Tree Fu Tom facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Tree Fu Tom

Genre	Adventure
Created by	Daniel Bays
Written by	Daniel Bays Douglas Wood Ian Carney Moya O'Shea Darren Jones Allan Plenderleith Corey Powell Richard Preddy John Loy Sindy McKay Richard Dinnick
Directed by	Adam Shaw Kitty Taylor
Starring	Adam Henderson
Voices of	Sophie Aldred David Tennant Tim Whitnall Samantha Dakin Sharon D. Clarke
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	72
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jackie Edwards Alison Stewart Bob Higgins Sander Schwartz
Producer(s)	Daniel Bays Mark Bernard
Running time	22–25 minutes
Production company(s)	FremantleMedia Kids and Family Blue-Zoo Productions CBeebies
Distributor	FremantleMedia Enterprises
Release
Original network	CBeebies
Original release	5 March 2012 (2012-03-05) – 3 October 2016 (2016-10-03)

Tree Fu Tom is a British TV show that mixes live-action and CGI animation. It was shown on BBC and CBeebies in the UK, and on Universal Kids, NBC, and HBO in the USA. The story takes place in a tiny, magical world called Treetopolis, which is located on a giant tree in a British-style forest. Most of the characters are animal-like arthropods, like insects, who can talk and act like humans. The show ran for 5 seasons, with 72 episodes in total, from 2012 to 2016.

In Treetopolis, some insects are cared for like farm animals. These include aphids, ladybirds, and a rhinoceros beetle.

What is Tree Fu Tom About?
Why Was Tree Fu Tom Created?
Meet the Characters of Treetopolis
Episodes of Tree Fu Tom
See also

What is Tree Fu Tom About?

In every episode, a boy named Tom steps out of his house and puts on a special power belt. He runs to a magical, crooked tree protected by a glowing shield. Using his power belt, Tom performs special "Tree Fu" moves. He then shrinks down to insect size and flies into the tree, entering the magical world of Treetopolis.

Tom is very skilled in the magic of Treetopolis and often helps his friends get out of tricky situations. His main friends include Twigs, Squirmtum, Ariela, Zigzoo, and Catherine. The tree's special magic is shown as a glowing orange liquid called sap.

How Does Tom Use Magic?

At least twice in each episode, Tom needs help from "the big world" (our world) to use his magic. He talks directly to the viewers, asking them to make special magical moves and say magic words to help him. This is called "breaking the fourth wall". The magical power appears as an orange glow and flies towards Tom, helping him complete his spells.

The movements that viewers are asked to do are helpful for children who have developmental coordination disorder. These movements can improve their coordination and motor skills.

Life in Treetopolis

The world of Treetopolis has many fun things, like magical hoverboards called "leaf boards." There's also a sport called "Squizzle" and many different kinds of cakes and snacks that the characters love to eat.

At the end of each adventure, Tom says goodbye to his friends and flies out of the tree's magic field. Back in the normal world, he thanks the viewers for their help and promises another adventure soon. He then runs back into his house as the credits roll.

Voice Actors and Connections

The two main voice actors in the show have also played big roles in the famous TV series Doctor Who. Sophie Aldred, who voices the animated Tom, played Ace, a companion to the Seventh Doctor. David Tennant, who voices Twigs, played the Tenth Doctor. Interestingly, the actor who plays Tom in the live-action parts of the show, Adam Henderson, is Sophie Aldred's son.

Later, the character of Twigs was voiced by Mark Bonnar, who also appeared in Doctor Who.

Why Was Tree Fu Tom Created?

The show was made with help from the Dyspraxia Foundation. The main goal was to encourage children to move and exercise. Experts from the Foundation, Dr. Sally Payne and Dr. Lynda Foulder-Hughes, worked with the show's creators. They helped design the "Tree Fu" movements that Tom uses to create magic.

About five percent of children have developmental coordination disorder. The movements in the show are similar to exercises used by occupational therapists to help children develop their motor skills. The creators hoped that these magical spells would also help young children get more physical activity in their daily lives.

Meet the Characters of Treetopolis

Tom (Thomas): The main character and host of the show. He uses a magic belt to go to Treetopolis and cast spells with help from the "big world." Tom is usually the best at spells, but he is humble and often asks his friends for advice. His catchphrase is "Tree Fu Go! Thanks for your help!" He is 11 years old and the leader of the Tree Fu squad.

