company JibJab. Later, it became its own company, StoryBots, Inc. In May 2019, Netflix bought StoryBots. This was part of Netflix's plan to offer more educational and family-friendly shows.
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How StoryBots Started
StoryBots first came out in the fall of 2012. It was talked about on major news channels like CNN and in The New York Times. Gregg Spiridellis, one of the creators, said in 2013 that he and his brother had five young children. They noticed that kids were watching media in new ways. This gave them the idea for StoryBots. They wanted to create digital content that was like Sesame Street but for kids who use devices and are always connected.
In May 2019, Netflix announced they had bought the StoryBots brand. They also signed Evan and Gregg Spiridellis to create more shows for them. This was the first time Netflix had bought a company like this. It showed how much they wanted to add more educational content.
StoryBots TV Shows
The first StoryBots TV show, Ask the StoryBots, started on Netflix on August 12, 2016. The show follows five StoryBots characters: Beep, Bing, Bang, Boop, and Bo. They are also known as "Answer Team 341B." They go on adventures into the human world to help answer kids' big questions. The show features famous actors like Judy Greer.
The first season had guest stars like Jay Leno and Whoopi Goldberg. Ask the StoryBots was praised for being both educational and fun for kids and parents. A second season came out on August 24, 2018. It featured guest stars like Snoop Dogg and Edward Norton.
A third season was released on August 2, 2019. It included guest stars like John Legend and Zoe Saldana. You can find the music from all three seasons on most music streaming services. Many people, including Wired, have called Ask the StoryBots the "best kids' show on Netflix."
More StoryBots Shows
A show called StoryBots Super Songs also started on Netflix on October 7, 2016. While Ask the StoryBots answers one question per episode, StoryBots Super Songs teaches about bigger topics. These include outer space, colors, shapes, and dinosaurs. It uses music and real kids in its videos. Some episodes are also on the StoryBots YouTube channel.
Ask the StoryBots also had a holiday special, A StoryBots Christmas. It premiered on December 1, 2017, on Netflix. Ed Asner played Santa Claus in the special. This holiday show won two Emmy Awards, including one for best animated program.
A new series, StoryBots: Answer Time, came out on Netflix on November 21, 2022. It features guest stars like Danny DeVito and Anne Hathaway. A second season of this show premiered on July 10, 2023. It includes guest appearances from Rainn Wilson and Scarlett Johansson.
Another new show, StoryBots: Super Silly Stories with Bo, started on Netflix's YouTube channel on June 26, 2022. This series is different because it focuses on comedy. It stars only one StoryBot, 'Bo'. The show has lots of interaction with real kids who interrupt Bo's rhyming stories. This series has been nominated for and won Kidscreen Awards.
StoryBots Online Library
StoryBots has a huge collection of learning content and activities on its official website, StoryBots.com. The website was even nominated for a Webby Award in 2018 for being a great youth website.
The online library includes:
- Learning Videos: Animated music videos that teach about shapes, colors, healthy eating, and outer space.
- Starring You Videos: Learning music videos where you can add your own name and face!
- Learning Books: Educational ebooks with narration to help kids practice reading and learn.
- Starring You Books: Ebooks where you can add your face and name to become the hero of the story.
- Activity Sheets: Printable books about holidays, numbers, letters, and seasons.
- Math Games: Fun math games for kindergarten level, following Common Core guidelines.
StoryBots for Classrooms
In 2016, StoryBots launched StoryBots Classroom. This is a free online tool for teachers. It gives them full access to all StoryBots digital books, videos, and activities. It also includes new Common Core State Standards Initiative-aligned Math Games. Teachers can also use tools to manage their classrooms. This resource works on laptops, tablets, and interactive whiteboards.
Education Week and EdSurge featured StoryBots Classroom when it was released. It has since won the Teachers' Choice Award. Gregg Spiridellis said that teachers showed a lot of interest in StoryBots. This made them want to create a special product for classroom use.
StoryBots on YouTube
StoryBots first put five videos on YouTube in June 2012. The StoryBots YouTube channel was nominated for a 2019 Webby Award for its animation videos.
In 2018, StoryBots teamed up with WildBrain to help manage and grow its YouTube channel. In January 2019, the channel changed its name to Netflix Jr. This happened when Netflix bought StoryBots.
StoryBots Print Books
Besides the ebooks on their website, StoryBots also has several print books. These books are published by Random House Children's Books and feature the StoryBots characters. Some titles include:
- The Amazing Planet Earth (Step Into Reading)
- Cars Are Cool
- The Moon's Time To Shine (Step Into Reading)
- StoryBots ABC Jamboree
- Trucks Are Terrific
- Tyrannosaurus Rex (Step Into Reading)
StoryBots Awards
Since 2012, StoryBots has won many awards for its digital content. These include the Teachers' Choice Award, Parent's Choice Award, and Family Choice Award. They also won a Tech Edvocate Award and an Editor's Choice Award.
For their TV shows like Ask the StoryBots, A StoryBots Christmas, StoryBots: Answer Time, StoryBots: Super Silly Stories with Bo, and StoryBots Super Songs, StoryBots has won nine Daytime Emmy Awards. They also received an Annie Award and a Kidscreen Award. They have also been recognized by the British Academy Children's Awards and Peabody Awards.