Twigs: A funny and energetic Scottish Acorn Fairy. He is Tom's sidekick and best friend. Twigs often argues with Chezz. His catchphrases include "I am a Genius," "We're Doomed!", and "Wowzers!". He is a member of the Tree Fu squad.

Catherine: The newest girl in Treetopolis. She becomes Tom and Twigs' new best friend and the second member of the Tree Fu squad.

Zigzoo: An unusual tree frog who invents things in Treetopolis. His inventions don't always work perfectly. He might have a crush on Ariela. His catchphrase is "Oh Ribbety Roo."

Squirmtum: A woodlouse who works as a miner, digging for sap in the caverns. He is not the smartest, but he can curl into a ball and roll very fast. He wears a miner's helmet with a firefly named Flicker as his light.

Ariela: A beautiful but strong butterfly who manages the Branch Ranch. She likes to do things her own way but is always there for her friends. She is competitive and a bit impatient. She seems to have a close friendship with Zigzoo, who often invents things for her ranch.

Rickety McGlum: An old spider in Treetopolis. He used to be seen as scary but is now a good friend to Tom and his friends. He is an expert at Squizzle and leads the Tree Fu Rangers. He is also the grandfather of Racquette.

Treetog the Tree Spirit: The kind and plump leader of Treetopolis. She also teaches young sprites and Tom traditional Tree Fu spells.

The Mushas (Puffy and Stink): A brother and sister duo of naughty toadstool-like fungi. They are the main troublemakers and are always arguing. Sometimes, Puffy seems to be the one causing the most mischief.

Muru: A mysterious, Spanish praying mantis introduced in 2016. He teaches "red magic," which is an advanced type of Tree Fu magic. This magic lets the user gain abilities of big-world animals, like the speed of a cheetah or the strength of an elephant. He uses a magic spell stone with all the animal spells on it.

Racquette: A mischievous female spiderling with a strong accent. She is Rickety's granddaughter. She loves her granddad but wishes he would let her go on more adventures because she thinks he is boring. She can be stubborn but usually realizes her mistakes. When she's bored or upset, she spins webs from her wrists, similar to Spider-Man.

Rootle and Shade: Shy brother and sister dark sprites who live in the deep root caverns. They are afraid that light will turn them into jelly. Unlike other sprites, they don't have wings and have snail shells on their heads. Their ears and eyes are much bigger than other sprites. Rootle sometimes mixes up the first letters of names.

Episodes of Tree Fu Tom

The show had many exciting episodes across its five seasons. Each episode featured new challenges for Tom and his friends in Treetopolis, often requiring them to use special Tree Fu spells.

Series 1 (2012)

The first series introduced viewers to Tom's adventures and the magical world of Treetopolis.

Episode 1: May the Best Berry Win: Tom and his friends compete in a contest for the Biggest Chuckleberry.
Episode 2: Squizzle Quest: A game of Squizzle goes wrong, sending the projectile into Rickety McGlum's yard.
Episode 3: Zigzoo The Zero: Zigzoo feels down because his inventions keep failing.
Episode 4: So Long Greenhorns: Tom and Twigs try running Ariela's ranch instead of going to Spell School.
Episode 5: Hide and Squeak: Squirmtum's fear of the dark causes problems during a game of hide and seek.
Episode 6: Wishful Thinking: The Mushas get their hands on a magic pebble.
Episode 7: Robot Zigzoo: Zigzoo builds a robot version of himself, but it creates more problems than it solves.
Episode 8: With Friends Like These: Friends go off to play Squizzle instead of helping Squirmtum, giving Stink and Puffy a chance to cause trouble.
Episode 9: Buzzworthy: Bees get into the ranch, causing a stir.
Episode 10: Winging It: Squirmtum tries to fly using a jetpack with wings.
Episode 11: Crystal Catastrophe: Treetog's important casting crystal gets broken.
Episode 12: Fungus Among Us: The Mushas trick Tom and Twigs into making a huge mess in Treetog's castle.
Episode 13: The Big Ranch Rodeo: Trouble arises while organizing a rodeo in Treetopolis.

Series 2 (2012–2013)

More adventures unfolded in the second series, with new spells and challenges.

Episode 14: One for All!: Tom leads his Squizzle team to find an enchanted squizzle.
Episode 15: Treefle Tom: Tom and his friends' love for tasty treefle treats leads to trouble.
Episode 16: The Great Journey: Tom and Twigs learn about being ranchers while leading a baby beetle drive.
Episode 17: Not So Fast: Ariela's impatience causes problems for everyone.
Episode 18: Hovering Humblebugs: Tom's desire for perfection creates issues for the humblebugs.
Episode 19: Treasure Hunt: Treelings and Mushas compete in Treetopolis' annual treasure hunt.
Episode 20: Tom's Big Mess: Tom's careless cleaning during the Annual Tidy Up leads to disaster.
Episode 21: Sappy Day: The Mushas cause mischief, disrupting preparations for Sap Day.
Episode 22: Grubble Trouble: Twigs gets a new pet, threatening his friendship with Tom.
Episode 23: Rickety Rescue: When Tom and friends are in trouble, Rickety comes to the rescue.
Episode 24: Weather Bother: Zigzoo invents a weather machine, but it creates chaos.
Episode 25: Tiny Tom: Tom accidentally shrinks to a tiny size, leading to big problems.
Episode 26: The Lost Stone: A pond creature accidentally swallows Tom's magic sapstone.

Series 3 (2013–2014)

The third series brought more magical mishaps and lessons in teamwork.

Episode 27: Twigs' Big Boost: Twigs eats special berries that cause him to have random growth spurts.
Episode 28: Spincake Day: Zigzoo's spincake machine goes out of control on Spincake Day.
Episode 29: Harvest Antics: A colony of ants tries to take over the food on Harvest Day.
Episode 30: Tom's Fan Club: Tom masters a difficult spell, making the Sprites worship him, but it gets in the way of helping friends.
Episode 31: Tom's Teddy: Tom loses his teddy and wrongly accuses his friends, only to find the Mushas stole it.
Episode 32: Conkerball Run: Tom, Twigs, and Zigzoo challenge the Mushas to a race, but their competitiveness causes problems.
Episode 33: Bad Tom: The Mushas use an invisibility ring to frame Tom and Twigs on Spooky Day.
Episode 34: The Cavern Coaster: Zigzoo invents a coaster for the Caverns, but it gets out of control.
Episode 35: Woodgrubs: Mysterious treequakes lead Tom and friends to discover woodgrubs eating dead bark.
Episode 36: Chuckleberry Tom: Tom uses Chuckleberry Juice to be funny, but it gets out of hand.
Episode 37: Ranger Tom: Fungus Finder: Tom and Twigs learn to be prepared when dangerous fungi appear.
Episode 38: Don't Go Glowy: Ariela's pet Gloworm eats a Bubbleroot and turns into a Gremmel.
Episode 39: Last Squizzle: Tom, Twigs, Stink, and Puffy need new squizzles, but their unwillingness to cooperate causes trouble.

Series 4 (2014)

This series continued with new adventures and challenges for Tom and the Tree Fu Rangers.

Episode 40: Tom's Big Spell: Tom struggles with a new spell, causing chaos in Treetopolis.
Episode 41: Super Squirmtum: Squirmtum tries to be a superhero, but causes more harm than good.
Episode 42: The Golden Spore: A magical spore grants angry wishes, leading to a quest to reverse them.
Episode 43: Ranger Tom: Super Helper: Tom and Twigs try to earn their Super Helper Badges but become overwhelmed.
Episode 44: Tom and the Warble Weeds: Tom and Twigs are lazy about clearing weeds, which almost blows away houses.
Episode 45: Ranger Tom: Fun Guy!: Zigzoo discovers a fungus that makes everyone sick, leading to a quest for a cure.
Episode 46: Twigs' Tall Tale: Twigs feels small and tries to prove himself in a competition against Chezz.
Episode 47: Ranger Tom and the Carrots of Doom: Tom's big-world carrots grow huge and cause panic among the Treelings.
Episode 48: Picture This: Tom and Twigs use an enchanted scroll that brings drawings to life, leading to trouble.
Episode 49: Dragon Fruit Fiasco: Zigzoo borrows equipment without asking, causing an annoyed beetle to chase him and Ariela.
Episode 50: Ranger Tom: A Badge Too Far: Tom and Twigs try to earn too many badges at once, leading to malfunctions.
Episode 51: King Stink: Stink finds a legendary crown and becomes King, but learns it's a big responsibility.
Episode 52: Tree Fu Tom: The Sprite Before Christmas: It's Winterfest, a Christmas-like event in Treetopolis.

Series 5 (2016)

The final series introduced new characters and types of magic.

Episode 53: Stuck: Zigzoo and Twigs get stuck by Sticky Bugs, and Tom needs to find a way to unstick them.
Episode 54: Ranger Tom and The Musha Rangers: The Mushas try to trick Twigs, Hazel, and Chezz into doing their dirty work.
Episode 55: Flicker Goes Out: Tom and Twigs meet Muru, their new Red Crystal Magic teacher, but Flicker's light is stolen.
Episode 56: It's A Kind Of Magic: Twigs accidentally breaks Muru's magic stick, leading to a quest for a new one.
Episode 57: Dark Sprites: Rootle and Shade, afraid of light, make Treetopolis permanently dark.
Episode 58: Ranger Tom a Friend Indeed: Tom, Twigs, and Chezz break Rickety's object and learn to work together to fix it.
Episode 59: How to Train Your Buggle: Twigs tries to train his pet Buggle, Whizzy, but accidentally hurts her feelings. The title is a parody of the movie How to Train Your Dragon.
Episode 60: Treenado: Tom and Twigs accidentally cause a Treenado while practicing animal spells.
Episode 61: Friendship Day: Twigs is in charge of Friendship Day, but Squirmtum and Zigzoo are not talking.
Episode 62: Box of Tricks: Muru tests Tom and Twigs by having them deliver a box, but temptation leads them inside.
Episode 63: Ranger Tom: Beetles and Grubbles: Chezz leads the Grubbles into danger while playing a new game.
Episode 64: Need For Less Speed: A race for Wish Fruit ripens, but the Turborantula overheats.
Episode 65: The Good The Bad And The Mushas: Tom and Twigs accompany Ariela to cure Beetles' Foot Fungus in Red Rock Canyon.
Episode 66: Racquette Risks A Rescue: Rickety's granddaughter Racquette causes chaos during her visit.
Episode 67: Musha Island: Tom, Twigs, and Bertie play pirates, but the Mushas try to trick Bertie.
Episode 68: An A-maze-ing Adventure: Muru sets Tom and Twigs on a quest through a maze against the Mushas.
Episode 69: Red Musha Mischief: The Dark Sprites visit, and the Mushas try to trick them with their gadgets.
Episode 70: Ranger Tom And Ginormous George: The Mushas try to trick Tom, Twigs, and Racquette into creating a monster.
Episode 71: Dead Branch Challenge: Muru challenges Tom, Twigs, and Racquette to navigate without flying or touching the ground.
Episode 72: Raiders Of The Lost Bark: Twigs needs new bark for his collection, but a Termite is also after it.
Episode 93: Tom in OZ: This special episode is a parody of The Wizard of Oz.

Series 6 (2021)

A new series was planned with some character updates.

Episode 73: Meet Catherine: Catherine moves to Treetopolis and joins Tom and Twigs as the Tree Fu squad.
Episode 74: New Teacher: Twigs struggles to respect a new substitute teacher when Treetog is sick.
Episode 75: Rainbow: Tom, Twigs, and Catherine have fun with the colors of a rainbow in Treetopolis.
Episode 76: Lots of Energy: Zigzoo, Squirmtum, and Ariela get stuck in a dangerous Sap Pyramid while seeking a new Sap Cell.
Episode 77: Ranger Tom, and the Hike to Wish Mountain: The Tree Fu Rangers climb Wish Mountain, but Zigzoo leads them astray.
Episode 78: Zigzoo's Better Best Friend: Zigzoo plans a picnic with his inventions, but learns real friends are more important.
Episode 79: Tom's Birthday: Tom's friends try to set up a birthday surprise but accidentally lock themselves in the barn.
Episode 80: Treemini Tom: Tom gets shrunk again by Zigzoo's Size-O-Scope and tries to return to normal size.
Episode 81: Valentine's Day: Tom, Twigs, and Catherine celebrate Valentine's Day in Treetopolis.
Episode 82: Festival: It's a festival parade, and Tom, Twigs, and Catherine play musical instruments.
Episode 83: Ice Cream: On a hot day, Tom, Twigs, and Catherine enjoy ice cream.
Episode 84: Mermaid: Tom, Twigs, and Catherine find a lost mermaid and temporarily turn into mermaids to help her find her home.
Episode 85: The Lost Baby: Tom, Twigs, and Catherine find a lost baby and try to figure out who it belongs to.
Episode 86: Trick or Treat, Treetopolis?: It's Halloween, and the Mushas try to ruin the party, but Tom and friends scare them back.